The US Department of Defense calls for autonomous drones to help with SAR missions
The US Air Force and Department of Defense (DoD) has put out a solicitation, asking the industry to submit proposals for an autonomous drone that can rescue downed aircrew in remote or hostile environments.
The US Air Force and Department of Defense (DoD) has put out a solicitation, asking the industry to submit proposals for an autonomous drone that can rescue downed aircrew in remote or hostile environments.
The DoD explained that the vision is to ‘increase the number of recovery/transport vehicles available across the battlefield and to decrease the response time needed for insertion and extraction of personnel at risk while also not increasing the number of personnel in harm’s way’.
The transport should be able to carry up to four military personnel, with full equipment load, totalling approximately 1,400 pounds, the solicitation cites.
In addition to being capable of at least a 100-mile radius at speeds above 100kts and taking off and landing at unprepared locations approximately 50 by 50 feet, but no larger than 150 ft, the DoD requires the UAV to have either electric design or a hybrid propulsion system with increased acoustic signatures while en route.
The platform should also have the capability of operating in all types of environment, including desert, jungle, mountainous and maritime (ship to shore transport). Water recovery of personnel is a desired capability but not a requirement.
The application open date is 31 May 2019, and the industry has been asked to submit applications by 1 July. Applications can be submitted here.