Navy seeks industry input on short-range UAS

The Navy is seeking industry input regarding a small vertical-takeoff-and-landing-capable unmanned aircraft system, according to a request for information posted Wednesday.

“The solution should support operations including, but not limited to, Mission Planning, Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition, Patrolling, Security/Force Protection Operations, Convoy Operations and Military Operations in Urban Terrain under all environmental conditions, both day and night,” according to the Naval Air Systems Command notice.

The system should also be usable with minimal training required, the notice states, and capable of autonomous or manual launch and recovery. It should have a technology readiness level of seven or greater.

“The system should provide real-time full motion video via electro-optical and/or infrared (EO/IR) sensors,” the notice adds. “The Air Vehicles (AV) should be capable of autonomous or a safe manual launch with a minimum of support equipment from a small, confined area and should be capable of either autonomous or manual recovery within a designated area.”

Additional requirements for the system include a gross takeoff weight of five pounds or less, an endurance of over 30 minutes, a range of zero to five kilometers and operability over water while performing VTOL operations.

NAVAIR is asking interested parties to submit white papers detailing technical attributes of the proposed system by Feb. 16.