AFRL seeking industry input on alternate PNT for drone swarms

The Air Force Research Lab is gauging private-sector interest in developing reliable and precise position, navigation and timing (PNT) technology to coordinate swarms of small drones in GPS-denied or degraded environments with harsh physical conditions, per a request for information published yesterday.

Input on such capabilities from industry is due Sept. 19.

The Air Force Research Laboratory isn’t yet soliciting prototype proposals, but its air domain research unit is gauging industry interest in supporting a VPX ruggedized testbed for position, navigation and timing prototypes that incorporate its Next Generation Atomic Clock -- a low-power, advanced system designed to maintain precise time measurement and synchronization.

Such a testbed would use a decentralized but standard open PNT architecture so platforms can operate without GPS. It would also allow swarms of small drones to establish reference frames using measurements between the platforms, so they can start navigating together without prior positioning data. As the swarm continues to operate, the positioning accuracy will improve with the accumulation of real-time data.

The VPX ruggedization means this testbed would also allow for the integration between platforms and the assessment of prototypes’ operation in harsh physical environments.

“This system is critical for maintaining coordinated flight, accurate data collection, advanced sensor fusion, and effective mission execution,” the notice said.

It comes as PNT capabilities continue to gain traction as a high-priority mission requirement for the Defense Department. The Pentagon’s science and technology chief brought it up last week at the National Defense Industrial Association’s annual emerging technology conference.

“If I were to say we need to be able to operate through highly contested environments with a given mission, well, one of those important aspects is assured position, navigation and timing,” said Michael Holthe, performing the duties of assistant defense secretary for science and technology.

The RFI also comes more than a year after a Defense Science Board task force recommended the Pentagon attempt to leverage commercial markets for the rapid scaling of PNT systems for military use.