High-Efficiency Expeditionary Group 2 and Group 3 VTOL UAS for Long-Range Distributed ISR/SOF Operations

SBIR · Phase: BOTH · Topic DAF27BZ02-DV018 · Solicitation 27.BZ

Runway independence provides substantial operational flexibility for ISR/SOF missions but creates significant technical penalties in aircraft weight, propulsion complexity, energy consumption, endurance, payload, reliability, and cost. The research challenge is to minimize these penalties while enabling a persistent, expeditionary autonomous aircraft capable of operating from austere and distributed locations. The Government seeks emerging VTOL technologies combining reliable vertical operations with efficient forward flight, extended endurance, useful payload capacity, resilient communications, and autonomous mission execution. Solutions may employ tilt-wing, tilt-rotor, lift-plus-cruise, tailsitter, distributed propulsion, hybrid propulsion, or other technically viable architectures. Companies should specifically highlight demonstrated capabilities, current maturity, projected performance, and remaining technical risks in the following areas: VTOL Endurance: Capability to achieve 12-15 hours of flight time is critical. Offerors should identify payload, speed, altitude, loiter profile, environmental assumptions, and propulsion configuration associated with demonstrated or projected endurance. Propulsion: Gas-powered propulsion is of particular interest for meeting extended sortie-duration requirements. Fully electric, hybrid-electric, or alternative propulsion solutions are acceptable if they can meet the required sortie duration and mission-performance objectives. In-Flight Recharge: Technologies enabling in-flight energy replenishment or recharge are of interest, including architectures supporting a six B.A. battery configuration, where applicable. Payload: Adjustable and modular payload capacity with a minimum desired capability greater than 60 pounds while maintaining an 12-15-hour loiter/endurance profile. Offerors should additionally characterize performance and design tradeoffs associated with payload growth toward 75 pounds. Network Node / Layered Effects / Force Packaging: Ability to operate as an airborne network node and participate in distributed, layered effects and multi-platform force packages. BLOS: Resilient beyond-line-of-sight communications and autonomous mission execution without reliance upon continuous line-of-sight C2. Vigilant Spirit: Existing integration, interoperability, or a clearly defined integration pathway with Vigilant Spirit. Dynamic Targeting: Ability to receive mission updates and dynamically retask, revisit/retest areas or objects of interest, reassess previous observations or effects, and conduct authorized subsequent mission actions. NKE / ESM: Ability to host, support, and employ modular non-kinetic effects and Electronic Support Measures payloads. Extended Autonomy: Architecture capable of supporting autonomous missions approaching 15 hours, including reliable operation for representative periods of at least 5 minutes without human intervention. Companies should characterize autonomy reliability, intervention rate, failure modes, contingency behavior, recovery, and lost-link performance. VTOL Efficiency Demonstrate autonomous vertical takeoff and recovery. Quantify hover and VTOL fuel/energy consumption. Demonstrate efficient transition between vertical and forward flight. Quantify VTOL energy penalty relative to total mission energy. Range and Endurance Demonstrate or substantiate a credible path to8 hours of flight endurance with representative payload. Characterize mission radius, maximum range, endurance, and loiter time. Quantify payload/range/endurance trade space. Characterize forward-flight propulsion efficiency. Identify fuel or energy requirements associated with representative ISR/SOF mission profiles. For fully electric systems, demonstrate the ability to achieve required sortie duration. Where proposed, characterize in-flight recharge or energy replenishment. Payload and Mission Systems Support an adjustable/modular payload of at least 25 pounds at the desired 8-hour pro…

SBIR/STTR 은 미국 중소기업만 지원할 수 있습니다(Small Business Act 법정 요건). • 계열사를 포함해 상시 종업원 500명 이하 • 미국 시민 또는 영주권자 1인 이상이 50%를 초과해 직접 소유·지배 • 미국 내 사업장을 두고 주로 미국 내에서 사업을 영위할 것 • 수행책임자(PI)의 주된 근무처가 신청 기업일 것 출처: https://www.sbir.gov/faq/eligibility-requirements

Primary country

🇺🇸 United States

Also eligible

None

Foreign companies

No

Local entity

Required

Location condition

미국 내 사업장을 두고 미국 시민·영주권자가 50%를 초과해 소유한 중소기업만 신청할 수 있습니다(법정 요건).

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Official URL

https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/

Application URL

https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/

Last fetched

2026.11.06

Human review

Not reviewed — check the official announcement

First seen

2026.11.06

Data status

Auto-collected, not reviewed

AI enrichment

Needs verification