N232-085 TITLE: Autonomous Precision Landing onto Non-Cooperative Targets
OUSD (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems;Integrated Sensing and Cyber;Trusted AI and Autonomy
The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.
OBJECTIVE: Develop a modular system that enables a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft to precisely and repeatedly land on a small non-cooperative target, then take off again.
DESCRIPTION: Autonomous landing systems have become common in both manned and unmanned aviation. Uses span from commercial airliners to small drones. Most of these systems are GPS-based, which enables autonomous landing to an approximate location, but lacks the accuracy to enable autonomous landing in a very small or confined space, such as the deck of a boat. To enable high-precision autonomous landing, systems have been developed using additional sensors, including RTK-GPS, radar, acoustic, ultra-wideband (UWB), and vision. However, these precision landing systems require sensors and/or optical targets to be placed on the landing target prior to landing. This prevents their use with "non-cooperative targets (NCTs)", such as the roof of a building or an enemy vessel, that are not accessible prior to the initial landing. This approach would also have applicability to EMCON conditions on current assets.
This SBIR topic seeks to develop a non-cooperative target landing system (NCTLS) to enable VTOL aircraft (manned or unmanned) to autonomously land on and take off from a small area or NCT, without a pilot providing control inputs. The NCTLS should enable the following pilot workflow:
1. The pilot designates an NCT landing site using satellite imagery or data from an aircraft-mounted sensor.
2. The NCTLS tracks the landing site in real time and generates aircraft control inputs to guide the aircraft safely onto the NCT, without any operator input.
3. The pilot may later decide to launch from the NCT; during launch, the NCTLS should track the landing site during takeoff and generate aircraft control inputs to guide the aircraft straight up relative to the NCT.
It may be assumed that the general location of the NCT is known, and that the NCT is large enough to accommodate the small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS). Landing accuracy should be less than 50% of the largest aircraft dimension (e.g., landing error for a 1000 mm diameter quadcopter drone should be less than 500 mm).
The NCTLS should be modular and adaptable to a range of VTOL aircraft. It is desirable for the NCTLS system to operate with sensor data from pre-existing sensors already on board most aircraft (e.g., GPS, IMU, imagers), however, additional sensors and computers may be added to the aircraft to enable the system. Overall size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements of the system should be minimized. Control output signals from the NCTLS should be provided in a generalized format such as velocity or acceleration commands. The NCTLS should not interfere with other aircraft subsystems.
Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by DoD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advanced phases of this contract.
PHASE I: Design and develop technology that enables autonomous landing of a VTOL aircraft on an NCT, as described above. Provide a detailed description of the system architecture and necessary input and output interfaces to integrate into a small drone. Identify key components necessary for operation. Build a prototype NCTLS and demonstrate the prototype operating in a relevant environment, landing on a stationary NCT. Identify limits of operating conditions, such as NCT environmental conditions, weather, aircraft dynamics, and sensor requirements. Develop a Phase II implementation plan. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.
PHASE II: Build, test, and validate a complete NCTLS prototype that successfully lands a VTOL aircraft on a moving NCT such as a vehicle or vessel at sea. Demonstrate the prototype system in relevant operational environments. Demonstrate portability of the system to different VTOL aircraft. Produce and deliver a final technical data package that includes system and subcomponent specifications, interface descriptions and definitions, and operating instructions for the prototype. Prepare for transition to deployment.
Work in Phase II may become classified. Please see note in Description section.
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Complete final testing, and perform necessary integration and transition for use in landing/take-off operations with appropriate existing platforms and agencies, and future combat systems under development.
Commercially this product could be used to enable remote delivery/pickup of various payloads to unattended locations, surveillance/interdiction operations, and in search and rescue (SAR) operations.
REFERENCES:
KEYWORDS: Artificial intelligence/machine learning; AI/ML; surveillance; autonomous landing; non-cooperative; sensors; unmanned systems
** TOPIC NOTICE ** |
The Navy Topic above is an "unofficial" copy from the Navy Topics in the DoD 23.2 SBIR BAA. Please see the official DoD Topic website at www.defensesbirsttr.mil/SBIR-STTR/Opportunities/#announcements for any updates. The DoD issued its Navy 23.2 SBIR Topics pre-release on April 19, 2023 which opens to receive proposals on May 17, 2023, and closes June 14, 2023 (12:00pm ET). Direct Contact with Topic Authors: During the pre-release period (April 19, 2023 through May 16, 2023) proposing firms have an opportunity to directly contact the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) to ask technical questions about the specific BAA topic. Once DoD begins accepting proposals on May 17, 2023 no further direct contact between proposers and topic authors is allowed unless the Topic Author is responding to a question submitted during the Pre-release period. SITIS Q&A System: After the pre-release period, until May 31, (at 12:00 PM ET), proposers may submit written questions through SITIS (SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System) at www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/ by logging in and following instructions. In SITIS, the questioner and respondent remain anonymous but all questions and answers are posted for general viewing. Topics Search Engine: Visit the DoD Topic Search Tool at www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/ to find topics by keyword across all DoD Components participating in this BAA.
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| 5/30/23 | Q. | Is there any requirement for length of time required to land after target acquisition? |
| A. | The goal is to land as quickly and quietly (covert) on the NCT platform without multiple attempts at landing and/or taking off. Aircraft performance and maneuverability will be taken into consideration in the determination of a reasonable time allotment. | |
| 5/30/23 | Q. | At what distance/altitude does the system have to be able to both identify and start navigating to the NCT? |
| A. | Scenario dependent. A pilot input/designation holding position approximately 0.5 to 1 mile from NCT is desired (based on sensor capability).
1. The pilot designates an NCT landing site using satellite imagery or data from an aircraft-mounted sensor (provided/recommended as part of SBIR proposal). 2. The NCTLS tracks the landing site in real time and generates aircraft control inputs to guide the aircraft safely on to the NCT, without any operator input. 3. The pilot may later decide to launch from the NCT; during launch, the NCTLS should track the landing site during takeoff and generate aircraft control inputs to guide the aircraft straight up relative to the NCT. It may be assumed that the general location of the NCT is known, and that the NCT is large enough to accommodate the small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS). |
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| 5/30/23 | Q. | In the Phase I description, the solicitation states, �Build a prototype NCTLS and demonstrate the prototype operating in a relevant environment, landing on a stationary NCT.� Does the prototype here refer to a physical system, i.e., experimental demonstrations, or does it refer to a simulation evaluation in a relevant environment? |
| A. | A physical prototype encompasses all of the SBIR aspects (sensor input, vehicle control and landing/take off algorithm). If this is not possible a realistic simulation encompassing all of the aspects is acceptable. | |
| 5/23/23 | Q. | What size/type VTOL are you expecting to land for this solicitation? |
| A. | The NCTLS should be modular and adaptable to a range of VTOL aircraft. The solution being requested is to have the land and takeoff capability implemented on a Class I-III UAS platform. | |
| 5/23/23 | Q. | What size/type of NCT sea vessels are you expecting to land on. |
| A. | The NCT vessel size is dependent on the size of the UAS being utilized. Another words the landing spot will be at least 50% greater than the unit diameter. Landing accuracy should be less than 50% of the largest aircraft dimension (e.g., landing error for a 1000 mm diameter quadcopter drone should be less than 500 mm) | |
| 5/23/23 | Q. | What is the expected/acceptable amount of time allowable to execute a successful landing? |
| A. | The goal is to land as quickly and quietly (covert) on the NCT platform without multiple attempts at landing and/or taking off. Aircraft performance and maneuverability will be taken into consideration in the determination of a reasonable time allotment. | |
| 5/19/23 | Q. | In terms of triggering the landing zone, should the proposed solution consider both satellite imagery and data from �aircraftmounted sensors�? and for the latter what sensors can we assume? |
| A. | It is desirable for the NCTLS system to operate with sensor data from pre-existing sensors already on board most aircraft (e.g., GPS, IMU, imagers), however, additional sensors and computers may be added to the aircraft to enable the system. Provide a detailed description of the system architecture and necessary input and output interfaces to integrate into a small drone. Identify key components necessary for operation. | |
| 5/19/23 | Q. | Do we need to find the right landing spot of landing or we can assume that the user will point out to somehow a precise landing zone? for example when landing on a ship the user will point to the particular spot on the ship where they want the UAV to land vs pointing just to the ship |
| A. | 1. The pilot designates an NCT landing site using satellite imagery or data from an aircraft-mounted sensor (provided/recommended as part of SBIR proposal).
2. The NCTLS tracks the landing site in real time and generates aircraft control inputs to guide the aircraft safely on to the NCT, without any operator input. 3. The pilot may later decide to launch from the NCT; during launch, the NCTLS should track the landing site during takeoff and generate aircraft control inputs to guide the aircraft straight up relative to the NCT. It may be assumed that the general location of the NCT is known, and that the NCT is large enough to accommodate the small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS). |
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| 5/19/23 | Q. | Can we assume that there is a specific trajectory for landing where the last stage of landing is mainly vertical or the landing can be at any trajectory? |
| A. | VTOL aircraft typically prefer to �land� and �takeoff� in a vertical manner (last stage). A sliding-in trajectory tends create aerodynamic instabilities which may yield a crash | |
| 5/19/23 | Q. | Is part of the scope is to do path planning and obstacle avoidance when landing? |
| A. | Yes, based on the sensor(s) input(s) and environmental conditions observed. | |
| 5/19/23 | Q. | What are the EMCON limitations in terms of the UAV? |
| A. | EMCON is used to ensure the enemy cannot triangulate the signal source and/or the vehicle/object using radio direction-finding techniques. Since RF transmissions are less common in the middle of the sea, even a very low power and short duration signal can stand out and make the vehicle/object an easily locatable target. | |
| 5/19/23 | Q. | Is there an estimate of what is the range-from-target where the UAV will start the autonomous landing process? |
| A. | A pilot input/designation holding position approximately 0.5 to 1 mile from NCT is desired (based on sensor capability). |