Θ Virginia's UAS Sensing by yourDragonXi Δ 10th of October 2014 Ω 2:12 PM

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~ MITRE ~ Office of Naval Research (ONR) ~ Alion	~ sense for Ξ ~ Johns Hopkins University ~ Aurora	~ Battlespace ~ UAS Test Site from FAA ~ Virginia Tech
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«UAS Sensing in U.S.	Θ	Θ
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~ MITRE

»MITRE
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~ Office of Naval Research (ONR)

»Office of Naval Research (ONR)

Unmanned Air Systems Program

Research in Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) focuses on technologies that enable next-generation UAS development.
The program focuses on current research efforts including, but not limited to:
ξ airframe,
ξ propulsion and/or power,
ξ mission and operational concepts,
ξ testing,
ξ avionics
ξ payload services (nuclear, biological, chemical; reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition; targeting; electronic warfare;
ξ distributed systems and weapons).

UAS development consists of multiple basic and applied research efforts
that focus on a long-term vision to enable greater unmanned air systems persistence/endurance
with autolaunch/recovery and auto-refueling capabilities.

This technology will enable persistent, distributed surveillance, and increase warfighter operational effectiveness.
These capabilities help to reduce the complexity and time lag in the sensor-to-shooter chain
for acting on �actionable intelligence.�
UAS technology changes the conduct of military operations and enhances Maritime Domain Awareness through extended range and duration.

Program Contact Information
Name: John Kinzer
Title: Research Program Officer
Department: Code 35
Division: Aerospace Research
Phone:
Email: john.kinzer@navy.mil

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~ Alion

»Alion
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~ Johns Hopkins University

»Johns Hopkins University
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~ Aurora

»Aurora
ξ

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~ Battlespace

»Battlespace
ξ

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~ UAS Test Site from FAA

»UAS Test Site from FAA

ξ the last one NOT operational 14th of August 2014

ξ Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech).
ξ Virginia Tech plans to conduct UAS failure mode testing and
ξ identify and evaluate operational and technical risks areas.
ξ This proposal includes test site range locations in both Virginia and New Jersey.

»Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership
ξ Virginia, Maryland, New Jeresey's UAS Test Site

I do not work directly with the test site and cannot provide good answers to your questions.
I suggest that you contact the test site using the contact info at
http://www.maap.ictas.vt.edu/
Let me know if you cannot make a connection, and I will try to help you get connected.
Best,
Dan
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Daniel J. Stilwell
Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Virginia Tech
email: stilwell@vt.edu
»Stilwell Home Page

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~ Virginia Tech

»Virginia Tech
ξ »Virginia Center for Autonomous Systems
ξ research interest include autonomous underwater vehicles, robotics
ξ »Autonomous Systems and Control Laboratory

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~ NASA Langley

»NASA Langley

RFI Research and development technologies sought for small unmanned aircraft systems vehicle autonomy
NASA is interested in exploring the design space for operational integration of small Unmanned Systems (sUAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS).
A series of Requests for Information (RFI)s are planned to be released, each with a slightly different focus.
This is one of potentially multiple RFIs and is among the first to be released in this area.
This particular RFI is focused on assessing technology maturity in several areas of interest listed below,
with a particular focus in applications toward autonomy.

RFI only and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that NASA will take procurement action in this matter.
Further, neither NASA nor the Government will be responsible for any cost incurred in furnishing this information.

The NASA UAS Integration in the NAS Project is focused on providing research findings
to reduce technical barriers associated with integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
into the National Airspace System utilizing integrated system level tests in a relevant environment.

The Project focuses on four technical areas including;
1) Sense and Avoid (SAA) performance standards
2) Command and Control (C2) performance standards
3) Human Systems Integration (HSI)
4) Integrated Test and Evaluation (IT&E)

The Project also has strategic focus technical areas on certification and sUAS efforts.

The NASA UAS Integration in the NAS Project efforts involving sUAS are designed to evaluate and enable
key sUAS autonomy technologies that can be used to for future sUAS missions.

Special emphasis is being placed on how �intelligent� autonomy could potentially benefit both missions and operations and
what technological hurdles exist to realizing this potential.

In particular, NASA seeks information to help identify future mission applications,
future technologies, and potential operations of small UAS in the National Airspace System (NAS).

The information provided to NASA under this RFI will be used to assess the state-of-the-art in sUAS autonomy.
This assessment may be used to help guide NASA�s future research activities in sUAS autonomy.

Although this RFI is designating �small� UAS,
the interest is in the classification of vehicles that are smaller than the typical manned aircraft
(including light sport aircraft and/or ultralights), and
would generally operate at lower altitudes.

Other than this qualitative limitation on vehicle size and capability,
technologies associated with all types of UAS vehicles performing any operations in any airspace, are being considered.

Technologies can be applicable to both line-of-sight (LOS) and
beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) operations.
This RFI is not limited to sUAS that are below 55 pounds.

2.0 Request for Information
The information being requested will help NASA determine
what the current State-of-the-Art provides in terms of capability and readiness.
Technologies that are applicable to this RFI include those technologies that provide
�intelligent� autonomy, including but not limited to
the use of heuristics,
neural networks,
artificial intelligence, or other similar means
to accomplish some level of autonomous control and/or decision-making.
For this RFI, NASA is seeking vehicle system-centric technologies,
including on-board and/or ground control station (GCS) located,
which enable future mission applications or profoundly benefit current mission applications and/or operations in the NAS.

Specifically, providers of information should address the following topics in their submission:

2.1 Technology Description

Specific Questions to be answered:
� What is the technology and generally how does it work?
� What problem or issue is being solved/addressed by this technology?
� What are the expected benefits over current state-of-the-art or other approaches to solving the same problem?
� How does this specific technology enable or benefit the mission applications listed above?
� Is the technology commercially available and what is the cost?

2.2 Applications and Operations

Specific Questions to be answered:
� What are the specific mission applications and/or NAS operations which would benefit from intelligent autonomy and
what technology shortfalls are preventing those applications from being performed today?

2.3 Required Supporting Technologies

Specific Questions to be answered:
� What is required to support the technology?
� What are the computational hardware/resource requirements for this technology?
(E.g. do they require a Supercomputer, FPGA, PC/workstation, smartphone, embedded or microcontroller, etc.?)
� What external information or sensors are required as input for this technology to work? (E.g. ADS-B, EO/IR, radar, etc.)
� Is this an on-board technology for a small UAS or does it reside in the GCS and how does a lost-link impact the technology?

2.4 What is the maturity level of the technology?

Specific Questions to be answered:
� What is the Technology Readiness Level of the technology?
� What testing or validation has been done in what type of environment? (Simulation only, flight tested, etc.)

NOTE: Please reference http://www.nasa.gov/content/technology-readiness-level and
http://esto.nasa.gov/files/trl_definitions.pdf for the NASA Technology Readiness Level description

2.5 What is the availability of the technology?
Specific Questions to be answered:
� If NASA wishes to bring or help bring this technology to the community,
what is the current availability of the technology?
(Open or Open Source, Fair Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (FRND) licensing, proprietary)
� How would the developer work with NASA to bring the technology to the sUAS community?

2.6 NASA Collaboration and Technology Transfer

Specific Questions to be answered:
� Would the respondent be willing to work in a collaborative fashion with NASA?
� Does the respondent need NASA�s help in maturing the technology and/or bringing the technology to the community?
� Would the respondent be willing to provide intellectual property rights to NASA?
� How would the respondent work with NASA to bring the technology to the sUAS community?

3.0 Other Information to Respondents
This RFI is not a solicitation for the procurement of goods or services.
The Government is under no obligation to issue any such solicitation in the future as a result of this RFI.
NASA will not pay for any costs associated with responding to this RFI.

Responses to this RFI are open to all categories of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations,
including educational institutions, industry, not-for-profit institutions,
the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as NASA Centers and other U.S. Government Agencies.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Other Minority Universities (OMUs),
small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs), veteran-owned small businesses,
service disabled veteran-owned small businesses, HUBzone small businesses, and
women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) are encouraged to apply.

Responses from non-U.S. organizations are welcome but subject to NASAs policy of no exchange of funds,
in which each government supports its own national participants and associated costs.

All submissions must be unclassified.
Non-proprietary information is preferred.
It is not NASA�s intent to publicly disclose vendor proprietary information obtained from this RFI.
To the full extent that it is protected pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and other laws and regulations,
information identified by a respondent as �Proprietary or Confidential� will be kept confidential.

The information package response shall be limited to 15 pages maximum, and
shall contain the following information:
� Name of organization, including point of contact (POC) information (name, phone, e-mail)
� Answers to the specific research question(s) addressed, in a format as provided in the questionnaire attachment.
� Optional Presentation or document in Adobe PDF format, not to exceed 25 pages/slides per presentation/document, if desired.
This optional presentation/document shall not count against the 15 page maximum limit for the research question response.

Information shall be provided to:
Vince Schultz, Deputy UAS Project Manager for Langley Research Center NASA Email: vincent.p.schultz@nasa.gov

Roberta Keeter, NASA Langley Contracting Officer NASA Email: roberta.i.keeter@nasa.gov

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