US Air Force unmanned aircraft system (UAS) experts are looking for defence contractors able to design an airborne sense-and-avoid system that could be installed on a wide variety of UAS to enable unmanned aircraft to operate safely alongside commercial aircraft in civil airspace.Air Force officials have issued a request for information for the Common-Airborne Sense and Avoid (C-ABSAA) programme, which seeks companies able to integrate Air Force-developed UAS sense-and-avoid technology into a system applicable to many kinds of UAS.
Sponsoring the industry survey are officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance & Special Operations Forces (ISR & SOF) Directorate (AFLCMC/WI) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Officials want responses from industry by 25 Oct. 2013.
The goal of the C-ABSAA programme is to enable the Air Force to get blanket FAA approval to operate UAS in unrestricted U.S. airspace by satisfying the FAA’s see-and-avoid requirement. The survey is for information only and will not result in a contract.
The C-ABSAA System must account for cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft in all classes of airspace, including the terminal area. The system also must develop display technology that will accommodate a wide variety of ground stations.
Sources: FedBizOpps, Military & Aerospace Electronics