NASA:- RFI Research and development technologies sought for small unmanned aircraft systems vehicle autonomy

NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 12, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001

Description 1.0 Introduction

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.

This is a Request for Information (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; Sense and Avoid (SAA) performance standards, Command and Control (C2) performance standards, Human Systems Integration (HSI), and 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 request for information 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