Department of Defence invests big in small.

The US government seems to be pouring astounding funds into sensor research for sUAS. Yesterdays department of defence contract awards announcements are very telling. Small Unmanned Aerial Systems are big news.

University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, is being awarded a $47,000,000 cost-plus firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for test of payloads on small unmanned aerial systems.  The Office of the Secretary of Defense has requested a research and development contract which is to provide a capability, integration, product improvement, test and evaluation of payloads in the field of small unmanned aircraft systems.  This contract will focus on testing various payloads, which may require research and development in order to accomplish specified task(s) for unmanned aerial systems flight test(s) at various locations characterized by, high latitudes, oceanic, mountains, desert, littoral zones and/or other extreme environments.  Work will be performed in Alaska (40 percent), Wyoming (30 percent), and New Mexico (30 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2015.  Contract funds of $132,375 for the initial contract order will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received.  The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-10-D-JQ43).

New Mexico State University/Physical Science Laboratory, Las Cruces, N.M., is being awarded a $47,000,000 cost-plus, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for test of payloads on small unmanned aerial systems.  The Office of the Secretary of Defense has requested a research and development contract which is to provide a capability, integration, product improvement, test and evaluation of payloads in the field of small unmanned aircraft systems.  This contract will focus on testing various payloads, which may require research and development in order to accomplish specified task(s) for unmanned aerial systems flight test(s) at various locations characterized by, high latitudes, oceanic, mountains, desert, littoral zones and/or other extreme environments.  Work will be performed in Alaska (40 percent), Wyoming (30 percent), and New Mexico (30 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2015.  Contract funds of $132,375 for the initial contract order will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received.  The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-10-D-JQ41).

Applied Research Associates, Inc., Albuquerque, N.M., is being awarded a $47,000,000 cost-plus firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for test of payloads on small unmanned aerial systems.  The Office of the Secretary of Defense has requested a research and development contract which is to provide a capability, integration, product improvement, test and evaluation of payloads in the field of small unmanned aircraft systems.  This contract will focus on testing various payloads, which may require research and development in order to accomplish specified task(s) for unmanned aerial systems flight test(s) at various locations characterized by, high latitudes, oceanic, mountains, desert, littoral zones and/or other extreme environments.  Work will be performed in Alaska (40 percent), Wyoming (30 percent), and New Mexico (30 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2015.  Contract funds of $132,375 for the initial contract order will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received.  The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-10-D-JQ37).