Collaborative Autonomous UAS for Distributed Non-Kinetic Effects

SBIR topic DAF27BZ02-DV019 (U.S. Department of Defense – Air Force), Phase I and II. Open to U.S. small businesses. Opens: December 2, 2026. Closes: January 6, 2027. Traditional non-kinetic capabilities can be constrained by platform availability, cost, survivability, operator workload, communications requirements, and centralized mission architectures. Distributed autonomous UAS create the opportunity to separate the mission effect from a single exquisite platform and distribute sensing, decision-making, communications, and payload employment across multiple lower-cost aircraft. The Government seeks modular technologies enabling Group 2/3 UAS and similarly expendable autonomous aircraft to collaboratively carry and employ Government-approved non-kinetic payloads while operating under a human-on-the-loop command architecture. Potential mission functions may include lawful and authorized: Electronic support. Communications relay. Spectrum sensing. Deception and decoy functions. Distributed RF effects. Cooperative sensing. Network extension. Authorized cyber-physical mission effects. Signature generation. Mission-support effects. Other non-destructive effects. This topic is focused on enabling technologies, payload integration, distributed autonomy, mission coordination, and command-and-control architecture, not development of offensive cyber capabilities. Fundamental engineering considerations include: Modular Mission Systems Modular payload integration. Open mechanical, electrical, power, data, RF, and software interfaces. Integration of Government or third-party payloads without fundamental aircraft redesign. Support for multiple payload types and aircraft architectures. Low-SWaP-C implementation suitable for expendable UAS. Collaborative Autonomy Autonomous task allocation. Collaborative mission planning and execution. Distributed decision-making. Dynamic reassignment of tasks following aircraft or payload loss. Cooperative sensing and information sharing.…