Small UAS search by Army chooses six companies for assessment
NewsMay 28, 2019
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. The U.S. Army Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Aviation's Project Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems -- in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence -- has chosen six companies that will identify and prototype new unmanned aircraft system (UAS) capabilities as the Department of Defense (DoD) looks to to adapt small commercial drones for the battlefield.
The Army's Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) effort is spending $11 million with six companies to prototype and evaluate drones that can provide the soldier on the ground with a rapidly deployable scouting capability to gain situational awareness beyond the next terrain feature. According to the original solicitation, the drones would be expected to fly for 30 minutes straight at a range of up nearly two miles; also specified was that the aircraft should weigh three pounds or less, take less than two minutes to assemble, and fit inside a soldier's standard-issue rucksack.
The six drone companies chosen by the Army for assessment of battlefield use are Parrot, Skydio, Altavian, Teal Drones, Vantage Robotics, and Lumenier.
