DARPA selects four teams for its Gremlins program
NewsApril 01, 2016
ARLINGTON, Va. Phase 1 contracts of DARPA?s Gremlins program were distributed to four teams led by Composite Engineering, Inc. in Roseville, California; Dynetics, Inc. in Huntsville, Alabama; General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. in San Diego, California; and Lockheed Martin Corp. in Dallas, Texas.
The Gremlins program seeks to develop technologies and systems that enable aircraft to launch unmanned air systems (UASs) volleys that are low-cost, reusable, and that can be retrieved in mid-air.
The teams were selected because the proposals covered a spectrum of technical approaches to the Gremlins program mission, officials say.
We have assembled a group of researches and developers that can progress towards delivering airborne capabilities in a robust, responsive, and cost-effective way, says Dan Patt, DARPA program manager.
The Gremlins phase 1 will focus on the flight demonstration proof-of-concept that can validate an air recovery of multiple gremlins. Some of the technical areas the program plans to explore are:
- Launch and recovery techniques, including equipment and aircraft integration concepts
- Low-cost, limited-life airframe designs
- High-fidelity analysis, precision digital flight control, relative navigation, and station keeping
Officials say the expected lifetime of a Gremlin is about 20 uses.
