Universal Heavy-lift UAV Carriage System

We desire a universal carriage system for Heavy-lift UAVs that is platform agnostic. We aim to: Draw on the knowledge and experience of industry to develop and optimize such a system; Inform its emerging doctrinal applications; and better understand the balance of both systemic and situational risk factors associated with its use.

To date, experimentation and development of UAV carriage-of-equipment has largely been focused on individual UAV platforms and the attachment of various items direct to the platform. However, this has generally required the UAV to land; has proven to be relatively slow in reconfiguration; and has required various additional safety restrictions to ensure personnel interacting with the system are at ALARP risk. Direct attachment of unproven loads may also compromise the in-flight stability/agility of the UAV.

Initial requirements for the desired universal carriage system:

- Optimized for combined carriage capacity of 150-200kg. - Easily configured to carry a selection of Logistic, Equipment Support and Medical items (e.g. water, ammunition, food, batteries, fuel, medical supplies etc.) and usable in multiple domains (primarily Land and Littoral) for the sub-unit resupply and recovery of these items. - Capable of rapid reconfiguration to evacuate casualties in emergency circumstances, while mitigating as many risks to those individuals as possible. To note, while the system is not intended for use as a casualty extraction method, there is an expectation that ground forces may want to use it for this purpose in extremis. - Fast and safe interaction with the UAV - The carriage system must be easily attachable and detachable by ground personnel for the swift delivery or recovery of different payloads. This should also enable the interchange of multiple carriage systems if located at different points in the battlespace. The attachment point must be robust to mitigate the risk of unintended detachment, ideally with a secondary lock as an additional safety measure. The system should be attachable and detachable both when the UAV hovers above or if it is on the ground.

It is intended that the Authority will hold a supplier day in the near future.

Additional information: Please register your expression of interest in solving this problem by emailing Maj G Harvey ([email protected]) with your desired contact details and a very brief summary of your experience and interest on this subject. At the closing date of this Open Early Engagement, details of a supplier day will be shared using these contact details to provide all interested parties with the opportunity to ask questions and discuss in more detail.