SBIR-STTR Award

We propose to design, develop and demonstrate a comprehensive system to prove the utility of just in time delivery of whole blood via unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). In Phase I, we will conduct a study that addresses the need for a stealthy UAS that can take-off, navigate, avoid threats, and land autonomously with a round trip distance of 600-1000 miles in environments where air superiority cannot be assumed and no infrastructure or additional support personnel are available. Our design will address the need for packaging of blood sufficient to tolerate transport by UAV, autonomous vertical take-off and landing, autonomous navigation, and secure Communications, Command, and Control to support en route mission changes. We will also conduct a demonstration of key capabilities on an operationally relevant aircraft.Our team is led by Near Earth Autonomy with partners from Latitude Engineering and John Hopkins Medical Drones. Near Earth is a leader in technology for safe autonomous flight. Latitude produces transition VTOL aircraft that have the endurance for the missions sought by the Army. Johns Hopkins Medical Drones has experience in designing containers for blood transport. The team members have the key expertise to accelerate the progress of the proposed work.Just-in-time blood delivery,Aerial blood delivery,Transition vertical take-off and landing aircraft,unmanned aerial vehicle,obstacle detection and avoidance,Long-range unmanned flight,Communications,Command,and Control,Blood transport container

We propose to comprehensively demonstrate the utility of “just in time” delivery of whole blood via unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). In Phase I, we assembled and successfully flew a prototype system consisting of a sensing and computing package integrated onto a long-range, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The system flown was shown to be able to evaluate a landing zone, correctly identifying safe areas as well as hazards, in real-time during a nominal approach. We have also created an initial concept of operations and designed prototype graphical user interface and blood transportation containers. In Phase II, we will improve on the Phase I prototypes to optimize the aircraft-autonomy system integration; build transportation containers that keep whole blood at a stable temperature; develop a command, control, and communication capability; and demonstrate an end-to-end system to prove the feasibility of delivering whole blood units to Forward Operational Bases. Our team is led by Near Earth Autonomy, a leader in technology for safe autonomous flight, in partnership with Latitude, which produces transition VTOL aircraft that have the endurance for the missions sought by the Army. The team members have the key expertise to bring this SBIR’s topic to reality.