Airborne Based Sense and Avoid (ABSAA) Sensor for Tracking Non-cooperative Aircraft for RQ-7 Shadow and Larger UAS

The overall objective of this research is to develop, demonstrate and transition an ABSAA system enabling UAS to operate in dense environments at altitudes greater than 4,000 feet with the ability to detect and maneuver intelligently with potential friendly and unfriendly aircraft in the same airspace while minimizing C-SWAP requirements for effective integration across multiple UAS and be integrated with the Ground Based SAA (GBSAA) as needed. Phase I produced a preliminary design for an initial prototype multispectral sensor assembly, along with a detailed QFD analysis. Phase II builds on this by fabricating and testing one prototype sensor assembly. The QFD analysis will live on during the Phase II program, meaning it will be updated as the design and fabrication progress in order optimize and prioritize decisions. The Phase II prototype will tackle the largest ABSAA risk areas yielding a prototype sensor that is ready for surrogate UAS flight demonstrations