Airframe Construction for Small, Expendable Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs)

"Accurate Automation Corporation (AAC) proposes to develop a Precision Molded Foam(PMF) method that combines features of precision molding, foam injection and vacuumbagging. This method promises to be low cost, to be scalable to high production rate,to require very little touch labor for finished parts and to provide a high degree ofdimensional precision. With this method, small (<20 pound, 4 foot wingspan), lowcost, expendable, Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) may be produced to meet the everincreasing need for war fighting operations. This proposed PMF project will result in a military UAV product line, whilesimultaneously laying the foundations for commercial UAV products. The militaryproduct will be directly applicable to the Navy and Marine requirements for smalllow cost UAVs, with spin-offs to other DoD agencies. The commercial product will bemarketed to civilian government agencies; for drug enforcement, border patrol, andpolice work; and the private security industry. Finally, the PMF technique itselfcan be used to manufacture structural components for larger aircraft and ground basedsystems.Given current low cost manufacturing technology, this project is feasible. AAC willleverage its expertise in the design and fabrication of UAVs, and Navy needs toproduce a product that will deliver as promised."