Hybrid Advanced MultiRotor (HAMR) for Agile Combat Employment (ACE)

AAC has been developing the USAF version of our flagship product, the Hybrid Advanced Multi-Rotor (HAMR) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), under previous AFWERX SBIR contracts in collaboration with the USAF's Agile Battle Lab (ABL).  ABL is tasked to identify the technology gaps and train the “5 Lead Wings” in Agile Combat Employment (ACE) operations.  HAMR is a Group 2 size UAS that starts to fill the massive gap between incumbent Group 1 (tactical/smallest) and Group 5 (strategic/largest) size UAS.  ABL has selected AAC’s HAMR UAS as the airborne perimeter security asset for ACE Operations.  HAMR will be operated at the Contingency Locations (CLs) and Forward Operating Stations (FOSs) to provide detection of approaching threats for Air Base Ground Defense (ADGD).  ABL in collaboration with the “5 Lead Wings” have decided that the HAMR UAS must burn the same fuel as the Wing’s existing aircraft for the “Deployable Combat Wing” (DCW) strategy to be effective.  This proposed work is to perform the R&D to enable the HAMR UAS to burn JP-8 fuel.  This proposal will achieve a high probability of a product-market fit for the USAF because end users have already seen the HAMR technology and like it, but the gasoline burning commercial version has limited DoD adoption.  This proposed work will address the key remaining barrier to adoption of the HAMR UAS by the USAF.