Cold Weather Technology Development for Low Altitude Ultra-Long Endurance Applications

Currently, wide area coverage with manned aircraft, or existing unmanned air systems, requires expensive logistical operations and many flight sorties, which are made especially difficult if operating from remote airfields in inhospitable climates. There is currently a need for a low-altitude long endurance unmanned aircraft that can provide the expansive coverage necessary for cryospheric investigations. Extreme cold places unique requirements on aircraft if they are to operate consistently and reliably in these environments. Building on the successful results of the Phase 1 SBIR work, this Phase 2 SBIR will test low temperature long-endurance unmanned aircraft engine and systems technologies in a relevant environment through flight test of a prototype unmanned air system and associated work.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.