Swift Ultra Long Endurance High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) Capability Demonstration (SULE)

The Swift Ultra Long Endurance (SULE), along with our experience in flight planning within FAA regulations, onboard computing, telemetry, payload selection/ integration, and successful SULE flight testing will be used to complete all Phase II deliverables for an effective demonstration of SULE making significant progress towards commercialization. As a HALE aircraft, the SULE allows for near continuous surveillance, communications, and sensor coverage, operating as a pseudo-satellite while staying clear of the national airspace and remaining fuel independent thanks to solar power. Swift’s previous and continued success with the SULE program has demonstrated our ability to not only plan and create detailed concepts of operations but also to execute our missions safely while cooperating with FAA regulations. The Swift SULE team is committed, experienced, and motivated for this next chapter in the program, particularly following the successful 56,000-foot, 24-hour flight in September 2024. This experience, combined with Swift’s ongoing collaboration with NASA on HAPS programs, positions us as the ideal and low-risk partner for this SBIR. The funding will be utilized for Phase II objectives, which include demonstrating a multi-day flight, and will support continued upgrades and R&D to advance towards a commercialized solution, pushing the boundaries of technology to maintain our competitive edge in the HALE industry. Target markets for this technology are commercial communication, commercial scientific, and government agencies such as NASA, DOD, USFS.

Swift Ultra Long Endurance (SULE) is already supporting NASA mission directives and strives to be a long-term partner with NASA and the HAPS scientific community to enable sustained control and access in the stratosphere. HAPS platforms offer cost-effective, persistent monitoring of surface deformation, topography, and geophysical processes with sub-hourly revisit rates, avoiding ionospheric distortions and enabling high-precision measurements. Unlike spaceborne systems requiring large constellations or logistically complex airborne systems, HAPS provide faster deployment, sustained coverage, and multi-perspective observations for 3D surface reconstructions. Phase II objectives include the integration and operation of Aloft Sensing, Inc. (Aloft) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) sensor called the Aloft X-band Radar (AXR). The powerful SAR payload pushes the technological limits of what is currently capably on a near continuous upper atmosphere vehicle. This cooperation demonstrates the capability of both Aloft and the utility of the SULE platform for use with other NASA applications. Swift will always be willing to work with NASA to integrate other customized payloads for multi-week stratospheric operations. Beyond NASA, there is substantial interest and existing funding from other prominent U.S. entities such as NOAA, DOD, private satellite and space organizations, private telecommunications companies, disaster response agencies, and traffic management authorities. Defense attachés from multiple NATO countries, to include Poland and Germany, have reached out to Swift Engineering looking for persistent ISR capabilities to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. Outside of traditional government ISR type demands, there is an increasing need for HAPS technologies to ensure connectivity amongst growing populations, especially in rural areas, oceanic regions, and spread-out island chains. This technology is being actively sought after by the US, European Union, and Japan to name a few. HAPS platforms such as SULE can provide a persistent communication link that increases resiliency of both civilian and government connectivity, especially with adversarial nations investing in anti-satellite technology. Swift has already been approached for service operations where a High-Altitude Long-Endurance Unmanned Aerial System (HALE UAS) could offer collaborative solutions or introduce innovative technology to existing infrastructures. The HAPS technologies developed by Swift are designed to seamlessly integrate with satellites, Medium-HAPS vehicles, and other manned vehicles at lower altitudes, facilitating integrated missions in both commercial and military markets. Anticipating the evolving landscape, the Army ISR Task Force has been modernizing requirements for HAPS stratospheric capabilities, leading to substantial funding allocations for this technology. The evident demand for such vehicles in the future underscores the rapid growth of both the market and funding expectations.

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.