SOURCES SOUGHT
16 -- 16-Autopilot for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
- Notice Date
- 5/8/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Navy, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps Systems Command, 2033 Barnett Avenue Suite 315, Quantico, VA, 22134-5010
- ZIP Code
- 22134-5010
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-UAVRFI
- Response Due
- 6/6/2003
- Archive Date
- 6/21/2003
- Point of Contact
- Jeffrey Campbell, Contract Specialist, Phone (703) 432-6017, Fax (703) 784-5826, - Jeffrey Campbell, Contract Specialist, Phone (703) 432-6017, Fax (703) 784-5826,
- E-Mail Address
-
campbelljt@mcsc.usmc.mil, campbelljt@mcsc.usmc.mil
- Description
- MARKET RESEARCH/REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENT EXISTS. ? The United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps Systems Command, seeks a vendor to develop an alternate source of supply for the autopilot and Ground Control Station software subsystems of the Dragon Eye (DE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The objective of this RFI is to solicit interest from industry firms capable and interested in participating in this effort. Dragon Eye is a five-pound modular UAV system capable of fully autonomous flight. Made of lightweight material, the UAV is designed to disassemble into five separate pieces and be back-packable by individual Marines. Missions are programmed via a wireless modem that is integrated into a small, lightweight ground control station. After bungee launch, Dragon Eye flies to pre-assigned GPS waypoints, and has the ability to be reprogrammed in flight. The UAV sensors include full motion color, low light, and in the future other sensors such as infrared cameras in interchangeable payload noses. The system is capable of transmitting sensor and air vehicle telemetry data line-of-sight (LOS) to a range of ten kilometers. Dragon Eye flies up to speeds of 35 mph and has a battery endurance of almost one hour. The system is based on an evolutionary acquisition strategy which plans performance improvements in future block upgrades. Dragon Eye?s primary mission is reconnaissance and surveillance for small unit commanders, across the battlefield functions, with an organic capability to see over the next hill/building, or conduct route reconnaissance, battle damage assessment, and unit force protection. The autopilot must provide fully autonomous operation, GPS navigation, air vehicle stability for imagery, preprogrammed search patterns, inflight waypoint updates, and interface protocol with the GCS software and payload sensors. The autopilot must weigh less than 4 ounces. The GCS software must run on the current DE Ground Control Station, which uses the Panasonic Toughbook 34 laptop computer with windows 2000 operating system. The United States Air Force?s Force Protection Airborne Surveliance System (FPASS) UAV system (air vehicle nomenclature is the Desert Hawk) currently uses a modified version of the same autopilot and software system. The Desert Hawk air vehicle is used by Air Force Security Forces Personnel to see beyond base perimeters and add an additional layer of assessment/protection for bases throughout the world. It is the Marine Corps? intent to work with the Air Force Electronic Systems Center?s Force Protection C2 Program Office to integrate Desert Hawk?s functional requirements into this alternate autopilot and GCS software architecture. MCSC will be the lead agency for this effort. Industry firms capable of providing the required systems, in whole, are invited to submit a response to this notice. MCSC anticipates using the GSA schedule for this opportunity although interested parties not on the GSA schedule are encouraged to participate. Firms should identify/submit a copy of their GSA schedule (if applicable) and should also include literature, brochures, and capabilities summaries directly addressing their ability to meet the aforementioned needs. MCSC will not pay or provide reimbursement for any costs incurred in the preparation or delivery of the requested information. Interested firms are requested to respond NLT 6 JUN 2003, stating their business size, NAICS Code, and identifying a corporate point of contact. Interested sources should respond to: (U. S. Mail address) Commander, Marine Corps Systems Command, ATTN CT-JC, 2033 Barnett Ave., Suite 315, Quantico, VA 22134-5010. THE SUBMISSION OF THIS INFORMATION IS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO PROCURE ANY ITEMS/SERVICES, NOR FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY FOR THE INFORMATION RECEIVED.
- Record
- SN00320591-W 20030510/030508213719 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |