DON26BZ01-NV008 — Automated Expeditionary Airfield Assembly

Award Maximum: $140,000 (Base) / $100,000 (Option) Period of Performance: 6 months (Base) + 6 months (Option) Phase Type: Phase I

OBJECTIVE: Research, develop, and evaluate robotic system methodologies for automating or augmenting the assembly of Expeditionary Airfield (EAF) matting to enhance operational efficiency.

DESCRIPTION: EAFs serve as vital shore-based aviation support systems that enable the rapid deployment and recovery of military aircraft in environments lacking established infrastructure. Currently, assembling EAF matting is a manual process carried out by Marines—a task that is physically demanding, labor-intensive, and exposes personnel to potential hazards.

Developing a robotic system capable of assisting with or fully automating this assembly process would offer significant operational benefits: increasing efficiency, reducing risk to personnel, and enabling Marines to focus on higher-priority mission objectives. The level of autonomy should allow for the robots to navigate and control without human assistance, which includes obstacle avoidance, path planning, and grasping. Such a solution would improve overall force readiness and effectiveness in austere and time-critical operational scenarios.

The approach includes defining and developing a viable system concept, while investigating various robotic configurations—such as mobile manipulators and assistive technologies—for their effectiveness in EAF mat handling, alignment, and interconnection across diverse and austere terrains.

The research will evaluate the proposed system's capacity to: Traverse and operate on uneven or unstable surfaces; Manipulate and position heavy EAF mat sections with precision; Endure harsh environmental and operational conditions; Integrate seamlessly with current EAF deployment procedures.

Work produced in Phase II may become classified.

PHASE I: Demonstrate the technical feasibility of a robotic system capable of automating or augmenting the assembly of EAF prefabricated surfaced aluminum (PSA) Flat Top-Nested (Top-N) Trackway mats. This research will lay the groundwork for future development of a deployable robotic solution, enhancing safety, speed, and efficiency in EAF setup operations. Focus on designing and modeling key system components to evaluate performance across critical metrics, including payload capacity, reach, manipulation precision, power consumption, and operational endurance. Under the Phase I Option, if exercised, simulations will be conducted to assess system behavior in representative virtual EAF deployment environments and to identify key technical risks and milestones. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate a functional prototype of the robotic system for automated or semi-automated assembly of EAF mats. Refine the selected robotic system concept and fabricate a fully functional prototype incorporating the chosen locomotion system, end-effectors, sensors, and control architecture. Rigorous testing will be conducted in both laboratory and field settings, culminating in a demonstration of the prototype's capabilities in a representative EAF deployment scenario. The robot shall be able to handle the PSA mats in some manner to aid in the assemble of the airfield, be a closed system, and able to operate in a realistic environment. The system will be judged on feasibility, time to assemble, ease of use, and overall size and mass. Deliverables include a prototype; the open interface specification; software design documents; the uncompiled, human-readable source code; associated comments and documentation; and any tuned parameters and weights; schematics of the robot. Work in Phase II may become classified.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Leverage Phase II findings to develop a robust and deployable robotic system for EAF mat assembly, optimized for real-world operational scenarios. The system must demonstrate sustained operation in deployed environments, achieving significant reductions in manning requirements, operational costs, and/or deployment time. Conduct rigorous field testing that culminates in a full-scale demonstration of EAF deployment. The technology developed for this SBIR topic will have dual use in construction allowing for the rapid deployment of flooring and laying of other interlocking material. Other technologies, such as the development of man-unmanned teaming, perception modeling, and enhanced understanding of unobservable environmental conditions, will drive advancements in robotics, computer vision, and autonomy, with broad implications across multiple domains.

KEYWORDS: Robotics; Artificial Intelligence; AI; Navigation; Manipulation; Automation; Navigation