Part of the DoW SBIR/STTR FY27 Release 2 topic list. Browse all 83 topics by industry or service.
Topic DON27BZ02-NV022 from the DoW SBIR 2027 BAA, Release 2. Pre-release now; proposals due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Quick answer
DON27BZ02-NV022 is a Department of the Navy SBIR topic seeking a collapsible, low-cost, fixed-wing Group 1 small UAS for autonomous ISR with more than one hour of flight endurance. It follows a standard Phase I concept and feasibility, Phase II prototype structure. Proposals are due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Solicitation at a glance
- Topic number: DON27BZ02-NV022
- Official title: Collapsible Fixed-Wing Low-Cost Unmanned Aerial System for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Missions
- Agency: Department of the Navy
- Program: SBIR (DoW SBIR 2027 BAA, Release 2)
- Award type: Phase I (see topic text for Phase II)
- Award amount: Phase I base up to $200,000 plus an option up to $115,000. Source: Navy Release 2 instructions in DSIP.
- CMMC level: Level 2 (Self)
- ITAR: No
- Technology areas: None
- Pre-release (direct TPOC contact allowed): November 4 to December 2, 2026, 8:00 AM ET
- Opens in DSIP: December 2, 2026, 8:00 AM ET
- Proposals due: January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET
- Official source: DSIP Topics app (search DON27BZ02-NV022)
BW&CO's take
What the Department of the Navy wants
The Navy wants a portable, attritable fixed-wing drone that one operator can carry and launch. Key requirements are airframe and component cost under $5,000, flight time over one hour, up to 10 km communication range, and a kit that fits in a 2 ft x 2 ft x 1 ft case with batteries. It should use a Pixhawk-class flight controller with open-source software such as QGroundControl, carry a modular nose payload with an RGB camera, and support a swappable signal repeater module. The airframe concept uses low-cost COTS materials such as weatherproofed craft board or polymer. Phase II delivers at least three complete kits and a technical data package.
Who is a good fit
- Small fixed-wing UAS design with demonstrated endurance near or above one hour
- Low-cost foldable airframe construction using COTS sheet materials and scalable processes such as die-cutting
- Pixhawk-based flight controller integration with QGroundControl and long-range RF telemetry links
- Cost-driven bill of materials discipline and modular payload design
Watch-outs
- Phase I deliverables include field test results of a prototype, not only a design study, so plan for early flight hardware.
- Hard constraints apply together: under $5,000 per unit, more than one hour endurance, up to 10 km range, and fit within a 2 ft x 2 ft x 1 ft case including batteries.
- Phase II requires at least three complete kits, and the ground control station (which may be provided separately) must be backpack-portable and able to control multiple air vehicles. Range, endurance, and mission profiles are validated in a relevant open-air test environment.
- The topic metadata lists CMMC Level 2 (Self). It is not marked as ITAR-restricted in the topic metadata.
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Plan Your DON27BZ02-NV022 Submission
Official topic text (verbatim from DSIP)
The text in this section is copied word for word from the official DSIP topic as published on November 4, 2026. DSIP is the official source and topics can be amended. Always confirm the current version at dodsbirsttr.mil before you submit. Our commentary above is BW&CO's interpretation, not Government guidance.
Title
Collapsible Fixed-Wing Low-Cost Unmanned Aerial System for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Missions
Objective
Develop a collapsible, low-cost, fixed-wing Group 1 small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS) capable of autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions with a flight endurance of over one hour.
Description
The Navy has a growing need for a low-cost, portable, and rapidly deployable UAS to support ISR missions. Current systems are often expensive and bulky, and require significant logistical support. This SBIR topic seeks an innovative solution for a collapsible fixed-wing UAS that can be easily transported and deployed by a single operator. The UAS should be capable of autonomous flight and integration with standard flight control software (e.g., QGroundControl, Pixhawk).
Key requirements include a total cost under $5,000 for the airframe and components, a flight time exceeding one hour, a communication range of up to 10 km, and the ability to fit within a 2' x 2' x 1' case for transport. The system must support a modular nose payload, be initially equipped with an RGB camera, and have the potential to serve as a signal repeater for transmission of data. The primary technical challenge is to achieve the desired endurance and portability within the stringent cost constraints, requiring innovation in airframe design, materials, and component integration.
Phase I
Develop a concept for a low-cost, collapsible Foldable Low-cost Expendable Wing (FLEX-Wing) sUAS. Determine the technical feasibility of the concept. Conduct trade studies for materials and components. Perform modeling and simulation to validate the aerodynamic performance, flight endurance, and structural integrity. Deliver a detailed concept design report, simulation results, field test results of the prototype, and a preliminary bill of materials demonstrating the path to achieving the cost target.
Phase II
Design and develop a prototype through a structured, iterative engineering cycle within the appropriately distributed across the allotted Phase II timeframe to ensure feasible execution and rigorous validation. Fabricate and validate the prototype of the FLEX-Wing sUAS. Produce prototype hardware that transitions the flat-pack, off-the-shelf structural concepts into a fully integrated, flight-capable system. Deliver the physical prototype hardware (minimum of three complete kits) and associated technical data packages to the SYSCOM sponsor. (Note: The prototypes will undergo validation against the strict weight (Group 1), size, cost, and endurance metrics to verify readiness for Phase III commercialization and transition into a formal PMA-263 capability portfolio.)
The specific hardware and software to be developed and produced includes:
- The Airframe: A foldable, stackable, and bendable fixed-wing structure utilizing low-cost commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) materials (e.g., weatherproofed craft board/polymer) keeping total airframe and component costs below $5,000 per unit.
- A fully self-contained air vehicle kit that fits entirely within a compact 2 ft × 2 ft × 1 ft transit case (e.g., a Pelican case), including the folded airframe and required batteries. The Ground Control Station (GCS) may be provided separately, but must be backpack-portable (approximately laptop-sized) and capable of controlling multiple FLEX-Wing air vehicles.• Avionics & Software: Integration of a Pixhawk (or similar)-based flight controller running open-source flight software (e.g., QGroundControl).
- Payload & Communications: A modular nose-cone payload system featuring a baseline RGB camera for ISR loiter missions and an interchangeable signal repeater module. The communications suite will setup a telemetry link capable of up to 10km range.
Execution Phase Timeframe Associated Scope & Engineering Effort
- Design & Component Sourcing Months 1-6 Based on Phase I modeling, design and develop a prototype architecture. Finalize COTS component selection (e.g., Pixhawk, 5.2GHz RF modules, RGB sensors) and establish manufacturing processes for the foldable airframe materials (e.g., die-cutting, hinge reinforcement).
- Prototype Fabrication Months 7-12 Produce prototype hardware. Integrate the high-energy-density power systems required to achieve the >1 hr flight time. Assemble the modular nose payload bay and ensure the total system fits within the 2x2x1 ft storage constraint.
- Integration & Software Tuning Months 13-18 Integrate flight controller firmware with QGroundControl. Develop processes, select an application (e.g., autonomous waypoint ISR and manual FPV terminal guidance), and validate the software hand-offs in a simulated environment.
- Demonstration & Validation Months 19-24 Develop, demonstrate and validate the physical prototype in a relevant open-air test environment. Validate the up to 10km RF range, >1hr endurance, aerodynamic stability of the foldable wings, and ISR/signal-relay mission profiles.
Phase III Dual Use Applications
Expected Final State of the Technology
At the conclusion of the Phase II effort, the technology will exist as a fully integrated, flight-validated Group 1 sUAS with a finalized technical data package (TDP). The final state will be a highly mature prototype characterized by a scalable, low-cost manufacturing process (e.g., die-cut stamping of the COTS airframe materials). The system will feature DoW-compliant, open-architecture avionics and a validated modular nose payload bay, consistently demonstrating the ability to meet the sub-$5,000 cost threshold and the compact 2' x 2' x 1' storage requirement.
Scale the manufacturing process for high-volume, commercial production, allowing the military to purchase the system in bulk. Tactical operators will unpack, hand-launch, and utilize the system in contested or anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environments for beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) ISR, target acquisition, or to establish temporary mesh network extensions. Because it is highly attritable, warfighters will employ the system aggressively without the burden of planning for asset recovery, reverse logistics, or depot-level maintenance.
Target Platform and Program of Record
The expected transition path for the Phase III technology is insertion into the Small Unit Remote Scouting System (SURSS), an Acquisition Category IV program managed by the Naval Air Systems Command, Program Manager, Air 263 (Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems). The FLEX-Wing will serve as a complementary, expendable platform within their broader Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS) portfolio.
Potential commercial dual-use applications include rapid damage assessment following natural disasters, environmental monitoring, agricultural and land-management surveying, infrastructure inspection, and search-and-rescue support. These applications similarly benefit from a low-cost, portable, rapidly deployable fixed-wing sUAS with extended endurance.
References
"Blue UAS Framework." Defense Innovation Unit, United States Department of Defense, 2024. https://www.diu.mil/blue-uas
Dronecode Foundation. "PX4 User Guide." PX4 Autopilot Official Documentation, 2024. https://docs.px4.io
Dufour, L., Owen, K., Mintchev, S., & Floreano, D. (2016, October). A drone with insect-inspired folding wings. In 2016 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) (pp. 1576-1581). Ieee.
SYPAQ Systems. "Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS)." SYPAQ, 2023, https://www.sypaq.com.au/corvo/ppds/
Keywords
Group 1 sUAS, foldable, attritable, drone, man-packable, low-cost
Frequently asked questions
What is DON27BZ02-NV022?
It is a Department of the Navy SBIR topic to develop a collapsible, low-cost, fixed-wing Group 1 small uncrewed aerial system capable of autonomous ISR missions with flight endurance over one hour.
When is DON27BZ02-NV022 due?
Proposals are due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET. DSIP pre-release began November 4, 2026, and direct contact with the topic authors is allowed only until the topic opens on December 2, 2026, 8:00 AM ET.
Is this a Phase I or Direct-to-Phase II topic?
The topic describes a standard Phase I for concept development, trade studies, and modeling, followed by a Phase II prototype effort laid out over months 1 to 24. It does not state that it is Direct-to-Phase II.
Where would the system transition?
The expected path is the Small Unit Remote Scouting System (SURSS), an ACAT IV program managed by NAVAIR PMA-263, where it would serve as a complementary expendable platform in the Family of Small UAS portfolio.