Navy STTR DON26TZ05-NV024: Lightweight, Modular Fuel Cell Systems for Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

DON26TZ05-NV024 is a Navy STTR topic seeking a rugged, modular hydrogen fuel cell system to extend the range, endurance, and payload capacity of Navy and Marine Corps unmanned aircraft. It falls under NAVAIR and the Contested Logistics Technologies critical technology area. Phase I awards go up to 315,000 dollars across a six month base and six month option. Proposals are due September 23.

What This Topic Is Looking For

The Navy and Marine Corps want to extend UAS performance using hydrogen fuel cells in place of or alongside conventional propulsion and power systems. Proton exchange membrane, or PEM, fuel cells are the most established option for this application, but the topic is open to any fuel cell chemistry that can meet the required performance, reliability, and design metrics. Fuels other than gaseous hydrogen will also be considered if they offer a logistics advantage.

The core ask is modularity. The Navy wants a stack and balance-of-plant design that scales from an initial 1 kilowatt configuration up to 20 kilowatts, with an eye toward eventually exceeding 100 kilowatts.

Key performance targets include a full system power-to-weight ratio of 500 watts per kilogram, including thermal management hardware, overall efficiency of 50 percent or better at half of maximum power output, more than 200 full on and off cycles, a service lifetime over 1,000 hours with minimal maintenance, startup and shutdown in under 10 minutes, and operation up to 15,000 feet altitude. The system also needs to start and run at full power and at idle across MIL-STD-810H hot and cold environmental conditions, meet shock and vibration standards, and include an advanced monitoring and control system that autonomously optimizes performance and reports health diagnostics.

Extra credit goes to designs with minimal thermal and audible signature, and to designs that can survive the high g-forces associated with tube-launched systems.

Phase I, II, and III Expectations

Phase I calls for a comprehensive design concept substantiated with real engineering data, such as CAD drawings, i-V polarization curves, or modeling and simulation results. Proposers need to demonstrate modularity specifically through two configurations: a 1 kilowatt system weighing no more than 5 pounds, and a 10 kilowatt system weighing no more than 40 pounds. The proposal also needs to define the control schemes and algorithms for monitoring and autonomously managing the fuel cell in both configurations, and show compatibility with UAS integration. The government will supply UAS requirement specs, including integration interfaces, dimensions, electrical connectors, voltage requirements, and communication protocols such as CAN bus, to support this part of the design.

Phase II is about building and proving the prototype. That includes fabricating and demonstrating the fuel cell system, bench testing it against a government supplied UAS power profile to validate operational, environmental, and lifetime performance, implementing and testing the control system for optimization and diagnostics, and collaborating with a government selected UAS manufacturer to integrate and demonstrate the system on an actual platform.

Phase III is focused on turning the prototype into a manufacturable product, including developing a robust manufacturing process, demonstrating Low-Rate Initial Production capability, continuing the UAS manufacturer collaboration, and demonstrating the integrated system across operational exercises and scenarios.

Commercially, the Navy specifically flags this as a potential drop-in upgrade for commercial UAS vendors already exploring fuel cells, along with applications in forklifts and stationary or mobile backup power systems that could benefit from the reliability and lifetime improvements developed under this effort.

Funding and Timeline

Phase I Base: up to 200,000 dollars for six months of work.

Phase I Option: up to 115,000 dollars for an additional six months.

Combined Phase I maximum: 315,000 dollars, not including TABA.

TABA: up to 6,500 dollars additional if requested.

Phase II maximum: up to 2,000,000 dollars including TABA, though the actual amount depends on the awarding command's available funding.

Proposal deadline: September 23. Submission is only accepted through the DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal, DSIP, and must be certified by a Corporate Official before the BAA closes.

STTR Requirements

Because this is an STTR topic, the proposing small business must partner with a qualifying research institution. The small business must perform at least 40 percent of the work and the research institution at least 30 percent, measured across both base and option costs. Navy laboratories do not satisfy this requirement on their own, though they can be added alongside a qualifying university, FFRDC, or nonprofit research institution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the deadline for DON26TZ05-NV024? September 23. Proposals must be certified in DSIP before that date.

Does the fuel cell have to use hydrogen? Gaseous hydrogen is the expected fuel, but the Navy will consider other fuel cell types and other fuels if they offer a logistical benefit over hydrogen.

What weight and power targets does Phase I need to hit? Two specific configurations: a 1 kilowatt system at no more than 5 pounds, and a 10 kilowatt system at no more than 40 pounds, both demonstrating the same modular architecture.

Will the government provide any UAS specifications to work from? Yes. The government will supply integration interfaces, dimensions, electrical connector details, voltage requirements, and communication protocols such as CAN bus to support UAS compatibility.

Is a research partner required? Yes. This is an STTR topic, so a formal partnership with a qualifying research institution performing at least 30 percent of the work is mandatory.

Does this technology have commercial applications outside defense? Yes. The Navy specifically points to commercial UAS vendors as a drop-in adoption path, along with forklifts and backup power systems that could benefit from the reliability and lifetime gains targeted in this effort.

Is this topic export controlled? The topic description does not list ITAR or EAR restrictions the way the other two Release 5 topics do, but companies should still confirm export control status for their specific technical approach before proposing.