The UK Mod has issued a tender notice for a Nano Unmanned Air System (NUAS):
http://www.publictenders.net/tender/1382775
The proposed solution must meet certain criteria:
- Must be a rotary winged design.
- <60 g Air element (originally <200 g).
- <1.7 kg Total system mass.
- Minimum 300 m and desirably up to 1 km range from the operator.
- Delivery Q1 2012.
- Able to operate in Afghanistan and the UK.
- Endurance at least 20 min and desirably up to 40 min.
- Image sensor on board for day and night operation.
- Deployable within 5 min and desirably less than 2 min.
- Operated by non-specialist.
- Max two days of training, desirably one day.
- Waypoint route planning.
- Low visible/acoustic signature at optimum operating altitude.
- Operator to undertake level 1 maintenance.
- NUAS to be battery powered.
- 100 units over 1 year contract.
- Contract valued at between £10m-£20m.
A good background review of NAV/MAV systems:
An overview of the situation in Afghanistan:
The MoD Nano UAS tender shortlist has gone from 22 down to two competitors:
Prox Dynamics of Norway: http://www.proxdynamics.com/
Swarm Systems of the UK: http://www.swarmsys.com/
I understand that a final decision will be made around the middle of October 2011 and a contract for 100 units will be issued thereafter.
It has been announced that the contract (value £20m) has gone to Prox Dynamics in partnership with Marlborough Communications: