SBIR-STTR Award

Current US Air Force small propulsion and power control systems are often unreliable and employ closed architectures that lack scalability, leading to lengthy and costly modifications when changes or upgrades are needed by the warfighter. The problem is caused by application specific design, slow software development practices, and custom hardware. In addition, current UAS/SUAS and cruise missile control systems are often based on hobby hardware and software, and tend to not have the ruggedness required in a military environment. This has been validated by the recent Senior Level DoD Memorandum, which mandates the acquisition community to utilize Modular Open Systems Approach to drive rapid capability deployment. The proposed solution is New Eagle’s commercially proven Raptor™ model-based development platform that includes software tools and rugged embedded hardware. Raptor allows for open-architecture control systems to be built and reused in many applications, included UAS/SUAS and cruise missiles.

Current US Air Force SUAS / UAS propulsion and power control systems are often unreliable and employ closed architectures that lack scalability, leading to lengthy and costly modifications when changes or upgrades are needed by the warfighter. New Eagle has developed a commercially proven Raptor model-based development platform to solve similar problems in the commercial world. Raptor combines software tools, electronic hardware in a process that is very efficient and cost effective. Commercial Raptor controllers are used in military ground, sea and air vehicles. Examples of Raptor use can be found in vehicle networking, hybrid electric and robotic systems for both the US Army and Marines. UAS Turbine Engine is also a desired application of Raptor. However, this is the problem and subject of this SBIR. New Eagle’s customer and Air Force advocate wants New Eagle to modify one of its Raptor commercially designed controllers to meet flight worthy requirement for its UAS Turbine Engine family. The problem is that the aviation input / output, validation and packaging requirements differ from similar commercial requirements. This proposal presents the plan to confirm specification, design, build, test and fly the modified Raptor controller on the UAS Turbine Engine.