SBIR-STTR Award

The predictive understanding of Radio Frequency electromagnetic propagation is critical for the performance of Navy systems. To acquire the necessary data, the Navy needs a system integrated with the ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capable of analyzing distant signals of opportunity while meeting strict Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) requirements placed on hardware payloads. To meet this need, Nokomis will provide a fully integrated system by leveraging existing Hiawatha capabilities and in-house experience developing small UAV antenna systems on platforms including the Silver Fox and Scheibel Camcopter. The Hiawatha system provides sensitive long range automated spectrum analysis and integrated Angle of Arrival (AoA) capabilities and signal source classification through a suite of detection and identification algorithms. Hiawatha is capable of covering 30 MHz to 18 GHz and a lightweight (1.7 lbs) version of the system has been flight tested over 30 MHz to 3 GHz. Under the Phase I Nokomis will demonstrate Hiawatha capabilities from a UAV through an outdoor range-based hang test, develop an azimuthally independent antenna system suitable for integration with the ScanEagle, and develop a system design and associated trades for an enhanced Phase II prototype expanding system frequency range and meeting SWaP and interface requirements.

Benefit:
There is a substantial market for the Nokomis spectrum monitoring and analysis technology that will result from this Phase I. First and foremost Nokomis will work to fully integrate and flight test the system on the ScanEagle UAV for Maritime spectral survey and emitter identification missions. In addition to the Navy, the Army, Special Operations Command , the Marine Corps and the Air Force continue to have a need for spectrum monitoring and emitter detection capabilities and have expressed interest in this capability. The widening focus of investment towards pure spectrum monitoring applications that had previously been applied to IED detection, identification, and geo-location will open up a substantial array of additional applications for the Hiawatha Sensor. The Phase II prototype can also be readily applied to various Software-Defined Radio Systems, such as the Joint-Tactical Radio System (JTRS), and cognitive radio development efforts to improve interoperability as the communications waveforms can be steered away from interference of both intentional and unintentional RF interferers. There is a commercial market application in telecommunications (both wireless and wired) and satellite communications applications for spectrum monitoring and analysis capabilities to reduce RF interference which can be extremely costly, dangerous, and introduce regulatory roadblocks.

Keywords:
RF Sensor, RF Sensor, Angle of Arrival, Antenna array, Spectrum Monitoring, Conformal Antenna, Airborne, Spectral survey, Unmanned