Compact Unmanned Aerial System for Marine Species Monitoring
Summary
The Department of Navy’s Office of Naval Research seeks proposals to develop a compact, inexpensive, NDAA‑compliant unmanned aerial system (UAS) with high‑resolution photogrammetry payloads for marine mammal monitoring. The effort focuses on creating a lightweight drone that can fly over 40 minutes, carry a LiDAR altimeter and gimbal‑stabilized camera, and meet rugged environmental requirements to enable affordable research and Navy use.