# SBIR / STTR #DAF27BZ02-DV018

Direct-to-Phase-II development and demonstration of expeditionary Group 2/3 VTOL UAS

**Buyer:** USAF (Air Force Materiel Command)
**Posted:** November 04, 2026
**Respond By:** January 06, 2027
**Identifier:** DAF27BZ02-DV018
**NAICS:** 336411, 336413

The U.S. Air Force is seeking demonstrated expeditionary VTOL UAS technology for long-range ISR and special operations missions.
- **Government buyer:** U.S. Air Force; Air Force Materiel Command is identified in the initial notice. The attachment identifies AFSOC and ACC, with PAE ISR SOF / Asymmetrical Warfare Division - WISS as the transition owner.
- **Opportunity:** Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR research, development, integration, and demonstration for Group 2 and Group 3 vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aircraft systems (VTOL UAS). Proposals should document prior feasibility work; clean-sheet aircraft without demonstrated underlying flight technology are not the target.
- **Performance goals:** 12–15 hours of endurance and a 60-pound payload, with growth toward 75 pounds. An 8-hour capability is also described as a substantiated development path. No system purchase quantity, model, or part number is specified.
- **Notable requirements:** Autonomous runway-independent operations; beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) resilience; modular payloads; dynamic mission retasking; network-node and layered-effects operation; and maturation of manufacturing and cost. Testing should culminate in an integrated expeditionary flight demonstration and delivery of final systems to designated units for Government feedback.
- **Integration interests:** Vigilant Spirit and NKE/ESM payloads. No OEM or vendor is named in the provided material.
- **Cybersecurity:** CMMC Level 2 (Self).

### Description

This Direct to Phase 2 SBIR topic concerns high-efficiency expeditionary Group 2 and Group 3 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft systems for long-range distributed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and special operations forces (SOF) operations. The topic is listed under the 2027 DoW SBIR Broad Agency Announcement and identifies the U.S. Air Force as the agency/component. Responses are due January 6, 2027, at 17:00 UTC. The listed CMMC requirement is Level 2 (Self).

[View original listing](https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/)