Acoustic-based UAS Rainbow Oscillation Refraction Architecture (AURORA)
ID: SOCOM254-007Type: BOTH
Overview

Topic

Acoustic-based UAS Rainbow Oscillation Refraction Architecture (AURORA)

Agency

Agency: DODBranch: SOCOM

Program

Type: SBIRPhase: BOTH
Timeline
    Description

    The Department of Defense, specifically the Special Operations Command (SOCOM), is seeking innovative research and development proposals for the Acoustic-based UAS Rainbow Oscillation Refraction Architecture (AURORA) under the SBIR program. The objective is to create a communication system that allows small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) within a swarm to transmit and receive information using sound waves generated by their propellers, thereby enhancing relative position awareness in multi-agent systems. This technology is crucial for military applications where drones operate collaboratively without relying on GPS or radio frequencies. Interested parties should prepare for a feasibility study in Phase I, followed by prototype development in Phase II, with the solicitation opening on November 19, 2025, and closing on December 10, 2025. For more information, visit the official solicitation page at https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/.

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    The SOCOM254-007 topic seeks applied research for an Acoustic-based UAS Rainbow Oscillation Refraction Architecture (AURORA). The objective is to develop an innovative capability for small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) within a swarm to achieve spatio-spectral decomposition of sound from their propellers. This will enable information transmission and reception encoded on sound waves and support relative position awareness in a multi-agent system. The system must use propeller-generated sound for intra-swarm communication, refract sound into coherent frequencies for data encoding, and transmit/receive omnidirectionally. Key attributes include independent sUAS position determination, heterogeneous sUAS data exchange, interference addressing, collision avoidance, adaptability to varying acoustic frequencies and environmental factors, and Doppler shift mitigation. It must not rely on additional oscillators or impede normal sUAS operation. Phase I will involve a feasibility study to assess achievable data rates and system design options, with Phase II developing a prototype. This technology has dual-use potential for military multi-agent drone systems operating without GPS or radio frequencies.
    The SOCOM254-007 topic seeks applied research for an Acoustic-based UAS Rainbow Oscillation Refraction Architecture (AURORA) to enable communication and relative position awareness within small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS) swarms. The objective is to use sound waves primarily generated by sUAS propellers as a carrier for encoded information. Key system attributes include the ability to spatio-spectrally decompose incoherent propeller sounds, refract them into coherent frequencies for data modulation, and transmit/receive omnidirectionally. The system must also allow sUAS to independently determine relative positions, support heterogeneous sUAS communication, address interference, enable collision avoidance using self-organizing algorithms like the Boids model, and account for acoustic frequency variability and Doppler shift without impeding normal sUAS operation or requiring additional oscillators. Phase I involves a feasibility study to assess achievable data rates and viable system designs, while Phase II will focus on prototype development. This technology has dual-use potential for military applications involving multi-agent drone systems operating without GPS or radio frequencies.
    The SOCOM254-007 RFP seeks innovative research for an Acoustic-based UAS Rainbow Oscillation Refraction Architecture (AURORA) to enable communication and relative positioning within small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS) swarms. The objective is to use sound waves, primarily from sUAS propellers, as a carrier to encode and transmit information. Key requirements include spatio-spectral decomposition and refraction of propeller-generated sound, omnidirectional transmission/reception, independent sUAS position determination, and support for heterogeneous swarms. The system must address interference, collision avoidance, and acoustic frequency variability without relying on additional oscillators. Phase I will involve a feasibility study to determine achievable data rates and system design options. Phase II will focus on prototype development. This technology has dual-use potential for military applications, particularly for Special Operations Forces requiring close-proximity drone collaboration without GPS or radio frequencies.
    The SOCOM254-007 RFP seeks innovative research for an Acoustic-based UAS Rainbow Oscillation Refraction Architecture (AURORA) to enable communication and relative position awareness within small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS) swarms. The objective is to use the sUAS propellers' inherent sound waves as a carrier for encoded information. Key requirements include spatial decomposition and refraction of propeller sound into coherent frequencies for data modulation, omnidirectional transmission/reception, and independent sUAS position determination. The system must support heterogeneous sUAS, mitigate reciprocal interference and Doppler shift, and not impede normal sUAS operation, while avoiding additional oscillators. This technology is ITAR/EAR restricted. Phase I involves a feasibility study to assess achievable data rates and system design options, leading to prototype development in Phase II. Dual-use applications include military multi-agent drone operations without GPS or radio frequencies for Special Operations Forces.
    The SOCOM254-007 topic, titled "Acoustic-based UAS Rainbow Oscillation Refraction Architecture (AURORA)," seeks applied research for an innovative acoustic-based communication system for small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) swarms. The objective is to enable sUAS to transmit and receive information encoded on sound waves, primarily using propeller noise as a carrier, and support relative position awareness within a multi-agent system. Key requirements include spatial decomposition and refraction of propeller sound into coherent frequencies, omnidirectional transmission/reception, independent relative position determination, and support for heterogeneous sUAS. The system must address interference, collision avoidance, acoustic frequency variability, and Doppler shift, without relying on additional oscillators or impeding normal sUAS operation. Phase I involves a feasibility study to assess achievable data rates and system design options, leading to a prototype in Phase II. This ITAR-restricted technology has dual-use applications for military multi-agent drone systems operating without GPS or radio frequencies.
    The SOCOM254-007 RFP seeks applied research for an Acoustic-based UAS Rainbow Oscillation Refraction Architecture (AURORA). The objective is to develop an innovative capability for small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) swarms to transmit and receive information encoded on sound waves generated by their propellers, enabling relative position awareness within a multi-agent system. Key requirements include using incoherent propeller sound as a carrier, refracting sound waves into coherent frequencies for data modulation, omnidirectional transmission and reception, and independent sUAS position determination. The system must also support heterogeneous sUAS, address reciprocal interference and Doppler shift, and not impede normal sUAS operation. Phase I involves a feasibility study to assess achievable data rates and system design options, while Phase II focuses on prototype development. This technology has dual-use applications for military multi-drone systems operating without GPS or radio frequencies.
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