Passive Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) for Terminal Guidance
SBIR Opportunity Analysis
U.S. Special Operations Command, within the Department of Defense SBIR program, is seeking an innovative approach for passive simultaneous localization and mapping to improve terminal guidance for Group 1 one-way attack UAS in complex, cluttered, and unstructured environments. The work calls for a feasibility study in Phase I to examine viable system designs and assess what is technically possible, followed in Phase II by development, installation, and demonstration of a passive visual-inertial SLAM prototype for NDAA-compliant multi-rotor UAS. The solution must rely on passive onboard sensors and organic aircraft compute, support navigation to static and dynamic targets, perform loop closures to reduce INS/SLAM drift, and be modular open system/open software compatible with standard flight controls such as Mavlink or Ardupilot. The solicitation is open under number SOC26BZ02-NV003, with applications due June 24, 2026 at 4:00 PM UTC.