The objective of the ICARUS program is to create a vanishing platform for the airborne delivery of small payloads. Supply and re-supply of small military and civilian teams in difficult-to-access territory currently requires the use of large, parachute-based delivery systems that must be packed out after receipt of the payload both for operational security and environmental concerns. Small items, including batteries, communications devices, or medical supplies – especially those requiring maintenance of a cold chain – could be supplied/resupplied using low-cost, disposable aircraft to military or humanitarian assistance teams operating in difficult-to-access areas.
To address these challenges, DARPA is seeking to design, prototype, and demonstrate autonomous, air delivery vehicles capable of gently (< 100 G) delivering a 3 lbs. payload with 10 m accuracy to a GPS-programmed location. Upon payload delivery the vehicle must rapidly physically vanish, i.e., the vehicle’s rapid physical disappearance, or transience, is part of its mission specification.
Proposers Days are open only to prospective proposers and are closed to media. Although online registration for the ICARUS program’s Proposers Day now is closed, potential performers can register on-site. For those unable to attend, more information is available by way of the registration website, https://safe.sysplan.com/confsys/icarus/, the Broad Agency Announcement for the Program (DARPA-BAA-16-03, published on October 9, 2015, is available on FedBizOpps: http://go.usa.gov/3uJJd), and a lay-language DARPA UPdate on the Agency’s web site.
You are now leaving the DARPA.mil website that is under the control and management of DARPA. The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by DARPA of non-U.S. Government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although DARPA may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for Department of Defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.
After reading this message, click to continue immediately.
Go Back