Dzyne Technologies to Prototype Glider UAV Under Air Force SPPAIDS Contract

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded Dzyne Technologies an $89.4 million contract to develop technologies that will enable swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver payloads from long ranges.

Under the Small Payload Precision Air-Launched Inexpensive Delivery Systems contract, Dzyne will develop the design and prototype for a glider UAV, the mechanical design and testing of the shock attenuation method, the software that will be needed to demonstrate landing capabilities and the materials and manufacturing needed to support rapid destructibility.

The resulting prototype aircraft will be used for demonstration.

Work will be performed in Irvine, California, and is expected to be completed by July 2027, Military & Aerospace Electronics reported Monday.

SPPAIDS is designed to be a low-cost system that would improve small-payload precision delivery at long standoff ranges. According to the contract solicitation posted in 2019, the offering should be able to deliver a payload of fewer than 25 pounds to a 100-square-foot target zone using soft landing techniques. The system should be capable of launching from various military and civilian aircraft.

The SPPAIDS contract falls under the Air Force’s Small Business Innovation Research vehicle.

Dzyne Technologies designs, develops and produces unmanned aircraft and analytics systems for clients in the defense, intelligence and national security sectors. It is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, and has offices in California and Arizona.