WHISPER AERO INC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: X224-OCSO1

Description

Whisper Aero proposes retrofitting a novel ultra-quiet electric propulsor to the highest performance foot launchable commercial off the shelf glider airframe. The objective is to create a low-cost modular ISR platform capable of ultra-quiet operation at altitudes below 500 feet that can provide a dramatic reduction in pixels-on-target cost. The lower cost is enabled by the combination of 1) leveraging a COTS airframe and 2) close proximity undetectable operations enabling the use of dramatically lower cost solid state sensors that avoid the complexity/cost introduced from sensing at higher altitudes. The study effort will include propulsor optimization for the glider’s ideal cruise and loiter speeds, CFD analysis of several possible propulsor integrations, weight and cost analysis of the fully integrated platform (inclusive of leveraging low cost autonomous systems), and definition of a Phase II program that supports flight-test validation of the Phase I performance estimates. Whisper Aero has already validated achieving the lowest acoustic signature propulsor and the ability to design, develop, and flight test new drone concepts in less than 6 months.