**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, IN ORDER TO MANAGE WILDFIRES, MINIMIZE CLIMATE IMPACT, AND INCREASE FIREFIGHTER SAFETY WILL BENEFIT FROM THE USE OF COST-EFFECTIVE, LONG-RANGE/LONG-ENDURANCE, SMALL UAS FOR MONITORING AND COMMUNICATING TO FIRST RESPONDERS. NEOEX SYSTEMS HAS DEVELOPED A SMALL UAS CAPABLE TO MEET 20+ HOURS OF FLIGHT ENDURANCE, HOWEVER, THE ON-BOARD SYSTEMS CURRENTLY ARE UNABLE TO MANAGE OR OPERATE IN THE EXTREME HEAT OF AREAS IN WHICH WILDFIRES OCCUR. NEOEX THEREFORE PROPOSES TO DEVELOP UNDER THIS SBIR PROGRAM AN ADVANCED FUSELAGE THAT WILL BE DESIGNED TO HOUSE CRITICAL EQUIPMENT AND POWER SYSTEMS FOR DRONE OPERATION TO MEET THE EXTREME OPERATING CONDITIONS. THE NEOEX POWER SYSTEM IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT CONTAINS A CRYOGENIC COOLING SOURCE ON-BOARD WHICH CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO A COOLING SYSTEM THAT CAN WITHSTAND THE EXTREME HEAT. ANTICIPATED RESULTS OF THE PROPOSED PHASE I RESEARCH INCLUDE GROUND TESTING OF THE NEW FUSELAGE DESIGN AND COOLING SYSTEM COMPONENT. EXPANDING THE OPERATING TEMPERATURE OF THE VEHICLE WILL ALLOW NEOEX TO GROW OUR MARKET POTENTIAL BY INCLUDING APPLICATIONS SUCH AS THE MANAGEMENT AND DETECTION OF WILDFIRES, ELECTRICAL LINE INSPECTIONS, PACKAGE DELIVERY, AND MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN AREAS SUCH AS ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, HAWAII, AND THE ENTIRE SOUTHWEST REGION OF THE UNITED STATES.