Drones for Aerial Monitoring System

The Department of Commerce Office of the Secretary is soliciting two electric-powered unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for RF spectrum measurement operations, with quotations due September 21, 2026 at 10:00 AM EST and questions due September 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM EST. This is a Total Small Business set-aside procured under Simplified Acquisition Procedures as a Firm-Fixed-Price Purchase Order to the lowest priced technically acceptable source.

Place of performance is Boulder, Colorado. The UAS must be compatible with the Rohde & Schwarz AMS Aerial Monitoring System payload (approximately 5 kg) and support RF spectrum measurement missions including antenna far-field pattern verification, microwave link monitoring, and RF interference hunting and direction finding. Each UAS must demonstrate minimum sustained hover endurance of 25 minutes while carrying the payload, sustained flight capability up to 400 feet AGL per FAA Part 107 standards, stable flight in winds up to 20 knots with gusts to 25 knots, and ability to execute controlled 360-degree rotations at rates not exceeding 10 degrees per second. Minimum sustained hover payload capacity is 8 kg (60% margin above nominal payload). Positioning accuracy must be within 1.5 meters horizontal and 0.5 meters vertical during hover and programmed flight using standard multi-constellation GNSS, with factory-equipped or field-upgradeable Real-Time Kinetic positioning capability available as a government option.

All UAS RF emitters must comply with FCC Part 15 requirements and avoid interference with AMS measurement frequency ranges (300 MHz to 8 GHz and 4 GHz to 40 GHz). All UAS and components must comply with NDAA Section 848 restrictions on covered foreign manufacturers; contractor must be an authorized reseller or distributor confirmed by original equipment manufacturer documentation. UAS shall incorporate flight control redundancy, execute automatic fail-safe behavior upon loss of control or low battery state (no less than 20% remaining capacity), support geofencing configuration, and operate across ambient temperature range of 32 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit with ingress protection rating of at least IP43. Delivery FOB-Destination within 60 days to NTIA/ITS at 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305. Each UAS must include minimum of 8 flight batteries and 1 rapid charger. Technical quotations are limited to 5 pages, price quotations to 3 pages, submitted in electronic format only. Evaluation emphasizes demonstrated understanding of requirements and compliance with technical specifications, with price as secondary factor. Quotations must be valid for 120 calendar days.