{"id":10309,"date":"2018-01-19T13:54:55","date_gmt":"2018-01-19T13:54:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2018\/01\/19\/coast-guard-to-launch-small-drone-competition\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:36:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:36:01","slug":"coast-guard-to-launch-small-drone-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/intel-geoint\/isr\/2018\/01\/19\/coast-guard-to-launch-small-drone-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"Coast Guard to launch small drone competition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Last year, the Coast Guard netted its third largest drug bust of all time with the help of a small drone. Now, the service wants that kind of ISR capability for all of its national security cutters, and plans to jump start a competition in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Coast Guard intends to release a request for proposals within the next three to six weeks for small UAS services, with the award worth no more than $300 million, said Lt. Emma Lutton, a spokeswoman of the service. A contract award is expected sometime during the third quarter of fiscal year 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although requirements are not yet finalized, the service wants economically-priced air vehicles that can remain airborne for at least twelve hours a day, Lutton told Defense News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drone should also have the size, weight and power to operate an electro-optical\/infrared sensor, aeronautical transponder, VHF\/UHF communications relay and a non-visible infrared marker. The service also wants a UAS system capable of swapping out those payloads with others, including government-provided systems, in under a couple hours, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t