The U.S. Special Operations Command has a couple new SBIRs acoustic-based innovations related to the sound produced by small UAS, enabling capture of information encoded in the signals.

Acoustic Communications

The first feasibility study relates to an acoustic-based communication system that enables sUAS within a swarm to communicate and exchange information about their relative positions. The capability will support intra-swarm communications by using sound primarily generated by the sUAS’s propellors as a carrier wave to encode data between drones. USSOCOM has some specific requirements as outlined here.

Silencing with Acoustic Rainbow Emitters

The second is related to a low-cost acoustic rainbow emitter (or “ARE”) that would provide significant reduction in a UAS’s acoustic signature. The ARE would provide a means to redirect the acoustic signature of a drone, and change the frequencies of the acoustic signature. According to the SBIR, acoustic sensors “are becoming more prolific on the battlefield,” and reducing the signature of a UAS will increase survivability. Again, USSOCOM has some specific requirements as outlined here.

Awards

Details have not been posted yet.

Submissions

Open September 24.

Next Steps

USSOCOM is hosting a virtual Q&A session on Sept. 16 at 12 p.m. ET. Click here to register to attend.

Questions

Questions should be addressed to sbir@socom.mil. Please put “SBIR 25.4 Release 12” in the Subject field.