Description: The Swift Ultra Long Endurance (SULE), along with our experience in flight planning within FAA regulations, onboard computing, telemetry, payload selection/ integration, and successful SULE flight testing will be used to complete all Phase I deliverables for an effective transition into the Phase II flight demonstration. As a HALE aircraft, the SULE allows for near continuous surveillance, communications, and sensor coverage, operating as a pseudo-satellite while staying clear of the national airspace and remaining fuel independent thanks to solar power. Swift's previous and continued success with the SULE program has demonstrated our ability not only to plan and create detailed concepts of operations, but to actually perform our missions safely while working within FAA regulations. This experience combined with Swift's continued relationship with NASA on HAPS programs makes us the ideal and low risk partner for this SBIR. Funding will be used specifically for the labor involved with the Phase I deliverables. The funding will be using specifically for Phase I task labor to allow for Swift to continue its schedule 65K+ MSL flight testing without having to reallocate financial resources to complete Phase I flight planning. Each deliverable will be validated to set the conditions for an immediate start into Phase II. Phase II funding will fund the actual flight capabilities demonstration tasks. Target markets for this technology are commercial communication, commercial scientific, and government agencies such as NASA, DOD, USFS.

Benefits: The Swift Ultra Long Endurance (SULE) is already supporting NASA mission directives and strives to be a long term partner with NASA and the HAPS scientific community to enable sustained control and access in the stratosphere. Swift Engineering is specifically addressing the Scope #1 for subtopic S16.04 High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) Capability Demonstration (SBIR) in this Phase I proposal solicitation ("Recently, the United States Forest Service (USFS) has funded Swift Engineering to fly a NASA SBIR-funded HAPS to fly an infrared (IR) payload for real-time fire imaging." Pg 125). The SULE provides a reliable platform for both scientific sensors and communications payloads as a low cost, low operational footprint solar fixed wing HAPS solution. Swift will work with NASA to integrate customized payloads for multi-week stratospheric operations.Beyond NASA, there is substantial interest and existing funding from other prominent U.S. entities such as NOAA, DOD, private satellite and space organizations, private telecommunications companies, disaster response agencies, and traffic management authorities. Defense attachés from multiple NATO countries, to include Poland and Germany, have recently reached out to Swift Engineering looking for persistent ISR capabilities to strengthen NATO's eastern flank. Outside of traditional government ISR type demands, there is an increasing need for HAPS technologies to ensure connectivity amongst growing populations, especially in rural areas, oceanic regions, and spread-out island chains. This technology is being actively sought after by the US, European Union, and Japan to name a few. HAPS platforms such as SULE can provide a persistent communication link that increases resiliency of both civilian and government connectivity, especially with adversarial nations investing in anti-satellite technology. Swift has already been approached for service operations where a High-Altitude Long-Endurance Unmanned Aerial System (HALE UAS) could offer collaborative solutions or introduce innovative technology to existing infrastructures. The HAPS technologies developed by Swift are designed to seamlessly integrate with satellites, Medium-HAPS vehicles, and other manned vehicles at lower altitudes, facilitating integrated missions in both commercial and military markets. Anticipating the evolving landscape, the Army ISR Task Force has been modernizing requirements for HAPS stratospheric capabilities, leading to substantial funding allocations for this technology. The evident demand for such vehicles in the future underscores the rapid growth of both the market and funding expectations.