Bio-inspired Underwater Teams

Bio-inspired underwater vehicles have nearly matched the speeds and efficiencies of real fish. Now, these platforms are on the cusp of operating as multiagent teams, which would further improve efficiency and unlock novel mission utility. Recent work has shown how the hydrodynamic benefits of schooling can be translated into groups of underwater vehicles. In this STTR, the use of physical models and 3D simulations of sufficient fidelity are expected to enable exploration and understanding of the effects of controlled variation of key parameters such as geometric positioning with respect to other wakes and body deformation in developing protype underwater teams. Recent progress in this area, combined with the wide availability of 3D physical and computational methods, presents a significant, new opportunity for the application of fundamental knowledge to exploit the hydrodynamic benefits that result from schooling fish. This STTR Topic will pursue the design and demonstration of innovative, bio-inspired UUV teams with capabilities well beyond the state of the art for range, endurance, speed and quietness. The overall design objective and targeted capabilities apply to a group of untethered UUVs, each between 1-5 meters in length, and capable of operating in salt water to depths of 50 ft, to support Phase II and Phase III testing. Conventional designs and propulsors (such as propellers and jets) are not in scope for this topic. The design will be evaluated according to measurable performance criteria: – Speed: minimum 4 meters/sec, with an objective of 6 meters/sec or higher; Cost of Transport (COT): proposed project should optimize the COT and demonstrate clear improvement over the state-of-the-art, for the chosen vehicle length and speed; Quietness: underwater acoustic energy generated by the vehicles, should be minimized by design; Power: the design shall not rely on energy harvesting from the environment but can incorporate methods of energy recovery from mechanical motion itself. It shall utilize state-of-the-art energy storage (R&D into energy storage is outside the scope of this topic); Power Transmission: the design shall use state-of-the-art means of transferring power to the propulsor. Successful proposals will explain how the proposed means of power transmission will contribute to meeting the performance objectives; Sensing and control: approaches to sensing and dynamic control that optimize hydrodynamic interactions and flow physics are in-scope for this Topic. The successful proposal will explain how these will contribute to meeting the performance objectives; Path Planning: use off-the-shelf components to provide sufficient capability for the platforms to perform the demonstrations during Phase II and Phase III, including straight line tracks and simple maneuvers sufficient to demonstrate speed, range, endurance and acoustics. R&D into path planning is outside the scope of this topic; Vehicle cost: estimated cost of scaled manufacturing is a factor in the proposal evaluations and can be used to guide material and design selection. The successful proposal will identify supply chain risks and a mitigation plan.

Program: STTR, Phase I and Phase II Agency: Department of War, Office of the Secretary of Defense Topic number: OSW26TZ06-NV008 Solicitation: 26.TZ Released September 2, 2026; proposals accepted from September 23, 2026 Closes October 21, 2026. Check the official solicitation for the exact due time. Award type: contract, not a grant. Official solicitation: https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/ Listed on SBIR.gov: https://www.sbir.gov/topics/12997. SBIR.gov copies agency solicitations and can lag behind them; the official solicitation is the final word.

Small businesses only: a for-profit US business with 500 or fewer employees, including affiliates.

More than 50% owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent residents (some agencies also accept majority ownership by venture capital, hedge fund or private equity firms; the solicitation says).

SBIR: the principal investigator is primarily employed by the business. STTR: the business partners with a US nonprofit research institution or university, which does at least 30% of the work.

Registered in SAM.gov before submitting.

Check the official solicitation for its own conditions, proposal limits and security review.