The 5 sUAS developed through DIU's prototyping process to satisfy the US Army's Short Range Reconnaissance program.

Autonomy Portfolio

Blue sUAS 1.0

About the Project

The Blue sUAS 1.0 project developed trusted, policy compliant small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) for the broader Department of Defense (DoD) and Federal Government partners. This effort builds upon the U.S. Army’s sUAS program of record, Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR), for an inexpensive, rucksack portable, vertical take-off and landing sUAS. Blue sUAS 1.0 systems share the SRR air vehicles' capabilities but integrate a vendor provided ground control system.

DIU's Blue sUAS 1.0 project provides an initial 5 secure, trusted sUAS options for DoD and Federal Government procurement that meet FY20 NDAA Section 848 requirements. The Blue sUAS 1.0 project does not preclude the Government from purchasing any other UAS that are certified compliant by the purchasing Government organization. DIU does not define Government sUAS compliance standards or provide sUAS security or drone certification for such other efforts.

Parrot

ANAFI-USA-Gov/mil

Parrot (Blue sUAS) - front view

About Parrot

Founded in 1994 by Henri Seydoux, Parrot is today the leading European group in the fast-growing industry of drones. Visionary, at the forefront of innovation, Parrot is positioned across the entire value chain, from equipment to services and software. ANAFI-USA-Gov/mil is the latest evolution of Parrot’s extensive experience in developing and bringing to market innovative drone solutions for commercial markets. ANAFI-USA-Gov/mil offers the same high-end security, durability and imaging capabilities as Parrot’s Short-Range Reconnaissance (SRR) drone designed for the U.S. Army. ANAFI-USA-Gov/mil's data encryption and privacy features are compliant with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, delivering best-in-class privacy and security for sensitive missions.

Skydio

X2D

Blue sUAS - Skydio (front facing)

About Skydio

Skydio is a U.S. drone manufacturer and pioneer in autonomous flight technology. Skydio leverages breakthrough AI, Skydio Autonomy, to create intelligent flying machines for use by consumers, enterprises, and government agencies. Thanks to advanced computer vision and AI, Skydio Autonomy enables trustworthy 360 obstacle avoidance even in GPS-denied environments allowing soldiers and field operators to confidently focus on their mission instead of flight operations. Founded in 2014, Skydio is made up of leading experts in AI, robotics, cameras, and electric vehicles from top companies, research labs, and universities from around the world. Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the U.S. from its headquarters in San Mateo, CA, to offer the highest standards of supply chain and manufacturing security.

Teal

GOLDEN EAGLE

Blue sUAS - Teal Drones

About Teal

Golden Eagle is Teal’s third-generation aircraft and is produced entirely in the U.S. for short-range reconnaissance and powerful situational awareness. It protects and informs operators with vertically integrated secure, rugged, and intelligent drone technology. With modular and scalable autonomy, and next-generation AI and sensor modalities layered on top, Teal believes unmanned systems can become orders of magnitude more useful tools, increasing operational effectiveness and lethality, and enhancing the potential of mission success. 

Vantage Robotics

VESPER

Blue sUAS - Vantage Robotics

About Vantage Robotics

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Vantage Robotics designs, builds and sells UAVs and UAV components for the U.S. government as well as commercial customers. Customers include the U.S. Army, FLIR, Ford, CNN, and Motorola Solutions. Vantage’s Type 1 UAS options include a suite of swappable modular gimbals, which were built to cater to the DoD’s needs and to prioritize safety, security and performance. Founded in 2013, Vantage is a team of seasoned engineers, including professionals from NASA and Stanford, with backgrounds in high-tech products. We have done nothing over the last seven years but focus on making the most capable portable UAS.

FLIR

ION M440

  • The Ion M440 has been discontinued by the Blue UAS program.

System Specifications and Capabilities

Each of the five sUAS options are certified to fly in DoD and national airspace and meet the criteria required for U.S. Government procurement. The table below provides basic information about all five drones' capabilities. Each system has a variation of the below specifications and additional attributes to offer DoD and interagency customers.

Specifications
Capabilities

Operational Range

3+ kilometers

Flight Endurance

30+ minutes

Environmental Rating

Flies through dust and rain (IP53)

Assembly Time

2 minutes or less

Take-off Weight

Less than 3lbs

Payload

High Resolutions Day/Night Stabilized Optics

Architecture

Built around an open source protocol

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about Blue UAS, please reach out to the DIU Blue UAS team at blueuas@diu.mil.