03 November 2017 Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS)
The Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) have jointly issued a Call-for-Proposal (CFP) to develop systems and technologies to enable the innovative and wide-ranging use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in Singapore’s densely populated urban environment without compromising safety.
This CFP invites proposals for the development of various capabilities and technologies such as navigation capabilities, sense-and-avoid technologies, as well as fleet management and UAS Traffic Management solutions. Among others, these capabilities and technologies can enable beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations, which can be more cost-effective as they help enhance productivity of current processes. For instance, BVLOS operations could enable unmanned aircraft to fly a large area without requiring the UAS operator to keep a physical watch on the aircraft. This could benefit search and rescue efforts, building and structural inspections, land traffic monitoring and transportation of goods.
“UAS operations in urban environments like ours pose operational challenges with higher risks to people and property. Yet, the technology’s potential to transform the way we work and live is undeniable. This Call-for-Proposal is a good opportunity for us to work closely with industry players to explore the possibilities and test-bed the solutions robustly,” said Kevin Shum, Director-General, CAAS.
MOT and CAAS will co-fund the development and trials of up to $1.5 million per proposal, or up to 50% of the total qualified project costs, whichever is lower, for each successful proposal. Applicants will be required to develop working prototypes and are encouraged to identify and partner an end-user so as to take into consideration its commercial viability.
The closing date for submission is 5 January 2018, 2359hrs (Singapore Time). More information on the CFP can be found at https://www.caas.gov.sg/uas-cfp.