Selecting a small unmanned air vehicle system using the DARPA crowdsourcing model

The UAVForge challenge, announced in July 2011, was designed to bring together a diverse group of UAV enthusiasts to develop the next generation of low cost, small unmanned aerial systems for perch and stare operations in a SSRR context. The challenge combined a collaborative website with a live competitive fly-off event held at Fort Stewart, Georgia in May 2012. UAVForge was a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Atlantic (SSC Atlantic) initiative to leverage the exchange of ideas among an international community united through common interests and inspired by creative thought. More than 140 teams and 3,500 registered citizen scientists from 153 countries participated in this year-long event. From several selection rounds, a core of nine teams competed in the fly-off event and in June 2012 Team HALO from the UK was declared the winner scoring 47.7 points out of a maximum possible 60 points, with their co-axial tri-rotor, Y6 design of mass 2.5 kg (30 min endurance).