--- title: "Logistic Drone Swarm Experimentation" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0298df" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0298df" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0298df.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0298df.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE" published: "2021-03-17" --- # Logistic Drone Swarm Experimentation Buyer: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0298df [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0298df) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0298df.json) ## Summary The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has completed a public procurement process for the "Logistic Drone Swarm Experimentation" project, classified under miscellaneous software packages and computer systems, with a focus on goods. This contract, with a total value of £625,000, was awarded to Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd (BBSR) and aimed to integrate swarming software onto Royal Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for logistic resupply operations. The procurement method utilised was a limited negotiated procedure without prior publication, and the contract was active from March to July 2021. This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses involved in advanced software development, UAV technology, and military logistics, particularly those specialising in systems integration and autonomous operations. Companies with capabilities in creating bespoke software solutions and those experienced in military or defence contracting would be well-positioned to engage in similar future tenders, especially given the emphasis on technical expertise for projects needing approved safety protocols and innovative operational capabilities. ## Notice 1. This contract sees leading edge experimentation with BBSR to integrate their edge processing swarming software architecture onto Royal Marine experimental UAVs being employed as modular air vehicles for Find, Lift, Protect and Strike missions ### Lot Information Lot 1 1. This contract sees leading edge experimentation with BBSR to integrate their edge processing swarming software architecture onto Royal Marine experimental UAVs being employed as modular air vehicles for Find, Lift, Protect and Strike missions, and automating a multirole ground surveillance camera being trialled. Both pieces of hardware have competed procurements underway for the FCF, reinforcing the importance of this proposal. a. Platform integration of BBSR Centurion software onto 8 x Malloy TRV-150 & Podview ground camera: CONOPS definition workshops & report System architecture (First Draft) Interface definitions - Blue Bear (Smart Connect) / Malloy (T150) interface definition 8 SmartConnect boxes Bluebear primed sub-contract to Malloy Aeronautics for their integration and support work and flight testing on 8x TRV150s MPU5 (data link) integration and compatibility test with RN MPU5s and quick tech note report. Smart connect platform integration onto PodView camera & deliver 1 x camera to user & demonstrate edge processing on Centurion & demonstrate object based recognition algorithm to acquire vehicles & personnel. Blue Bear primed sub-contract to Overview Ltd for the supply of the PodView camera systems and hardware support/engineering effort required for integration for production of deployable prototype operating Centurion software & edge-processing AI recognition analytics for acquisition and classification of personnel and vehicles b. User training on BBSR Centurion of 15 ranks from 40 Cdo and Cdo Logs Regiment One-week training course for CDO personnel Consolidation training flying system in synthetic environment on Centurion c. Development and submission of beyond visual line of sight (BLOS) operational safety case into the CAA to authorise UK experimentation to cover two events. BVLOS OSC designed and submitted. Needs to be done ASAP to try and get approved it in time. d. Trials & safety support to enable tactical swarm experimentation with frontline users: 8 days with 3 Cdo Bde UAV operators on MOD training estate e. Digital logistic demand development: Development & delivery of logistics software plugin to enable automated 'on demand' tactical resupply from multiple task-loaded TRV-150s. FCF CSS ConOps integration work into Centurion and behaviour development ### Procurement Information The JHub team, part of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD), intends to award a 4-month contract from March 2021 to July 2021 (with a value of PS625,000) to Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd (BBSR) to supply nine micro-computers and bespoke 'swarming' software and integrate them onto existing Royal Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), which are used as logistic resupply vehicles. It is considered that this contract can be awarded using the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice pursuant to regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations 2011 for technical reasons. This is because BBSR's 'swarming' system is the only system considered to have the proven ability to a) connect with any existing UAV with minimal integration; and b) control multiple UAVs to operate autonomously in 'swarms'. BBSR is also the only company to have been granted permission from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to conduct 'swarm' flights of up to 20 UAVs in UK airspace, which is required in order to conduct the necessary flight trials. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005445-2021 | | Notice type | Award Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Goods | | Procurement method | Limited | | Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Large, SME | | All stages | Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 17 Mar 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 5 Mar 2021 | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | £625,000 | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Cancelled | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Active | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | MINISTRY OF DEFENCE | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | Central London | | Postcode | EC2A 4DW | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East | | ITL 3 | TLI41 Hackney and Newham | | Local authority | Hackney | | Electoral ward | Hoxton East & Shoreditch | | Westminster constituency | Hackney South and Shoreditch | | Delivery location | TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight, TLK South West (England) | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | BLUE BEAR SYSTEMS RESEARCH | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 48 - Software package and information systems ### Codes - 48000000 - Software package and information systems - 48900000 - Miscellaneous software package and computer systems ## Release History - 17 Mar 2021 at 16:37 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005445-2021 - 5 Mar 2021 at 16:21 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004495-2021 ## Notice URLs - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0298df. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0298df.json.