AI-Enabled Incident Response System with sUAS and Human Copilots (AIRS-COP)

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is seeking qualified firms to provide a capabilities statement for a future research and development effort titled “AI‑Enabled Incident Response System with sUAS and Human Copilots (AIRS‑COP).” The effort will design, develop, and flight‑test an AI‑driven small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) that can autonomously assist traffic management centers (TMCs) and law‑enforcement officers during highway incidents. Work includes project management, literature review, stakeholder engagement, development of automated and autonomous navigation algorithms, integration of vision‑language models for real‑time decision support, and extensive testing (simulation and field) at FHWA‑approved sites. The effort is structured as a non‑personnel purchase order with a total estimated budget of $321,000 (labor $319,000 + travel $2,000) and is expected to span roughly 15 months from award. Deliverables include a Project Management Plan, technical memoranda, test plans, stakeholder reports, and final system documentation. • Sources‑sought notice – no proposals or quotes required, only a capabilities statement. • Federal R&D effort under 23 U.S.C. §503(b) for highway safety and operations. • Required expertise: AI/ML, autonomous sUAS navigation, edge‑cloud computing, vision‑language models, human‑AI teaming, and FAA Part 107 compliance. • Mandatory deliverables: project management plan, bi‑weekly/ monthly status reports, literature review, stakeholder engagement reports, algorithm development plans, test designs, and final technical reports. • Budget: $321,000 total (labor + travel). • Timeline: award anticipated after October 15 2026; project duration ~15 months.