Engineering Analysis

Abstract

The Ultra Long-endurance Unmanned Reconnaissance Aircraft (ULTRA) is an Air Force-led technology and concept development effort to demonstrate, transition, and field an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) that is capable of multiple-day duration flights while still being extremely affordable. ULTRA is a shift in UAS design paradigm by significantly leveraging commercial-off-the-shelf technologies to minimize expensive custom/proprietary items while at the same time simplifying maintenance and manpower costs. The payload integration for ULTRA maintains a modular and flexible architecture to allow for rapid integration of customer-driven payload options. ULTRA was initiated by the Air Force Research Lab in 2018 in response to demand signals for long-endurance ISR that maintains an affordable edge. ULTRA leverages and builds off the successes and lessons learned of several AFRL, DoD, and other partner-funded development efforts from 2015-2021, including the Long Endurance Aerial Platform UAS which transitioned in 2019 and a number of unique payload developments and integrations. These prior developments guided and informed the initial development and demonstration of ULTRA. The initial ULTRA UAS was developed in 2018 and flight-tested in 2019. In 2020 ULTRA performed limited operational test and evaluation over a six-month period, the results of which informed payload and system requirements to meet current and future needs. Future operational test and evaluation in relevant operational environments is a critical next step in developing ULTRA as an affordable ultra-long endurance ISR platform that is responsive to current and future needs. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. This effort is not a new start. It is a flight demonstration of the ULTRA program, which was previously executed in FY23 and prior years under Program 0604555D8Z Operational Energy Prototyping, and under Section 219 authorities. This program is in Budget Activity 5, System Development and Demonstration (SDD) because it has passed Milestone B approval and is conducting engineering and manufacturing development tasks aimed at meeting validated requirements prior to full rate production.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2025
• Source ID: 654236_0305205F_5_3600_PB_2025

Tags

Readers

• Aerial Unmanned Vehicle Swarm Micro Periodontal Dentistry.
• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs