DHS Awards Small Unmanned Aircraft Contract Cyber Protection Contract

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate has announced a $199,814.31 award to Asymmetric Technologies LLC, to enhance U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) security. CBP’s use of sUAS enhances mission capabilities and supports border patrol agents’ activities, including greater overall situational awareness and detection, tracking, apprehension, and search and rescue operations. The project is awarded under the Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) other transaction solicitation aimed at non-traditional performers to offer solutions to some of the toughest threats facing DHS and the homeland security mission, the DHS written announcement explains.

Asymmetric Technologies, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business, proposes to develop a platform-agnostic Secure UAS Flight Controller and improve the cybersecurity of CBP-deployed commercial systems. The effort aims to reduce the risk of cyberattacks on the Department’s sUAS platforms by ensuring secure communication and control mechanisms with operators, utilizing secure surveillance telemetry streams, and leveraging on-board hardware security to prevent unauthorized access of data.

Companies participating in the SVIP program are eligible for up to $800,000 in non-dilutive funding to adapt commercial technologies for homeland security use cases. This is the fifth award under the Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Capabilities Solicitation – HSHQDC-16-R-00114, one of five active calls under the SVIP.