The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), under the Defense Sciences Office (DSO), has released a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the Precision Inertial Navigation & Positioning On an Integrated Tesseract (PINPOINT) program, HR001126S0016. PINPOINT aims to deliver a new class of micro‑scale inertial measurement units (IMUs) that can provide GPS‑quality positioning and navigation over multi‑hour missions, even in GPS‑denied environments, within a form factor roughly the size of a Rubik’s Cube.
Operationally, PINPOINT’s objective is to bridge the gap between large, strategic‑grade inertial systems and compact MEMS IMUs. DARPA is challenging teams to exploit nonlinear electro‑mechanical physics and tight sensor‑plus‑control co‑design to achieve navigation‑grade performance in low size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP‑C) packages suitable for tactical munitions, unmanned systems, and other warfighter platforms.
Technical Areas and Program Structure
The BAA solicits innovative work in physics and nonlinear control of inertial measurement units appropriate for tactical and unmanned missions. PINPOINT is explicitly focused on revolutionary, not incremental, approaches.
Core Technical Themes
DARPA is seeking proposals that:
- Develop novel inertial sensors based on advanced physics such as electromagnetically levitated proof masses, nonlinear resonators, and high‑velocity tethered microsystems.
- Operate deep within nonlinear dynamic regimes, moving beyond traditional linear mechanical operation that has plateaued for current MEMS IMUs.
- Co‑design the physical sensor package with advanced, real‑time adaptive control systems and dynamic state estimators that can stabilize and harness complex mechanics.
Research that only delivers evolutionary improvements to current IMUs is explicitly out of scope.
Target Applications And Metrics
PINPOINT asks proposers to select a single defense‑relevant use case and design sensors and control systems to meet demanding, mission‑level performance metrics for that application.
Illustrative examples include:
- Precision strike munitions requiring extreme dynamic range, shock and vibration resilience, and low noise (velocity and angle random walk) to maintain better‑than‑tactical navigation throughout launch and flight.
- Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) where long‑term bias stability and low drift are essential for dead‑reckoning in GPS‑denied environments over multi‑hour sorties.
Alternate use cases (such as space operations, hypersonic trajectories, radiation‑hard environments, long‑life ultra‑low‑power sensor networks) are in scope if the proposed metrics are at least as challenging as the examples and backed by solid modeling, simulation, and any available experimental data.
Phase I Focus And Anticipated Phase II
This BAA solicits Phase I only, with a 24‑month period of performance. Phase I is centered on:
- Demonstrating mathematically rigorous models and simulation results for nonlinear sensors and control systems that meet selected application metrics.
- Performing laboratory testing of foundational inertial sensor and IMU performance, including Allan deviation noise characterizations across all six degrees of freedom.
- Delivering packaged prototype IMUs for independent verification and validation (IV&V) and operational field testing at designated Department of War ranges.
DARPA anticipates a follow‑on Phase II (also roughly 24 months) focused on packaging, environmental ruggedization, and mission‑specific validation testing, but Phase II will be solicited separately using a phased acquisition approach. Selection for Phase II will depend on Phase I performance, available funding, and the strength of Phase II proposals.
Phase I performers will also be required to contribute to a Design Guide and Prototype Design Kit (PDK) that compile validated physical simulation models, design rules, and explored parameter spaces. The PDK is meant to define a usable design space so sensors can be redesigned and reused for future IMU use cases as needs evolve.
Key Dates
All PINPOINT timelines are in Eastern Time:
Proposers Day: July 27, 2026
BAA posting date: August 6, 2026
Proposal abstract due: August 27, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
Questions due: September 15, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
Full proposals due: September 25, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
DARPA anticipates multiple awards under a mix of instruments, including procurement contracts, cooperative agreements, and Other Transaction Agreements for Prototype. Proposers may submit multiple proposals, but each must focus on a single use case with clearly specified system‑level objectives and quantitative end‑of‑phase milestones, including estimated SWaP and fabrication considerations.
Importance of PINPOINT
By tying PINPOINT to the HALOVS portfolio and demanding navigation‑grade performance in low SWaP devices, DARPA is pushing three big shifts: moving unconventional inertial physics from the lab into mission‑ready IMUs, treating sensor hardware and control algorithms as a single co‑designed system, and elevating assured navigation from a bolt‑on feature to core infrastructure across precision munitions, UAVs, and other platforms.
For innovators in MEMS, nonlinear dynamics, advanced materials, and control systems, PINPOINT is an opportunity to help define what the next generation of inertial navigation looks like across the defense ecosystem. It also sets a useful benchmark for where DARPA and DSO believe the performance bar should be for “navigation‑grade” sensors in compact platforms.
EverGlade is a national advisory firm helping innovators navigate the federal funding ecosystem. We support companies across the funding lifecycle, from early-stage strategy through proposal development, negotiations, and post-award execution, ensuring you win the award and deliver the program.
For additional information on where your capabilities could plug into this program, schedule a conversation with our team.
