About OASA
OASA exists to build autonomous systems that make American communities, and the nation as a whole, better, cleaner and safer.
What we're building
An open autonomy stack for every kind of uncrewed system: air, ground, water surface, underwater, lighter-than-air and wind. Every technology in it is meant to be open source and connected through one secure, decentralized network that works at any scale.
Small builds lead to big ones. Each piece we finish becomes a part for the next. See how it fits together on the tech tree and the moonshots it leads to.
Where we are now
Phase 0: home base. Nothing is built yet.
Our first goal: one drone on an encrypted link, showing up on a TAK map with its battery and status. Tap the map to send it somewhere, and open its camera.
We're setting up the basics now: accounts, GitHub, Discord, the application process, the code of conduct and the first chapter in Northern Virginia.
The tech tree currently maps 139 technologies and 23 moonshots. None of them are done yet.
How OASA is organized
OASA has two sides, kept separate on purpose.
The community (nonprofit)
- Runs this site and the docs, and will run the idea board, GitHub and Discord.
- Will host open projects and community funding.
- Stewards open designs, OASA standards and the OASA name.
- Starts under a fiscal sponsor and plans to become an independent nonprofit later.
The company (OASA Engineering)
- Takes commissioned, industry and public-agency contracts.
- Has separate ownership and leadership from the nonprofit.
- Members can join contract work by choice, if they are 18 or older.
- Plans to give a share of its profit back to OASA programs under a written agreement. The proposed share is 20%.
Anyone who works on both sides is covered by a conflict-of-interest policy, and major agreements are disclosed.
Our legal structure is being set up with an attorney. This section will change.
Public agencies and companies that want contract work should contact OASA Engineering through our general inbox, and we will pass it on: hello@joinoasa.org.
How decisions are made
Decision-making grows with the community, in three phases:
- Founder-led, now. The founder decides, with member input.
- Advisory councils, once OASA reaches about 25 active members. Councils advise and the founder has the final say.
- Council-led, at about 100 members across several chapters. Councils decide in their areas.
Large changes, such as a new standard, a moonshot or a rule change, go through an OASA Proposal: a written plan, about two weeks of open discussion, a council vote, and the decision and reasons published.
People
OASA is in its founding phase. The founder runs day-to-day work, and the nonprofit board is being formed.
Funding
The community side is designed to be funded by donations, sponsors, bounties, idea crowdfunding and grants. The nonprofit's ledger is planned to be fully public.
We are not taking donations yet. We will once our fiscal sponsor is in place.