Category: Defense

Launchpad: GNSS antennas and receivers, UAV upgrades, defense solutions and more

A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the August 2024 issue of GPS World magazine.

SURVEYING & MAPPING

Upgraded RTK Rover
Features MFi certification

The Reach RX Network real-time kinematics (RTK) rover has been upgraded to include new MFi (Made for iPhone/iPad) certification and is fully compatible with ArcGIS, QGIS and other GIS apps for both iOS and Android. Reach RX can be seamlessly integrated into GIS workflows to help industry professionals and teams collect accurate geodata at scale.

The Reach RX offers precise positioning while receiving corrections through NTRIP and tracks GPS/QZSS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou. It gets a fix in less than 5 seconds, delivering centimeter-level accuracy even in challenging conditions.

It can be used for engineering, utility inspection, landscaping and other projects of any scale. According to the company, the rover will soon be compatible with QField, Blue Marble’s Global Mapper, Mergin Maps, Avenza Maps and more.

The Reach RX weighs 250 grams; is IP68-rated, waterproof and dustproof; and withstands temperatures from -20° C to +65° C.Emlid, emlid.com

Photogrammetric Software
Upgraded coordinate system functionalities

3Dsurvey 3.0 is an all-in-one photogrammetric software solution designed to unify lidar sensors, cameras on UAVs and various ground control points. Users can transition between orthophotos, point clouds and textured meshes.

Version 3.0 features upgraded coordinate system functionalities to obtain georeferenced spatial data without local transformations.

It includes improved coordinate system support, which handles transformations requiring special grid files and offers accurate GPS-to-local coordinate conversions. Additionally, the platform can automatically fetch missing geoid models.

The revamped coordinate system selection process includes presets for users to find the correct system by entering their country name, with the appropriate settings applied automatically. It has PRJ file support to enhance compatibility with various GIS standards. 3Dsurvey, 3dsurvey.si

RTK Evaluation Kit
Includes L1+L2 RTK GNSS

This real-time kinematics (RTK) evaluation kit (EVK) serves as a development platform for fixed or mobile high-precision positioning and navigation needs.

The RTK EVK comes with a range of options for prototyping, including L1+L2 RTK GNSS, with L-Band correction built-in if needed, running on an agile processor.

It features custom open-source software pre-loaded with RTK Everywhere firmware. Users can configure the EVK as an RTK base and push corrections to an NTRIP Caster or use corrections delivered through WiFi or Bluetooth.

The integrated u-blox NEO-D9S offers L-Band reception and access to correction services such as PointPerfect. The u-blox LARA-R6001D provides global cellular connectivity, and Zero-Touch RTK offers users a simple way to receive corrections. Users can register the device and enable PointPerfect — no NTRIP credentials are required. Sparkfun Electronics, sparkfun.com

GNSS Receiver
With tilt compensation

The R980 features communication capabilities to support uninterrupted field operations. It can be used for land surveying, transportation infrastructure, construction, energy, oil and gas, utilities and mining projects.

The system features Trimble’s ProPoint GNSS positioning engine and inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based tilt compensation, making it suitable for dense urban environments and under tree canopy, removing the need to level the pole when capturing data points.

It includes a dual-band UHF radio and an integrated worldwide LTE modem for receiving corrections from a local base station or VRS network. It supports the Trimble Internet Base Station Service (IBSS) for streaming RTK corrections using Trimble Access field software and features Trimble IonoGuard technology, which mitigates ionospheric disturbances for RTK GNSS. Trimble Geospatial, geospatial.trimble.com

Nautical Chart Production
Generate charts in PDF/TIF from ENC data

CARIS AutoChart, a nautical chart production solution, is tailored to the needs of nautical chart producers. It can automatically generate charts in PDF/TIF from ENC data. Users can seamlessly import data from ENC files to create comprehensive nautical charts in PDF and/or TIF format. CARIS AutoChart can generate chart templates from existing chart portfolios maintained with CARIS paper chart composer or CARIS HPD paper chart editor.

The software is designed to accommodate the unique needs of chart production facilities of all sizes. It can be used by hydrographic offices, port or waterways authorities.Teledyne Geospatial, teledyneimaging.com

Upgraded GIS Platform
Featuring native database integrations

Felt 3.0 includes new features and native database integrations to improve the capabilities of geographic information systems (GIS). It provides modern GIS tools for teams to visualize, analyze and present important insights and map data relevant to their operations.

Operators can directly connect Postgres/PostGIS and Snowflake databases for automated live data updates. The API allows users to create and style elements and listen to map updates via webhooks, while providing a Python SDK for professionals to continue to work in their preferred tools. Felt, felt.com

UAV

Gimbaled Camera
For UAV missions

The Gimbal 155 is a gimbaled camera designed for the UAV Survey Mission program. The GOS-155 meets UAV requirements for surveillance and rescue missions. Its optimized size, weight and power (SwaP) profile, advanced day and night ISR imaging, and embedded video processor make it ideal for any mid-sized UAV — whether VTOL or winged. With its low weight of 1.8 kg, and 155 mm, UAV platforms can increase endurance without sacrificing optical performance.

The GOS-155 two-axial gimbal is an EO/IR system, comprising a 30x optical zoom HD (1280 x 720) visible camera paired with a fixed focal length uncooled thermal LWIR (1280 x 1024) camera. This allows users to collect intricate visuals across visible and infrared spectrums.

It includes embedded video processing with electronic stabilization and object tracking and can be integrated with external GPS/INS with real-time target location at 20 m across multiple environments, and around 5 m using UAVOS’ Ground Control Station software. UAVOS, uavos.com

Tactical Grade INS
Tailored to unmanned systems

The FN 200C combines multiple functions into a single integrated platform. It features a three-in-one strapdown system compromising motion reference unit (MRU), attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) and inertial navigation system (INS) capabilities for precise positioning, velocity and orientation data in both static and dynamic movements.

It is equipped with fiber optic gyroscopes (FOG) and MEMS accelerometers. The FN 200C’s inertial measurement unit (IMU) offers accurate and reliable navigation data even in challenging conditions. The system supports various correction methods such as SBAS, DGPS, RTK, and PPP for real-time navigation and positioning in a wide range of applications.

The FN 200C utilizes NovAtel OEM7, u-blox ZED-F9P or Septentrio mosaic-H GNSS receivers to provide precise positioning information across multiple GNSS constellations. With embedded anti-jamming and spoofing features, the FN 200C offers reliable operation in environments where signal interference may be present.

The FN 200C is ideal for unmanned systems applications, including land-based surveying, aerial mapping, maritime navigation and more, delivering precise and reliable navigation data to meet the most demanding requirements. According to FIBERPRO, the system’s advanced technology, robust design and comprehensive feature set ensure that it will revolutionize navigation and operation in today’s dynamic and challenging environments. FIBERPRO, fiberpro.com

Upgraded UAV
With a modifiable flight controller

The RDSX Pelican extended-range hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) delivery UAV is now offered with an easily modifiable flight controller, designed for users to more readily integrate customized flight systems and companion software.

The RDSX Pelican combines the reliability and flight stability of a multirotor craft with the extended range of a fixed-wing airframe. Its customizable payload bay can be factory-integrated with the A2Z Drone Delivery RDS2 commercial delivery winch to support a variety of logistics operations.

Engineered to operate within the FAA’s 55-pound max takeoff weight for Part 107 compliance, the Pelican is rated to carry payloads up to 5 kg on operations up to 40 km roundtrip. The flexibility of the Pelican’s cargo bay makes it ideal for logistics missions or deployment with payloads customized for aerial mapping, UAV inspection, forestry services, search and rescue operations, water sample collection, offshore deliveries, mining and more.

With the RDSX Pelican now operating on the Cube flight controller (CUAV X7+), users can integrate their preferred systems — including ground control software, radio beacons and other companion software systems. A2Z Drone Delivery, a2zdronedelivery.com

GNSS Positioning Modules
Compatible with UAVs and robotics

The Linnet ZED-F9P is built around u-blox’s ZED-F9P RTK module. It offers multiband signal reception including GPS L1 and L2 for precise positioning, even in areas with low satellite coverage. In addition to USB-C connectivity, it features UART, SPI and I2C interfaces for easy integration into a variety of UAV and robotics platforms.

Linnet Mosaic X5 RTK-GNSS module is based on Septentrio’s mosaic-X5 module, with multifrequency signal tracking including GPS L5. The module features an onboard CPU that runs a full internal web-based user interface for configuration and monitoring, as well as integrated NTRIP corrections. Other capabilities include built-in anti-jamming and anti-spoofing protection and a spectrum analyzer. Systork, systork.io

MOBILE

“Patch-In-A-Patch” Antenna
Maintains dual-band L1/L5 performance

Inception is a new GNSS L1/L5 ultra-low-profile “patch-in-a-patch” antenna. The HP5354.A offers dual-band stacked patch performance in a single 35 mm x 35 mm x 4 mm form factor. This design integrates the second antenna within the first, eliminating the need for stacking parts and reducing the antenna height by 50%.

The HP5354.A antenna features a passive, dual-feed surface mount design (SMD) to decrease weight and conserve horizontal space. This makes it suitable for GNSS applications requiring high precision and limited space. The antenna improves positioning accuracy from 3 m to 1.5 m while maintaining dual-band L1/L5 performance.

With a passive peak gain of 2.61 dBi, the HP5354.A can be used for GPS L1/L5, BeiDou B1, Galileo E1, and GLONASS G1 operations. Its dual-feed design maintains circular polarization gain even when the antenna is de-tuned or requires in-situ tuning.

It is ideal for applications such as asset tracking, smart agriculture, industrial tracking, commercial UAVs and autonomous vehicles. The HP5354.A uses Taoglas’ custom electro-ceramics formula, ensuring high-quality performance and seamless integration into devices requiring high-precision GNSS.

The Taoglas HC125A hybrid coupler can combine the dual feeds for the L1 patch, offering high RHCP gain and optimal axial ratio for upper constellations including GPS L1, BeiDou B1, Galileo E1 and GLONASS G1. The Taoglas TFM.100B L1/L5 front-end module can be incorporated into the device PCB, aiming to save valuable real estate and up to two years of complex design work, according to the company. Taoglas, taoglas.com

Waterproof GNSS Antenna
Built-in LNA

The external antenna features an adhesive mount and sealed IP67-rated waterproof protection. It is an active GPS/GNSS antenna that includes a built-in low noise amplifier (LNA) for enhanced performance, making it ideal for applications where the receiver is close to the antenna and in environments where signal strength is strong, such as open areas with a clear line of sight.

This type of antenna can amplify weak signals received from satellites by improving signal quality and reducing noise. It requires an external power source to operate the built-in LNA and is less sensitive to signal loss due to longer cable lengths. It is connected to an SMA connector at the end of a 3 m pigtail. The antennas can be used in navigation, location-based services and fleet management applications. Amphenol RF, amphenolrf.com

DEFENSE

AI and Quantum-Powered Navigation System
When GPS signals are compromised

AQNav is designed for navigation across air, land and sea when GPS signals are jammed or unavailable.

AQNav is a geomagnetic navigation system that uses proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, powerful quantum sensors and the Earth’s crustal magnetic field. The system seeks to provide an un-jammable, all-weather, terrain-agnostic, real-time navigation solution in situations where GPS signals are unavailable, denied or spoofed.

The system uses extremely sensitive quantum magnetometers to acquire data from Earth’s crustal magnetic field, which exhibits geographically unique patterns. It uses AI algorithms to compare this data against known magnetic maps, allowing the system to quickly and accurately find its position.

It is available globally, does not rely on visual ground features or satellite transmissions to function and is not affected by weather conditions. AQNav can be integrated into a wide variety of platforms. Its passive technology emits no electronic signals, which reduces the aircraft’s detectability. SandboxAQ, sandboxaq.com

PNT Solution
Operates with or without GNSS signals

TRNAV is a terrestrial navigation solution designed to operate with or without GNSS signals.

It establishes a mesh network of ground stations capable of operating independently from GNSS by using precise pre-established locations or connecting to GNSS when available. TRNAV’s synchronized timing system ensures a minimal drift of 10 ns during a week without GNSS.

The system features a re-synchronization capability that allows the entire network to be updated instantly when just one station reconnects to a GNSS satellite, maintaining high precision across all platforms. Users can integrate mobile stations to enhance network flexibility and range, with the potential to cover distances up to 250 km.

TRNAV also offers a high-bandwidth communication channel for communication capabilities within the established network. The system employs AES-256 encryption and advanced waveform technologies, including DSSS/FHSS for robust and secure operations in challenging environments. TUALCOM, tualcom.com

Software-Defined Radio
Designed for mission-critical systems

Calamine is a four-channel wide tuning range software-defined radio (SDR) that can be integrated into mission-critical systems for the defense, GNSS, communications and test and measurement markets.

The SDR offers a tuning range from near DC to 40 GHz with four independent receiver radio chains, each offering 300 MSPS sampling bandwidth. It is tailored to government, defense and intelligence communities and civil users with direct applications for radar systems, signal intelligence, spectrum monitoring and satellite communications systems. Per Vices, pervices.com

C-UAS Solution
For electronic warfare

The Skyjacker is a multi-domain electronic warfare counter unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), suitable against swarms and high-speed threats. It is designed as a response to threats posed by UAVs in the battlespace and at sensitive installations.

Skyjacker alters the trajectory of a UAS by simulating the GNSS signals that guide it toward its target.

Skyjacker is particularly well suited to countering saturation attacks, such as swarming UAVs. The system also can defeat isolated drones piloted remotely by an operator and deliver effects at ranges from 1 km to 10 km (6 mi).

It can be integrated with an array of sensors, such as optronic sights, radars, radiofrequency detectors, lasers, communication jammers and other effectors. Skyjacker can be deployed as a mobile version or interconnected with existing surveillance and fire control systems on land vehicles or naval vessels. Safran Electronics & Defense, safran-group.com

August 26, 2024
US Air Force and SandboxAQ address GPS jamming and spoofing

Photo: SandboxAQ

SandboxAQ has been awarded an SBIR Phase 2B Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) by the United States Air Force (USAF) to further develop its dual-use AQNav magnetic navigation (MagNav) system. Under the contract, SandboxAQ and its partner AFWERX will explore new configurations of the AQNav technology, including a pod-based attachment, for use on a broader range of aircraft platforms, such as unmanned aerial systems.

AQNav navigation technology combines proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) Large Quantitative Models (LQMs), powerful quantum sensors and the Earth’s crustal magnetic field, resulting in a solution that operates effectively in all weather conditions, day or night and across any terrain. AQNav technology is completely passive and operates in real-time, offering an unjammable and un-spoofable alternative to traditional navigation methods. This system functions entirely independently of GNSS, offering a secure and dependable navigation option in environments where satellite signals may be compromised or unavailable. This is a key example of applying quantitative AI – AI models trained on quantitative data and not language. SandboxAQ is a leader in Large Quantitative Models (LQMs), in this case to pull the signal from the background magnetic noise for navigation.

This funding increase extends a prior Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR contract awarded to SandboxAQ in January 2023. To date, SandboxAQ’s AQNav technology has logged more than 200 flight hours and more than 40 sorties across multiple regions on four different aircraft types, ranging in size from single-engine planes to large military transport aircraft. In this process, AQNav was successfully tested in two USAF exercises – Exercise Golden Phoenix and Exercise Mobility Guardian – Air Mobility Command’s largest exercise at the time.

AQNav uses a powerful quantum magnetometer system to acquire data from Earth’s crustal magnetic field, which exhibits geographically unique patterns – similar to a human fingerprint. AQNav uses proprietary LQMs to compare this data against known magnetic maps, enabling the system to quickly and accurately find its position. Due to the high sensitivity of foundational quantum sensors, AI algorithms are applied to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, removing any mechanical, electrical, or other interference that would impact the system’s ability to acquire its location.

AQNav is available worldwide and can be used in air, land, and sea applications. The system does not rely on visual ground features or satellite transmissions to function and is not affected by weather conditions. Additionally, AQNav’s passive technology emits no electronic signals, which reduces the aircraft’s detectability. It operates at room temperature, requires no shielding, and has a small form factor that can be integrated into a wide variety of platforms, from multi-engine airliners to unmanned aerial vehicles.

SandboxAQ is developing AQNav as a dual-use solution to address the need for resilience to GPS vulnerabilities, which extends societally and economically. In addition to the USAF, SandboxAQ is engaged with several aerospace leaders to test and develop AQNav, including other allied governments, Boeing and Acubed — Airbus’s Silicon Valley research and innovation center.

August 19, 2024
AUKUS conducts trials for autonomous, AI-enabled sensing systems

Photo: AUKUS

AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, deployed autonomous and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled sensing systems during the Resilient and Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Technology (RAAIT) trials, showcasing advancements in their Pillar II advanced capabilities initiative.

The trials took place at multinational Project Convergence exercises hosted by the United States Army. Military personnel from the three AUKUS nations tested autonomous and AI-enabled sensing capabilities in a multi-domain battlespace—land, maritime, air, and cyber—that minimized the time between sensing enemy targets, deciding how to respond, and responding to the threat.

Once integrated into national platforms, these new sensing systems are designed to provide more reliable data, which can enable commanders to make optimal decisions and allow service members to respond more quickly to kinetic threats.

During the RAAIT exercise, a sophisticated plug-in for the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) demonstrated impressive capabilities in enhancing military operations. This map-based software application allowed a UK RedKite UAV to dynamically detect opposing force locations by making real-time adjustments based on collected data. Simultaneously, a second UAV provided high-resolution imagery for confirmation. The integrated system seamlessly transmitted this critical information to the Tactical Operations Center (TOC), where a designated “AI officer” provided essential human oversight. Upon verification, the officer authorized an Australian XT-8 UAV to execute a simulated strike. The success of this TAK plug-in has prompted the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to plan its wider distribution, showcasing the potential for enhanced interoperability among AUKUS partners.

“It used to be that each nation used its own datasets to develop separate models and deploy those models on their own platforms. Under RAAIT, we’ve matured the AI pipeline, focusing on interchangeability and interoperability, which allows for any combinations of datasets, models, algorithms and platforms to be used across all three nations,” said Dr. Kimberly Sablon, the Principal Director of Trusted Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

Lessons learned at the RAAIT trials will be used for future training events. The AUKUS Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy (AIA) Working Group hopes to use these findings to develop an AIA ecosystem that will one day enable the three partner nations to share data for operational success in contested environments.

August 13, 2024
Experts to PNT leaders: “It’s not working!”
The President’s National Space-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Advisory Board has warned United States leaders that the nation is highly vulnerable to disruption of GPS services. Also, national PNT issues have not received sufficient priority and attention for the last 20 years, and no one is accountable for system performance.

The warning came in a four-page memo to the Deputy Secretaries of Defense and Transportation from retired Admiral Thad Allen, Chair of the advisory board. The memo was nominally a report of the board’s April 2024 meeting in Colorado Springs.

The overwhelming majority of Allen’s message, though, dealt with GPS and U.S. PNT being vulnerable, the importance of PNT to the nation’s safety and security and the failure of the government to do the things it said it should and would do. It says:

“America’s continued over-reliance on GPS for PNT makes critical infrastructure and applications vulnerable to a variety of well-documented accidental, natural and malicious threats.

…our conclusion is that PNT, in general, and GPS, in particular, have not been accorded their rightful prominence in the national policy agenda.

Simply put, the Board believes that the 20-year-old framework for GPS governance and the current policy statements establish neither the priority that the system deserves nor sufficiently clear accountability for its performance.”

The reason for this was assessed to be that the leadership and governance structure established by 2004’s NSPD-39 and confirmed in 2021’s SPD-7 was not working.

Allen gave a recent policy document on critical infrastructure as an example. All critical infrastructure sectors use PNT, and most depend on it.

“These findings were reinforced just earlier this year by the release of the National Security Memorandum on Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience (NSM-22, April 30, 2024). We were surprised to discover that GPS is nowhere mentioned in that important document.”

While not mentioned in the memo, PNT was also not mentioned in national cybersecurity documents issued last year. This is despite timing being essential to the operation of IT systems, and time and location data being key elements in many applications.

Allen’s memo also emphasized that the real issue is not about GPS, but overall national PNT capability. He went so far as to say, “Space Policy Directive 7 (SPD-7), U.S. Space-based PNT Policy, must be revisited and the term ‘space-based’ should be removed from its title” (emphasis added).

Reinforcing this message, the following table comparing U.S. and Chinese national PNT systems was included in the memo.

“The Board believes it is time to take a fresh look at our approach to PNT governance and establish a clear strategy for re-establishing an unquestioned position of leadership for the United States. To be successful, such a strategy requires a governance structure characterized by clearer authority and accountability. Ideally, the administration should propose legislation to Congress that would support this goal with a clear mandate (authorization) and resources (appropriations) adequate to the task.”

As part of his report of the April meeting, Allen’s memo reaffirmed the board’s nine recommendations from January of last year and added three more:
- Direct the U.S. Space Force to establish a way for “good enough” monitoring of GPS L5 signals using existing capabilities and set L5 signals healthy subject to a “use at your own risk” caveat, just as is done with L2C today. We recommend establishing a deadline of September 2024.
- Direct federal Chief Information Officers to acquire and install multifrequency dual-system (GPS-Galileo) receivers to complement GPS use. The Department of Transportation and the Department of Homeland Security should actively encourage critical infrastructure users to adopt multifrequency dual-system (GPS-Galileo) receivers.
- Assign a lead agency and single individual with clear responsibility and authority for the end-to-end prompt detection, characterization, and removal of significant sources of interference to GNSS in the United States.
Allen’s memo comes on the heels of a similar warning to United States leaders about the nation’s vulnerability to GPS disruptions. On July 18, the

National Security Space Association published a report titled “America’s Asymmetric Vulnerability to Navigation Warfare: Leadership and Strategic Direction Needed to Mitigate Significant Threats,” which cited several national PNT shortfalls from the Federal Radionavigation Plan as significant concerns.

Two of that paper’s key findings are:

“Long-standing lack of progress on issues important to U.S. national, homeland, and economic security,” and

“Focused leadership, properly empowered and resourced, is essential to the national PNT strategy’s success.”

It warned that significant disruption to GPS “…could have cascading effects which unravel America’s socioeconomic fabric…”
August 12, 2024
CACI provides PNT support to US Space Command

CACI International has been awarded a ten-year contract valued at up to $450 million to support the Joint Navigation Warfare Center (JNWC), an operational center of U.S. Space Forces and the Department of Defense’s (DOD) center of excellence for navigation warfare (NAVWAR).

Under this contract, CACI will provide 24/7 operations support, joint and operational planning, adversary positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) capability assessments and other tasks to enhance joint force, DOD combatant commander, interagency and allied NAVWAR requirements.

“Adversary PNT capabilities rapidly evolve, putting our warfighters and national security operations at risk around the world,” said John Mengucci, CACI president and CEO. “CACI’s experts comprehensively understand multi-domain PNT threats and advise combatant and joint force commanders on how to swiftly respond to NAVWAR threats and operational requirements.”

PNT is critical to U.S. national security and NAVWAR. This includes deliberate defensive and offensive actions to ensure and prevent PNT use through space, cyber and electronic warfare. The contract represents new work for CACI, with mission experts supporting global NAVWAR reach-back operations via the Joint NAVWAR Operations Center (JNOC). These experts will assist combatant commanders in operating in PNT-disrupted, denied and degraded areas by conducting operational field assessments, war gaming scenarios, modeling and simulating threats and more.

August 2, 2024
oneNav’s L5-direct safeguards defense and location services

Photo: oneNav

oneNav has released the results of a test evaluating the resilience of its technology to widespread GPS interference. The testing was conducted in and around Haifa, Israel and focused on the performance of its L5-direct GPS receiver compared to GPS receivers in top smartphone and smartwatch brands.

For this test, oneNav compared its L5-direct GPS receiver to receivers found in iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel smartphones and Garmin watches. While these receivers all experienced navigation failure due to GPS interference, oneNav’s L5-direct test solution maintained accurate location fixes despite active jamming and spoofing.

This resilience is due to L5-direct’s ability to directly acquire L5 GPS signals and bypass the L1 GPS signal, which was first invented more than 50 years ago. While current commercial GPS receivers in smartphones, car navigation systems, and airplanes can process the L5 band, they can only do so in a hybrid system that must first acquire L1.

According to the company, L5-band signals are 30 times harder to jam and interfere with than L1 and offer improved performance in difficult-to-navigate areas such as urban canyons and tree-covered regions.

“We now have clear, indisputable evidence that L5-direct is resilient to widespread GPS jamming and can provide precision location in GPS-contested environments,” said, Steve Poizner oneNav CEO. “This test is a real-world validation of our first-of-its-kind technology and shows the potential for L5-direct to revolutionize how we use GPS for civilian and military purposes in Israel and globally.”

While the field testing took place in Israel, GPS interference is a global security concern due to the increase in attacks on GPS systems worldwide. In Ukraine, Russia is countering American-made smart weapons on the battlefield through GPS-jamming technology and is accused of interfering with GPS navigation systems in more than 46,000 flights across Europe.

oneNav’s IP core is available for evaluation and integration by select chip developer partners and its low-SWaP chips and modules will soon be available for select partners. L5-direct is compatible with all GNSS constellations.

July 23, 2024
US Army issues white paper request for CMFF prototypes
Photo: U.S. Army

The U.S. Army has released a Request for White Papers (RfWP) to develop new C5ISR modular open Suite of standards (CMOSS) mounted form factor (CMFF) prototypes.

Through CMFF, the Army aims to easily and rapidly equip ground vehicles and aviation platforms with positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) and electronic warfare (EW), through capability cards plugged into a common chassis.

The chassis, which offers power, networks and radio frequency, allows Soldiers to “plug and play” capabilities right into the vehicle without the need to custom install and upgrade individual communication and computing systems.

In this prototype effort, the key needs are to develop, procure and furnish the Army with the CMFF chassis, also known as Mounted Common Infrastructure (MCI), plus the smart display for user interface, hardware development, software development and Plug-In Cards with the following capabilities:
- Converging tactical communication waveforms.
- Mission Command applications.
- Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (APNT.)
- Force Protection capabilities.
The Army plans to award a contract using the Other Transaction Authority (OTA) with system of system and prototype integrators to provide the complete CMFF system offerings. Industry partners who respond to the RfWP will have an opportunity to showcase the fully functional CMFF system at a technology demonstration in late summer 2024.

“The power of the true concept is when you can take a chassis and put it in another vehicle and you can mix and match cards,” said Col. Shermoan Daiyaan, project manager for Mission Command. “That’s when you’re following a standard. You’re matching a standard, and it just works.”
July 23, 2024
UK’s PNT foresight could presage world leadership and profits

In October 2023, the United Kingdom’s government announced a 10-point “policy framework” to greatly increase the nation’s resilience to disruption of vital positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services.

Two months later, Vladimir Putin began regularly jamming and spoofing GPS for aircraft and ships across a broad swath of the Baltic and northern Europe. It was the world’s first instance of such extensive activity in the absence of armed combat.

Properly executed, Britain’s policy framework will position it as a global leader in sovereign and resilient PNT. It will also provide ample new business opportunities for British businesses to fill this growing need.

Photo: franckreporter / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

Awareness and Planning

The product of years of effort under both Coalition and Conservative governments, the PNT policy framework addresses challenges that have been extensively documented and studied.

The nation’s over-reliance on space- based PNT has long been recognized. Its National Risk Register listed solar activity as a threat to PNT in 2012. When, despite extensive lobbying by the UK, the rest of Europe shut down its Loran transmitters in 2015 to prevent competition with Galileo, Britain kept its single transmitter on air as a national precise time reference. In 2018 a “Blackett Report” documented the nation’s over-dependence, estimated the consequences of service outages and made a series of recommendations. A 2021 economic report further estimated the scale of the problem.

All this well before Russia’s demonstrations of the fragility of GNSS with its attacks on Ukraine and recent aggression in the Baltic.

Yet action on Britain’s way forward was repeatedly deferred.

The sticking point seems to have been deciding upon the mechanics of how the government would deal with the invisible PNT utility, which is a capability essential to every government department and every sector of the economy and society. Should it be in the Department for Transport? Perhaps in Business and Trade or Defence? Some suggested the Cabinet Office should lead addressing the PNT challenge.

The final decision was a cross- government office hosted by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The office includes members from the Ministry of Defence and is tasked with leading and coordinating a whole-of-government approach.

Moving Forward

It is easy to be skeptical about the success of this new enterprise. Regardless of the nation, government policy frameworks, strategies and the like often can be a way for politicians and bureaucrats to create the impression of action without having to ever really do anything. Documents are often published and then go on a shelf, never to be seen again.

That does not seem to be the case here, though.

The very first action item in the PNT policy framework is to “[e]stablish a National PNT Office …to improve resilience and drive growth with responsibility for PNT policy, coordination, and delivery.”

While several of the 10 items begin with “develop a proposal for…,” the projects are both considered and specific, such as a timing system “of last resort” for the Ministry of Defence and the expansion of eLoran.

Britain’s integrated governance and system-of-systems approach to PNT can make the nation virtually immune to the kinds of disruptions and infrastructure challenges being seen in the Baltic and conflict zones around the world.

Achieving that goal will involve the development of new user equipment, systems to prioritize and integrate different PNT sources, new interfaces for various infrastructures, improvements to existing technologies (e.g., an encrypted component for eLoran to make it even more secure and reliable), and new policies for responsible PNT use in critical applications.

When complete, the UK will have the sovereign and resilient PNT it needs to support national, homeland and economic security.

Global Leadership and Profit

Yet Great Britain is not the only nation over-dependent on fragile PNT signals from space provided by others. Most of the world is in the same situation.

By actively promoting and sharing its developing expertise and tech stack, the UK will become a global thought leader and technology provider for sovereign and resilient PNT. A capability that will be in greater and greater demand as malicious actors, both large and small, continue to exploit the weaknesses of satellite-based navigation and timing.

Yet, to realize these benefits, the UK must act swiftly and seize the moment.
At present there is a leadership vacuum in this field. While China has its own extremely robust and integrated PNT system based on a combination of clocks, fiber, terrestrial broadcast eLoran, and space, it does not seem eager to export that to others. China may prefer to woo nations into dependence on its BeiDou satellite PNT system, rather than enabling others’ sovereignty.

Additionally, while entrepreneurial South Korea has implemented its own space-based, eLoran and fiber PNT, it is unclear how integrated the various sources are. We have also seen no evidence that they have plans to share, or sell, their success to others.

As disruptions to GPS and other GNSS continue to increase around the globe, so, too, do calls for and moves toward solutions that include alternatives.

Last year the European Union issued a tender for an integrated GNSS/eLoran receiver. Türkiye has implemented its own local terrestrial PNT systems in several port and urban areas. India envisions expanding its regional navigation satellite system to cover the globe.

Britain has the plans, capability, and resources to become the world leader in this essential and growing technology sector — and the government is working with the Royal Institute of Navigation and other learned bodies to make it a reality.
Yet its window of opportunity may already be closing.

Rather than regarding its PNT policy framework as a routine item of work, we hope the UK government seizes this opportunity for international leadership and reaps all the inherent diplomatic, security and economic benefits.

July 22, 2024
How OEM technology is enhancing precision applications

When a vehicle passes through a GNSS-denied area, its navigation system might be thrown off and report an incorrect position. Conversely, INS is inherently subject to drift — the steady accumulation of errors — and therefore must be periodically re-initialized by an external source, such as GNSS. (Photo: Safran Federal Systems)

The term “original equipment manufacturer” (OEM) is widely used, yet vaguely described. In general, an OEM product is one that a company creates and sells to be integrated into systems made by other manufacturers.

In the GNSS industry, the purchasers of OEM products typically are manufacturers of products that require precise positioning or navigation capabilities, from precision agriculture, to surveying and mapping, to UAV missions. Often, manufacturers integrate the OEM GNSS receivers with other sensors, such as inertial measurement units (IMUs) and lidar devices.

A large portion of the OEM business goes unnoticed by the end users of the equipment that utilizes OEM components. These components, such as a guidance system, are often hidden from view, due to being housed under a hood or elsewhere deep within the system.

In the following case studies, OEM products complement GNSS in air, land and marine applications. Safran Federal Systems’ INS for land vehicle navigation and Septentrio’s AIM+ anti-jamming and anti-spoofing technology tackle land and air-based defense applications, while an OxTS IMU is used in a coral reef restoration project to accurately record ship motion.

Land vehicle navigation in GNSS-denied environments
Safran Federal Systems

Ground vehicles in defense operations often navigate in challenging environments where traditional GPS signals are contested or unreliable. This includes dense urban areas, heavily forested regions, or any areas where enemies employ electronic warfare to disrupt GPS signals. Having a robust navigation system that can provide both the vehicle’s location in real time as well as its precise orientation and direction/heading is crucial for defense applications. An inertial navigation system (INS) can provide reliable position and heading data for short periods of time or distances without the aid of GPS satellite signals, allowing vehicles to stay on course and maintain awareness of their location.

Precise location and navigation capabilities are essential for mission planning, execution and coordination with other units. Inaccurate navigation can lead to mission failure, unintended engagements, or even friendly fire incidents.

Geonyx INS

Safran’s Solution

Geonyx INS with incorporated M-Code capability

Safran has developed the Geonyx INS, which provides route guidance in GNSS-denied environments. It incorporates hemispherical resonator gyroscope (HRG) technology and does not rely on external satellite signals for navigation and heading. Instead, it uses gyroscopes to detect changes in heading and accelerometers to detect changes in acceleration, then uses those data to calculate the vehicle’s position, orientation and velocity.

The Geonyx will output coordinates of the vehicle’s current location as well as the data on its intended position to the vehicle’s battle management system (BMS). It can maintain an accuracy of a couple of meters after tens of miles of pure inertial navigation.

Geonyx is a combat-proven INS solution for ground vehicles, augmenting battle management systems. It can achieve a heading accuracy as good as 0.5 mils thanks to Safran’s HRG Crystal technology. It has quick and flexible alignment, even in GNSS-denied environments.

Safran is upgrading the Geonyx to incorporate M-Code capability. This enhancement offers a fully integrated solution to tackle the challenges of GPS-denied or spoofing environments, ensuring robust and reliable navigation even in the most demanding conditions.

JammerTest in Bleik, Andøya, Norway. (Photo: David Jensen)

Resilient GNSS receiver
Septentrio

Around the world, there is an increasing demand for better resilience in positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems. U.S. President Joe Biden has signed an executive order to enhance national resilience through PNT services. Geo-political tensions require a higher level of security for operations in areas of navigational warfare (NAVWAR) under contested GNSS conditions.

In countries such as Finland, companies are seeking reliable receivers that can be connected in a network to identify sources of malicious interference. In numerous GNSS applications, such as reference networks, UAV surveillance, delivery and timing synchronization, the repercussions of PNT degradation or loss can be significant.

Septentrio’s Solution

Septentrio took part in the JammerTest 2023 event organized by the Norwegian government on the remote island of Andøya, where live interference testing was conducted in a controlled environment.

While most of these test events are classified and their results cannot be shared publicly, the JammerTest represents one of the first public events of its kind where the sharing of results is encouraged.

After five days of intensive testing in Norway, Septentrio’s AIM+ anti-jamming and anti-spoofing technology proved to work well under live interference conditions. Test results revealed that under real interference, receiver technology plays a key role, while antenna technology plays a supporting role. By testing the receiver under various types of spoofing attacks, it was shown that the best spoofing protection lies in having multiple anti-spoofing mechanisms working together.

Detecting and Mitigating GNSS Jamming

This test used a “cigarette lighter” jammer, which is commonly available for purchase online. It emits signals with power between 10 dBm and 15 dBm and can disrupt GPS L1 and L2 signals. Other jamming tests involved using jammers with signals 10 million times more powerful than GNSS signals.

Over one day of intensive jamming tests, receivers with integrated AIM+ demonstrated 99.5% positioning availability under various forms of jamming from simple continuous narrow-band interference to the most complex wide-band transmissions.

The Magic is in the Receiver

For mission-critical applications, an anti-jam antenna can help achieve maximum resilience against RF interference. During the JammerTest, three receivers were tested under heavy multi-frequency wideband jamming in combination with antennas of varying sophistication. A receiver with a standard wideband helical antenna that did not have AIM+ anti-jamming technology immediately lost tracking of satellite signals during jamming. A receiver with the same antenna, but with AIM+, continued to track signals and deliver positioning. A receiver with AIM+ coupled with an anti-jam antenna displayed that the drop in signal quality is slightly less than with a standard antenna and the receiver continued to track signals and to deliver positioning.

Tests with various anti-jam antennas showed an interference reduction of about 10 dB. While AIM+ plays a role in positioning availability under jamming, an antenna plays a supporting role and can improve the chances of getting positioning in cases where the jamming is still slightly stronger than the ability of the receiver to mitigate it. While anti-jam antennas can be effective in countering wide-band “white-noise” jamming, they are less effective for other types of jamming.

Accurate and available PNT is key to successful industrial or critical operations in challenging environments. By regularly participating in live events such as the JammerTest, Septentrio anti-jamming and anti-spoofing technology is continuously being tested and improved to withstand the latest interference attacks. This technology also has been confirmed to be effective by users out in the field, who are using Septentrio receivers in places of malicious interference, such as near contested borders.

Photo: Tunatura / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

INS Used for Coral Reef Restoration Project
OxTS

The Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP) is an effort to help a significant ecosystem such as the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) survive climate change. Through its Cooling and Shading sub-program, RRAP’s goal is to determine whether localized cloud brightening — a technique that involves spraying droplets of sea salt into clouds to reflect sunlight and cool Earth — and/or fogging could be a temporary solution to alleviate stress on parts of the GBR during hot summer conditions, which might lead to bleaching.

The Ordnance Survey team was tasked with consistently creating precisely georeferenced point clouds that could be utilized for identifying and classifying features. The GBR is a significant source of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), which are likely to be impacted by ocean warming in potential climate change scenarios. In turn, these BVOC emissions can influence Earth’s radiation budget by contributing to the creation of secondary organic aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei, ultimately leading to cooling.

Southern Cross University, an RRAP partner, sought an accurate method to record ship motion for this project. The team needed to measure various parameters such as velocity, acceleration, pitch/roll, angle rate, and ship heading. They approached Industrial Measurement Solutions (IMS) and OxTS to assist them in addressing this challenge. To achieve this accurately, they needed to integrate the measurements from their existing sonic anemometer, which records three-dimensional wind velocity, with the measurements from an IMU.

OxTS Takes the Challenge

Correcting wind speed for platform motion requires two high-resolution sensors to record data simultaneously: a sonic anemometer that records three-dimensional wind velocity, and an IMU that records the movement of the platform/ship. The sonic anemometer and the IMU are two very sensitive sensors, and many of the technology challenges the team faced involved setting them up correctly and getting them to work seamlessly together.

Once the project team realized that they needed an IMU to measure the ship/platform motion, one of their collaborators at the time, Airborne Research Australia (ARA), suggested an OxTS xNAV650.

After they had defined the project requirements, Southern Cross University contacted IMS who helped them navigate the commercial process.

xNAV650 is a miniature INS that uses survey-grade dual-frequency GNSS receivers and custom MEMS IMU for centimeter-level position accuracy, precise orientation and true heading. It logs the navigation data on internal storage for downloading and viewing post-mission. It can be used in many applications, such as corridor mapping and precision agriculture.

OxTS xNAV650 Inertial Navigation System. (Photo: OxTS)

IMU in Action

The xNAV650’s IMU allowed Southern Cross University to accurately measure the motion of the ship. The IMU was configured to “displace output” to the location of the 3D wind measurement instrument — the sonic anemometer. This allowed the project team to record the movement of the instrument directly, thus avoiding any additional complicated processing steps. Additionally, the IMU was configured to output a 1 pulse per second (PPS) signal via serial connection. This allowed the project team to connect the IMU to the sonic anemometer’s data logger to sync the time between the two instruments. This was vital on such a rapidly moving platform.

Once installed, the xNAV650 device was able to measure ship motion accurately and at high time resolution
(100 Hz), which was complementary to the team’s wind velocity and BVOC measurements. The PPS output option allowed for simultaneous measurement/recording, which would have otherwise needed to be corrected in post-calibration and would likely not have been as accurate.

“We managed to accurately record ship motion for the entire length of our second voyage,” said Liz Deschaseaux, RRAP’s research fellow on BVOC emissions. “The reliability and accuracy of the xNAV650 has had a real impact on our ability to collect meaningful data.”

July 17, 2024
KrattWorks awarded $6M for GNSS-free navigation

Photo: Krattworks

The European Defense Fund (EDF) and the Ministries of Defense of Estonia and Finland have awarded a $6 million investment to Project BadB, a consortium led by KrattWorks, an Estonian defense technology company. The project focuses on developing advanced navigation solutions for land and aerial vehicles that operate independently of GNSS.

Project BadB aims to address the challenges posed by rapidly evolving electronic warfare technologies, such as radio jamming and GNSS spoofing. The project seeks to ensure reliable navigation for unmanned systems operating in contested environments, enhancing their operational effectiveness in active war zones and other critical areas.

Specific objectives of the project include the development of weather-independent up-to-date satellite imagery maps for unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, a machine vision module, an image recognition system and a path planning system, based on sensor data, cross-platform data sharing and swarming.

GIM Robotics will develop GNSS-denied navigation software for land vehicles, designed to resist and detect jamming and spoofing so vehicles can navigate accurately — even when GNSS signals are unavailable. The company’s technology allows land vehicles to maintain precise navigation using alternative data sources, such as satellite imagery and sensor integration.

According to EDF, the project has gained attention among European defense and innovation leaders, who see it as solving a burning issue for the rapidly growing unmanned systems sector. The situation on the technology front has changed significantly in the past two years, as the sector faces new obstacles and opportunities each day.

“We are witnessing an unprecedented fundamental change in the character of war, and our window of opportunity to ensure that we maintain an enduring competitive advantage is closing,” said General (ret) Mark Milley.

GNSS-free navigation and geolocation also possess potential for civic use – such as in applications for critical infrastructure management, natural disaster mitigation and autonomous transportation systems.

Project BadB was selected during the EDF 2023 Calls for Proposals, with a project duration of 24 months. The EDF aims to boost cooperation between companies and research entities to enhance European defense capabilities.

For more information on Project BadB, visit the EDF Project Overview.

July 16, 2024
PNT without GNSS: Exclusive interviews
Photo: Safran Federal Systems

GNSS — delivering up to millimeter accuracy from 20,200 km in space with a received signal of one tenth of one millionth of one billionth of a Watt — is, in Arthur C. Clarke’s famous definition, “indistinguishable from magic.” Yet, in addition to the inherent errors in the transmission, propagation, and reception of their signals, GNSS are increasingly challenged by jamming and spoofing attacks, especially in and near conflict zones.

For that reason, as any regular reader of this magazine knows, combating jamming and spoofing and building resilience in positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems has been a constant theme of many of our articles and industry news items for years.

The U.S. National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Advisory Board has been focusing on how to “protect, toughen and augment” GPS, with the third word referring both to enhancements to GPS and to the “provision and use of alternate sources of PNT that complement, back up, or replace (partly or entirely) use of GPS.”^(*)

For this cover story, I discussed complementary sources of PNT with executives from four companies that design, produce, and/or operate them. They cover a wide range of complementary PNT technologies. Read the exclusive interviews below:
- Iridium owns and operates a constellation of satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) and has global rights for L-band spectrum. This enables it to operate the Satellite Time and Location (STL) system developed by Satelles before it recently became part of Iridium. STL protects critical infrastructure by providing a timing signal that is independent of GNSS constellations and 1,000 times stronger than the GPS signal.
- Spirent Communications’ latest simulation system brings together GNSS and a wide range of other PNT systems. It simulates L-band, S-band, alternative navigation signals, signals of opportunity and emulated inertial outputs. It focuses particularly on the new and emerging LEO constellations, including Xona Space Systems’ PULSAR signals, and enables users to inject new signals via I/Q data files.
- SpacePNT has developed an FPGA-based hardware/software/firmware spaceborne GNSS receiver technology specifically targeting the fast-growing New Space satellite market. The company’s innovations include a precise orbit determination algorithm that can process signals from the Galileo High Accuracy Service and from geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites.
- VIAVI Solutions has developed a system that aggregates signals of opportunity, as well as Iridium LEO and Inmarsat GEO sources; weighs and cross-verifies them; then converts the output to the legacy GPS L1 signal and feeds it to a GPS receiver. It can also aggregate a stand-alone cesium clock.
(*) From Dr. John Betz’s presentation on “Augmenting GPS for Critical Infrastructure” at the April 24, 2024, meeting of the PNT Advisory Board.
July 11, 2024
Israeli air base identified as alleged source of GPS disruptions in Mideast

Photo: Sauce Reques / Royalty-free / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have identified an Israeli air base as a large source of widespread GPS disruptions affecting civilian airline navigation in the Middle East, reported The New York Times.

The spoofing disruptions involve the transmission of manipulated GPS signals, which can cause airplane instruments to misread their location. Lead researchers Todd Humphreys and Zach Clements stated they are “highly confident” that Ein Shemer Airfield in northern Israel is the source of these attacks. The Israeli military declined The New York Times’ request for comment.

The research team utilized data emitted by the spoofer and picked up by satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) to determine its location. They then confirmed their calculations using ground data collected in Israel.

Spoofing, along with GPS jamming, has significantly increased over the past three years, especially near war zones such as Ukraine and Gaza. In these areas, militaries interfere with navigation signals to redirect aerial attacks.

The Middle East has emerged as a hotspot for GPS spoofing, with The New York Times reporting that a separate analysis estimates more than 50,000 flights have been affected in the region in 2024 alone. Researchers from SkAI Data Services and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, analyzeding data from the OpenSky Network and, found that these attacks have led pilots to mistakenly believe they were above airports in Beirut or Cairo.

Swiss International Air Lines told The New York TimesNYT that their flights are spoofed “almost every day over the Middle East.”

The issue extends beyond the region, with Estonia and other Baltic nations having blamed Russia for disrupting signals in their airspaces. Additionally, in April 2024, Finnair temporarily suspended flights to Tartu, Estonia, amid the rise of GPS jamming in the region affecting civilian air travel.

The attacks have not led to significant safety risks as pilots can use alternative navigation methods. However, they do raise concerns.

Jeremy Bennington, vice president of Spirent Communications, told The New York Times, “Losing GPS is not going to cause airplanes to fall out of the sky. But I also don’t want to deny the fact that we are removing layers of safety.”

The spoofing attacks may cause false alerts about planes being too close to the ground, leading to navigation confusion and possibly compromising flight safety.

As these disruptions continue to affect large areas far from active conflict zones, the aviation industry and international authorities are under increasing pressure to address this emerging threat to air travel security.

July 10, 2024