Advanced Navigation and NILEQ to develop positioning system

Navigation and autonomy manufacturer Advanced Navigation and European innovator NILEQ have signed a MoU to co-develop a resilient navigation system integrating its MBDA NILEQ absolute positioning technology.

The co-developed solution will foster joint technology development between AUKUS partners the United Kingdom and Australia, and provide resilient absolute positioning for airborne platforms.

The development comes amid calls for GPS alternatives to be developed, given electronic warfare systems are increasingly able to jam and spoof GPS signals.

Advanced Navigation CEO Chris Shaw said: “In an increasingly uncertain world where interference is becoming ubiquitous, commercial and military sectors can no longer rely purely on GPS for flight operations.

“There is an urgent need for additional navigation aiding to supplement platform inertial navigation and GPS receiver systems.”

NILEQ’s patent-pending technology uses novel neuromorphic sensors to capture data of the changing terrain as an airborne system flies across it, matching it to an existing database of the Earth’s surface.

The aim of the MoU is to enable systems, such as Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS), to secure an absolute position fix over land with a solution that is passive and resistant to interference.

MBDA Australia General Manager Tom Tizard said: “NILEQ seeks to address the enormous demand for resilient absolute positioning information that will complement the existing navigation systems of airborne platforms.

“Advanced Navigation are an ideal Australian partner to help accelerate the technology towards market entry.”

Advanced Navigation and MBDA will validate NILEQ in an airborne demonstration planned in Australia.

Picture: Advanced Navigation