Australian company cracks GPS vulnerability with laser-powered navigation breakthrough

In a world where GPS spoofing incidents have surged 500 per cent in just one year, Sydney-based Advanced Navigation has developed a game-changing solution that could revolutionise how autonomous systems navigate when satellite signals fail or come under attack.

The company’s new Hybrid Navigation System represents a major leap forward in addressing the growing vulnerability of GPS-dependent technologies, from military drones to autonomous vehicles. The breakthrough combines strategic-grade inertial navigation with an innovative Laser Velocity Sensor (LVS) that uses infrared lasers to measure precise ground-relative velocity.

“The world is evolving, and navigation must evolve with it. GPS is disturbingly vulnerable to challenging environments, harsh weather conditions and cyberattacks with rising threats of jamming and spoofing,” said Advanced Navigation CEO Chris Shaw.

“The question isn’t if GPS will fail, but when. Operators need to build resilience now.”

What makes this technology particularly impressive is its space-to-earth pedigree. The LVS is adapted from LUNA, a space-grade navigation system developed for NASA’s lunar landing missions through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Think moon-landing precision, but for earthbound applications.

Real-world testing has delivered remarkable results. During extensive trials around Canberra, the system achieved an average error rate of just 0.053 per cent compared to GPS reference measurements—essentially maintaining near-perfect accuracy over distances of more than 20 kilometres without any satellite assistance.

The system’s intelligent software continuously adjusts sensor inputs based on environmental conditions and reliability scores, ensuring seamless operation even when GPS signals are jammed, spoofed, or naturally blocked by terrain. During one test drive through a tunnel where GPS completely failed, the hybrid system continued tracking flawlessly while the satellite reference disappeared entirely.

“While others focus on individual components, Advanced Navigation champions a layered, inertial-centered, multi-sensor architecture, fused together by intelligent software,” Shaw explained. This approach allows the system to adapt to different mission requirements and harsh environments.

The technology has applications spanning defence, aerospace, robotics, mining and agriculture, addressing critical navigation needs across industries increasingly vulnerable to GPS disruption. With commercial availability expected later this year, the system could provide the foundation for truly autonomous operations in contested or GPS-denied environments.

Advanced Navigation, backed by major investors including KKR and former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, continues to position Australia as a leader in autonomous systems technology, proving that sometimes the best way forward is to look beyond the satellites above.

Picture: supplied