Advanced Navigation and MBDA collaborate on breakthrough navigation technology

Sydney-based Advanced Navigation, a world leader in Assured Position, Navigation and Timing (APNT) technologies, along with European missile manufacturer MBDA, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-develop a resilient navigation system integrating MBDA’s NILEQ absolute positioning technology.

The co-developed solution will provide resilient absolute positioning for a multitude of airborne platforms. The agreement will see the companies foster joint research and technology development between the United Kingdom and Australia.

“In an increasingly uncertain world where interference is becoming ubiquitous, commercial and military sectors can no longer rely purely on GNSS for flight operations,” said Chris Shaw, CEO of Advanced Navigation. “There is an urgent need for additional navigation aiding to supplement platform inertial navigation and GNSS receiver systems.”

NILEQ’s patent-pending technology is employs novel neuromorphic sensors to derive and match terrain fingerprints. Initially inspired by biological change detection processes, the sensing technology captures data of the changing terrain as an airborne system flies across it and matches it to an existing database of the Earth’s surface.

“NILEQ seeks to address the enormous demand for resilient absolute positioning information that will complement the existing navigation systems of airborne platforms.,” said Tom Tizard, General Manager of MBDA Australia. “Advanced Navigation are an ideal Australian partner to help accelerate the technology towards market entry. Navigation technologies that are not simply accurate and precise, but also provide the ‘resilience’ against interference, is what propels this partnership.”

The final solution is set 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. The technology will enhance the safety of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, as the solution overcomes many of the conventional limitations of airborne image-based navigation technologies.

The potential applications of the co-developed solution are wide-ranging, say the partners, and span both the civilian and military domains. The solution also further supports growing legal requirements for GPS alternatives. This is of heightened importance at a time when geopolitical conflicts and electronic warfare – the jamming and spoofing of GPS signals – are simultaneously on the rise.

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