Resilient GNSS-Denied Navigation in Contested Environments
Precise Multi-sensor Inertial Navigation as an Engineering Baseline: Taking Dead Reckoning to the Next Level
| Typical Dead-Reckoning Drift Figures | |
|---|---|
| VECTOR autopilot without Visual Navigation System | 4% of distance traveled |
| VECTOR autopilot with Visual Navigation System at Known Terrain | No Drift |
| VECTOR autopilot with Visual Navigation System at Unknown Terrain | Drift constrained to up to 30 meters. Drift remains bounded and is not cumulative. |
Our autopilots provide precise inertial navigation in contested environments where GNSS signals are unavailable or unreliable. Their advanced AHRS/INS with an internal air data system (ADS) has been validated in multiple scenarios, demonstrating robustness and reliability even in hostile conditions. Remarkably, it has shown performance comparable to fiber optic gyro (FOG)-based solutions, while being a MEMS-based system with a lighter and more compact architecture.
Assured autonomy is not achieved through reliance on a single sensor, but through a resilient multi-sensor navigation architecture. By fusing inertial, air data, visual and terrain-referenced navigation inputs, the system maintains reliable positioning, attitude and heading estimation even under jamming, spoofing and prolonged GNSS outages.
The integrated ADS contributes essential measurements such as airspeed and barometric altitude, enhancing inertial navigation accuracy during GNSS‑denied flight. Tests have confirmed robust system behavior even during dynamic flights without GNSS, positioning it as a reliable option for autonomous navigation in demanding environments.
Precise Multi-sensor Inertial Navigation as an Engineering Baseline: Taking Dead Reckoning to the Next Level
| Typical Dead-Reckoning Drift Figures | |
|---|---|
| VECTOR autopilot without Visual Navigation System | 4% of distance traveled |
| VECTOR autopilot with Visual Navigation System at Known Terrain | No Drift |
| VECTOR autopilot with Visual Navigation System at Unknown Terrain | Drift constrained to up to 30 meters. Drift remains bounded and is not cumulative. |
Our autopilots provide precise inertial navigation in contested environments where GNSS signals are unavailable or unreliable. Their advanced AHRS/INS with an internal air data system (ADS) has been validated in multiple scenarios, demonstrating robustness and reliability even in hostile conditions. Remarkably, it has shown performance comparable to fiber optic gyro (FOG)-based solutions, while being a MEMS-based system with a lighter and more compact architecture.
Assured autonomy is not achieved through reliance on a single sensor, but through a resilient multi-sensor navigation architecture. By fusing inertial, air data, visual and terrain-referenced navigation inputs, the system maintains reliable positioning, attitude and heading estimation even under jamming, spoofing and prolonged GNSS outages.
The integrated ADS contributes essential measurements such as airspeed and barometric altitude, enhancing inertial navigation accuracy during GNSS‑denied flight. Tests have confirmed robust system behavior even during dynamic flights without GNSS, positioning it as a reliable option for autonomous navigation in demanding environments.
Guaranteed Mission Continuity Under Jamming and Spoofing:
Successfully Tested Against Special Military C-UAS Units
Our autopilots are resilient and robust systems capable of ensuring UAS mission success even under interception, intrusion, and intentional or unintentional interference attacks (Meaconing, Intrusion, Jamming, and Interference - MIJI). As the electromagnetic spectrum becomes increasingly contested and degraded, and electronic warfare (EW) threats continue to evolve, assured platform autonomy is becoming a critical operational requirement.
The navigation system has undergone multiple tests with C-UAS equipment in various jamming and spoofing scenarios. Despite the intensity of these attacks, the system maintained navigation and completed the mission without interruptions.
In NAVWAR (Navigation Warfare) environments, our systems ensure mission continuity by combining heterogeneous data sources with advanced sensor‑fusion algorithms capable of detecting threats and autonomously prioritizing reliable inputs for the estimator. This resilient behavior is reinforced by our certified, robust hardware, tested under MIL STD 810F and MIL STD 461F, and by an architecture explicitly designed to maintain operational continuity when GNSS is degraded, manipulated, or entirely denied.
Guaranteed Mission Continuity Under Jamming and Spoofing:
Successfully Tested Against Special Military C-UAS Units
Our autopilots are resilient and robust systems capable of ensuring UAS mission success even under interception, intrusion, and intentional or unintentional interference attacks (Meaconing, Intrusion, Jamming, and Interference - MIJI). As the electromagnetic spectrum becomes increasingly contested and degraded, and electronic warfare (EW) threats continue to evolve, assured platform autonomy is becoming a critical operational requirement.
The navigation system has undergone multiple tests with C-UAS equipment in various jamming and spoofing scenarios. Despite the intensity of these attacks, the system maintained navigation and completed the mission without interruptions.
In NAVWAR (Navigation Warfare) environments, our systems ensure mission continuity by combining heterogeneous data sources with advanced sensor‑fusion algorithms capable of detecting threats and autonomously prioritizing reliable inputs for the estimator. This resilient behavior is reinforced by our certified, robust hardware, tested under MIL STD 810F and MIL STD 461F, and by an architecture explicitly designed to maintain operational continuity when GNSS is degraded, manipulated, or entirely denied.
AI-based Visual Navigation System
Combining Visual Odometry (VO), Advanced Terrain Referenced Navigation (TRN) and Satellite Map Matching for Unknown Flight Areas
The Visual Navigation System (VNS01) is designed to constrain accumulated drift inherent to inertial navigation when GNSS signals are unavailable, unreliable or compromised.
To overcome this challenge, the VNS01 combines Visual Odometry (VO), Pattern Recognition, Satellite Map Matching and Terrain Referenced Navigation (TRN) techniques to provide absolute position corrections in both known and unknown flight areas.
In previously mapped terrain, Template Matching enables zero drift navigation through continuous correlation with reference imagery. In unexplored areas, preloaded satellite imagery and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) allow Satellite Map Matching and TRN algorithms to constrain inertial drift and maintain accurate positioning without requiring prior reconnaissance flights.
AI-based Visual Navigation System Combining Visual Odometry (VO), Advanced Terrain Referenced Navigation (TRN) and Satellite Map Matching for Unknown Flight Areas
The Visual Navigation System (VNS01) is designed to constrain accumulated drift inherent to inertial navigation when GNSS signals are unavailable, unreliable or compromised.
To overcome this challenge, the VNS01 combines Visual Odometry (VO), Pattern Recognition, Satellite Map Matching and Terrain Referenced Navigation (TRN) techniques to provide absolute position corrections in both known and unknown flight areas.
In previously mapped terrain, Template Matching enables zero drift navigation through continuous correlation with reference imagery. In unexplored areas, preloaded satellite imagery and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) allow Satellite Map Matching and TRN algorithms to constrain inertial drift and maintain accurate positioning without requiring prior reconnaissance flights.
Battlefield-proven Experience (TRL9) Driving Continuous Innovation
UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía has based much of its development on operational experience gained in real-world scenarios. Continuous learning and close collaboration with our customers are core values of the company, ensuring that every lesson learned in operational environments is transformed into new technologies and capabilities that further enhance the autonomy, resilience and safety of unmanned systems.
Continuous innovation and investment in R&D are essential to keeping our technology at the forefront of market demands and to maintaining a quality and reliability standard capable of addressing emerging threats and operational challenges in complex environments.
This technological reinvestment not only addresses current requirements but also anticipates future challenges by developing advanced navigation and autonomy solutions that ensure mission continuity, safety and operability, even in contested environments.
DEFENSIVE
This involves close cooperation with technology partners to develop advanced receivers, authenticated services (PRS, OSNMA, etc.), and CRPA antennas capable of mitigating interference and forming nulls toward hostile sources. However, while essential, these measures are never sufficient on their own, as even the most robust defenses can ultimately be saturated.
TACTICAL CONTINUITY
When GNSS outages occur intermittently, VECTOR autopilot's inertial navigation algorithms, aided by the air data system (ADS), can maintain navigation performance with drift constrained to less than 4% of the distance traveled.
ADVANCED SOLUTIONS
When GNSS is unavailable, inertial navigation is complemented by VNS, combining Visual Odometry, Satellite Map Matching and Terrain Referenced Navigation (TRN) to constrain positioning errors to approximately 30 meters. Jamming and spoofing detection, trusted-source prioritization and sensor cross-validation provide a resilient multi-sensor architecture capable of maintaining this accuracy during extended GNSS-denied operations.
Battlefield-proven Experience (TRL9) Driving Continuous Innovation
UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía has based much of its development on operational experience gained in real-world scenarios. Continuous learning and close collaboration with our customers are core values of the company, ensuring that every lesson learned in operational environments is transformed into new technologies and capabilities that further enhance the autonomy, resilience and safety of unmanned systems.
Continuous innovation and investment in R&D are essential to keeping our technology at the forefront of market demands and to maintaining a quality and reliability standard capable of addressing emerging threats and operational challenges in complex environments.
This technological reinvestment not only addresses current requirements but also anticipates future challenges by developing advanced navigation and autonomy solutions that ensure mission continuity, safety and operability, even in contested environments.
DEFENSIVE
This involves close cooperation with technology partners to develop advanced receivers, authenticated services (PRS, OSNMA, etc.), and CRPA antennas capable of mitigating interference and forming nulls toward hostile sources. However, while essential, these measures are never sufficient on their own, as even the most robust defenses can ultimately be saturated.
TACTICAL CONTINUITY
When GNSS outages occur intermittently, VECTOR autopilot's inertial navigation algorithms, aided by the air data system (ADS), can maintain navigation performance with drift constrained to less than 4% of the distance traveled.
ADVANCED SOLUTIONS
When GNSS is unavailable, inertial navigation is complemented by VNS, combining Visual Odometry, Satellite Map Matching and Terrain Referenced Navigation (TRN) to constrain positioning errors to approximately 30 meters. Jamming and spoofing detection, trusted-source prioritization and sensor cross-validation provide a resilient multi-sensor architecture capable of maintaining this accuracy during extended GNSS-denied operations.
Accurate Heading Estimation in GNSS-denied Environments
Accurate heading estimation in unmanned aircraft is essential for maintaining vehicle control and direction, which is especially challenging without GNSS. This capability is particularly critical for effectors, loitering munitions or long-range unmanned systems, where heading errors can quickly translate into significant navigation inaccuracies.
To address this, UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía has developed a solution based on the combination of the magnetometer and the Dual GNSS Compass, allowing for a precise and continuous reference even in GNSS-interfered environments. Our NEWS calibration algorithms allow large platforms to be calibrated by simply pointing them toward the four cardinal directions.
Accurate Heading Estimation in GNSS-denied Environments
Accurate heading estimation in unmanned aircraft is essential for maintaining vehicle control and direction, which is especially challenging without GNSS. This capability is particularly critical for effectors, loitering munitions or long-range unmanned systems, where heading errors can quickly translate into significant navigation inaccuracies.
To address this, UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía has developed a solution based on the combination of the magnetometer and the Dual GNSS Compass, allowing for a precise and continuous reference even in GNSS-interfered environments. Our NEWS calibration algorithms allow large platforms to be calibrated by simply pointing them toward the four cardinal directions.
Research into New Alternatives for GNSS-free Navigation
In its ongoing quest to enhance autonomous navigation in contested electromagnetic environments, UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía is exploring new technologies that go beyond traditional GNSS to further enhance autonomous operation in contested environments..
The company conducts ongoing research into complementary navigation solutions designed to strengthen positioning, navigation and control when GNSS is degraded or unavailable. This includes the evolution of our Visual Navigation System (VNS), as well as the investigation of alternative navigation sources such as solar sensors, radar-based navigation and Signals of Opportunity (SoOp), leveraging ambient signals available in the environment as additional navigation inputs.
Together, these technologies contribute to a resilient multi-sensor navigation architecture capable of operating across diverse terrains, adverse weather conditions and low-visibility environments, supporting mission continuity and assured autonomy in future GNSS-denied operations.
Research into New Alternatives for GNSS-free Navigation
In its ongoing quest to enhance autonomous navigation in contested electromagnetic environments, UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía is exploring new technologies that go beyond traditional GNSS to further enhance autonomous operation in contested environments..
The company conducts ongoing research into complementary navigation solutions designed to strengthen positioning, navigation and control when GNSS is degraded or unavailable. This includes the evolution of our Visual Navigation System (VNS), as well as the investigation of alternative navigation sources such as solar sensors, radar-based navigation and Signals of Opportunity (SoOp), leveraging ambient signals available in the environment as additional navigation inputs.
Together, these technologies contribute to a resilient multi-sensor navigation architecture capable of operating across diverse terrains, adverse weather conditions and low-visibility environments, supporting mission continuity and assured autonomy in future GNSS-denied operations.
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