Uncrewed Systems Technology 046

98 I t goes without saying that the safe guidance and localisation of uncrewed systems are critical factors in any application. Positioning errors do happen though, and unfortunately more and more often. GNSS receivers these days have to work under a barrage of interference sources that include multi- path effects from urban environments as well as RF spectrum congestion as a result of GNSS in personal devices, cars and indeed other uncrewed systems. Adding these to the rising threat of jamming and spoofing that autonomous systems for the defence industry have to contend with, it is no wonder that GNSS solutions manufacturers and researchers are working harder than ever to evolve their products and ensure that robust, persistent and trustworthy navigation data can be delivered in small, lightweight and energy-efficient modules. Their efforts are supported by the continuing rise of new L5 satellite constellations and others designed around aiding and correcting the signals from systems such as GPS, Beidou and Galileo. Tandem advances in antennas, IMUs and other supplementary technologies also bear close monitoring for uncrewed systems engineers aiming to safeguard their latest vehicles against disruptions in receiving GNSS data. Benchmarking GNSSs When it comes to selecting the best GNSS receiver for a particular job, the use case must first be considered. UAVs and USVs for instance depend on navigation, precise positioning and Rory Jackson examines how GNSS technology has advanced in recent years, and points to some probable future trends Here’s the position October/November 2022 | Uncrewed Systems Technology GNSS products for UAVs are advancing in their levels of accuracy, integrity, SWaP and certification (Courtesy of uAvionix)