GNSS Denied Environments

GENIE is a small, self-contained alternative navigation unit that can be retrofitted easily onto lightweight, small UAS and other aircraft. It works by using over 40 different navigation methods, including visual techniques such as Visual Odometry. Used together, these techniques provide resilient, assured, sub-meter accuracy independent of GPS, across different terrains, weather and even at night.

Today, the combination of a pilot and GNSS (e.g. GPS) provide a strong partnership in the safe navigation of air vehicles.

Tomorrow, autonomy will take the place of the pilot, and GPS will need a new co-pilot. GENIE is this co-pilot.

Spoofing and Jamming of GPS are a real threat.

Jamming can occur when the “true” GPS signal is overpowered by a local source, this can be deliberate or accidental – for example the use of USB3 near to a GPS receiver can cause this, or the use of amateur radio near to the location of the receiver. When jammed, a GPS receiver cannot secure its location, and renders autopilot navigation impossible.

Spoofing can occur when a false location is broadcast with a stronger signal than the true source. This can be malicious (for example when wanting to redirect a drone or autonomous vehicle) or accidental. There are cases of people spoofing GPS on their smartphones to trick it into thinking it is in a different location so that they can collect Pokemon Go! The problem is that even these localised spoofing events can spread over 1km. Imagine if a nearby drone was delivering urgent medical supplies at the same time.

There are many reports of GNSS being jammed or spoofed. A report by C4ADS reported nearly 10,000 verified cases of GNSS spoofing in or around Russia alone to protect senior government officials.

When that happens the autopilot on board an autonomous drone or aircraft needs to be able to react and overcome the issue, quickly and safely.

GENIE is a small, self-contained alternative navigation unit that can be retrofitted easily onto lightweight, small UAS and other aircraft. It works by using over 40 different navigation methods, including visual techniques such as Visual Odometry. Used together, these techniques provide resilient, assured, sub-meter accuracy independent of GPS, across different terrains, weather and even at night. All processing is managed onboard GENIE, allowing it to work independent of connectivity or satellite availability and mitigate the significant, persistent threat of GNSS-denial.



GENIE can also be configured for Edge-AI object detection, making it ideal for disaster recovery work or search and rescue.

We don’t make better drones, we make drones better.