Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Operating Without GPS and Their Significance
GPS-Denied Drones: A New Frontier in Aerial Technology
In the rapidly evolving world of drone technology, a significant shift is taking place - the development of GPS-denied drones. These innovative machines are designed to fly in environments where traditional GPS signals are unavailable, such as mines, industrial boilers, and indoor spaces. One such drone, the Flyability Elios 2, is leading the charge in this area.
The Elios 2, a drone specifically designed for indoor flight, uses seven vision stability sensors to provide GPS-free stabilization. This feature is crucial in scenarios where connecting to GPS could pose security risks or where GPS signals are unreliable. The drone's data security measures, including its ability to operate without GPS, are a response to the need for secure inspections of critical infrastructure like nuclear power plants.
NASA has recognised the importance of GPS-denied drones for various scenarios, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also on board, wanting all drones to be able to fly without GPS in the future for incorporation into the National Airspace through UTM (Unmanned Traffic Management).
Companies like AIRO and Blue Arrow (KEF Robotics and Sensorama Lab) are at the forefront of this technological advancement. AIRO is developing ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) drones like the RQ-35 (Heidrun), designed for GPS-denied environments including conflict zones. Blue Arrow has received funding from the Defense Innovation Unit to develop AI-powered navigation systems that enable drones to operate autonomously in GPS-denied environments.
Other companies, although more focused on drone detection, are also making strides in this field. CHAOS 1, Fortem Technologies, and Hidden Level are developing software for drone detection, advanced counter-drone drones, and passive radar and drone tracking systems, respectively.
Emesent's Hovermap is another key player in this field. This SLAM-based LiDAR mapping and autonomy payload allows drones to map and explore challenging GPS-denied environments autonomously. NT Robotics has also developed an Autonomous indoor navigation system that allows drones to perform technical inspections in GPS-denied indoor scenarios.
Obstacle avoidance sensors can provide a drone with reference points, allowing it to hover in place without GPS. The list of companies offering GPS-denied drone capabilities is likely to continue growing in the coming years.
Users can share information about other companies working on GPS-denied drone technology in the community forum on our website. It's an exciting time for the drone industry, as the development of GPS-denied drones opens up a world of possibilities for indoor inspections, mining, bridge inspections, critical infrastructure surveillance, search and rescue, and disaster site surveying.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is aiming to allow all drones to fly without GPS in the future, enabling their incorporation into the National Airspace through UTM (Unmanned Traffic Management).
- AIRO is developing ISR drones like the RQ-35 (Heidrun) for GPS-denied environments, including conflict zones.
- Blue Arrow, having received funding from the Defense Innovation Unit, is working on AI-powered navigation systems that enable drones to operate autonomously in GPS-denied environments.
- Obstacle avoidance sensors can provide drones with reference points, allowing them to hover in place without GPS, a feature crucial for GPS-denied drones.
