A surge in GPS jamming attacks in drone warfare has inspired Australian researchers to develop a celestial navigation system that uses visual data from stars rather than relying on the global positioning system. Remote sensing engineers from the University of South Australia have combined celestial navigation with vision-based technology to provide an alternative means of nighttime navigation in environments where GPS is unavailable or unreliable.
The lightweight, affordable celestial navigation system can be integrated into standard drones, offering a dependable backup with impressive accuracy. The system relies on an algorithm that uses visual data from stars and processes it through standard autopilot systems. Testing on a fixed-wing drone demonstrated accurate positioning within four kilometres. By relying on passive celestial navigation rather than radio frequency GNSS signals, drones are resistant to jamming.
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