Advanced Navigation and MBDA have partnered to co-develop a resilient navigation system that incorporates MBDA‘s NILEQ absolute positioning technology.

The collaboration aims to provide robust absolute positioning for a variety of airborne platforms, enhancing navigation reliability in both civilian and military sectors. The joint effort is part of a broader initiative to boost research and technology development between the United Kingdom and Australia, aligning with the objectives of AUKUS Pillar 2 — a component of the security partnership between Australia, the UK and the U.S. in September 2021. The partnership includes informed decision-making, strategic autonomy and heightened combat efficiency in the face of emerging threats.

This partnership underscores the importance of developing navigation technologies that are resilient against interference, especially in an era marked by increasing geopolitical tensions and electronic warfare threats such as GPS jamming and spoofing.

NILEQ technology utilizes neuromorphic sensors to identify and compare terrain fingerprints, taking inspiration from biological change detection processes. This sensing technology captures data on changing terrain as an airborne system flies over it, matching this data to an existing database of the Earth’s surface. As a result, systems such as UAVs can achieve a precise position fix on land using a passive solution that is resistant to interference, which enhances the safety of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations.

The collaboration will conclude with a real-world demonstration of the NILEQ technology in Australia, validating its effectiveness in delivering resilient navigation solutions.