GPS startup bets on superior sign to counter jamming threats

WASHINGTON — As intentional GPS interference turns into extra commonplace, a California startup is proposing an unconventional answer: doubling down on the system’s latest sign, generally known as L5.

The L5 is the World Positioning System’s latest civilian sign,  designed to function in a frequency band reserved for aviation security providers, complementing the prevailing L1 and L2 frequencies.

The startup oneNav developed an “L5 direct” receiver for business use in smartphones and internet-of-things (IoT) units. The receiver immediately acquires L5-band indicators with out first locking onto the older L1 indicators, making it immune to jamming makes an attempt, stated Steve Poizner, the corporate’s chief govt. 

The corporate is advertising and marketing the receiver to the U.S. army, leveraging the outcomes of exams performed in April in high-jamming areas like Israel and alongside the Poland-Ukraine border, Poizner informed SpaceNews. 

oneNav researchers in contrast the efficiency of L1 and L5 indicators in areas with frequent GPS interference, he stated.. “Whereas researchers noticed widespread jamming of L1 indicators throughout the area, from Finland to Turkey, indicators that immediately acquired the L5 band proved resistant to makes an attempt at interference.”

The army may use L5 receivers in drones, precision-guided weapons, cellular radios, and troop trackers, he stated.

The L5 band is broadcast by a portion of the GPS constellation and by different world navigation satellite tv for pc techniques similar to Europe’s Galileo, China’s BeiDou and Japan’s QZSS.

GPS modernization deliberate

Regardless of its potential, the GPS L5 sign isn’t but extensively used because it’s solely being broadcast by 17 out of 31 GPS satellites in orbit. Full operational functionality with 24 satellites broadcasting L5 isn’t anticipated till round 2027. The L5 sign is a part of the GPS modernization plan to be applied progressively because the constellation is renewed.

The L5 sign remains to be thought of “pre-operational” and never but totally licensed for important functions. Most current GPS receivers aren’t geared up to make use of L5 indicators. One other bottleneck is the implementation of GPS’ next-generation Operational Management System, generally known as OCX. The brand new floor system is essential for totally leveraging L5 capabilities, however is years delayed. 

These elements collectively contribute to the sluggish adoption of the L5 sign, regardless of its promised benefits by way of accuracy and interference resistance, Poizner stated. 

oneNav’s method caught the eye of In-Q-Tel, the U.S. intelligence neighborhood’s enterprise capital arm, which participated in oneNav’s $21 million Sequence B funding spherical in Might 2021.

The Pentagon has undertaken a number of initiatives to cut back its dependence on GPS and tackle vulnerabilities of GPS indicators. The U.S. Area Pressure, for instance, is trying to harness business improvements in PNT (positioning, navigation and timing) applied sciences.

“It’s sensible authorities coverage to be investing in all kinds of how to supply exact time and place in actual time,” Poizner stated. “Nonetheless, GPS/GNSS is the one world answer utilizing current infrastructure accessible at the moment for each civilians and warfighters.”

Associated