Ukrainian Vyriy has developed a navigation system for UAVs that allows the drone to stay on course even in situations where satellite navigation and the operator’s radio channel are jammed. The solution is based on a network of ground beacons, the signals of which the device uses to determine its location in flight.
Ukrainian Vyriy has developed a navigation system for UAVs that allows the drone to stay on course even in situations where satellite navigation and the operator’s radio channel are jammed. The solution is based on a network of ground beacons, the signals of which the device uses to determine its location in flight.
According to «Military», the development was told by the director of Vyriy Oleksiy Babenko. A special board with an antenna is installed on the drone itself, and beacons are placed in advance on the route. These are radio transmitters that can be on the ground or on various objects. The pilot chooses the desired route, after which the UAV flies along it autonomously. According to Babenko, the operator only needs to choose a direction and confirm the command, and then there is no need to «steer» during the flight.
The principle of operation is similar to satellite navigation, but instead of satellites, the system is «guided» by ground transmitters. During the flight, the drone receives a signal from several beacons at once and calculates its coordinates on this basis. The distance to each beacon is determined by the signal parameters, in particular its delay or strength, after which the system calculates the position of the device in space. Babenko emphasizes that the connection should be as simple as possible: no separate applications or complex settings are required, just install the board.
Vyriy explains that the impetus was the evolution of electronic warfare, which increasingly «breaks» the classic drone control scheme via radio and GPS. In such a scenario, autonomous flight following beacons should maintain route control and reduce dependence on satellite navigation.
As an alternative to operating in conditions of strong interference on the front, fiber-optic drones are increasingly used, but their demand is growing along with prices and shortages. Beacon navigation could become another approach to flying in «dead» areas where conventional communication channels and GPS work unstable.
Previously, dev.ua wrote about how the Ukrainian company VYRIY added a «cruise control» mode to its serial drones, which allows the device to continue flying even if communication with the operator is lost. This should increase the UAV’s resistance to electronic warfare and reduce the number of equipment losses at the front.
