Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF192-006

Description

To address the United States Air Force (USAF) need for Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) applications to resilient positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) for the mitigation of Global Positioning System (GPS) degradation, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new, alternative, affordable platform-agnostic UAS Redundant Navigation and Positioning (URNP) system for UASs all-weather, all-altitude, day/night GPS-accurate (circular error probability ~ 6 m) operating in GPS denied and/or degraded environment. URNP is based on a novel open system architecture and modular design that utilizes a blend of POC-developed navigation components and commercial off-the-shelf components. As a result, the gimbal-less URNP offers position estimates similar to those of existing precision navigation systems, while being compact, lightweight, and inexpensive. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of URNP through extensive computer modeling and simulation, as well as combinations of laboratory and field tests and demonstration of critical components. In Phase II, POC plans to continue development of the system, build a system-level prototype, perform extensive in-flight testing, and demonstrate its navigation precision as similar to that of GPS for the USAF.