Keywords
GNSS navigation, inertial navigation systems, guidance
and control, autonomous systems
Expertise
The ability to know the precise location of a vehicle or
object is extremely important in the modern world. People
are familiar with GPS-aided navigation for cars, but GPS is
equally important for surveying and construction; it is even
used in the power industry.
GPS provides a position reference and a global time
reference signal. The time reference is used by many
civil infrastructure systems (eg the power grid and traffic
monitoring systems), yet it is highly sensitive to disturbances
in the upper atmosphere (solar winds) and electronic
noise from other systems (including deliberate attempts
to ‘jam’ the signals).
These sensitivities mean that other technologies are
often used to augment GPS for applications where safety
is an issue, for example in aerospace. The University
has expertise in integrated navigation systems for
aerospace and other applications, including the
operation of Uninhabited Air Vehicles (UAVs) and other
autonomous systems.
Our researchers are exploring a number of alternatives
to GPS including: visual navigation systems (based on
advanced image and signal processing such as
simultaneous localisation and mapping, or SLAM);
global navigation satellite systems (GNSS, which covers
all satellite-based systems, including GPS, COMPASS
and Galileo); and inertial navigation systems (INS) which
integrate accelerometers and gyroscopes to monitor and
track movement continuously.
Our expertise in these varied navigation systems is
particularly important for the development of advanced
systems for defence, security and military applications
such as drone navigation and missile guidance technology.
We are also collaborating to develop civil applications
such as robotic navigation systems, situational awareness
and automated mapping.
Capabilities and facilities
•
Distributed avionics and flight simulation,
including a testbed facility
•
Real-time simulations for short-range UAV
operational systems
•
Simulation tools for integrated GNSS and inertial
navigation systems.
Relevant centres and groups
•
Centre for Autonomous Systems Technology
•
Virtual Engineering Centre.
Risk, Safety & Security
122
2.2
Navigation and guidance systems
Also see:
Materials, Advanced Design &
Manufacturing –
1.1
Virtual design and manufacturing,
page 83
Digital technologies –
2.1
Signal processing and
communications, page 145
4.
Autonomous systems, page 155
For further information
on all our specialist
centres, facilities and
laboratories
go to page
179
