New Taiwan-Made System Keeps Drones Flying Without GPS
Instead of relying on GPS, the platform uses low-cost onboard cameras to navigate and complete missions without requiring specialized antennas or radar equipment.
Taiwan’s state-backed Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) has unveiled an AI-powered navigation solution that allows unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to keep flying even when GPS signals are jammed or unavailable.
Called AIxVNAV, the system combines satellite-derived 3D imagery with licensed software from US firm Vantor, including its Raptor Guide visual navigation and ACE precision positioning technologies.
Instead of relying on GPS, the platform uses low-cost onboard cameras to navigate and complete missions without requiring specialized antennas or radar equipment.
The system was demonstrated during a live flight test at the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi, conducted in cooperation with New Taipei-based Ziqiang Engineering Consulting.
Comparisons with coordinates from Taiwan’s National Land Surveying and Mapping Center showed the technology achieved centimeter-level positioning accuracy.
Ready for Widescale Integration
AIDC Chairman Tsao Chin-ping said the AIxVNAV was designed to meet Taiwan’s military demand for “low cost, high productivity, and anti-jamming” capabilities.
He added that the system could support both defense and civilian missions, including coastal reconnaissance, law enforcement, emergency response, geomatics, and infrastructure inspection.
The company plans to expand adoption of the technology across Taiwan’s UAS supply chain through the Taiwan Excellent Drone Overseas Business Opportunities Alliance (TEDIBOA), aiming to integrate the system into a wider range of domestically produced drones.
TEDIBOA brings together more than 200 Taiwanese companies focused on developing “non-red” autonomous solutions that reduce dependence on Chinese-made components while supporting international collaborations.
Source: The Drone Front
