The Bonch-Bruevich Saint Petersburg State University of Telecommunications (SPSUT) is developing an innovative positioning system capable of providing decimeter-level coordinate accuracy for unmanned vehicles in conditions of failure or degradation of GPS and GLONASS satellite signals. The technology has been given the working name "digital compass".
Unlike traditional satellite systems, the new method relies on analyzing signals from ground base stations. This makes it possible to maintain navigation operability in "blind zones" — urban canyons, mountainous terrain, forested areas, or under deliberate electronic jamming.
Of particular interest is the achieved positioning accuracy when using a standard 20 MHz signal bandwidth typical of commercial communications networks. According to the developers, even with such a limited bandwidth, which is eight times narrower than in some foreign experimental systems, it is possible to ensure stable location determination with an error margin within tens of centimeters.
The backup system, relying on a decentralized network of ground towers, significantly increases the fault tolerance of autonomous vehicles.