SBIR Phase II: Low Earth Orbit Navigation System (LEONS) - The Ground Network

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是在全球定位系统(GPS)发生故障时为系统提供安全可靠的定位和授时系统。包括无人机应用、精准农业和国防部在内的数十亿用户依赖GPS。不幸的是，GPS信号很弱，因为它们是从太空传输的，这使得它们容易受到干扰和黑客攻击。科学界的研究研究了使用低地球轨道(LEO)卫星信号作为GPS的后备。该项目将部署一个新的平台，用于测试理论研究和必要的基础设施，使车辆能够使用低轨卫星信号来改进其导航系统。不断改进的无人机导航技术将推动几个市场全面开花结果，包括无人机包裹递送和紧急医疗用品递送，预计未来几年这两个市场将出现两位数的增长。预计精确定位还将支持全自动拖拉机，这将通过扩大精准播种提振农业市场。此外，国土安全部(DHS)认为16个关键基础设施中有13个严重依赖GPS。该项目旨在消除过度依赖GPS的这一单一故障点。SBIR第二阶段项目将开发一种地面网络服务，支持使用现有和未来的LEO卫星信号进行定位和计时，作为GPS的替代或补充。研究目标是：1)完成能够使用这些信号进行定位和定时的概念验证系统，2)分析系统的性能，以及3)在美国的一个地区展示可操作的概念验证系统。为了实现这些目标，该项目将利用信号处理和估计理论的基础知识，将低轨信号转换为类似GPS的信号。将使用凸优化理论来指导部署实现该系统所需的基础设施。该系统的演示将通过将LEO卫星信号产生的位置误差的平均值和标准差与理论上可实现的值进行比较来进行评估。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to provide a safe and reliable positioning and timing system for systems when the Global Positioning System (GPS) fails. Billions of users, including drone applications, precision farming, and The Department of Defense rely on GPS. Unfortunately, GPS signals are weak because they are transmitted from space, making them susceptible to jamming and hacking. Research from the scientific community has studied the use of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signals as a backup to GPS. This project will deploy a novel platform for testing theoretical studies and required infrastructure that will enable the use of LEO satellite signals by vehicles to improve their navigation systems. Improving drone navigation technology will push several markets into full fruition, including drone package delivery and delivery of emergency medical supplies, which are projected to see double digit market growth over the next few years. Precise positioning is also expected to support fully autonomous tractors, which will boost the agriculture market by scaling precision seed laying. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) considers 13 of the 16 critical infrastructures to be critically dependent on GPS. This project aims to remove this single point of failure from over-reliance on GPS.This SBIR Phase II project will develop a ground network service that supports the use of existing and future LEO satellite signals for positioning and timing to serve as an alternative or complement to GPS. The research objectives are to: 1) complete a proof-of-concept system enabling the use of these signals for positioning and timing, 2) analytically characterize performance of the system, and 3) demonstrate an operational proof-of-concept system in a region of the United States. To reach these objectives, this project will leverage fundamentals from signal processing and estimation theory to convert LEO signals into GPS-like signals. Convex optimization theory will be used to guide the deployment of the infrastructure needed to realize the system. The demonstration of the system will be evaluated by comparing the mean and standard deviation of the position errors produced by the LEO satellite signals with theoretically achievable values.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.