Developing location awareness algorithms to determine asset position at sea in GNSS denied environments

JET工程系统解决方案公司（JET- ess）正在通过部署高带宽5G浮动浮标提供“海上5G连接”，为整个海洋领域提供更高的连接和通信能力。迄今为止，JET-ESS已成功部署了全球首个浮式5G数据采集浮标平台。这已经获得了显著的宣传，包括部长Lee Rowley对国家物理实验室的访问，以及包括海上风电在内的关键行业的最终用户牵引力。JET-ESS已经与国家物理实验室成功演示了使用高增益定向天线解决方案可以显着扩展海上通信范围。然而，我们目前的浮标平台依赖于全球导航卫星系统来确定它们的位置。JET-ESS设想，我们的浮标平台将主要用于海上风电场/周围，用于冲浪状态监测、国防和安全应用，在这些应用中，由于恶劣的操作环境，与GNSS的连接高度中断，经常被拒绝或无法实现。因此，当在海上部署时，JET-ESS无法确定每个浮标之间的相对位置，也无法确定在5G网络内运行的浮标的位置。这个问题目前限制了JET-ESS客户基础的扩展，特别是在我们目前的商业模式所依赖的海上风电领域。为了解决这一问题，本项目旨在利用专用的JET-ESS 5G定位信号和到达方向算法，建立一种新的海上无gnss位置感知解决方案。重点是制定和验证开发基于方向天线的位置感知系统所需的算法软件和5G通信硬件要求，该系统根据浮动网格浮标网络内传输的数据的集体角度对绝对定位进行三角测量。NPL将为相关硬件和软件的考虑和开发提供咨询。在此之后，国家物理实验室将协助开发实用的验证方法，这将降低进一步工作的风险，最终开发一个明确的解决方案，以海上位置感知的形式解决JET-ESS目前长期运行的技术问题。开发这一解决方案有可能极大地惠及海事部门，解决英国政府在5G扩展和多样化方面的优先事项，促进和解决海上安全和净零目标的迫切需求。开发一种无GNSS的位置感知解决方案，可以使定位、导航和授时（PNT）能力的确定多样化，并提高资产弹性，特别是在海上GNSS拒绝环境和陆地应用许可的情况下。

JET Engineering System Solutions (JET-ESS) is delivering "5G connectivity at sea" through the deployment of high bandwidth 5G floating buoys, offering increased connectivity and communication capabilities throughout the marine sector. To date JET-ESS has successfully deployed the world's-first floating 5G data collection buoy platform. This has gained significant publicity, including a visit by Minister Lee Rowley at the National Physical Laboratory, and end-user traction within key industries of interest, including offshore wind.JET-ESS has successfully demonstrated with NPL that the communication range at sea could be significantly extended using a high-gain directional-antenna solution. However, our current buoy platforms rely on using Global Navigation Satellite System for determining their position. JET-ESS envisages that our buoy platforms will be primarily utilised and deployed in/around offshore wind farms for surf condition monitoring, defence and security applications, where connectivity to GNSS is highly disrupted and often denied or unattainable due to the harsh operating environments. As a result, JET-ESS are unable to determine the location of each buoy in relation to one another, or those operating within the 5G network, when deployed at sea. This problem is currently limiting the expansion of JET-ESS's customer base, specifically within the offshore wind sector, on which our current business model is reliant.To tackle this problem, this project aims to establish a novel GNSS-free location awareness solution at sea using dedicated JET-ESS 5G positioning signals and direction-of-arrival algorithm(s). The focuses will be given to formulating and validating the algorithm software and 5G communication hardware requirements needed to develop a directional-antenna-based location awareness system, which triangulates absolute positioning based on the collective angle of data transmitted within the floating meshed buoy network. NPL will provide consultancy regarding the consideration and development of relevant hardware and software. Following this NPL will assist in the development of practical validation method(s), which will de-risk further work in the final development of a clear solution to JET-ESS current long running technical problem in the form of a location awareness at sea.Developing this solution has the potential to significantly benefit the maritime sector, addressing UK government priorities in 5G extension and diversification, contributing to and addressing the urgent need for maritime security and net-zero ambitions. Developing a GNSS-free location awareness solution diversifies and increases asset resilience in determining Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) capabilities, especially within GNSS denied environment at sea and licenced to on-land applications.