The United States has been using drones since the 1990s to help save lives and aid in several missions. They have recently grown exponentially in popularity with civilians for hobby and recreation purposes, but UAVs also promise much more noteworthy benefits in several industries, including agriculture, transport, and construction. However, UAVs have served to especially revolutionize defense industry operations. Unlike drones used in agriculture, construction, or recreation, military UAVs need to have much higher precision and accuracy. Furthermore, they need to be able to provide this high level of functionality just as well in GPS-denied environments. The implementation of resilient navigation systems empowers these UAVs to operate successfully in the most dangerous zones where GPS is not available. With the assistance of GPS/INS, the defense industry can minimize inaccuracy and its dangerous consequences. UAVs have revolutionized the way in which defense strategies are planned and executed and their success is reflected by the fact that defense forces the world over make use for unmanned drones for supervision, combat missions, and target decoys. These are three of the most common ways for UAVs to provide invaluable insight to the defense industry.

From airplanes to missiles, resilient navigation systems are enabling companies around the world to reach new heights in autonomy. By utilizing a system comprised of an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a global navigation satellite system receiver, and sensor fusion software, a GPS/INS can precisely calculate position, orientation, and velocity to deliver critical navigation information in environments where GPS is not available, like canyons, mountains, dense forests, and more. Continue reading to learn how your avionics systems can still benefit from exact navigation even in GPS-denied environments.

With more than 25 years of experience, ASEI is proud to be part of a rich tradition of aerospace excellence. As nationally recognized experts in GPS-denied navigation systems, we know the industry inside and out—but here are four facts you may not have known about our work and the field as a whole. Take a look.