The World Is Full of GPS Dead Zones. Here's What Comes Next.
The world is filling with GPS dead zones due to the proliferation of cheap electronic jamming systems used against drones and smart munitions. The article examines emerging alternatives: miniaturized inertial navigation systems by Anello Photonics, magnetic sensors developed by SandboxAQ, visual navigation using cameras and AI, and combined approaches. According to experts, the future of non-GPS navigation lies in using multiple complementary technologies, since no single alternative can fully replicate GPS's ubiquity and accuracy.
I knew GPS jamming was possible, but I assumed it was illegal. It never occurred to me there was a map of locations where GPS signals don't work (https://gpsjam.org/) and that there are so many of them. But it seems to correlate with military conflicts.
What are the main causes of GPS dead zones?
The proliferation of cheap electronic jamming systems that broadcast radio frequency signals that drown out GPS signals from satellites 12,000 miles away. These systems are often as small as a cellphone and can cost less than $100.
What are the main alternatives to GPS mentioned in the article?
The alternatives include inertial navigation systems miniaturized onto optical chips, magnetic sensors detecting anomalies in Earth's magnetic field, visual navigation using cameras and AI-powered target recognition, and inertial-magnetic combinations. However, none currently replicate GPS's universal availability and accuracy.
Where is GPS jamming most prevalent?
GPS jamming is widespread along the Russia-Ukraine border and has increasingly affected the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil passes. It has also been documented near airports in Northern Europe.
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- GPS
- Anello Photonics
- SandboxAQ
- Windward
- Q-CTRL
- Vermeer
- Vatn Systems
- Mario Paniccia
- Christopher Mims
- Brian Streem