Asio Technologies, a leading Israeli manufacturer of geospatial position systems and tactical defence solutions, announced on 3 May 2023 that it had successfully completed several demonstrations of its NavGuard optical navigation system to strategic customers in the United States.
The demonstrations, conducted in response to defence and civil customer requests, involved a rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) performing aerial navigation activities as well as automatic point-to-point deliveries of packages over urban and rural areas without relying on GNSS signals.
Using the NavGuard system, the UAV was able to accomplish its missions without interruption, even in areas and times where the GNSS line was unavailable or jammed, according to a company press release.
NavGuard is a real-time optical navigation system that enables precise, autonomous GNSS-free navigation for tactical UAVs, “making it an ideal solution for tactical drone missions where payload capacity and flight time are limited and continuous operation under all conditions is critical”, the company stated. Designed with advanced machine vision technology, artificial intelligence and sensor fusion, NavGuard “ensures safe and sustainable 24/7 drone missions in complete GNSS blackout”, stated Asio. The system is billed as a versatile solution for various applications, including those related to defence, commercial, homeland security and infrastructure security missions.
“We are thrilled to have successfully demonstrated our cutting-edge NavGuard system in the US,” David Harel, Asio Technologies’ CEO, was quoted as saying. “NavGuard is a game-changer in the industry, enabling safe and reliable drone missions in various environments. This solution is ideal for both civil and defense missions, ensuring mission safety and supporting the drone industry’s growth. We are currently demonstrating the NavGuard solution to numerous customers from different fields and with diverse needs and are excited to see the positive response and interest in this groundbreaking technology.”
Peter Felstead
