SBIR-STTR Award

This proposal addresses the Navy SBIR program objective to develop and demonstrate a high-integrity Global Navigation System (GNS) solution that is not vulnerable to jamming, spoofing or electromagnetic interference (EMI) and that is capable of meeting the stringent size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints imposed by size Group 2 Unmanned Aircraft Systems. According to the Navy solicitation the objectives of this SBIR topic are, in order of priority, to provide a: (1) high integrity, (2) small form factor, and (3) low-cost GNS solution that is suitable for all Navy size Group 2 UASs and above. The proposed Mayflower HI-GAINS solution leverages a SWaP-C optimized integrated high anti-jam performance micro-SAASM GPS receiver that will be enhanced to mitigate spoofing and EMI vulnerability and integrated with a miniature low-cost MEMS IMU to provide high integrity GNS solution in severe jamming as well as in enemy spoofing. The proposed HI-GAINS system will be designed to meet the above Navy program objectives in Phase I and will be prototyped and tested at NAVAIR in Phase II.

Benefit:
The proposed HI-GAINS technology will develop a Global Navigation System (GNS) solution that is not vulnerable to GPS jamming, spoofing and EMI and offer the high integrity in a very small form factor and at low cost commensurate to small UAS platforms. The market for small UAS within the DoD for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Integrated Weapon Systems (IWS) missions is large and growing. The HI-GAINS system technology will also benefit commercial avionics for precision approach and landing in radio frequency interference (RFI) environment.

Keywords:
Weight and Power (SWAP), Weight and Power (SWAP), Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), size, high integrity, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), GPS Spoofing, GPS anti-jam (AJ), GPS JAMMING

The objective of this NAVAIR SBIR program is to develop an integrated global navigation system capable of providing secure SAASM GPS based navigation in the presence of jamming, spoofing or electromagnetic interference (EMI) while meeting the stringent size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints imposed by Group 2 Unmanned Aircraft Systems. In the Phase I of this SBIR program, Mayflower developed an innovative system architecture termed HI-GAINS, and evaluated its feasibility in meeting the Navys requirements for STUAS navigation performance within the SWaP-C constraints. Mayflower proposes to develop and implement the HI-GAINS design on a prototype platform based on Mayflower NavGuard Anti-Jam SAASM GPS receiver, an IMU and other COTS components and software algorithms for spoofing mitigation in the Phase II of this SBIR program and demonstrate its performance in the laboratory and at Facilities for Antenna and RCS Measurements (FARM) at NAVAIR, Patuxent River, MD. In a follow-on Phase II.5/III program Mayflower anticipates to mature HI-GAINS Phase II prototype and develop a form fit production ready prototype suitable for use on the Navy STUAS platform.

Benefit:
The proposed research and development will result in highly SWaP-C optimized integrated robust global navigation system solution that can operate in GPS challenged environment envisaged by the Navy and the Department of Defense for UAV ISR applications. Given the recent congressional mandate to the FAA in February 2012 to develop a comprehensive plan for safely accelerating the integration of civil UAVs into the national airspace system the commercial anticipated benefits of the HI-GAINS technology is large. Furthermore, military UAVs may be required to fly in the national airspace system. The proposed HI-GAINS system solution will find applications into commercial aviation market.

Keywords:
GPS Anti-Jam, IMU, NavGuard, Spoofing, STUAS, Jamming, EMI