WASHINGTON — Maxar Intelligence developed a visual-based navigation technology that enables aerial drones to operate without relying on GPS, the company announced March 25.
The software, called Raptor, provides a terrain-based positioning system for drones in GPS-denied environments by leveraging detailed 3D models created from Maxar’s satellite imagery. Instead of using satellite signals, a drone equipped with Raptor compares its real-time camera feed with a pre-existing 3D terrain model to determine its position and orientation.
Peter Wilczynski, chief product officer at Maxar Intelligence, explained that the Raptor software has three main components. One is installed directly on the drone, enabling real-time position determination. Another application georegisters the drone’s video feed with Maxar’s 3D terrain data. A separate laptop-based application works alongside drone controllers, allowing operators to extract precise ground coordinates from aerial video feeds.
“This system was designed to plug in and be a proxy for GPS,” Wilczynski said.
The 3D terrain data is regularly updated, and Maxar can task its satellites to refresh information for specific regions of interest based on customer needs, he said.
Market applications
Wilczynski said this product was designed to leverage Maxar’s global 3D terrain data and builds on technology from 3D geospatial specialist Vricon, which Maxar acquired in 2020.
“Our satellites allow us to build the entire globe in 3D. This new layer allows you to navigate when you don’t have GPS,” he said.
Beyond commercial applications, the Raptor software has potential defense and security uses. The system allows drones from different manufacturers to share navigational data, Wilczynski said, enabling autonomous systems to collaborate on a networked battlefield.
“You can start building these command and control systems using drones and autonomous systems from different vendors, multiple different platforms, to actually exchange data between one another,” Wilczynski said.
“The coordinates that we are generating are not platform specific. They’re not tied to a particular vendor protocol. They’re literally coordinates that drones can actually use to coordinate with each other, with ground systems, with other targeting systems,” he explained.
The company said Raptor was tested with beta customers for several months before its release.
A Maxar spokesperson said the Raptor navigation system represents a shift in Maxar’s business strategy from solely providing satellite imagery and data to developing specialized software solutions that leverage that data to address specific market needs.
