SPARC AI has launched the Overwatch Positioning Network, a live service designed to provide positioning information to drones when GPS signals are jammed, spoofed or unavailable. The system approaches GPS-denied drone navigation by moving positioning computation away from individual aircraft and into data centers.
According to SPARC AI, an aircraft sends sensor data to Overwatch and receives its calculated position in approximately one-third of a second without requiring additional positioning hardware or software to be installed on the drone.
GPS-Denied Drone Navigation Moves Off the Aircraft
SPARC AI said Overwatch is designed to address the deployment requirements associated with conventional GPS-independent navigation systems.
According to the company, traditional approaches can require dedicated hardware, onboard computing resources and software to be installed on individual aircraft.
Overwatch instead moves the positioning computation into a data center.
The process includes:
- An aircraft sends telemetry to Overwatch through an API
- Overwatch processes the sensor information
- The system calculates the aircraft’s position
- Latitude and longitude information is returned to the aircraft
- The process takes less than one second
SPARC AI said no Overwatch equipment or software needs to be installed directly on the aircraft.
Overwatch Designed as a Positioning Network
The Overwatch Positioning Network operates from secure facilities and performs its calculations using data-center computing resources.
According to SPARC AI, all computation takes place in compute memory and customer telemetry and location information are not retained.
The company said the network is designed to expand across multiple geographic data-center regions.
Computing capacity can also scale as the number of connected aircraft increases, allowing SPARC AI to add network resources rather than install positioning payloads individually across large drone fleets.
Ukraine Identified for Operational Validation
SPARC AI identified Ukraine as an important potential application for the Overwatch network because of the number of drones being produced and operated in a contested environment.
Under the company’s model, compatible aircraft could obtain GPS-independent positioning by sending telemetry to the Overwatch network and receiving latitude and longitude information in return.
SPARC AI said it has existing engagements with Ukrainian drone manufacturers and other stakeholders that have been invited to access the Overwatch Positioning Network as the company’s primary delivery model.
The company expects Ukraine to play a role in validating the network at operational volume.
SPARC AI Plans European Expansion Discussions
SPARC AI said performance demonstrated in Ukraine could support expansion of the Overwatch Positioning Network into other allied markets.
The company expects to provide additional announcements regarding its activities in Ukraine.
SPARC AI personnel will also attend MSPO in Poland beginning September 8. The company said meetings are scheduled with several European drone manufacturers during the event.
Additional announcements regarding expansion of the Overwatch Positioning Network are expected during MSPO.
The Overwatch Positioning Network provides a network-based approach to GPS-denied drone navigation in which aircraft transmit sensor information to external computing infrastructure and receive positioning data without requiring dedicated Overwatch hardware or software to be installed onboard.
Source: Press release from SPARC AI
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