Advanced Navigation has successfully demonstrated an LVS hybrid solution for long-endurance GNSS-denied navigation, proving that a software-fused inertial-centered architecture is the defining standard for autonomy.
In today’s dynamic operational environments, relying on a single sensor technology, such as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), is no longer viable. Missions increasingly occur in GNSS-denied, electromagnetically noisy and physically complex settings where traditional systems falter.
“The world is evolving, and navigation must evolve with it. GPS is disturbingly vulnerable to challenging environments, harsh weather conditions and cyberattacks, with rising threats of jamming and spoofing. The question isn’t if GPS will fail, but when. Operators need to build resilience now,” said Chris Shaw, CEO and co-founder of Advanced Navigation.
Robust navigation demands a layered, inertial-first and multi-sensor architecture — held together by intelligent software — that can adapt and scale to meet the unique demands of each mission. Embracing a software-defined nature means updates and enhancements can be deployed with minimal hardware disruption. This paradigm shift ensures truly resilient navigation for critical applications across defense, aerospace, robotics and autonomous systems.
To achieve this, Advanced Navigation, headquartered in Sydney, Australia, integrated a strategic-grade fibre-optic gyroscope (FOG) inertial navigation system (INS) with a new class of navigation aid: a Laser Velocity Sensor (LVS). The result is a fused hybrid architecture that delivers unprecedented precision and reliability in even the most challenging environments.
LVS is a terrestrial adaptation of LUNA (Laser Unit for Navigation Aid), a space-grade navigation technology developed for autonomous lunar landings. LUNA enables reliable navigation in the harsh environment of space by providing precise three-dimensional velocity and altitude information relative to the Moon’s surface. After several years of research and development, LUNA is set to be demonstrated aboard Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.
By leveraging the engineering insights gained from LUNA, LVS adapts space technology into an Earth-ready solution for terrestrial GNSS-denied navigation.
Why the LVS hybrid works
At the center of every reliable navigation platform is a trusted source of truth: the INS. The company’s FOG INS, which is sensitive enough to detect the Earth’s rotation, provides that foundation by delivering precise attitude, and the LVS uses infrared lasers to accurately measure a vehicle’s ground-relative 3D velocity. LVS performs reliably on ground and airborne platforms, as long as it maintains a clear line of sight to the ground or a stationary surface.
Beyond its role as a velocity aid, LVS also enhances navigation resilience by detecting GNSS spoofing. By comparing its independent velocity measurements against GNSS-derived velocity, LVS adds an extra layer of security to Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (APNT) strategies.
AdNav OS Fusion draws on sophisticated algorithms to interpret and filter sensor data. The software is designed to dynamically weigh the input from each sensor, adjusting in real time based on reliability scores, environmental conditions and operational context. This ensures continuous, high-confidence state estimation even when signals are lost, degraded or distorted. This inertial-centered, multi-sensor approach delivers a step-change in GNSS-denied navigation performance, compared to traditional methods.
Testing LVS resilience with real-world data
To validate the accuracy and resilience of the LVS hybrid system, the company conducted a series of rigorous real-world driving tests. Across five trials, the system delivered exceptional performance with an average error per distance traveled of 0.053% compared to a GNSS reference.
At the starting point, GNSS on the INS was disabled in the state estimation process, forcing the system into dead-reckoning mode. RTK GNSS was logged separately as a reference. This approach allows for a direct comparison between the computed dead-reckoning solution and a trusted position reference.
The data below shows dead-reckoning results from a 23-km drive around Canberra, Australia. GNSS was not used at any point in the drive for heading or position. RTK GNSS is shown as the red line, while the LVS hybrid system’s result is shown in blue.
The next results are from a 19.2-km drive around the Parliamentary Triangle in Canberra, Australia. Again, GNSS was not used at any point in the drive for heading or position. RTK GNSS is shown as the red line, while the hybrid system’s result is shown in blue.
The figure below is a zoomed section from the first test drive, showing GNSS (red) drop out as the test vehicle drove through a tunnel, which completely denied the GNSS reference measurement. The hybrid system’s result can be seen in blue, showing it did not suffer from this error.
These drives were done repeatedly, demonstrating consistent and reliable results each time.
The LVS hybrid system was also tested on a fixed-wing aircraft combined with a tactical-grade INS, demonstrating a final error per distance traveled of 0.045% over the course of a low-altitude flight over 545 km. These results demonstrate the system’s impressive ability to improve navigation performance of the INS in GNSS-denied or contested scenarios.
To read the company’s white paper for a more in-depth look into the technology, visit advancednavigation.com/tech-articles/laser-velocity-sensor-lvs-high-accuracy-velocity-aid-gnss-denied-navigation.
