Navigation, Even Without GPS

CAMBRIDGE, MA – The U.S. military relies heavily on GPS signals to conduct its mission-critical operations. U.S. adversaries have taken note and developed capabilities to disrupt access to the satellite signals. North Korea, for example, has blocked GPS access along its border, and Iran broadcast counterfeit signals as part of its effort to capture a U.S. drone.

Draper plans to help address threats like GPS interference, in part, by expanding its Huntsville, Alabama business operations with the intention of increasing collaboration with U.S. Army organizations. Draper has tapped Spence Guida, a retired Army colonel, to lead Army projects for the Huntsville office in order to apply Draper’s extensive research and development expertise to a broad range of Army requirements.

“Nearly all Army platforms and subsystems rely on GPS-based positioning and navigation. Our objective is to leverage Draper’s core engineering competencies in navigation, secure and assured systems, and microsystems to improve Army capabilities in the face of threats from GPS and communications jamming as well as cyber-attacks. This is just one of the many ways Draper can help the Army achieve mission success,” Guida explained. “Draper’s technical strength, combined with its experience developing rapid prototype solutions, can help the Army better counter asymmetric threats and highly adaptable adversaries.”

In addition to working with navigational systems, the Draper office can also assist the Army with projects including cybersecurity, technology protection and miniature cryptography for high stress environments.