Navigation

The department of Navigation in the Institute of Communications and Navigation aims for a significant role in the realization of the European Global Navigation Satellite System (Galileo) with a focus on ground systems and user terminals. Due to the integration of Communication and Navigation, new fields of research with economic importance shall be developed. In this context, augmentation systems for safety of life applications of satellite navigation as well as multifunctional, cost-efficient, and compact user terminals should be mentioned. The corresponding activities mainly concentrate on integrity, reliability, availability and accuracy. The research and development work aims to support industry in the fields of pre-competition and basic applications. Special considerations are given here to simulations and tests of system components.

Algorithms and User Terminals Group The working group Algorithms and User Terminals is engaged in the development of algorithms for navigation receivers and their implementation in SW and FPGA. Applications are primarily in professional and safety-of-life areas, e.g. in aviation. Special emphasis is placed on the detection and reduction of propagation errors and interferers as well by advanced signal processing as by adaptive control of array antennas with digital beam forming. Further key topics are the development of algorithms for acquisition and tracking of the new signals for the future European satellite navigation system Galileo and the determination of the signal integrity. For design and testing of algorithms different software environments and an advanced GPS/Galileo hardware simulator are available. Read more

Antennas Group The antenna working group works on research and development tasks in the context of national and international projects and co-operations and operates an antenna far-field range. Their main goal is the advancement of new technologies and the translation into practical designs and demonstrators. The topics include smart antennas with digital beamforming, their integration and miniaturization as well as the inclusion of new materials and conformal structures into the simulation procedures. However, special developments in conventional technology are also realized. The group was a member of the Antenna Centre of Excellence (ACE), a Network of Excellence (NoE) funded within the 6th Framework Program of the EU. Read more

GNSS Systems Group The working group is engaged in various activities to investigate the generation and dissemination of precise time scales for satellite navigation applications and the verification of signals from navigation satellite systems. Another aspect is the development and operations of methods and facilities to validate performance parameters of satellite navigation systems but also of individual applications. For all timing aspects, a laboratory with precise atomic clocks and dedicated measurement equipment has been provided, for the signal verification a 30 meter dish at Weilheim can be used. In-house simulators based on software and on hardware as well, are being used for time and signal related investigations. Read more

Integrity Group The key performance parameter in Safety of Life (SoL) applications is the navigation integrity, i.e. the degree of trust one can place in the system functionality. Researchers on the DLR Navigation Integrity group investigate the robustness of the navigation solution, develop techniques to monitor threats and new methods to detect, mitigate or exclude a faulty element of the system, which could lead to an unacceptable error in the navigation solution. Read more

Ionospheric Effects and Corrections Group Research and development activities are focused on monitoring, detection and forecasting of ionospheric processes for improving accuracy and reliability of space based positioning and navigation. Corresponding results are applicable in higher precision, safety of live applications and for improving ionospheric corrections in single frequency GNSS applications. The work is based on long-term expertise in the field of GNSS signal propagation and ionospheric research. Read more

Nautical Systems Group The Research activities of the working group “Nautical Systems” are focussed on the development of algorithm, methods, and techniques to increase the accuracy and integrity of position, navigation, and time data (PNT) for “safety-of-life” applications. These cover the application of Ground Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS), adaptive navigation algorithms and data fusion based techniques, respectively. GBAS rely on the self-validation of received navigation signals of operative GNSS and the provision of augmentation, correction, and integrity data in real time to the users. The basis for the experimental validation of GBAS in aviation (Research Airport Braunschweig) as well as seafaring (Research Port Rostock) is the Experimentation and Validation Network (EVnet) developed by the Institute itself. Read more