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Navigation

Foto: Enno Kapitza für DLR

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.

Antenna Systems Group

The antenna systems group works on research and development tasks in the context of national and international projects and co-operations and carries out measurements in the field of antennas and radio-frequency technology. The 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 development of efficient simulation procedures for conformal structures and new materials. 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.

Group receiver and transmitter systems

The receiver and transmitter systems group develops platform systems for interference and spoofing-proof navigation and communication systems. In view of the growing number and dependence on satellite navigation services and the ease with which conventional receiver systems can be disrupted, the group of receiver and transmitter systems provides important key technologies for increasing the reliability and security of these systems. These are of particular importance in the growing markets of fully automated driving and flying.

Algorithms and User Terminals Group

The positioning and timing services provided by Global Satellite Navigation Systems (GNSSs), for example by American GPS and European Galileo, build a backbone for a multitude of miscellaneous GNSS applications in our everyday live. Some of these applications like landing an airplane, time synchronizing mobile radio base stations or navigating an autonomous car have a distinct safety context. The reliability of the safety-critical systems using the services of GNSSs highly benefits from increased resilience of the user equipment. Increasing the resilience of GNSS receivers in the context of safety-critical applications is the main focus of the research activities of the User Algorithms group.

System Evolution Group

The working group “System Evolution” focuses on analyzing novel technologies and methods for advancing the provision of navigation and timing services. In recent years, key enabling technologies have emerged that could improve positioning and timing services, such as optical frequency references based on stabilized lasers, femtosecond optical frequency combs, space-qualified optical terminals for inter-satellite ranging, time transfer, and high throughput communications. We study to what extent these technologies will improve satellite navigation systems in terms of accuracy, autonomy and integrity.

Signals and System Performance Group

The working group „Signals and System Performance“ focuses on the design of new signals and modulation schemes for future generations of global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) as well as on the analysis of the quality and the performance of existing GNSSs. Reliable and safe navigation has become an integral part of our lives today. Hundreds of applications use satellite navigation. Especially for safety-critical applications such as aircraft landings with visibility up to 0 meters, it is important to monitor the reliability and quality of the navigation signals, to detect errors promptly, and to make this information available to users.

Alternative Navigation Systems Group

The gold standard in navigation is, without a doubt, satellite-based navigation using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Their services are free, globally available and it is challenging to match their accuracy and reliability. However their high performance does have limitations, for example some environments pose challenges in radio propagation, while some applications require a back-up capability for the unlikely event that GNSS-based navigation were to become unavailable.

Integrated Navigation Systems Integrity Group

coming soon

Augmentation Systems Group

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are already a very important part of aeronautical navigation today and are the fundament of future navigation concepts. With their global coverage and the ability to provide integrity (with and without augmentation systems) they are among the key enablers for advanced air traffic management (ATM) concepts, ensuring that the fast increasing volume of air traffic can be handled efficiently also in the future. The Augmentation Systems group is conducting research related to different augmentation systems

Systems Engineering and Project Management Group

The SPM group concentrates the competences in the fields of systems engineering and project management of the department of navigation and supports the other groups of the department in the mentioned fields. In particular, extensive and multilateral projects with miscellaneous partners (different DLR institutes and departments, industrial companies, other research institutions, funding agencies, etc.) are challenging. Here, the scientific staff often cannot handle sufficiently systems engineering and project management tasks of the project, especially for space missions funded by e.g. the European Space Agency. Successful space missions typically require management and systems engineering tasks as well as accurate documentation to a great extent. These duties and responsibilities are assumed by the SPM group to ensure a proper accomplishment within a professional framework and the necessary experience.

Contact

Prof. Dr.-Ing.habil. Michael Meurer
German Aerospace Center
Institute of Communications and Navigation, Navigation
Tel.: +49 8153 28-3065
Fax: +49 8153 28-2328

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