Rapid Initialization for Personnel Navigation

The objective of this proposal is to resolve the navigation problems that currently exist during military free fall missions. Presently conditions in the aircraft can render the system ineffective for maintaining GPS lock both prior to and when exiting the aircraft. Atair Aerospace proposes a low cost system which addresses this problem by combining a commercial grade GPS receiver with a SAASM receiver. We also propose to integrate the commercial receiver with a low cost inertial navigation unit (INU). During Phase I the navigation system will be analyzed, bench tested, and flight tested to a limited extent, to ascertain its ability maintain position and attitude accuracy when the GPS signal is lost, and to provide rapid reacquisition of the GPS signal once the jumper is clear of the aircraft. We also will integrate a commercial receiver with the SAASM receiver and demonstrate its ability to hot start the SAASM receiver until it acquires lock. In Phase II the integrated system will be flight tested. In Phase III the system will be transitioned into a fully operational system which will be form fitted to military requirements, and integrated with other emerging systems that take advantage of signals of opportunity.