Visual Positioning System-Air w/ Celestial (Sun) Sensor (VPS-ACS)

AFSOC has a national defense-related need in the area of alt-PNT solutions for fixed-wing UAS conducting day-time missions over open-ocean waters. The threat of GPSjamming and spoofing requires a fallback localization mechanism to ensureoperational resilience of open-ocean missions. Vermeer has already developed aterrestrial Visual Positioning System (VPS) of TRL 7 for over-land missions thatrelies solely on EO/IR sensors and a locally stored global 3D database. Open ocean orlarge bodies of water lack distinguishing visual markers, a novel vision-based solutionis required. The proposed solution is an over-water solar VPS technology thatcapitalizes on our vision core detection and uses a synched internal clock, UTMzones, flight altitude, compass heading, as well as vision-based analysis of thehorizon, position and azimuth of the sun to localize the vehicle. The solutionserves as an extension and enhancement of the computer vision and autonomyalgorithms developed as part of the Phase II SBIR. To mitigate logistical anddevelopment challenges, a surrogate UAS platform will be selected as an analog to theidentified target platform (Altius, Maverick, or Eaglet). Development and flighttesting will be conducted iteratively, primarily on the surrogate, but also on targetplatform mid-development and before final delivery of proof-of-concept systems.Technical objectives include a Solar VPS accuracy of 1 mile (O) -2 miles (T) of error,noting that our existing terrestrial VPS solution has an average accuracy of 5-10m, ascompared to GPS, depending on feature richness of environment and flight altitude.