ANELLO Photonics advances autonomous applications

ANELLO Photonics has successfully closed its Series B funding round to advance the development of its silicon photonic optical gyroscope (SiPhOG) technology for navigation in GPS-denied environments.

This funding round was co-led by Lockheed Martin, Catapult Ventures and One Madison Group, with participation from several other investors, including New Legacy, Build Collective, Trousdale Ventures, In-Q-Tel (IQT), K2 Access Fund, Purdue Strategic Ventures, Santuri Ventures, Handshake Ventures, Irongate Capital and Mana Ventures.

ANELLO’s SiPhOG technology integrates high-precision optical fiber gyro performance onto a silicon photonics platform. This innovative solution boasts a low drift rate of less than 0.5° per hour, a compact size comparable to a golf ball, and low power consumption. Additionally, it is designed to withstand shock and vibration while remaining cost-effective compared to traditional fiber-optic gyroscopes.

The technology is tailored for various autonomous applications across multiple sectors, such as land vehicles, UAVs, underwater vehicles, construction and agriculture equipment.

In the context of defense and national security systems, ANELLO’s solutions have demonstrated impressive performance in GPS-denied environments. According to the company, the system can navigate 100 km with less than 100 m of lateral error without relying on GPS and maintains accuracy within 0.1 m over distances of 0.8 km in orchard environments where GPS signals are limited.

ANELLO’s SiPhOG technology aims to bridge the gap between high-performance, expensive sensors such as fiber-optic and ring laser gyros and low-cost, less precise MEMS gyros. This strategic positioning addresses the increasing demand for cost-effective yet high-performance navigation sensors in the expanding autonomous navigation market.

The funding is anticipated to enhance ANELLO’s manufacturing capabilities and product development to meet its goal of delivering reliable navigation solutions for environments where GPS signals are weak or unavailable. These environments include construction sites, agricultural fields, trucking operations, robotics, unmanned aerial and underwater vehicles, autonomous vehicles, as well as defense and national security applications.