Simulate GNSS Anywhere on Earth
CAST Navigation GNSS and inertial simulators let you develop realistic, repeatable test scenarios in your lab that reproduce conditions and vehicle performance anywhere on or above the Earth. High-fidelity laboratory testing will significantly reduce project timelines, costs, and risks by eliminating the need for real-world testing.
For more than forty years, CAST Navigation has helped commercial and military clients improve the efficiency of their test projects by delivering GNSS and inertial simulation solutions that reliably simulate GNSS conditions and vehicle motion through any domain.
Reproduce GNSS from anywhere, any time in your lab
Fig. 1 – CAST Navigation solutions provide granular control over each simulated GNSS constellation type’s performance.
CAST Navigation GNSS solutions send precise, repeatable GNSS radio frequency wavefronts to each antenna element. These wavefronts can replicate multiple constellation types with as many as sixteen satellites per type. The simulator’s constellation editor controls each satellite’s performance, letting you configure a persistent state or schedule transmitter events.
In practice, GNSS signals do not arrive at the antenna in the same condition as they left the satellite. Simulators configured with the CAST Jammer module can introduce natural, urban, and adversarial interference into the GNSS wavefronts. Scenarios can specify the interference source’s power levels, signal waveform type, location, and trajectory. Additionally, our simulators can modify the wavefront to account for sea state or terrain obscuration.
Fig. 2 – Simulate high-dynamic maneuvers of piloted and autonomous vehicles
Fig. 3 – Simulations of various ground vehicle types traversing difficult terrain model the impact of terrain obscuration and vehicle silhouette on GNSS signal quality.
Fig. 4 – CAST Navigation simulators model sea state’s impact on GNSS reception caused by the moment arm between a ship’s center of gravity and its GNSS antenna.
Model vehicle motion in any domain
Accurately modeling vehicle motion in the lab requires understanding how GNSS and inertial system placement relate to each other and the vehicle. Setting these systems coincident with the vehicle’s center of motion simplifies things since it aligns the simulated GNSS and inertial output with the vehicle’s motion. However, this assumption sacrifices simulation quality as the results will not reflect actual system performance.
In reality, a vehicle’s GNSS and inertial systems are not coincident with its center of gravity. The separation varies widely between ground vehicles, aircraft, and ships, which results in variances between GNSS and inertial output and the vehicle’s simulated trajectory. CAST Navigation simulators account for these differences for each vehicle type and correctly model how vehicles move through the air, over terrain, and in any sea condition.
Signal coherence is an additional factor in simulator quality. GNSS and inertial systems respond to a vehicle’s changing position simultaneously. In contrast, simulators generate the two signals independently. If the signals reach a navigation system out of phase, accumulating errors will corrupt the test results.
CAST Navigation’s inertial and GNSS solutions have a well-earned reputation for generating accurate and coherent signals that enable reliable and repeatable simulation scenarios.
Benefits of anywhere, anytime GNSS simulations
Fig. 5 – CAST Navigation’s intuitive interface and 3D visualizations enables real-time assessments of GNSS simulations.
Bringing GNSS and inertial testing into the lab supports more efficient and robust test programs more efficient and produces better results from better-quality data.
Live-sky testing is inherently inefficient. Vehicles must refuel and get set up for each test run. Budgets, staffing, and weather conspire to limit scenario count and variety. A simulator that reliably recreates test conditions in the lab significantly improves a project’s productivity. Fewer people need to participate. Vehicle and travel costs aren’t an issue. The weather becomes irrelevant.
Fig. 6 – CAST Navigation solutions create high-fidelity simulations for evaluating GNSS performance in dynamic, multi-vehicle test scenarios.
CAST Navigation’s modular and scalable simulator solutions
CAST Navigation’s modular design approach lets clients acquire solutions that meet today’s needs while scaling to meet tomorrow’s evolving requirements. A solution can contain any combination of our four technical capabilities:
- CAST GNSS: Simulate multiple constellation types while controlling the performance characteristics of each visible satellite.
- CAST Inertial: Model a navigation unit’s output performance and drift rates to generate high-rate inertial data for loosely, tightly, and ultra-tightly coupled GNSS/INS and EGI navigation systems.
- CAST Jammer: Add interference to simulated GNSS wavefronts to faithfully represent unintentional or deliberate degradation of positioning signals.
- CAST CRPA: Generate up to eight GNSS wavefronts representing each element in a phased array antenna system.
This modular architecture lets CAST Navigation solutions evolve with clients’ changing needs. Our continuous development process lets existing clients get the latest features and performance enhancements. When labs need a significant increase in GNSS/INS simulator capabilities, they can expand their system by adding more modules to go from bench-top integration testing to complex applications like pilot-in-the-loop testing or simulation scenarios involving dozens of vehicles.
Visit CAST Navigation to learn more about how our GNSS and inertial simulation solutions can reproduce the GNSS environment any vehicle experiences anywhere on Earth.
This page was produced by North Coast Media’s content marketing staff in collaboration with CAST Navigation. NCM Content Marketing connects marketers to audiences and delivers industry trends, business tips and product information. The GPS World editorial staff did not create this content.
