Modular GNSS Simulation

CAST Navigation’s simulators provide unequaled simulation performance. The company’s modular system architecture is scalable and flexible, delivering to customers exactly the mix of capabilities they require and evolve as their needs evolve. All of CAST Navigation’s options can be mixed and matched. For example, customers have the option of adding CAST jammers to CAST Navigation’s controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA).

Wide Range of Scenarios

Besides recreating ideal conditions, CAST simulators also realistically simulate a wide range of suboptimal conditions—such as jamming/spoofing, multipath, RF interference, satellite constellation perturbations, and ionospheric/tropospheric, and other environmental conditions—for virtually any commercial or military scenario, enabling repeatable testing in a laboratory or anechoic chamber. They enable users to analyze, understand and solve problems. Users can also play back any live recorded data they may have, which the simulator can use to create the desired trajectory.

A distinguishing feature of CAST Navigation’s simulators is their combination of GNSS with inertial navigation systems (INS), which has proven to work better than any of the other simulators on the market and has a more intuitive user interface.

Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) Testing

The CAST-CRPA Simulation System represents the next generation of GNSS simulator, with the ability to simulate terrestrial, aquatic, aeronautical and orbital types of environments. It acts as a CRPA tester that can simulate a multitude of conditions for any commercial or military scenario including:

• jamming
• spoofing
• multipath
• atmospheric
• environmental conditions
• antenna placement

The CAST-CRPA Simulation System allows users to drive GNSS and interference signals that represent each antenna element. They can adjust such variables as the signal’s power and the jammer’s location, pulse rate and sweep rate.

A CRPA consists of multiple antenna elements, each in a different location, that are digitally combined into what is effectively a single antenna. In the real world, when each antenna elements receives a signal from a GNSS satellite or a jammer, the signal’s phase depends on the antenna elements’s physical location. In the lab, the CAST-CRPA Simulation System allows the user to present signals to these antenna elements that model the same type of phase differentiation that they see in real life.

In our CRPA systems, our jammers are phase-controlled for proper phase reception at each antenna element. When we generate a signal for each antenna element—whether it is a GNSS signal or a jammer signal. We generate the same overall location for the vehicle for all of the antenna elements on a CRPA antenna and then adjust each one of the simulated positions for each element by a small amount consistent with the delay that they would see based on the physical separation of each element. This will achieve the same type of signal reception that they would encounter in a real-life environment.

CAST Navigation’s INS System produces GNSS RF signals coincident with those from a simulated IMU sensor, enabling the integration and dynamic testing of GPS/INS navigation systems where the inertial sensor and GNSS receiver are either tightly or ultra-tightly coupled. Designed to provide maximum flexibility, this integration can meet the most challenging military and government requirements.

In addition to the several generic types of jammer signals that we offer, we can develop additional ones for customers who have specialized needs.

Complexity Made Simple

CAST is making the most powerful GNSS simulators in the world user-friendly. Instead of charging customers for capabilities they do not need bundled into a single product, CAST simplifies the system and provides its customers with exactly the capabilities they want in an easy-to-operate interface. Because CAST simulators are scalable and modular, future add-ons are easy and affordable.

This configuration illustrates a system that simulates a wavefront of GPS from sixteen satellites for a four-element CRPA. This application utilizes jammers for L1 and L2 as well as sixteen satellites for each element of the CRPA antenna. (Photo: CAST Navigation)

CAST Navigation

An industry leader for 40 years, CAST Navigation has a singular focus on developing powerful world-class GNSS and INS simulation systems that meet or exceed customers’ expectations. In a constant pursuit of GNSS innovation and development, CAST focuses on one specific area and excels in it. The CAST Navigation team remains committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards and dedication to excellence in all operational aspects.

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To learn more about CAST Navigation products, visit www.castnav.com. Interested in learning more about The CAST Navigation Jammers? View the brochure below.

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Header video: CAST Navigation

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.