NAVSYS Corporation

Alison Brown, NAVSYS Corporation | Aerospace Defense Review | Top Satellite Solutions CompaniesAlison Brown, President and CEO
Recent advancements in jamming technology present a significant threat to the integrity of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), such as Global Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), Galileo and BeiDou. These systems are vulnerable due to their operation within the narrow L-band frequency range, making them susceptible to interference by even lowpowered jammers.

Despite efforts to enhance satellite resilience, including systems like Iridium, the risk of interference persists, underlining the urgent need for ongoing improvements in satellite technology and anti-jamming measures to protect critical navigation signals.

NAVSYS Corporation addresses this challenge with its position, navigation and timing as a service (PNTaaS) technology.

PNTaaS leverages existing satellite communications (SATCOM) as signals of opportunity (SoOP) to ensure PNT through during GPS outages. This solution enables Assured PNT devices which include inertial measurement units and clocks, when integrated with NAVSYS’s PNTaaS software defined radio (SDR) to maintain accurate positioning and timing over extended periods without GPS.

Supported by funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Navy, NAVSYS has developed PNTaaS SDRs capable of receiving and processing SATCOM SoOP signals, with monitor SDRs deployed at satellite ground stations to publish timing and signal data.

“Our technology operates in GPS-denied areas, offering resilient precision positioning and timing for military and commercial applications, including communications networks, power distribution systems and financial services—enabling reliable navigation through existing satellite infrastructure,” says Alison Brown, president and CEO.

Embracing a consortium-based model, NAVSYS has established partnership agreements to expand services and equipment offerings, enabling partners to deploy additional signals in space for enhanced resilience. This aligns with the company’s efforts to address timing dependencies in satellite communication terminals, which are crucial for network signal acquisition.

Recognizing vulnerabilities in systems like Starlink and OneWeb which rely on GPS signals for timing, NAVSYS seeks to augment terminals with PNTaaS capability. Successful testing with OneWeb terminals in active jammer scenarios demonstrates the feasibility of integration. Deployment of ground station equipment on the west and east coasts, along with ongoing discussions with terminal manufacturers, highlights NAVSYS’s commitment to rapid deployment through modular open system architecture. Pilot programs advance this initiative through partnership agreements.

  • Our technology operates in GPS-denied areas, offering resilient precision positioning and timing for military and commercial applications, including communications networks, power distribution systems and financial services—enabling reliable navigation through leveraging existing satellite infrastructure

While GPS and GNSS services are free to end-users, their taxpayer cost may deter commercial alternatives. However, niche markets are recognizing the importance of backups, urging government investment to stimulate the alternative PNT market. NAVSYS’s PNTaaS technology offers a cost-effective backup solution, in line with the U.S. space-based PNT policy’s emphasis on preparedness for GPS signal disruptions.
Since its foundation, NAVSYS has pioneered numerous innovations to advance navigation capabilities, including the development of techniques like snapshot processing. This approach, initially deployed in the first GPS cell phone and later in rebroadcasting signals over satellite transponders, has been successfully implemented in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) wide area augmentation system. By associating precise timing and navigation data with existing SATCOM signals, NAVSYS’s approach represents a culmination of its innovative work over the past decades.

Standing tall as an expert in PNT services, NAVSYS is proud to have been selected as a Colorado Advanced Industry Grant recipient in 2024, recognizing its innovative technology’s economic impact on the state. Its partnerships with the Department of Defense, funded through the Small Business Innovative Research Program, are driving groundbreaking solutions. With a history of pioneering achievements in GPS technology, NAVSYS remains dedicated to addressing national security challenges globally.

The expert team at NAVSYS is forging ahead with a dedication to national security and commercial advancement. With a focus on innovation and reliability, it is all set to shape a future where navigation knows no limits.

Deep Dive

Choosing Satellite Solutions for Assured PNT Resilience

Satellite services have become a critical part of mission assurance across aerospace and defense. As military and civilian systems become increasingly dependent on positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), concerns around GPS jamming, spoofing and signal disruption continue to grow. Aircraft, unmanned systems, command networks and critical infrastructure all rely on accurate positioning data, making resilience a strategic priority. For decision-makers evaluating satellite solution providers, the key question is no longer coverage alone. It is whether a provider can maintain reliable PNT capabilities when traditional GNSS signals become unreliable or unavailable. An ideal solution optimizes the use of the existing space architecture rather than launching a whole new satellite. Government and defense entities generally have long lead times for acquiring resources, operate under extremely rigid budgets, and are often urged to acquire capabilities rapidly. By utilizing already-deployed commercial satellites, government and defense entities have a feasible path to improve PNT resilience without bearing the costs and complexities of building their own satellite constellation. This will improve operational capability within the constraints of procurement/deployment. Another aspect to consider is the diversity of signals. Systems that use a narrow range of frequencies and satellite sources are likely to be prone to interference. The main service providers can leverage several constellations, layers and frequencies to provide continuous services as the context changes. The service should ideally provide an operational redundancy. A critical aspect in evaluating a provider's services is their ability to support PNT technology over the entire life cycle-from test and validation to the long-term operational deployment. Defense users, in particular, need assurances that a vendor can offer such tools, timing, integration, and testing prior to full implementation. Commercial and government users also benefit from a flexible system that can be gradually scaled to accommodate changes in operational needs. It is this combination of technical know-how and a practical plan of attack that builds confidence in a vendor's ability to enhance PNT resilience without compromising its interoperability, adaptability, or future potential. The ability to move from a demonstration into successful real-world application is a key element to provider confidence. NAVSYS emerges as a premier choice for organizations that need satellite-enabled PNT rather than another conventional GNSS backup. Its PNT-as-a-Service approach uses software-defined radio technology and software-based algorithms to derive position, navigation and time data from commercial SATCOM signals, avoiding dependence on owned satellite infrastructure. Its model includes cloud server functions, monitor stations, reference stations and remote receivers designed around signals of opportunity. Alongside its Signal Architect simulation and test tools and its InterNav open-architecture PNT work, NAVSYS offers a focused path for aerospace and defense buyers who need resilient PNT capability, disciplined integration and a scalable commercial foundation. ...Read more
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Company
NAVSYS Corporation

Management
Alison Brown, President and CEO

Description
Founded in 1986, NAVSYS Corporation operates as the vanguard of players focusing on next-generation technologies to advance state-of-the-art positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and SATCOM providers. It addresses GPS loss with its position, navigation and timing as a service (PNTaaS), leveraging existing SATCOM satellites for used as signals of opportunity to provide assured PNT.