Maxar launches vision-based software for GPS resilience
Maxar Intelligence has launched Raptor, a powerful, first-of-its-kind software suite that enables autonomous drones to navigate and extract precise ground coordinates in the absence of GPS. This technology transforms the resilience and reliability of unmanned systems, enabling large-scale autonomy in warfighting, humanitarian, and commercial operations for customers around the globe.
Designed to integrate with any autonomous platform without the need for additional hardware, Raptor products use only a drone’s native camera and Maxar’s 90 million-plus sq km of global 3D terrain data to help the platform navigate with extreme precision and extract accurate ground coordinates in real-time without GPS. Raptor can also operate at night and in low-terrain environments.
“By eliminating reliance on GPS, Raptor software unlocks the full potential of autonomous systems — from powering truly joint multi-domain operations as part of a digital battlefield to large-scale delivery systems in urban areas where knowing the precise coordinates of your drop-off location is critical to getting the job done,” said Peter Wilczynski, Chief Product Officer at Maxar Intelligence. “Raptor will change the game for customers across the defence and commercial sectors. This software uses Maxar’s unique 3D global terrain data to ensure that autonomous systems get the job done no matter how much GPS interference they face.”
The Raptor suite of software includes Raptor Guide, a vision-based positioning program that is installed directly on any autonomous platform. This software enables the platform to determine its aerial position with a demonstrated absolute accuracy of less than 10 metres RMSE. Another suite component is Raptor Sync software, which georegisters the full motion video feed from the drone’s onboard camera with the 3D terrain data from Maxar in real-time. This enables intelligence fusion, multi-domain interoperability across different sensors, and accurate ground coordinate extraction with a demonstrated absolute accuracy of under 3 metres. Moreover, Raptor Ace software installed on standard laptop equipment operates in conjunction with drone controllers, allowing operators to extract real-time ground coordinates of targets from full-motion aerial video feeds, achieving a demonstrated absolute accuracy of under 3 metres.
Since Raptor software anchors sensor data against a common geospatial foundation and works with existing drone cameras, the technology allows different unmanned systems to work together for joint operations regardless of the software or hardware platform. Alternative navigation offerings typically require additional hardware
Raptor software products are deployable on off-the-shelf hardware and require minimal initial integration. Alternative navigation options generally necessitate extra hardware and a dedicated downward-facing camera, which consumes valuable payload space and increases the platform’s weight and power requirements consumption. Raptor software works with the drone’s existing optics, including both forward and side-looking cameras, and can be deployed on off-the-shelf hardware without additional requirements.
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