GPS is a single point of failure. Jam it, spoof it, or fly where it never reaches, and a vehicle that trusted it is lost. We build the vision and sensor-fusion software that lets a platform know where it is without it.
Vision-based navigation
A camera is a navigation sensor if you treat it like one. We build feature tracking, visual odometry, terrain-relative navigation, and registration of a live image against known imagery or a map, on OpenCV and the same computer-vision toolchain behind our other work. The output is a position and attitude estimate that does not depend on a satellite.
Sensor fusion
No single sensor is enough. We fuse vision with inertial measurement, and with whatever else the platform carries, through estimation and filtering that stays honest about its own uncertainty. We have built the tools around inertial navigation, synthetic aperture radar, and depth sensing, and stitched them into an estimate a vehicle can act on.
Airborne and on-orbit
The problem changes shape at altitude and in orbit. We have worked on terrain-relative navigation for spacecraft descent and landing, part of our space domain work, and on airborne registration of a camera view against georeferenced terrain and imagery. Same core idea in every case: match what the sensor sees to what the map says, and solve for where you are.
Where it connects
This sits between several pillars: computer vision for the image side, space domain for descent and orbit, UAV for the airborne case, and visual simulation for testing a navigator against synthetic sensors before it flies.
Who works on it
AlphaPixel is a US-owned small business, founded in 2004, with senior developers who have built vision navigation, sensor fusion, and estimation for airborne, ground, and on-orbit platforms. DLA DD2345 / ITAR registered. We take closed-source defense work and open source alike.
Frequently asked questions
What is GPS-denied navigation, and why does it matter?
GPS is a single point of failure. Jam it, spoof it, or fly where it never reaches, and a vehicle that trusted it is lost. GPS-denied navigation is the software that lets a platform know where it is without a satellite, and we build the vision and sensor-fusion parts of it.
How can a camera navigate without GPS?
A camera is a navigation sensor if you treat it like one. We build feature tracking, visual odometry, terrain-relative navigation, and registration of a live image against known imagery or a map, on OpenCV and the same computer-vision toolchain behind our other work. The output is a position and attitude estimate that does not depend on a satellite.
What sensors do you fuse for GPS-denied navigation?
No single sensor is enough. We fuse vision with inertial measurement and with whatever else the platform carries, through estimation and filtering that stays truthful about its own uncertainty. We have built the tooling around inertial navigation, synthetic aperture radar, and depth sensing, and stitched them into an estimate a vehicle can act on.
Do you do terrain-relative navigation for aircraft or spacecraft?
Yes. We have worked on terrain-relative navigation for spacecraft descent and landing, part of our space domain work, and on airborne registration of a camera view against georeferenced terrain and imagery. The core idea is the same in every case: match what the sensor sees to what the map says, and solve for where you are.
Can this run in real time on the vehicle's own hardware?
Yes. This is the same real-time and embedded computer-vision work we do elsewhere, targeted at the compute the platform actually carries, not a workstation on the bench.
Does it help against jamming and spoofing?
Yes, because it does not rely on the signal at all. Vision and inertial navigation give the platform an independent position and attitude estimate, so a jammed or spoofed GPS does not leave it blind.
Can you work on GPS-denied navigation under NDA or export control?
Yes. AlphaPixel is DLA DD2345 and ITAR registered and takes closed-source defense work and open source alike.
How do we engage AlphaPixel for a GPS-denied navigation project?
As a subcontractor, a team-augmentation partner, or the specialists for the navigation or perception piece. Describe the platform and the problem through our contact page; scope and cost depend on the work.
Talk to us
Tell us what you’re building and where it’s stuck. We’ll tell you straight whether it’s something we can help with, and how we’d approach it.
Or see how we run consulting and software development engagements.
