Honeywell Unveils Multi-System Alternative Nav Architecture

Hostile nations and non-state actors are waging war on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). In 2024, Zurich University of Applied Sciences reported more than 700 jamming and spoofing incidents per day,¹ forcing countless pilots and unmanned aerial vehicles to fly without access to GNSS data.

Modern navigation systems rely on GNSS inputs to ensure the accuracy of the inertial navigation system (INS). When GNSS signals are jammed, spoofed or blocked, the INS needs an alternative source of positioning data for accurate navigation, especially during longer flights.

Alternative Nav Systems Improve Resilience

When GNSS signals are unavailable, next-generation alternative navigation systems make INS more resilient by providing precise information on the platform’s position, velocity and orientation.

Honeywell pioneered INS technology, and now we’re building on five decades of innovation with a software platform that enables INS to integrate data from multiple alternative navigation systems.

Core components of Honeywell’s alternative navigation architecture include

• Vision-aided navigation: Uses a live camera feed to compare images on the ground with a map database. This technology performs well in GNSS-denied environments, but its effectiveness is limited by visibility.
  
  
• Magnetic anomaly-aided navigation: Determines location by detecting known variations in the Earth’s magnetic field. It works in GNSS-denied conditions, is unaffected by weather, but loses effectiveness at high altitudes. 
  
  
• Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite navigation: Uses stronger, lower altitude satellite signals that are more resistant to jamming than GNSS. However, limited satellite coverage requires frequent handoffs, adding system complexity. 

A Layered Architecture is the Best Approach

While no single alternative navigation system can fully replace GNSS, Honeywell’s layered architecture allows users to mix and match alternative systems to meet operational requirements.

Rollout will begin in September 2025 with the vision-based navigation system, followed by magnetic anomaly and LEO satellite solutions in 2026.

Learn more at the Joint Navigation Conference, June 2-4 in Greater Cincinnati.

Honeywell pioneered INS navigation technology for aircraft, spacecraft and other platforms. Today, we’re shaping the future of navigation with innovations that make inertial systems and sensors smaller, lighter, more accurate and ready to operate in GNSS-denied environments.

As GNSS interference becomes the new normal in aviation, Honeywell’s layered architecture of alternative navigation systems will be critical to ensuring continuous, accurate navigation across all operating environments.