In late 2022, at the height of the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian military drones suddenly began falling from the sky en masse. The devices had been flying without issue to monitor the movements of invading Russian forces, making the mass crashes a mystery. A lengthy investigation revealed the cause: a Russian signal-jamming operation. The attackers disrupted wireless signals linking the drones to satellites, inducing malfunctions. Such silent, advanced electronic warfare has also been waged in recent conflicts involving Iran. The importance of technology to counter these threats has never been greater.
Septentrio, a Belgian company specializing in high-precision Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, possesses core technology to block increasingly sophisticated radio frequency jamming. At a demonstration at its Leuven headquarters on June 10 local time, the company's anti-jamming technology proved capable of filtering out interference signals in real time, even in split-second crisis situations. When the receiver's spectrum analysis detected jamming signals, it removed the interference and selectively restored positioning data using only legitimate signals. "We are advancing our anti-jamming technology by applying artificial intelligence analysis based on data accumulated over more than 20 years," said Bruno Bougard, vice president of Septentrio. "This is a core technology that determines security for everything from military drones to civilian robots."
Septentrio has been continuously miniaturizing its high-performance modules — the key components of its receivers — to keep pace with the trend of embedding receivers in small unmanned devices. New "G5" series modules displayed at the company's headquarters exhibition space were no larger than a thumbnail. Scheduled for release in the second half of this year with various specifications, the modules are more than 50% smaller than their predecessors. The design accounts for installation in compact devices across unmanned mobility platforms such as robots, drones, and autonomous vehicles, as well as portable terminals.
The G5 P3 module weighs just 2.2 grams and measures only 22.8 millimeters wide and 16.4 millimeters long. The latest modules also consume 40% less power than previous versions. They guarantee the low latency essential for precise control systems in unmanned devices. "In short, it's a small and lightweight solution," Bougard said. "Our unique competitive edge is the ability to deliver reliable Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning values even in environments where GNSS signals are weak."
Septentrio's high-precision positioning technology is already proving its worth across diverse industries. In French vineyards, autonomous tractors equipped with dual antennas are controlled down to the centimeter for position, direction, and tilt. Mining trucks in Norway and weeding robots in the United States also use the technology for navigating rough terrain. In Korea, the technology is applied to structural monitoring systems that detect minute vibrations and displacement in critical infrastructure such as bridges and railways. Given the frequent GPS jamming by North Korea, anti-jamming technology is considered highly valuable in the Korean context.
Above all, Septentrio's value is underscored by its partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA). The company's technology is essential to advancing Galileo, Europe's independent satellite navigation system. Septentrio has maintained a collaborative relationship with ESA for more than 25 years since 2000, participating in the design and verification of Galileo signals. Notably, the company built the first receiver to capture Galileo's inaugural signal transmitted from space. It continues to test signals each time Galileo satellites receive updates, ensuring system stability.
