AeroVironment has selected Rockwell Collins to provide its MicroGRAM GPS receiver for the Wasp AE small unmanned aircraft system, bringing secure, jam-resistant GPS capability to a micro UAS for the first time.
“Having secure GPS significantly reduces the possibility that the Wasp AE can be jammed or spoofed,” said Dave Schreck, director of UAS and Control Technologies for Rockwell Collins.
Launched in 2011, the MicroGRAM’s extraordinary 90 percent size reduction over its predecessor means that equipment such as small UAS, handheld radios, ruggedized field computers, laser range finders and gun sights can now be equipped with secure GPS capability.
MicroGRAM’s unique security features are the result of designing a rugged product that leverages Rockwell Collins’s strong legacy in providing Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) GPS capabilities to warfighters. MicroGRAM (GPS Receiver Application Module) is enabled by the latest generation, single-die SAASM now in production. Compared to previous SAASM GPS technology, this latest device provides significant size, weight and power reductions for micro-embedded applications.
SAASM GPS encapsulates all GPS classified data and signal processing into one tamper-proof module, providing jamming and spoofing protection for U.S. and allied forces operating in hostile environments. The MicroGRAM is another example of the company’s strong legacy in providing innovative military GPS capabilities to warfighters.
Source: Press Release