Navigating without a Navigator – A Review of Positioning and Navigation Technologies for UAVs

Terry Moore

Abstract:	Positioning and navigation technologies have been a key enabler for the growth in use of both military and civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Whether the aircraft are remotely piloted or truly autonomous, positioning and guidance are fundamental to their safe and efficient operation. UAVs now vary in scale from large military aircraft down to micro UAVs weighing only a few grammes. This variety of scale means that different technologies are required, and introduces special challenges as the aircraft becomes smaller and lighter. There are also many situations when it will not be possible to simply rely on GNSS-based positioning (such as in urban environments or indoor) and alternative technologies must be used, whilst still maintaining continuous, and more importantly safe, operation. This paper will review the current and proposed approaches to positioning and navigating UAVs.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 30th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2017) September 25 - 29, 2017 Oregon Convention Center Portland, Oregon
Pages:	2304 - 2320
Cite this article:	Moore, Terry, "Navigating without a Navigator – A Review of Positioning and Navigation Technologies for UAVs," Proceedings of the 30th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2017), Portland, Oregon, September 2017, pp. 2304-2320. https://doi.org/10.33012/2017.15159
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