Breakthrough in technology: drones have a new navigation system without GPS
The Canadian company One Silicon Chip Photonics has developed a highly cost-effective inertial optical system that is on par with navigation sensors used in the aviation industry. The schemes developed by the company provide highly accurate navigation even without GPS signals.
Because they are completely mechanical, these circuits are ten times more accurate than the inertial measurement units of MEMS IMUs commonly used in commercial applications.
OSCP claims that the new technology will facilitate the mass adoption of their systems in applications such as autonomous ground vehicles and aircraft.
Electronics have become smaller, faster, and more efficient, but miniaturization is limited by heat dissipation in copper wiring. Replacing electrons with photons and copper with optical fibers solves this problem.
Previously, photonic technology required bulky and expensive converters to replace wires with fibers. Microphotonics and electronic components can now be integrated at the chip level, allowing all information to be transmitted over a single fiber.
Optical MEMS technology eliminates the limitations of electronics, enabling faster data transfer and higher bandwidth. OSCP develops and manufactures high-performance motion sensors using silicon photonics. These sensors use photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) to measure the acceleration and rotation of an object.
OSCP aims to fully integrate optical components into the PIC chip, reducing size, weight, and power consumption, as well as eliminating assembly costs. This integration improves system reliability, reduces optical losses, and increases device sensitivity.
OSCP has teamed up with the French company Thales, which is creating autonomous rail systems and testing its latest technologies. According to Thales, the use of sensors such as OSCP in rail transport can increase the autonomy of vehicles. This will help increase railroad capacity by up to 50% and reduce energy consumption by 15%.
“The path to full autonomy requires fundamental innovation in navigation, not more sensors and workarounds. OSCP delivers a combination of accuracy, reliability, and cost-effectiveness in an integrated photonic chip,” said Cornel Kiriak, founding partner of 2050 Capital.
