In an interview with Geospatial World, Michael Raam, CEO of etherWhere explains the challenges, solutions and etherWhere’s future directions.
etherWhere offers low-power geolocation solutions with many patented technologies for a variety of applications including wearables, asset and livestock tracking, avionics and automotive. Recently, etherWhere raised funding of $16.3 Million led by Cambium Capital, Walden International and a US-based strategic investor.
What are the existing challenges in GNSS technology around the globe?
The invention of GNSS enabled a plethora of new and exciting applications and use cases, but the demanding nature of these applications has encountered cracks and shortcomings in the traditional architecture of GNSS over time.
Examples include car navigation in urban environments where multipath interference makes positioning and navigation challenging. Battery-operated tracking devices require very low power and innovative solutions to push the device’s life beyond 3-5 years.
The field of avionics and the military are witnessing tremendous jamming and spoofing of the GNSS signal in many theatres around the world, even in areas where there are no conflicts. Another use case of GNSS technology is in precise timing where networks, wired or wireless, are reliant on accurate and low jitter, jamming and spoofing proof reference clocks.
At etherWhere, we have innovative technologies and patents to address many of the above uses with point solutions. Many of these solutions require some type of customization to optimize customer experience and etherWhere offers this expertise.
With so many cases of jamming, spoofing and manipulating the GNSS receivers, how can modern technology help in finding a long-term solution?
Jamming and spoofing of GNSS signals has become more of an issue in recent years due to global conflicts. These battles have created issues not only for military assets but also for commercial avionics. etherWhere has two solutions to resolve the jamming of GNSS signals.
The first is a patented adaptive multi-antenna ArrayNav technology that drastically reduces jamming and eliminates multipath and increases channel-to-noise ratio even beyond what CRPA technology is capable of.
The second solution etherWhere is working on is a Hybrid-Constellation technology where in addition to the 4 main GNSS constellations, the technology also detects and processes commercial LEO satellite Signal of Opportunity (SOP) to create redundancy and resilience. These LEO satellite systems have an order of magnitude stronger signal that penetrates, even in some indoor environments.
The combination of ArrayNav and Hybrid-Constellation provides anti-jamming, anti-spoofing, resilient and redundant PNT solutions for defence as well as commercial applications. These product offerings from etherWhere can be cost-optimized, based on the requirements of each application, such as automotive, avionics, commercial drones, etc.
How can nations develop resilient PNT solutions for mission-critical infrastructure?
For mission-critical applications, nations need to develop solutions that are not dependent on a single technology. Relying on one satellite system for PNT is susceptible to jamming and destruction.
Redundancy and resilience are key to protecting the infrastructure. Employing anti-jamming technology and engaging multiple GNSS and commercial satellite systems drastically improves the odds of a functioning infrastructure, even in the presence of malign activities.
Tell us about AccuWhere Cloud technology, its unique solution and how are you planning to spend the recent investments?
The patented AccuWhere Cloud is an all-inclusive cloud offering. Unlike other existing cloud solutions, AccuWhere is not dependent on additional sources of information.
The net result is ease of use for the end customer, benefiting from faster Time to First Fix, lower battery consumption, and higher sensitivity.
etherWhere is dedicated to innovation and improving customer experience. Most of the funds raised will be deployed towards realizing the rich roadmap of next-generation products involving low-power performance silicon, multi-antenna technology and widespread use of the AccuWhere cloud.
