ATLANTA, April 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MerlinTPS, a leading provider of alternative GPS technology, today announced it achieved a critical step towards GPS satellite independence during its first remote location tests. The company’s primary intent was to prove its Terrestrial Positioning System (TPS) could survive and thrive in the onslaught of electromagnetic radio frequency interference produced at the PNT Assessment Exercises, or PNTAX, in August 2023. TPS will revolutionize how to attain accurate positioning and timing information across a wide range of industry verticals, including defense and national security.
PNTAX is the Department of Defense’s PNT and communications-challenged environment, where its industry, government and academic partners experiment with technology at any readiness level, utilizing the electromagnetic spectrum to inform future requirements.
The tests conducted at PNTAX enabled the team to move to a technical readiness level 7 (TRL7) milestone, which underscores MerlinTPS’ progress towards initial operational capability. Immediate initiatives following the exercise include consolidating multiple components into an integrated board and advanced chipset while leaning into DOD development partnerships.
Assured-position, navigation and timing (A-PNT) technology seeks to minimize global navigation satellite system (GNSS) denial effects through signal manipulation and sensor fusion. MerlinTPS works independent of GNSS denial efforts and relies on existing signals of opportunity from broadcast radio, which are much harder to overpower and nearly impossible to spoof.
"The successful test at PNTAX and proving MerlinTPS’ advancement to TRL7 displayed the technology’s ability to operate during a real-life use case,” said MerlinTPS CEO Christian Kotscher. “This is a testament to our team's dedication and commitment to mission critical innovation. Our product's accuracy and capability in GPS-denied environments make it a game-changer in the world of A-PNT, unlocking opportunities in multiple business verticals in civilian and defense applications."
MerlinTPS Chief Product Officer Chris Kocks added, “The success demonstrated at PNTAX shows that our timing and positioning solution operates in extremely harsh, radio frequency-denied situations with existing broadcast signals in addition to our private network. We are partnering with an innovative RISC-V core engineering firm to miniaturize our advanced neuromorphic design and look forward to integrating our TPS solution into existing and new OEM devices focused on timing and positioning.”
Persistent Systems’ MPU5 radios provided backhaul communications throughout the exercise and performed in the face of GNSS-denial. These exercises represent MerlinTPS’ most austere and remote field tests. MerlinTPS produced better than GPS-level precision from a fully mobile system in the middle of the desert.
Nate Carlson, head of defense at MerlinTPS, was on-site during the testing and came away impressed with their radio performance saying, “MPU5 may as well have been magic. The network was absolutely zero-drama, which is critical when testing a product in development. The radios worked without fail, even sitting for hours in the desert sun in extreme conditions.”
However, this remote test is not MerlinTPS’ primary use case. In urban tests, MerlinTPS’ positioning and timing solutions proved as precise as previous tests in Los Angeles and Atlanta. The MerlinTPS team has also achieved timing precision for additional use cases, surpassing timing standards for the Smart Grid, 5G and data centers.
As MerlinTPS progresses towards full-scale deployment, the team remains committed to shaping the future of PNT technology. The recent success at PNTAX represents a crucial step forward in delivering unparalleled reliability, accuracy, and security to countless industries worldwide.
To learn more about MerlinTPS, please visit: https://merlintps.com/.
About MerlinTPS
MerlinTPS is an innovator in the field of terrestrial A-PNT solutions providing next generation GPS alternatives. With a mission to be the exquisite terrestrial PNT solution, the company's cutting-edge technologies are focused on bringing unparalleled denial-proof accuracy and precision to a wide range of timing and positioning applications across a multitude of industries. www.merlintps.com
Media Contact
Matt Greenfield
Uproar PR for MerlinTPS
mgreenfield@uproarpr.com
