Raptor vision-based software program merchandise use Maxar’s distinctive international 3D information to ship a breakthrough terrain-based positioning system for drone navigation and sensemaking in GPS-denied environments
WESTMINSTER, Colo. – Maxar Intelligence, the main supplier of safe, exact geospatial insights, as we speak launched Raptor, a robust software program suite that allows autonomous drones to navigate and extract correct floor coordinates within the absence of GPS. This expertise transforms the resilience and reliability of unmanned programs, enabling autonomy at scale throughout warfighting, humanitarian and industrial operations for purchasers the world over.
Designed for light-weight integration with any autonomous platform, Raptor merchandise use solely a drone’s native digicam and Maxar’s 90 million-plus sq km of worldwide 3D terrain information to assist the platform navigate with excessive precision and extract correct floor coordinates in real-time with out GPS. Raptor may function at night time and in low-terrain environments. No extra {hardware} required.
“By eliminating reliance on GPS, Raptor software program unlocks the complete potential of autonomous programs—from powering actually joint multi-domain operations as a part of a digital battlefield to large-scale supply programs in city areas the place realizing the exact coordinates of your drop-off location is crucial to getting the job carried out,” mentioned Peter Wilczynski, Chief Product Officer at Maxar Intelligence. “Raptor will change the sport for purchasers throughout the protection and industrial sectors. This software program makes use of Maxar’s distinctive 3D international terrain information to make sure that autonomous programs get the job carried out regardless of how a lot GPS interference they face.”

This picture reveals how Raptor Information permits an autonomous system to navigate with precision even with out GPS. The inexperienced line represents the drone’s true location in the true world on a particular flight path. The purple line reveals the placement info despatched by the drone with out GPS and with out utilizing Information. The yellow line reveals the placement info despatched by the drone when utilizing Raptor Information with out GPS. You may see it delivers a much more correct studying with Raptor Information, which might make sure that the platform is navigating with extra precision.

The Raptor suite of software program options consists of:
- Raptor Information: Imaginative and prescient-based positioning software program loaded immediately onto an autonomous platform to find out its aerial place at a demonstrated absolute accuracy of <10 m RMSE.
- Raptor Sync: Software program that georegisters the complete movement video feed from the drone’s on-board digicam with Maxar’s 3D terrain information in real-time, enabling intelligence fusion, multi-domain interoperability throughout completely different sensors and correct floor coordinate extraction at a demonstrated absolute accuracy of <3 m.
- Raptor Ace: Software program answer put in on commodity laptop computer tools that works alongside drone controllers, enabling operators to extract real-time goal floor coordinates from full-motion aerial video feeds with a demonstrated absolute accuracy of <3 m.
Raptor represents a basically new answer available on the market, offering vital benefits over most visual-based navigation alternate options:
- Value- and power-efficient: Raptor software program merchandise are deployable on off-the-shelf {hardware} and require minimal preliminary integration. Different navigation options usually require extra {hardware}.
- Delivers towards advanced mission profiles: Constructed on a real 3D illustration of the operational terrain, Raptor merchandise function at night time, in any season, and at altitudes as little as 120 m. Maxar’s 3D international terrain information is often up to date.
- Allows autonomy at scale: As a result of Raptor software program anchors sensor information towards a typical geospatial basis and works with current drone cameras, the expertise makes it attainable for various unmanned programs to work collectively for joint operations whatever the software program or {hardware} platform.
- Works on current cameras: A devoted downward-facing digicam consumes treasured payload area and provides to the platform’s weight and energy consumption. Raptor software program works with the UAS’s current optics, together with each ahead and side-looking cameras.
About Maxar Intelligence
Maxar Intelligence is a number one supplier of safe, exact geospatial insights. Working probably the most superior industrial Earth commentary constellation on orbit, we use the facility of very high-resolution satellite tv for pc imagery and software program expertise to ship mission success on Earth and in area. Our safe, AI-powered services ship floor reality in close to real-time to maintain nations protected, enhance navigation, defend our planet, pace up catastrophe response and extra. For extra info, go to www.maxar.com.
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