The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
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Dutch company Ampyx Power is developing flying kite-like tethered drones to harness energy directly from high-altitude wind. ESA’s NAVISP programme is supporting the company in developing a precision takeoff and landing system, allowing the drones to land automatically as needed.
Their launch and land deck will be smaller than the wingspan of the aircraft. To ensure a safe landing, high accuracy, availability and integrity of the relative positioning between aircraft and platform will be essential – able to go on operating seamlessly in case of satnav outage. ESA’s Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP), focused on future navigation technologies, is therefore working with Ampyx Power and UK tracking specialist OmniSense to develop a robust backup local positioning system. The aim is to harness ultra-wideband positioning techniques to provide 10 cm of relative positioning accuracy, updating every hundredth of a second 100 Hz with an operating range up to 1 km.