GPS technology developer oneNav has announced a significant breakthrough in real-world testing that highlights the resilience of its L5-direct™ technology against widespread GPS interference.
Conducted in and around Haifa, Israel, this pioneering study tested the performance of GPS receivers in leading smartphones and smartwatches—an unprecedented evaluation in an active conflict zone.
The test compared oneNav’s L5-direct™ GPS receiver with those in iPhones, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel smartphones, and Garmin watches. While the other receivers failed to provide accurate location data due to GPS interference, oneNav’s L5-direct™ technology maintained precise location fixes even amidst active jamming and spoofing.
The resilience of L5-direct™ stems from its ability to directly access the advanced L5 band of GPS signals, bypassing the outdated L1 signals that have been in use for over 50 years. Current commercial GPS receivers, including those in smartphones, car navigation systems, and airplanes, rely on a hybrid system that first acquires L1 signals before processing the L5 band. Consequently, these devices are vulnerable to interference on the L1 band, which has been targeted in Israel and globally.
The L5 band offers significant advantages over L1, including 30 times greater resistance to jamming and superior performance in challenging environments like urban canyons and densely wooded areas. This advancement in GPS technology has the potential to greatly enhance navigation for essential devices and industries.
Steve Poizner, CEO of oneNav, stated, “We now have clear, indisputable evidence that L5-direct™ can withstand widespread GPS jamming and deliver precise location data in contested environments. This test validates the transformative potential of our technology for both civilian and military applications, both in Israel and worldwide.”
While the tests were conducted in Israel, the global impact of GPS interference is significant. The increasing use of GPS-jamming technology by adversaries, such as Russia’s actions in Ukraine and its interference with over 46,000 flights across Europe, underscores the need for more resilient GPS systems. An April 2024 field study by oneNav confirmed that the L5 band remained unaffected by Russian L1 jamming efforts.
Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery (Ret.), Advisory Board Member at oneNav and Senior Director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, emphasized the urgency of modernizing GPS technology: “As our adversaries’ jamming capabilities evolve, the need to advance our GPS technology is more critical than ever. The evidence from oneNav’s field study demonstrates that the U.S. possesses the technology to counter these threats, and it’s crucial that we implement it.”
oneNav’s IP core is now available for evaluation and integration by select chip developers, with its low-SWaP (space, weight, and power) chips and modules set to be available soon. The L5-direct™ technology is compatible with global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) including GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, and others.
