High Tech: NovTel GPS

The NovTel GPS system is definitely something to talk about and indeed becoming quite famous as it just happened to be the GPS system riding on board of Stanford University’s Volkswagon which just happen to win the DARPA Grand Challenge and the 2-million dollar cash prize. If you will recall the DARPA Grand Challenge had over 50 challengers driving vehicles through desert course almost 200-miles long, without any driver.

The UGV Unmanned Ground Vehicle nicknamed “Stanley” averaged 19.1 miles per hour that day. Stanley completed the race with the NovAtel's Propak(R)LBplus with Omnistar HP Service for precise positioning data aboard. It worked better than all the others including super star Grad students from such notable Universities as Cal-Tech, Berkeley, Virigina Tech, Georgia Tech, MIT and Carnegie Mellon all known for their robust robotic prowess.

The NovTel Propak GPS receiver coupled with the OmniSTAR L-band signals was able to correct its movements while it drove through the tough course. The accuracy is said to be within such tight tolerances that their was no competition at that point. The system even was able to make quick transitions while coming from GPS blackouts in tunnels, without error. The winning combination is something to talk about and the NovTel Propak is indeed the system of choice and the race for robotic warfare continues.