MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. Russian specialists have tested a prototype of the Ariadna ultra-precise non-satellite positioning and navigation system, and the patent application has been filed, the National Technology Initiative (NTI) Project Support Fund told TASS.
"The prototype of the Ariadna ultra-precise non-satellite positioning and navigation system has successfully passed tests, and the invention registration application has been filed. The technology is based on ground base stations - radio beacons that transmit coordinates to receivers on board drones and other vehicles. The system corrects geolocation without satellite communication using a proprietary calculation algorithm," the organization reported.
The NTI Fund specified that, unlike other domestic solutions and foreign analogues, the technology offers precise positioning of up to 15-20 cm. "The developers say that the solution provides accuracy eight times higher than that of the GPS system and can ensure protection against spoofed signals and intentional jamming," the organization added.
According to Yevgeny Mandelshtam, founder of NTI Fund’s advanced portfolio company, high positioning accuracy will enhance autonomy of navigation, including the control of ground and aerial drones. "It will enable agricultural drones and combine harvesters to perform high-quality work with centimeter-level accuracy while moving. Our project strengthens our technological leadership and develops sovereign navigation for uncrewed aerial vehicles. Using Ariadna’s beacons, drones will be able to perform aerial cargo deliveries and form a "drone highway" for autonomous logistics. People will also have reliable online maps and navigation services—even when security services jam GPS to protect against intruder drones," Mandelshtam said.
The organization also said that the technological solution is universal and suitable for adjusting navigation data, organizing aeronautical logistics and swarm control, and agricultural work. The components and software are 100% Russian-made. "The technology is undergoing modification before being piloted in 2026. The company plans the system’s pilot launch in one region under an experimental legal regime. It intends to integrate the technology into a major agro-industrial company of the country," the NTI Fund said.