SIGNALDefence Tech·May 21, 2026, 12:34 PMSignal75Medium term

How drones can navigate without GPS

Source: Breaking Defense

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How drones can navigate without GPS

[Sponsored] Absolute positioning is critical in contested and denied environments.

Why this matters
Why now

The increasing prevalence of drones in contested environments and the vulnerability of GPS to jamming necessitate robust alternative navigation solutions.

Why it’s important

Non-GPS navigation for drones addresses a critical weakness in modern warfare and reconnaissance, enabling operations in denied areas and enhancing resilience.

What changes

Drones become more autonomous and less reliant on vulnerable external signals, broadening their operational scope and survivability.

Winners
  • · Defence contractors
  • · AI/ML developers
  • · Military forces
  • · Anti-drone technology developers
Losers
  • · GPS-reliant systems
  • · Adversaries relying on GPS jamming
  • · Traditional C4ISR
Second-order effects
Direct

Increased mission effectiveness and survivability of drones in contested airspace.

Second

Accelerated development and adoption of advanced sensor fusion and AI for autonomous navigation.

Third

A potential shift in naval and air doctrine towards more decentralised, denial-resistant operations.

Editorial confidence: 90 / 100 · Structural impact: 60 / 100
Original report

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