PNT X: Our Most Powerful and Flexible PNT Simulator Ever
Positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) are critical capabilities in an ever-growing range of systems — from military drones and communications satellites, to autonomous cars and crewless container ships. Even lunar landers are now equipped with global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) receivers.
And although global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) like Global Positioning System (GPS) were once the default source of space-based PNT, we’re now seeing alternative PNT constellations launching into low earth orbit (LEO), in addition to a range of ground-based sources of PNT data. At the same time, innovation in multi-sensor positioning systems is helping to ensure maximum resilience and integrity in critical applications and environments.
PNT test needs are becoming more complex
These developments offer new opportunities for designers and integrators. At the same time, they highlight the growing criticality of PNT accuracy, integrity, and resilience.
Rigorous testing is more important than ever, but with more functionality to test, the need for specialized PNT simulators. Assessing the impact of evolving threats like jamming and spoofing requires extensive time on test ranges or the ability to realistically re-create complex threat conditions in the lab.
A next-generation PNT simulator for modern systems
To meet these needs, Keysight developed a next-generation PNT simulator that makes complex testing simpler and faster. Our platform represents decades worth of innovation in PNT testing and measurement, and was developed in collaboration with leading aerospace and defense organizations.
Four key benefits for designers, developers, and integrators
Representing a major leap in lab-based testing, the PNT X simulator offers four key benefits: powerful performance, unrivalled realism, technological simplicity, and high flexibility for testing complex threat scenarios.
Powerful performance
PNT X delivers high-fidelity emulation of current and planned signals from all GNSS constellations and augmentation systems. It supports all frequency bands and encompasses both civil and encrypted signals.
In addition, PNT X brings enhanced capacity, supporting even the most complex test scenarios with no degradation in performance. It includes out-of-the-box support for:
- New LEO PNT constellations, for integrated testing with AltNav signals alongside or in place of GNSS signals
- Custom signals supplied as in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) files, enabling the testing of future signals and devices easily and cost-effectively in the lab — accelerating innovation and time-to-market
- GPS Regional Military Protection (RMP) signals, allowing authorized users to test modernized GPS user equipment (MGUE) and integrate with RMP long before the live signals are available
Unrivalled realism
PNT X offers a wealth of new functionality to bring even more realism into testing — speeding up test cycles by enabling more testing to be done in the lab rather than the field. Standard PNT X functions include:
- Enhanced orbit modeling, allowing the unique characteristics of LEO orbits — such as perturbations caused by atmospheric drag, the inconsistent gravitational field of Earth, and the impacts of other celestial bodies — to be ultra-realistically reproduced
- New three-dimensional (3D) environment modeling capabilities, allowing test scenarios to be run in spatially realistic environments, which provides visual feedback and applies realistic obscuration and multipath signatures to any transmitter
- A new SimIQ spatial awareness capability, which reproduces user-defined signals from I/Q files and applies power levels and Doppler shifts according to scenario dynamics for realistic testing
- A fast 2 kilohertz (kHz) update rate as standard refreshes vehicle models more often during simulation — providing more accurate trajectory modeling for dynamic vehicles
Technological simplicity
Instead of investing in multiple platforms for different PNT and interference sources, engineers use this single PNT simulator to generate a vast range of signals, waveforms, and scenarios. This compact unit reduces expenditure and training, while freeing up lab space.
At the same time, our open architecture simplifies third-party integrations. This makes it easier and faster to build hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testbeds for complex test scenarios. For over-the-air testing of controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA) systems, PNT X offers a user-friendly interface that brings simplicity and control to our industry-leading CRPA test capabilities.
NAVWAR flexibility
PNT threats are evolving, with more nation states and other actors engaging in navigation warfare (NAVWAR) that can disrupt civilian and commercial operations. Today’s mission-critical vehicles and equipment may encounter deliberate jamming and spoofing in sophisticated combinations, which previously have been challenging to reproduce realistically in the lab.
PNT X brings new flexibility to jamming and spoofing simulation, with a combined high and continuous dynamic range. By enhancing the maximum output power level to accommodate high-power interference transmitters and spoofers alongside GNSS, the PNT X enables an increased jammer-to-signal (J/S) ratio suitable for realistic navigation warfare scenarios.
At the same time, a continuous dynamic range of 140 decibels (dB) can support rapid variations in signal power, enabling scenarios like a high-velocity vehicle approaching, then passing several interference transmitters at varying distances.
An industry-first platform for testing beyond GNSS
As systems move beyond GNSS, PNT X is the first platform to enable powerful, yet simple testing of complex multi-PNT systems in realistic scenarios.
PNT X offers users:
- More stringent testing with less lab technology
- Faster time to market by bringing more of the test regime into the lab
- Shorter development timescales for incorporating new sensors and signals
- Confidence that new products can be shown to perform to specification
Visit the PNT X product page to learn more.