Elena Geo Systems, a Bengaluru-based space startup incubated in IIT-Kharagpur, has unveiled an indigenously designed NavIC chip that can use India’s navigation satellite system to provide positioning services. The chip can have applications in civilian and defence sectors. The chip that could form the core of navigation works using navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) or the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) satellites.
Lt. Col. V.S. Velan (retd.), founder and Chief Technology Officer of Elena Geo Systems, formally handed over a chip to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, while Mr Nitin Gokhale Editor Bharatshakti.in and StratnewsGlobal handed over another chip to the Secy, Department of Defence R&D & Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat at the Defence Space Symposium organized by Indian Space Association (ISpA) on Thursday in the capital.
“We are thrilled to present India’s first fully designed and developed NavIC chip. As India moves ahead with its space policy, we feel this is an opportune time to use a truly Indian product. The processor will give India a huge edge as the government and private sector can move away from dependence on the American Global Positioning System (GPS). Elena is in the process of patenting the technology and product our dedicated R&D team has developed,” Lt. Col. Velan said.
The tiny size, ultra-low power requirement and software-based control make the NavIC chip suitable for use in mobiles, handheld devices and wearables with applications ranging from tracking school buses to weapons systems.
The multi-frequency and multi-constellation GNSS chip/processor, developed specifically for NavIC, is compact and easy to integrate into any GNSS circuit and provides continuous coverage and high-accuracy reception to the user. Based on a unique algorithm for use across India and neighbouring areas/countries, Elena’s chip conforms to the requirements laid down by ISRO for IRNSS/NavIC signal reception, Velan said.
Besides, the military-grade chip/processor can be used in various land, air and water applications. The chip can be used in handheld devices for defence forces, operational logistics, ships, submarines, radars and drones, and artillery weapons and weapons platforms.
Elena also displayed its NavIC Atomic Clock, which provides high precision and stable time reference to users. The NavIC system uses ISRO-maintained highly accurate atomic clocks at its Bengaluru navigation centre. The reference for these clocks is taken to synchronise the atomic clocks on NavIC satellites, and the time information from these clocks is transmitted for use in timing and synchronising circuits. Since NavIC signals are stable and continuous, Elena’s clock can also be used for most indoor applications.
At a time when many commonly used communication services have become fully dependent on accurate tracking information, the Elena chip can be used for intelligent tracking of public works, ambulance services, mining, transport corporations, warehousing, public health, civil supplies and fishing management, among others. Elena demonstrated its first processor in April 2019, which could receive and process NavIC S-band, L5 band, GAGAN, GPS and GLONASS (Russian) signals. In the last two years, Elena successfully demonstrated its capability across devices and applications for reference stations, a DSM map display system with IRNSS for the Army, a map display system for patrol boats, marine NavIC receivers, intelligent vehicle tracking devices, NavIC drone navigation units and NavICbased atomic clock. The latest addition to Elena’s bouquet of devices is the NavIC chip/processor ELNCE1A, made using 12-nanometer technology.
Team BharatShakti
