Professor Zak Kassas is a global leader in resilient and alternative PNT. He directs the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Center for Automated Vehicle Research with Multimodal AssurEd Navigation (CARMEN+) and leads the Autonomous Systems Perception, Intelligence & Navigation (ASPIN) Lab at The Ohio State University.
Professor Kassas discusses his research on using non-cooperative Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, such as Starlink and OneWeb, for navigation and positioning services. Despite being designed for communication, their signals can be exploited for GPS-like functions. Kassas highlighted overcoming challenges like ephemeris errors and synchronization issues, enabling navigation of drones, vehicles, and ships. Starlink’s potential entry into the PNT market was noted, with Elon Musk’s initial reluctance and subsequent FCC inquiry. By 2030, 50,000 LEO satellites are projected, impacting the GPS market, particularly in UAVs, aviation, and self-driving cars. We also touched on regional service availability and the resilience of such systems.
His research focuses on navigation in GNSS-challenged environments via signals of opportunity, cognitive sensing, and intelligent transportation systems. A Fellow of IEEE and the Institute of Navigation, Professor Kassas has authored over 200 publications and holds multiple patents. He was awarded by President Biden the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers; the IEEE AESS Richard Kershner Award for pioneering contributions to the theory and practice of PNT with terrestrial and non-terrestrial signals of opportunity, and more than 50 scientific and governmental awards. He was ranked as the top scholar in the world in the field of Navigation. His research has attracted more than $28M in competitive grants, has been featured in dozens of international media outlets, and has shaped government programs, policies, and investments.
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