ANELLO Photonics Brings High-Precision GPS-Denied Navigation to Construction Equipment with GROUND INS and GROUND IMU

Silicon photonics-based inertial navigation technology enables precise machine control, automation and navigation in challenging construction environments.

ANELLO Photonics, the creator of the Silicon Photonics Optical Gyroscope (SiPhOG™) and a leader in solid-state, high-precision inertial navigation systems, is bringing its silicon photonics-based inertial navigation technology to the construction industry with the ANELLO GROUND INS and ANELLO GROUND IMU.

ANELLO Photonics’ technologies are designed for demanding environments where Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals can be blocked, degraded or are unreliable. The two ANELLO systems provide construction equipment manufacturers and technology developers with high-performance motion, orientation, and navigation capabilities for the next generation of intelligent and autonomous equipment operating in GPS-denied environments.

Autonomous heavy machinery can improve safety, address skilled labor shortages, and keep construction projects on schedule. But buildings, bridges, tunnels, and heavy equipment can obstruct GNSS signals, reducing machine precision and disrupting autonomous operations when reliable positioning matters most.

The ANELLO Photonics GROUND INS and GROUND IMU provide high-performance navigation and inertial sensing when GNSS is degraded or unavailable, enabling reliable machine control, excavation, grading, paving, surveying, and autonomous operation in challenging construction environments.

ANELLO GROUND INS

The ANELLO GROUND INS combines high-performance optical gyroscope technology with ANELLO’s AI-based sensor fusion engine to deliver precise, continuous positioning and orientation even when GPS is unavailable or unreliable. Engineered for sustained operation in GPS-denied environments, the unit maintains exceptional heading stability and navigation accuracy without relying on external position corrections, achieving position error drift of approximately 0.1–0.2% of distance traveled over one hour of operation.

Built for deployment in demanding ground environments, the ruggedized, IP68-rated system is designed to withstand shock, vibration, and thermal gradients while providing protection against water, dust, salt spray, and chemical exposure. Its compact, robust design enables ground vehicles, autonomous platforms, and heavy equipment to maintain reliable navigation and positioning in harsh environments where GPS can’t be trusted.

ANELLO GROUND IMU

The ANELLO GROUND IMU brings high-performance optical inertial sensing to the world’s most demanding ground applications. Powered by ANELLO Optical Gyroscope Technology, this ruggedized 6-DoF inertial measurement unit delivers reliable motion and orientation data across harsh operating environments, including shock, vibration, and extreme thermal gradients. An integrated AHRS provides real-time roll, pitch, and yaw, while its IP68-rated enclosure protects against water, dust, salt spray, and chemical exposure. With a compact footprint and just 2.5 W typical power consumption, the ANELLO GROUND IMU enables construction equipment, robotic platforms, and autonomous systems to integrate precision inertial sensing without compromising size, power, or durability.

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT APPLICATIONS

·         Excavation and grading: Precise machine positioning and control for excavators, dozers, graders, and other earthmoving equipment.

·         Paving and road construction: Accurate machine guidance for pavers, milling machines, and other road-construction equipment.

·         Compaction: Reliable position and orientation data for rollers and compactors to support consistent coverage and automated operation.

·         Trenching and utility construction: Precise machine guidance for excavation and installation work, including areas where GNSS visibility may be obstructed.

·         Tunnel and indoor construction: Continuous positioning and orientation where GNSS is degraded, intermittent, or completely unavailable.

·         Building and bridge construction: Reliable navigation and machine orientation around large structures that can obstruct or degrade GNSS signals.

Autonomous and semi-autonomous machinery: High-performance inertial data to support automated excavation, grading, hauling, and material-handling operations.

·         Surveying and mapping: Position and orientation data to support site mapping, progress monitoring, and machine-mounted sensing systems. Safety and machine awareness: Real-time motion and orientation data to support equipment monitoring and situational-awareness systems.

·         Construction-site logistics and material handling: Navigation for loaders, haulers, telehandlers, and other mobile equipment operating around buildings, stockpiles, and heavy machinery.

ANELLO GROUND INS and GROUND IMU bring high-performance inertial navigation and sensing to the next generation of construction equipment—powering smarter, more autonomous machines built to perform in the world’s toughest jobsite environments.

About ANELLO Photonics

ANELLO Photonics is a leading-edge technology company based in Santa Clara, CA. The company has developed the ANELLO SiPhOG™ - Silicon Photonics Optical Gyroscope - based on integrated photonic system-on-chip technology. ANELLO’s technology portfolio spans over 80 issued or pending patents, and also includes an AI-based sensor fusion engine.

ANELLO® and SiPhOG™ are registered trademarks of ANELLO Photonics.

Learn more at https://www.anellophotonics.com/