Design of an embedded UWB hardware platform for navigation in GPS denied environments

Autonomy of vehicles is a widely discussed topic, increasing the need for low power, inexpensive and precise localization and navigation. Due to ongoing research and standardization in last decades, ultra-wideband (UWB) based localization technology is more and more ready for large scale usage. In this paper we propose an embedded UWB localization system, consisting of an inexpensive, low power hardware platform deploying an IEEE 802.15.4a-2011 UWB-PHY standard conform RF chip, enabling communication and localization, a software framework, and localization algorithms. The key contribution of the paper is this system concept and experimental results using a developed system in an underground parking garage. Within this system evaluation we show in an accuracy analysis an achievable positioning error of around 30 cm. Furthermore we show the useage of such an UBW localization system in an use case near scenario.