Nanoveu Unlocks GPS-Free Drone Swarm Tech in Exclusive NTU License

Nanoveu’s Strategic Leap into Autonomous Drone Swarms

Nanoveu Limited (ASX – NVU) has taken a significant step forward in the autonomous drone technology space by securing an exclusive evaluation license from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore. This agreement grants Nanoveu access to four advanced inventions focused on GPS-free localisation and formation control for multi-drone swarms. These technologies promise to overcome the limitations of traditional GPS-dependent navigation, particularly in challenging environments such as indoors, underground, or urban canyons where GPS signals are unreliable or unavailable.

Innovations Driving GPS-Free Navigation

The licensed inventions combine onboard monocular vision, ultra-wideband (UWB) radio ranging, and depth-sensing cameras to enable precise drone swarm coordination without reliance on external infrastructure. Notably, the portfolio includes a monocular vision-based relative localisation method, a rotating UWB tag range-based localisation, leader-follower formation control using RGB-D cameras, and a single-anchor UWB-assisted 3D localisation technique. Together, these complementary approaches allow drones to maintain formation and navigate complex environments with minimal hardware and setup.

Synergy with Nanoveu’s ECS-DoT Control Engine

Nanoveu plans to integrate these NTU technologies with its proprietary ECS-DoT ultra-low-power control engine, which has already demonstrated significant flight endurance improvements in simulation and hardware-in-the-loop trials. By combining energy-efficient AI-driven control with robust GPS-free localisation, Nanoveu aims to create a comprehensive autonomy stack that enhances drone endurance, navigation accuracy, and swarm intelligence. This integration is expected to unlock new possibilities for logistics, industrial inspection, and consumer drone applications, especially in GPS-denied environments.

Progress and Future Outlook

Nanoveu is currently conducting live drone trials to validate the endurance and navigation benefits of the combined technologies. The company is also engaging with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and avionics suppliers to position itself as a turnkey partner in drone autonomy solutions. Additionally, Nanoveu intends to expand its intellectual property portfolio around integrated swarm autonomy frameworks, enhancing its long-term competitive advantage and licensing potential.

Commercial and Financial Considerations

The license agreement includes an evaluation period until September 2026, with an option to convert to an exclusive worldwide license subject to negotiation. Nanoveu has agreed to issue performance rights to its corporate advisor, 62 Capital Pty Ltd, tied to share price milestones. Should the option be exercised, the company will incur licensing fees and patent maintenance costs over a potential seven-year period. These arrangements underscore Nanoveu’s commitment to advancing its drone autonomy capabilities while managing financial exposure.