The Evolution of GPS Technology and OneNav's Innovative Approach

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, once a staple of science fiction, is now seamlessly integrated into daily life. From package deliveries to vehicle navigation and outdoor recreation, its precision – accurate to within a few meters – is fundamental.

Despite its age, GPS is undergoing significant modernization. The U.S., alongside Europe, China, and Japan, is deploying a new generation of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) satellites. GNSS is the overarching term for systems like GPS, which specifically refers to the U.S. system.

The Shift to the L5 Band

These new satellites utilize the L5 band (1176 MHz), offering enhanced signal strength and improved accuracy. This is particularly beneficial in environments where direct line-of-sight to satellites is obstructed, such as densely populated urban areas. The L5 band was specifically “designed to meet demanding requirements for safety-of-life transportation and other high-performance applications,” according to U.S. government documentation.

Developing chips capable of efficiently processing these signals and accurately calculating coordinates presents a considerable engineering challenge. Current chipmakers largely focus on hybrid chips that combine L1 and L5 band signals.

OneNav's Singular Vision

OneNav distinguishes itself with a different product philosophy, reflected in its very name. Rather than a hybrid approach, the company is dedicated to developing chips that exclusively process L5 signals. This strategy aims to reduce costs and power consumption for devices.

The company recently announced the successful completion of a $21 million Series B funding round, led by Karim Faris at GV, Alphabet’s venture capital arm. Additional investment came from Matthew Howard at Norwest and GSR Ventures, who also participated in earlier funding rounds.

In total, OneNav has secured $33 million in capital since its founding approximately two years ago.

Experienced Leadership

CEO and co-founder Steve Poizner brings extensive experience in the location technology sector. His previous venture, SnapTrack, was acquired by Qualcomm in March 2000 for $1 billion in stock during the peak of the dot-com era.

Co-founder and CTO Paul McBurney also possesses decades of experience in GNSS technology, most recently at Apple, as indicated on his LinkedIn profile.

Focusing on the Future of GPS

The founders identified an opportunity to create a new navigation company as L5 band satellites became operational. They chose to concentrate solely on L5 technology, discarding older GPS systems. This approach results in a design that is “half the size of the old system, but much higher reliability and performance,” Poizner stated. “We are aiming to get location technology into a much broader number of products.”

Poizner draws a distinction between upgrading GPS and upgrading wireless signals. “With these L5 satellites, we don’t need the L1 satellites anymore [but] with 5G, you still need 4G,” he explained. L5 GPS improves upon previous iterations without requiring compatibility with older systems, unlike wireless technologies that often need to coexist.

Current Limitations and Future Prospects

Currently, the L5 signal is considered “pre-operational” by the U.S. government. The U.S. GPS system currently broadcasts the signal from 16 satellites, with a target of 24 for full deployment later this decade. However, other nations have already deployed L5 GNSS satellites, potentially providing sufficient coverage for consumer applications.

OneNav aspires to become “the Arm of the GNSS space.” Similar to Arm, which designs chips used in nearly all mobile phones, OneNav intends to create comprehensive designs for L5 band GPS chips. These designs can be integrated into other manufacturers’ products as a system-on-chip, enabling them to “embed a high-performance location engine based on their silicon.”

Partnership with In-Q-Tel

The company announced that In-Q-Tel, the venture capital arm of the U.S. intelligence community, will be its first design customer. This collaboration has resulted in a development contract with a U.S. government agency. Customer evaluation units are expected by the end of the year, with potential integration into end-user devices by late 2022.

Venture capitalists are increasingly investing in location tracking technologies, exploring alternatives to GPS to enhance detail and functionality. Poizner views these technologies as complementary to OneNav’s work. “The better the GPS, the less pressure on these augmentation systems,” he said, acknowledging that GPS may still be unreliable in certain environments, such as Manhattan’s downtown area or underground subway systems.

A Return to Entrepreneurship

Poizner is returning to entrepreneurship after a period of involvement in California state politics. Following the sale of SnapTrack, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the California State Assembly. He was later elected California’s insurance commissioner in 2007 under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and ran for governor in 2010, losing the Republican primary to Meg Whitman. He also sought his former position as insurance commissioner in 2018 as an independent, but was unsuccessful.

OneNav is headquartered in Palo Alto and currently employs over 30 people.