Prototype Development and Pilot Deployment of Ground-Based Intelligent Infrastructure for Resilient Positioning, Navigation, and Timing

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), form the backbone of modern positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services. However, these space-based systems are inherently vulnerable to cyberattacks such as jamming, spoofing, as well as unintentional interference, including signal blockage, particularly in dense urban areas, indoor environments, and adversarial environments. The growing dependence on GNSS, driven by the rapid adoption of autonomous and connected systems, has exposed a single point of failure in the global PNT infrastructure. GPS signals are extremely weak at the Earth’s surface, enabling low-cost jammers or spoofers to easily disrupt receivers. In response to the 2020 Executive Order on strengthening national resilience through responsible use of PNT services signed by President Donald J. Trump, US DOT, the Department of War (DoW), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have jointly emphasized the need for complementary and backup PNT capabilities that are interoperable and independently capable of sustaining precision timing and navigation for critical infrastructure during GNSS outages or cyberattacks. The research goal is to develop and demonstrate a prototype ground-based, GPS-compatible, cyber-secure PNT architecture that can generate, synchronize, and broadcast authenticatable GPS-like signals from a network of ground-based nodes, allowing existing GPS receivers to obtain valid PNT solutions without hardware modification. This goal will be achieved through the following specific research objectives: (1) Design and generate authenticable GPS-compatible terrestrial signals that replicate the L1 C/A (coarse/acquisition) waveform while embedding virtual ephemeris and adjusted clock-offset parameters to enable accurate and PNT computation from ground transmitters. (2) Develop intelligent terrestrial nodes (at least four nodes) equipped with chip-scale atomic clocks, edge computer, and transmitters to establish a distributed ground-based PNT architecture. (3) Synchronize terrestrial nodes with a master clock using precision timing distribution techniques to maintain consistent and reliable time alignment across the network. Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning and differential methods will also be explored using the GEODNET hub within the UA network. (4) Demonstrate that an off-the-shelf GPS receiver can deliver a valid PNT solution using terrestrial signals through software-only modifications, thereby validating the practicality, backward compatibility, and deployment readiness of the proposed system.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.clemson.edu/cecas/tracr/research/projects/#prototypedevelopmentandpilotdeploymentofgroundbasedintelligentinfrastructureforresilientpositioningnavigationandtiming

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $296,963.00
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3552344812

  69A3552348317

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

  Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
  P.O. Box 870205
  Tuscaloosa, AL  United States  35487-0205

  Clemson University

  216 Lowry Hall
  Clemson, SC, SC  United States  29634
• Managing Organizations:

  National Center for Transportation Cybersecurity and Resiliency (TraCR)

  Clemson University
  Clemson, SC  United States 

  University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

  Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
  P.O. Box 870205
  Tuscaloosa, AL  United States  35487-0205
• Project Managers:

  Chowdhury, Mashrur

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

  Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
  P.O. Box 870205
  Tuscaloosa, AL  United States  35487-0205

  Clemson University

  216 Lowry Hall
  Clemson, SC, SC  United States  29634
• Principal Investigators:

  Rahman, Mizanur

  Dasgupta, Sagar

  Cheng, Long

  Bandi, Thejesh

• Start Date: 20260401
• Expected Completion Date: 20270331
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Algorithms; Autonomous vehicles; Computer security; Countermeasures; Data fusion; Detection and identification technologies; Global Positioning System; Risk assessment; Sensors
• Identifier Terms: Global Navigation Satellite System
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Security and Emergencies; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01988368
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Center for Transportation Cybersecurity and Resiliency (TraCR)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3552344812, 69A3552348317
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Apr 29 2026 4:45PM