Technology In active development

How Rastella keeps position under interference.

A five-antenna array, adaptive spatial processing and receiver software we build end to end — running on board, feeding your autopilot.

The challenge

The problem with one antenna.

GNSS signals reach the antenna far below the noise floor. A conventional receiver with a single antenna hears everything, from every direction, at once — so when interference arrives, it drowns out the satellites and the receiver loses lock.

Rastella listens through five antennas instead of one. Because a signal reaches each antenna at a slightly different moment, the receiver can tell where signals come from — and treat interference differently from satellites.

Signal chain

From signal to position.

  1. 01

    Satellites

    GPS L1 C/A · Galileo E1 · BeiDou B1C

  2. 02

    Antenna array

    Five-element CRPA

  3. 03

    Multi-channel RF

    All antennas sampled together

  4. 04

    Spatial processing

    Adaptive interference suppression

  5. 05

    Acquisition & tracking

    Our own receiver software

  6. 06

    Navigation filter

    Multi-constellation position + error estimate

  7. 07

    Host system

    Autopilot or control computer

01 · Antenna array

Five antennas, one view of the sky.

Rastella uses a controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA): five elements arranged on a single plate. A signal from any direction reaches each element with a slightly different phase. Those differences are what let the receiver separate signals by direction.

  • Five elements, fixed geometry
  • All channels sampled together
  • Commercially available hardware

02 · Spatial suppression

Turn away from interference, keep the satellites.

Adaptive algorithms combine the five channels so the array becomes insensitive in the direction of the interference — a “null” — while preserving satellite signals. When the interference moves or a new source appears, the pattern adapts.

  • Adaptive algorithms that protect satellite signals
  • Suppression that follows moving sources
  • Designed to engage and recover automatically

03 · Interference awareness

Know what you are facing.

Rastella is designed not only to suppress interference but to describe it: the receiver classifies the type of interference and estimates the direction it comes from. Operators can follow it live on the monitoring dashboard.

  • Interference classification
  • Direction-of-arrival estimation
  • Live monitoring dashboard

04 · Receiver & integration

Our own receiver, on board, in your autopilot.

Acquisition, tracking and the multi-constellation navigation filter are software we write ourselves. Everything runs on board on an embedded computer, and position with its error estimate reaches the autopilot or control system as a standard GPS input.

  • Software-defined — improvements ship as updates
  • Edge processing, no cloud dependence
  • Standard GPS input for autopilots and control systems

Technical overview

Rastella at a glance.

Rastella is in active development; specifications may change. Technical details are shared with pilot partners under NDA.

Request the datasheet
Constellations & signals
GPS L1 C/A · Galileo E1 · BeiDou B1C (L1 band)
Antenna
5-element controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA)
RF front end
Multi-channel receiver, all antennas sampled together
Interference functions
Spatial suppression · classification · direction-of-arrival estimation
Processing
Fully on board, embedded edge computer
Outputs
Position and error estimate
Integration
Standard GPS input to autopilots and control systems · available today with PX4 over DDS
Tools
Live monitoring dashboard · validation tools
Status
Software in active development · not yet commercially available

Product & technology 8

01What does Rastella actually do?

Rastella is multi-constellation GNSS receiver software that works with five antennas instead of one. When interference appears, it adapts the reception pattern to ignore the interference while it keeps tracking satellites, so the platform keeps a continuous position.

02What stage is Rastella at?

Rastella is in active development, with our focus on the receiver software. It runs on our development setup, and we are looking for pilot partners to evaluate it on their own platforms.

03Does Rastella transmit anything?

No. Rastella is a passive receiver: it only listens to satellite signals and never transmits. It cannot interfere with other systems.

04Which satellite signals does it use?

GPS L1 C/A, Galileo E1 and BeiDou B1C, all in the L1 band. Tracking three constellations together gives more satellites to work with than any single system.

05What kinds of interference can it handle?

Rastella is built for interference that arrives from a direction different from the satellites — for example from a device in a nearby vehicle or faulty equipment on the ground. A five-element array can steer nulls toward a limited number of simultaneous sources; in theory, up to four.

06Does it protect against spoofing?

Rastella is designed against interference that blocks GNSS signals. Detecting counterfeit (spoofed) signals is not part of the current prototype.

07Does it also work when there is no interference?

Yes. Without interference, Rastella works as a normal multi-constellation receiver. Protection is designed to engage automatically when interference appears and to release when it ends.

08How accurate is it?

Accuracy depends on satellite visibility and the environment. Rastella is a standalone receiver and does not use RTK corrections. As a product in development, its accuracy specifications are shared with pilot partners under NDA.

Integration 6

09Does it replace my current GNSS receiver?

Yes. Rastella computes position itself and delivers it, together with an error estimate, to the autopilot as a standard GPS input.

10Which autopilots and platforms are supported?

Rastella delivers position as a standard GPS input, so it is designed to fit the autopilot or control computer you already use. Our first integration is with PX4; integrations with other autopilots, ROS-based robots and custom systems are discussed project by project.

11Does it need a cloud or internet connection?

No. All processing runs on board. Rastella keeps working with no connectivity at all.

12Can operators see what is happening?

Yes. A live monitoring dashboard shows satellite tracking, protection status, the type of interference and its estimated direction.

13What about size, weight and power?

They depend on the platform and configuration. The current prototype is built from commercially available components; size, weight and power details are discussed with each pilot partner.

14How does Rastella improve over time?

The receiver is software-defined. Improvements to acquisition, tracking and suppression reach systems in use as software updates, without changing hardware.

Pilot program 4

15Who can join the pilot program?

Drone and robot manufacturers, system integrators and operators of autonomous systems with a concrete use case. We keep the group small so we can work closely with each partner.

16What does a pilot involve?

Four steps: your application, a technical briefing under NDA, an evaluation on your platform run by your team with our remote support, and an integration plan.

17Can I get technical details?

Yes. Technical documentation and development details are shared with pilot partners under NDA.

18Is Rastella available to buy?

Not yet. Rastella is in active development and is not commercially available. Right now we are open to pilot partners for evaluation.

Pilot program — now open

See it on your platform.

Join the pilot program to receive technical documentation under NDA and help shape the product.

Apply for the pilot