Denied Areas – Indoor-Positioning

While positioning with Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS is an omnipresent technology, it reaches its limits within buildings. However, rescue teams/helpers have to orientate themselves as well as share their position rapidly and independent of installed building technology (e.g. WiFi, Bluetooth, ultra-wideband technology).

Testing a prototype for positional accuracy

In R&D Project Denied Areas, the BKG is working to determine the location of first responders in areas without GNSS signals or other known infrastructure for position determination. The research approach involves small-format inertial navigation systems consisting of several sensors for acceleration and rotation rate as well as smartphone-based systems. These systems record the movement of personnel in space to determine their position. Data from additional sensors improves the accuracy and reliability of the position information.

In addition, federal emergency services do not work alone, but in cooperation with many other participants (e.g., fire departments, technical relief services, disaster control). The operational command centers of all participants must exchange the latest information as quickly as possible so that everyone has the same level of knowledge to make decisions. Geoinformation plays an important role in this!

Recorded path within a building

Another project goal is to reliably record and share position information in real time with all parties involved. Investigations are underway into situations where current data transmission technologies are inadequate. These situations include underground parking garages, subway stations, and tunnels. As part of the project, suitable methods of digital data transmission are being tested under realistic conditions.

Download and evaluation of data from a test run of the helmet-mounted prototype

With the Denied Areas project, the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy is building up knowledge in forward-looking technologies in the field of positioning in critical environments. This enables it to provide advisory support to federal employees.