As autonomous systems spread across defence, robotics, and industrial operations, a critical weakness has become increasingly clear: GPS cannot always be trusted. Signal interference, spoofing, and operations in remote environments are forcing governments and companies to look for alternative navigation technologies.
Australian deep-tech company Advanced Navigation has raised AU$158 million in a Series C funding round to build resilient navigation technology beyond GPS and expand its positioning, navigation, and autonomous systems technology globally.
The round was led by Airtree Ventures, with participation from Quadrant Private Equity and the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC). Existing investors, including Main Sequence, KKR, In-Q-Tel, Alpha Intelligence Capital, Malcolm Turnbull, and OIF Ventures, also supported the round.
The Sydney-based company said the new funding will help accelerate its international expansion, particularly in the United States and Europe, which together account for more than 80% of its revenue.
The investment will also support the creation of regional PNT (Positioning, Navigation and Timing) Centres of Excellence and potential acquisitions across robotics, photonics, artificial intelligence, vision systems, and quantum sensing.
Chris Shaw, CEO and Co-founder at Advanced Navigation, said, “As autonomous vehicles scale into contested and high-stakes frontiers, the world’s reliance on any single navigation technology has evolved from a technical limitation into a systemic vulnerability. To power the next generation of autonomous systems, Advanced Navigation is combining deep learning software with high-precision hardware to help systems conquer the extremes across sea, land, air and space.”
Technology built for GPS-denied environments
Founded in Sydney and led by Chris Shaw, Advanced Navigation develops navigation technologies that operate in environments where GPS signals may be unavailable or unreliable.
Its products are used across sectors, including defence, marine, mining, and robotics. The company says more than 100,000 of its systems have been deployed globally.
At the centre of its technology is AdNav Intelligence, a software platform that continuously combines data from multiple sensors in real time. By fusing information from multiple sources, the system enables autonomous vehicles, ships, aircraft, and robots to determine their positions and continue operating even when GPS signals degrade or disappear.
The approach reflects a broader shift toward multi-sensor navigation systems rather than dependence on a single positioning technology.
Kelland Reilly, Partner at Airtree, said, “Advanced Navigation has built the leading solution in the positioning field, and their rapid expansion into the U.S. and Europe marks a definitive shift for mission-critical industries as global demand converges around the precise use case they solve. We are excited to partner with Chris and the team as they scale into the next chapter.”
Louis Casey, Partner at Quadrant, said, “Advanced Navigation is at the forefront of autonomous systems for resilient navigation, pioneering solutions that redefine precision and reliability in defence and commercial applications. We are thrilled to partner with Chris and the team to support their accelerated global expansion.”
David Gall, CEO at National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) said: “Advanced Navigation’s inertial navigation systems (INS) technology was originally developed in Australia, and we are proud to be investing in a company that commercialises Australian research while creating highly skilled STEM and manufacturing jobs.”
“Advanced Navigation’s technology is precise, secure, reliable, and efficient, and its products are already being used in the mining, marine, and defence industries. The NRFC’s investment will help Advanced Navigation to bring its Australian-developed technology to international markets.”
“NRFC investment in Advanced Navigation will keep the company’s headquarters, core R&D, and high-precision manufacturing capabilities here in Australia, building our sovereign and defensive capabilities and paving the way for the navigational tools of the future.”
