A helmet mounted navigation system for parachutists recently was introduced by Rockwell Collins, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The ParaNav is a personal, GPS-based, flight management system with a heads-up display. It provides parachutists with accurate navigation capabilities and enhanced situational awareness, allowing them to fly to their designated landing zones, says the company. The system also allows the parachutist to divert to alternate sites.
“ParaNav has proven its effectiveness in more than 100 test jumps at maximum altitudes of 28,000 feet and at temperatures of 20 degrees below zero,” says Ron Hornish, vice president and general manager of sensor systems for Rockwell Collins.
The company also announced the launch of the Polaris family of GPS receivers for the commercial market. These are similar to the GPS receivers currently used by the U.S. military. But the Polaris devices do not have the military encryption known as the Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module.
The Polaris Guide, a handheld receiver, and Polaris Link, an embeddable card, will be available for use in any federal, civilian, Department of Defense or international platforms requiring SPS real-time GPS data, says a company spokesman.