BadB moves to an active phase

The BadB project, selected for a €6 million investment by the European Defence Fund (EDF) together with the Ministries of Defence of Estonia and Finland, is now officially underway. To mark the beginning of an active phase, the consortium partners – KrattWorks, GIM Robotics, KappaZeta and RigrAI – gathered for the kick-off meeting to set clear priorities and lay the foundation for effective collaboration. From the outset, it was clear that the project is not only well prepared but also highly relevant in today’s security environment.

The challenge BadB tackles is a critical one: building resilient and robust navigation systems that do not rely on GNSS. While satellite-based navigation is central to how vehicles operate today, its vulnerabilities to jamming, spoofing, and other disruptions pose serious risks. This is especially true in modern battlefields, where UAVs and UGVs are increasingly targeted by electronic warfare. Larger platforms already use alternative navigation systems, but those solutions remain too heavy and expensive for smaller systems. BadB aims to close that gap.

Over the next two years, the consortium – bringing together expertise in UAV and UGV development, artificial intelligence, software engineering, satellite data and robotics – will focus on developing lightweight, robust, and affordable GNSS-free navigation solutions for both aerial and land-based systems.

The initial activities will include studies to update the mapping of end-user needs and to identify the requirements and standards that will shape the system design. This ensures that the solutions created will be practical and directly usable once the project is completed. In parallel, the partners are establishing strong governance structures to keep collaboration smooth and results on track.

We are looking forward to regular meetings ahead and to driving progress together according to plan.