E60 – GPS-Free Navigation

How do systems operate when GPS disappears?
Mike sits down with Kara Kramer, Vice President ofRaptor Sales at Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence), to discuss one of the most important challenges facing modern autonomous systems: operating when GPS is jammed, spoofed, or completely unavailable.

We discuss vision-based navigation (VBN), 3D geospatialintelligence, and why resilient autonomy depends on more than just the drone itself. From electronic warfare to contested operations, this conversation examines how software and spatial intelligence are enabling unmanned operations, and Vantor’s unique approach.
This isn’t just about navigation—coordinate generation and targeting elements are equally important.
Topics include:
• Vision-based navigation
• 3D geospatial intelligence
• Targeting without GPS

BONUS: Kara also shares her professional journey and how she got into the defense industry!

Whether you're building autonomous systems, working indefense technology, or simply interested in where drone technology is headed, this episode provides an inside look at one of the fastest-moving areas in aerospace.
TOGETHER WITH VANTOR.

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE to get more intel on defense tech, news, and happenings.

Links
• Sign up for the newsletter⁠ (themerge.co)!
• Support us on ⁠Patreon⁠ (patreon.com/the_merge)!
• Vantor home page (vantor.com)
• Vantor Raptor product page (vantor.com/product/mission-solutions/raptor)
• Raptor inquiries (vantor.com/product/mission-solutions/raptor-form)
• Vantor on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/vantortech)
• Kara Kramer on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/kara-kramer-5921275)

----
Follow us on...
• LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/themerge)
• Instagram⁠ (instagram.com/merge_newsletter)
• ⁠X⁠ (x.com/MergeNewsletter)
• ⁠Facebook⁠ (facebook.com/themergenews)
• ⁠Website⁠ (themerge.co)
----
00:00
00:01:11 intro
00:01:54 Vantor history
00:03:26 Raptor origins
00:03:59 Vantor backstory
00:05:39 The SpaceX of VBN
00:06:32 Raptor VBN
00:10:11 issues with GPS
00:12:44 pre-GPS terrain nav
00:13:46 the Hub
00:15:20 no hardware?
00:17:57 how it all works
00:20:47 geo-registered coordinates
00:26:27 Kara's journey in defense
00:28:24 Vantor in Drone Dominance
00:35:19 Vantor partnerships
00:39:02 contrarian takes
00:40:37 fast cheap good triangle
00:42:01 final thoughts

#defensetech #dronetechnology #autonomy #gps #jamming #electronicwarfare #uas #drones #militarytechnology #geospatial #navigation #navigation #pnt #isr #aerospace #defenseinnovation #nationalsecurity #intelligence #intel #military