Funding Origin: ESA – NAVISP-EL2
Duration: September 2023 – November 2025
Development of state-of-the-art technologies and verification platform for a new generation of multi-sensor train location system based on GNSS-IMU and video sensors.
Due to the positive results of the VOLIERA phase 1 project – Video Odometry with Lidar and EGNSS for ERTMS Applications – ESA has awarded Hitachi Rail STS in collaboration with Radiolabs a second phase of the project to build both the prototype ready for testing in a railway environment and the simulation platform to verify its performance in a virtual environment.
VOLIERA represents a radical breakthrough for the train control system based on the ERTMS standard as it improves the accuracy of train localization beyond the state of the art. At the heart of VOLIERA is a multi-sensor architecture capable of processing signals detected by video sensors with those of GNSS and IMU. On the one hand, this solution leverages the latest sensor technologies developed for the automotive industry together with those based on GNSS and IMU to develop new algorithms capable of processing the data. The goal is to determine the absolute position of the train, identification of the track on which the train is located, and a high-precision, high-integrity video-odometry system capable of operating anywhere, anytime, including tunnels, urban canyons, and stations. In addition, thanks to the video sensors it will be possible to monitor the railway line in real time beyond what is visible to the eyes of the train driver and to detect landmarks along the line.
The technologies realized with VOLIERA will enable the realization of innovative stand-alone products for train tracking along with tools for characterizing functions and verifying them on both nominal and degraded operational scenarios. The project is co-funded by the ESA NAVISP-2 program with financial contribution from ASI.
Partners:
Hitachi Rail STS S.p.A. (coordinator)
Radiolabs
Total cost: 1,300,000.00 euro
