Leonardo and Telespazio have completed a proof-of-concept project with the Italian startup Raysilience aimed at providing backup navigation for unmanned aerial vehicles operating without GNSS signals. The “Backup Solution for GNSS-Denied Navigation” project stemmed from Raysilience’s win of the Test-It prize at the 2024 T-TeC (Telespazio Technology Contest), Leonardo and Telespazio’s open innovation competition for university students and young researchers in the space sector. The win came with funding for a proof of concept backed by Leonardo, which supported the project’s development and testing. The company said all planned deliverables were completed, validating Raysilience’s approach and demonstrating a Visual Positioning System (VPS) capable of delivering reliable positioning without GNSS. Leonardo said the results point toward broader use in UAV navigation and other scenarios where positioning continuity and resilience are required.