Master'sAerospace, UAM, Drones & Space Applications open

Master’s in Resilient GNSS-Free Navigation Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in resilient GNSS-free navigation engineering, structured in 12 modules covering navigation fundamentals, inertial navigation, filtering and sensor fusion, visual and terrain navigation, signals of opportunity, alternative sensors, GNSS protection, integrity and certification, aeronautical and UAS applications, and testing, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration1900 h
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma

Master’s in Resilient GNSS-Free Navigation Engineering — studying from the United States

The United States leads global aerospace, anchored by clusters in Seattle, Wichita, Hartford, Huntsville and the Houston area. Major employers such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, RTX and GE Aerospace drive demand for engineers in airframes, propulsion, avionics and systems integration. Urban air mobility and commercial drone operations are expanding quickly, creating new roles in eVTOL design, airspace integration and UAS operations. Civil and military programs both rely heavily on certified design, testing and airworthiness processes, making this a strong field for engineers seeking complex, high-impact work.

Fees for the United States: US$7,730 (US Dollars), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.

Relevant bodies in the United States

  • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
  • SAE International
  • RTCA, Inc.

Typical roles

  • Aerospace Engineer
  • Flight Test Engineer
  • Propulsion Systems Engineer
  • UAS Systems Engineer

Questions from the United States

Which professional bodies in the United States recognize engineers in aerospace, and does a private qualification help with licensing?

Aerospace engineering in the US is supported by bodies such as the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and ABET, which accredits engineering degree programs. Professional Engineer (PE) licensure is granted by individual state licensing boards, not by a federal body. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not state degrees, so they do not by themselves lead to PE licensure. Whether they are recognized for any purpose is decided by employers or the relevant professional body.

Do US employers in aerospace, drones or space value a private engineering postgraduate qualification?

Hiring in US aerospace and space companies, including defense contractors and drone firms, typically weighs accredited degrees, licenses, security clearances and hands-on experience heavily. A private online qualification is judged case by case by each employer, and its value depends on the skills it demonstrates and the candidate's track record. It should be seen as a way to build specialist knowledge rather than a guaranteed credential for any role.

Can I realistically study this from the United States while working full time, and how is it paid for?

The programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from home and no student visa is needed. A master's requires about 1,900 hours, a postgraduate diplomas about 800 hours, and specialist courses about 300 hours, so planning weekly hours is essential. Fees can be paid in instalments, and some employers sponsor staff training, which you should confirm with your own employer.

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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Understand GNSS vulnerabilities and the resilient PNT concept.

02

Model and calibrate inertial navigation systems.

03

Design multi-source sensor fusion filters.

04

Apply visual, terrain-based and signal-of-opportunity navigation.

05

Implement GNSS protection and monitoring techniques.

06

Assess the integrity of navigation solutions.

07

Validate navigation architectures through testing.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Navigation engineers.
  • PNT systems engineers.
  • Sensor fusion specialists.
  • Avionics engineers dealing with GNSS interference and contingency.
  • GNSS researchers.
  • Vehicle autonomy engineers.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the aerospace sector.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • RTCA DO-229E (MOPS for GPS/SBAS airborne equipment)
  • RTCA DO-316 (MOPS for GPS/ABAS airborne equipment)
  • RTCA DO-334 (MOPS for strapdown AHRS)
  • ICAO Doc 9613 (Performance-based Navigation Manual)
  • ICAO Doc 9849 (Global Navigation Satellite System Manual)
  • IEEE Std 952 (fibre optic gyro specification and test)
  • IEEE Std 1293 (linear accelerometer specification and test)
  • EUROCAE ED-259 (MOPS for dual-frequency multi-constellation receivers)
  • MATLAB Navigation Toolbox
  • ROS 2
  • GNSS-SDR
  • RTKLIB
  • OpenVINS
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1Reference systems and frames
  2. 1.2Navigation equations
  3. 1.3Sources of navigation error
  4. 1.4Dead reckoning
  5. 1.5GNSS constellation architectures
  6. 1.6GNSS vulnerabilities
  7. 1.7Interference and spoofing
  8. 1.8PBN performance requirements
  9. 1.9The resilient PNT concept
  10. 1.10Case study: analysis of a GNSS interference event
  1. 2.1Accelerometers and gyroscopes
  2. 2.2MEMS, FOG and RLG technologies
  3. 2.3Strapdown inertial mechanisation
  4. 2.4Sensor errors
  5. 2.5Initial alignment and gyrocompassing
  6. 2.6Drift and error growth
  7. 2.7IMU calibration
  8. 2.8Allan variance
  9. 2.9IMU grades
  10. 2.10Lab: Allan analysis of a MEMS IMU
  1. 3.1Kalman filter
  2. 3.2Extended and unscented filters
  3. 3.3Particle filter
  4. 3.4Loose, tight and deep integration
  5. 3.5Observability of filter states
  6. 3.6Error modelling
  7. 3.7Fault detection
  8. 3.8Factor graph optimisation
  9. 3.9Post-processed trajectory smoothing
  10. 3.10Practical exercise: EKF for an aided INS
  1. 4.1Monocular and stereo visual odometry
  2. 4.2Visual SLAM with loop closure
  3. 4.3Visual-inertial odometry (VIO)
  4. 4.4Map matching
  5. 4.5Camera-based terrain navigation
  6. 4.6Feature detection
  7. 4.7Stereo and depth cameras
  8. 4.8Optical flow navigation
  9. 4.9Robustness to lighting
  10. 4.10Lab: VIO with the EuRoC dataset
  1. 5.1TRN with radar altimeter
  2. 5.2TERCOM profile correlation
  3. 5.3Gravity map navigation
  4. 5.4Magnetic anomaly navigation
  5. 5.5Digital elevation models
  6. 5.6Image correlation
  7. 5.7Limitations over flat terrain
  8. 5.8Reference databases
  9. 5.9Integration with INS
  10. 5.10Practical exercise: terrain profile correlation
  1. 6.1Navigation with cellular signals
  2. 6.2Navigation with digital TV and radio
  3. 6.3Commercial LEO satellite signals
  4. 6.4eLoran long-range system
  5. 6.5DME/DME positioning
  6. 6.6Wi-Fi and beacons
  7. 6.7Celestial navigation with star trackers
  8. 6.8Pseudolites and local networks
  9. 6.9Multi-source fusion of opportunistic signals
  10. 6.10Case study: positioning with LTE stations
  1. 7.1Radar and laser altimeters
  2. 7.2LiDAR for navigation
  3. 7.3Doppler velocity radars
  4. 7.4Barometers and barometric altimetry
  5. 7.5Magnetometers and error compensation
  6. 7.6Chip-scale atomic clocks
  7. 7.7Quantum inertial navigation sensors
  8. 7.8Airspeed sensors
  9. 7.9Physical sensor integration
  10. 7.10Lab: navigation with LiDAR SLAM
  1. 8.1CRPA adaptive antennas
  2. 8.2Interference detection
  3. 8.3Signal authentication: Galileo OSNMA
  4. 8.4Spoofing detection
  5. 8.5RAIM integrity monitoring
  6. 8.6Multi-constellation and multi-frequency receivers
  7. 8.7Multipath mitigation
  8. 8.8Integrity monitoring
  9. 8.9Receiver performance standards
  10. 8.10Practical exercise: spoofing detection with C/N0 monitoring
  1. 9.1The integrity concept
  2. 9.2Horizontal and vertical protection levels
  3. 9.3Advanced RAIM (ARAIM)
  4. 9.4SBAS and EGNOS
  5. 9.5Certification requirements
  6. 9.6DO-229 and DO-316 standards
  7. 9.7Safety analysis
  8. 9.8Algorithm verification
  9. 9.9Degraded mode management
  10. 9.10Case study: integrity requirements for an approach
  1. 10.1GNSS-free navigation in UAS
  2. 10.2Indoor operations
  3. 10.3Navigation in urban environments
  4. 10.4Commercial aviation under interference
  5. 10.5Navigation contingency plan
  6. 10.6Navigation in space
  7. 10.7Underwater vehicle navigation
  8. 10.8Agriculture and mining
  9. 10.9Industry trends in PNT
  10. 10.10Workshop: navigation architecture for indoor UAS
  1. 11.1GNSS signal simulators
  2. 11.2Anechoic chamber testing
  3. 11.3Flight testing
  4. 11.4Reference datasets
  5. 11.5Performance metrics
  6. 11.6Testing in controlled environments
  7. 11.7Licence management for interference testing
  8. 11.8Analysis of results
  9. 11.9Test documentation
  10. 11.10Practical exercise: test campaign with a GNSS simulator
  1. 12.1Definition of the GNSS-denied scenario
  2. 12.2Navigation requirements
  3. 12.3Sensor selection
  4. 12.4Fusion architecture
  5. 12.5Algorithm implementation
  6. 12.6Performance evaluation
  7. 12.7Integrity analysis
  8. 12.8Validation plan
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

The programme is delivered 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so you can combine it with your job.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB Navigation Toolbox, ROS 2, GNSS-SDR, RTKLIB and OpenVINS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real procedures: GNSS signal simulator campaigns, visual-inertial navigation in UAS and spoofing detection tests. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: RTCA DO-229E, RTCA DO-316, RTCA DO-334, ICAO Doc 9613 PBN Manual, ICAO Doc 9849 GNSS Manual, IEEE Std 952, IEEE Std 1293, EUROCAE ED-259.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of RTCA DO-229E, DO-316, DO-334 and ICAO Doc 9613 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:MATLAB Navigation Toolbox, ROS 2, GNSS-SDR, RTKLIB and OpenVINS, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:A resilient navigation architecture for a GNSS-denied scenario, from sensor selection to integrity analysis and validation plan, defended before a panel.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

IMU characterisation
Characterise a MEMS IMU with Allan variance analysis.
Aided INS filter
Implement an EKF for an aided inertial navigation system.
Visual-inertial navigation
Run VIO on the EuRoC dataset and LiDAR SLAM navigation.
Spoofing detection campaign
Detect spoofing with C/N0 monitoring in a GNSS simulator test campaign.
Master's Thesis
Design and evaluate a resilient navigation architecture for a GNSS-denied scenario, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Navigation engineerPNT systems engineerSensor fusion specialistAvionics engineerGNSS researcherVehicle autonomy engineer
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with MATLAB Navigation Toolbox, ROS 2, GNSS-SDR, RTKLIB and OpenVINS, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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