Nanoveu (ASX:NVU) NTU Drone Swarm IP, GPS Free Navigation Goes on Trial

Testing GPS Free Swarm Tech With NTU

Nanoveu today announced it has entered an exclusive evaluation licence with Nanyang Technological University covering four inventions focused on GPS free localisation and coordination methods for drone swarm navigation.

For investors, the key point is that this is an evaluation first, with an option to convert into exclusive rights later. In other words, this is not full ownership of the IP today, but it does give Nanoveu a defined window to test the technology and decide whether it is worth progressing into a longer term commercial arrangement.

Under the agreement, Nanoveu can use the technology until September 2026 as part of the evaluation period. During this time it must provide evaluation data back to NTU, and NTU retains ownership of the IP throughout the evaluation phase.

We reiterate our prior peer weighted valuation for Nanoveu of A$0.19 per share, implying material upside versus the current share price of A$0.079. You can view our research here

What are the Best ASX Stocks to invest in right now?

Check our buy/sell tips

Now in Evaluation Mode

After the evaluation period ends, Nanoveu then has one month to negotiate a definitive agreement if it wants to proceed. The announcement outlines “commercially reasonable” expected costs, including:

S$50,000 on signing

S$85,000 on or before 18 September 2026

S$50,000 per year thereafter for up to 7 years

Plus reimbursement of reasonable patent prosecution and maintenance costs

What this structure effectively does is cap Nanoveu’s near term commitment while it validates the inventions, but it also makes the next milestone very clear: by September 2026, the market will want evidence that the technology works in real world conditions, and that Nanoveu has a credible path to commercialisation before it steps into the longer dated payment obligations.

NTU Partnership Adds Mission Capability, Not Just Components

The technology here is about enabling multiple drones to navigate and fly in a coordinated formation without GPS, particularly in environments where GPS is unreliable or actively denied, like indoors, dense urban areas (urban canyons), or contested electromagnetic environments.

What stands out is the “infrastructure light” philosophy. Instead of relying on GPS or heavy external hardware, NTU’s approaches combine onboard sensing (like cameras), ultra wideband (UWB) ranging, and a single anchor UWB method. The value proposition is higher precision localisation and swarm coordination with lower cost and faster deployment versus legacy approaches that often require multiple anchors or extensive setup.

Nanoveu is evaluating four inventions that appear designed to work together as a stack:

1) Monocular vision based relative localisation

Each drone uses a single onboard camera to estimate relative position within the group.

Why it matters: monocular setups are cheaper and lighter than multi sensor systems, and relative localisation is often the foundation for “swarm” behaviour (keeping spacing, maintaining formation, coordinated manoeuvres).

2) Range based localisation using a rotating UWB tag

This approach changes signal geometry over time using a rotating UWB tag, which can improve ranging inference and robustness.

Why it matters: it is intended to be more resilient in cluttered environments and degraded conditions (low light, smoke, dust), and in GPS jammed settings, without needing to deploy lots of anchors.

3) Leader follower formation control using RGB D with limited field of view

A follower drone uses an RGB D camera (colour plus depth) to keep the leader in view and maintain formation.

Why it matters: depth sensing provides direct spacing cues, which can enable smoother convoy style behaviours and more stable formation keeping, with minimal external infrastructure.

4) Single anchor UWB assisted 3D localisation

This estimates 3D position using one fixed anchor plus a rotating tag and an estimation method.

Why it matters: compared with multi anchor grids, a single anchor approach can mean faster setup, lower cost, and easier redeployment for pop up sites.

Nanoveu appears to be positioning this as part of a broader autonomy stack. The idea is not just “a drone chip” or “a drone algorithm”, but a combined proposition where hardware (including the ECTdot chips) and navigation and coordination IP work together to improve flight time, navigation reliability, and swarm level intelligence.

The investor’s takeaway for NVU

Looking at the commercial side, the real value here is that it can expand the TAM.

Instead of selling “a chip that saves power”, Nanoveu can start pitching a more complete module: endurance plus GPS free navigation plus swarm behaviours. That is a far more turnkey proposition for drone OEMs and avionics suppliers, and in theory it can support larger contract sizes because the product sits closer to the mission outcome, not just a component.

That said, it is important for investors to stay grounded. This is still an evaluation and trial period over the next few months to validate the tech stack and understand what integration actually looks like in practice.

What investors will want to see next is evidence, not just intent. The company has outlined steps like building a daughterboard, engaging with OEMs, and running field trials.

All of that is directionally positive, but it also means there is still real technical execution risk between here and a commercially deployable solution.

Pitt Street Research Directors owns shares in the company discussed. This article reflects personal views and is not financial advice.