China has completed a national science and technology assessment of a high-precision positioning, navigation, and control system for large underground spaces, marking what Chinese authorities describe as an original achievement in ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning technology. The project was led by the State Key Laboratory of Integrated Space-Time Networks and Equipment Technology at the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) Network Communication Research Institute.
The project addresses the challenges of positioning and autonomous navigation in underground environments, where satellite navigation signals cannot penetrate soil, concrete, or metal structures. Narrow passages, extensive shielding, metal equipment, and dust can also severely interfere with wireless signals, creating highly challenging electromagnetic conditions.
The research team developed a digital-twin channel-modeling method that combines real-time data collection with offline model optimization. The technology creates a detailed map of the underground wireless environment, capturing signal power, propagation delays, and transmission directions to characterize the complex propagation of UWB signals. The team also developed a scalable space-time information network that can expand from a single-station system to city-scale deployment. Tests showed that the system can support up to 69,894 positioning nodes, with more than 23,675 nodes capable of simultaneous positioning.
The team also developed China’s first fully domestically controlled “Tanjie 100” pulse-positioning chip based on its proprietary signal architecture. Compared with international standard systems, the chip reportedly provides higher precision, longer range, and greater capacity for adaptive one-, two-, and three-dimensional positioning. The technology has been deployed and tested in underground facilities in Xiong’an and at a large coal mine, providing technical support for underground development and intelligent transformation.
Source: People’s Daily, September 21, 2026
http://finance.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0921/c1004-40802925.html