Research & Training Unit for Navigational Electronics (NERTU)

The Department of Electronics (DoE), Government of India, recognizing the importance of Navigational Electronics to the country and the specific needs of the Department of Civil Aviation and the Indian Air Force, decided to create a national centre for expertise in this area. Proposals were invited, and the one submitted by the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Osmania University was selected. Thus the Research and Training Unit for Navigational Electronics (in brief NERTU) came into being on 1st April, 1982 as a sponsored project of the DoE. It continued to enjoy this status until September 1992.

In recognition of the excellent services rendered by it to the user organizations, then the Government of Andhra Pradesh has made it as permanent establishment, a research centre of Osmania University by funding its recurring expenditure. The first Advisory Committee (1982-1987) was headed by the former President of India, Bharata Ratna Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who was then the Director of Defence Research Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad. Today, NERTU is the focal point for research and training, in the frontier areas of Navigational Electronics in India. It is the first University centre to work in the area of Global Positioning System (GPS) and GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) System. Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam referred the “Development of Signal processing algorithms for NAG missile by NERTU”, in his autobiography – “Wings of Fire”.

Conducting research in the frontier areas of Navigational Electronics, Signal Processing and Communication, covering the current state-of-the art technologies. Propose the projects for funding from government agencies and industries and then execute the sponsored and consultancy projects. Publication of Research Results in Technical Reports and Journals. Presentation of Research Results in Conferences. Development of manpower in the area of Navigational Electronics, Signal Processing and Communication, by imparting training. Organizing short term courses, workshops, symposia and conferences for engineers, scientists, academicians and students at PG and PhD level. Guiding B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. students by Identifying of research topics based on the requirements of the sponsoring agencies and on-going research work at national and international level in the areas of Signal Processing, Communication and Navigation. COLLABORATION WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS

NERTU scientists are closely interacting with labs of DRDO, ISRO, CSIR labs, PSUs, government agencies and academic institutions with their collaboration in executing several projects and organizing workshops/ conferences. All the present and previous scientists of the NERTU are members and chairmen of the many Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and Critical Design Review committees of the projects executed by the labs of DRDO, ISRO and PSUs. NERTU signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Satellite Application Centre, ISRO, Ahmadabad, on 15th September 2016, on “IRNSS Navigation Receiver Field Trial and Data Collection”. Till now NERTU has executed around 10 research projects funded by ISRO.