The department of Navigation and Control is the former department of Detection and Guidance in the school of Electronics Engineering. By integrating the former research team engaging in navigation, precision guidance, target detection and system control, the new education unit is formed under the management of SAST. The department is responsible for the constructions of disciplines for the undergraduate major of detection, guidance and control technology, also for the construction of characteristic specialties of Shaanxi province. Moreover, in order to increase cohesion of the research team and doing research in the navigation, guidance, detection and control, the institute of Navigation and Control is established and associated with the department.

Since 1960s of the last century, the former department of Detection and Guidance was committed to doing scientific research for the national defense construction. The department has participated in manufacturing and renovating multiple generations of radars. It also hosts the national 863 projects, national defense pre-research projects, the national major projects on the emerging technology of navigation and its applications, and the national natural science foundation. Besides these national projects, the department cooperates with enterprises and institutions on dozens of horizontal projects on solving hard problems. So far the department has won several teaching and researching prizes at the provincial and ministerial-level, and it has built up good and long-term relationship with the related units such as the ministries and commissions, factories and research institutions, as well as corporations. The department has signed contracts to build up the branch center of the Satellite Navigation System attached to the Satellite Navigation Joint Research Center of the state ministry of education. It also cooperates with the 20 Research Institute of the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) to establish the Joint Research Centre of Navigation Engineering and Technology for Shaanxi province.

In recent years, besides constructing disciplines for the undergraduate specialty named the technologies of detection, guidance and control, the department staffs have played their strength in the solid abilities in both software and hardware domains. Their research work is involved with many fields related to computer science. The department enjoys high reputation in both on-campus and off-campus research institutions, and it is rated as the advanced research unit at the university level for several times. The navigation department is also well-recognized by its comprehensive abilities and good working environment.

The department is backed 10 faculty members who have strong research and professional expertise. Among them, one faculty is the member of the steering committee of the ministry of education, the expert in panel of the major special project of the ministry of education on navigation. So far, the department has 2 Ph.D. supervisors. 3 faculty members are at the rank of associate professors and above, and 6 faculties are doctor degree holders.

The department currently provides multiple courses at undergraduate and graduate levels. For example, the master degree courses of “the principle of micro-computer and system design” and “the digital image processing” have been authorized for the national high-quality curriculums. The department has contracted to build the New Technology of Navigation Lab, Navigation and Anti-Jamming Lab, Beidou Multi-system Integrated Navigation Lab, and Differential Enhancement Lab between north and south campuses (under construction). The labs provide a favorable environment for students and faculty members to do scientific research and experiments.