Yes, but “principles” is just a higher level of generalization, which is relative.
I would very much welcome the model you are proposing. The problem though is that the first principles are mostly unknown. So I’m again forced to first try making sense of grid cell modules and other biological systems. It seems that you are very knowledgeable in that area.
I am sorry to disappoint, but my knowledge of neuroscience is quite patchy, especially on computational level.
I don’t know much about mechanics of grid cells, but actual navigation is probably guided by interaction of multiple mapping mechanisms: allocentric grid cells in hippocampus, place cells in EC, egocentric map in dorsal “where” stream, Numenta-proposed grid cells in L5 pretty much all across the cortex, etc.
So, it’s pretty hard to model and test it terms of ultimate behaviour.
My model is very different, locations are not stored in separate areas, in fact there are no allocentric locations at all. All I have is multivariate patterns, which represent relative distances to similar / contextual patterns as spans of negative patterns or gaps. Both related (positive) and intervening (negative) patterns are ultimately defined in 4D space-time.