European GNSS Agency

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has just opened an invitation to tenders targeting the development of an “Operational Interface System for the GSMC”.

The Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC) has space constraints in the TEMPEST secure area which, in turn, is putting a damper on the deployment of the system. These constraints are primarily due to the fact that dedicated terminals and desktops are physically attached to each system in the GSMC sites. As a result, when the number of systems grows, the required number of terminals also increases.

Scope of the Call

To address this situation, the GSA aims to procure a security accredited operational interface system (OIS) that connects each of the GSA systems and their instances to every workstation in the appropriate operational area. The OIS/KVM switch will allow multiple users to access any of the interconnected systems’ instances via any of the workstations.

The baseline for this Contract is to have a minimum of eight workstations with OIS accessibility designed, developed and deployed at the GSMC site in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France (GSMC-FR).

The OIS design shall allow:

• Management of physical space constraints,
• Operators to work more efficiently from a single workplace instead of moving between the current standalone workplaces,
• Improvements of work flexibility, and
• Improvements of scalability for the future deployment of the systems.

If you would like to find out more on how to prepare a successful bid, register to take part in a dedicated webinar to be held on 19 February 2019, from 11.00 am to 12.00 pm CET. At the webinar, GSA staff will present the technical and administrative requirements, as well as the optional functionalities and cyber requirements necessary to prepare a successful bid. You can join the webinar here.

Role of GSMC in the Galileo Programme

The Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC) is an operational centre of the GSA and an integral part of the Galileo infrastructure. Its mission is to provide an EU facility that offers a secure way for Public Regulated Service (PRS) users to interact with the Galileo System Operator.

This will simplify the operation of the Galileo system and provide assurance to PRS users that sensitive information related to their use of Galileo is properly managed and protected. The GSMC also coordinates the implementation of Joint Action instructions received from the EU SitCen (Situation Centre).

The GSA is responsible for the operation of the GSMCs within the Galileo system, undertaking the following specific missions:

• Management of PRS access,
• Galileo security monitoring,
• Response to European GNSS crisis and security events,
• Provision of European GNSS security expertise and analysis.

Webinar details

When: 19 February 2019, from 11.00 am to 12.00 pm CET.

Join the webinar here. To find how to register and participate in the dedicated webinar, please read all the instructions here. 

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has just opened an invitation to tenders targeting the development of an “Operational Interface System for the GSMC”.

The Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC) has space constraints in the TEMPEST secure area which, in turn, is putting a damper on the deployment of the system. These constraints are primarily due to the fact that dedicated terminals and desktops are physically attached to each system in the GSMC sites. As a result, when the number of systems grows, the required number of terminals also increases.

Scope of the Call

To address this situation, the GSA aims to procure a security accredited operational interface system (OIS) that connects each of the GSA systems and their instances to every workstation in the appropriate operational area. The OIS/KVM switch will allow multiple users to access any of the interconnected systems’ instances via any of the workstations.

The baseline for this Contract is to have a minimum of eight workstations with OIS accessibility designed, developed and deployed at the GSMC site in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France (GSMC-FR).

The OIS design shall allow:

• Management of physical space constraints,
• Operators to work more efficiently from a single workplace instead of moving between the current standalone workplaces,
• Improvements of work flexibility, and
• Improvements of scalability for the future deployment of the systems.

If you would like to find out more on how to prepare a successful bid, register to take part in a dedicated webinar to be held on 19 February 2019, from 11.00 am to 12.00 pm CET. At the webinar, GSA staff will present the technical and administrative requirements, as well as the optional functionalities and cyber requirements necessary to prepare a successful bid. You can join the webinar here.

Role of GSMC in the Galileo Programme

The Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC) is an operational centre of the GSA and an integral part of the Galileo infrastructure. Its mission is to provide an EU facility that offers a secure way for Public Regulated Service (PRS) users to interact with the Galileo System Operator.

This will simplify the operation of the Galileo system and provide assurance to PRS users that sensitive information related to their use of Galileo is properly managed and protected. The GSMC also coordinates the implementation of Joint Action instructions received from the EU SitCen (Situation Centre).

The GSA is responsible for the operation of the GSMCs within the Galileo system, undertaking the following specific missions:

• Management of PRS access,
• Galileo security monitoring,
• Response to European GNSS crisis and security events,
• Provision of European GNSS security expertise and analysis.

Webinar details

When: 19 February 2019, from 11.00 am to 12.00 pm CET.

Join the webinar here. To find how to register and participate in the dedicated webinar, please read all the instructions here. 

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The EGNOS Service Provision (ESP) consists in delivering three types of services: the Open Service (OS), the Safety of Life service (SoL) and EGNOS Data Access Services (EDAS). The current EGNOS System was developed in early 2000’s, and is to be replaced by a new generation “EGNOS V 3”. 

This latter will augment both GPS and Galileo, provide additional SBAS service capabilities through a new SBAS channel on L5 and will benefit from a reinforced security to increase the robustness of EGNOS services to potential threats.

Presently, the provision of EGNOS Services is ensured via the current ESP contract, which continues until the end of 2021, as a baseline.

The next EGNOS Service Provider is expected to be in charge of the delivery of EGNOS services based on EGNOS Version 2 infrastructure first, then on EGNOS Version 3 infrastructure.

The contract is expected to be signed before end-2020, with a duration of 6 to 8 years. 

The GSA has published a Prior Information Notice OJ/S S22 31/01/2019 47118-2019-EN in the Official Journal of the European Union, containing the above and further information for the contemplated procurement. 

The full Prior Information Notice may be found here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The EGNOS Service Provision (ESP) consists in delivering three types of services: the Open Service (OS), the Safety of Life service (SoL) and EGNOS Data Access Services (EDAS). The current EGNOS System was developed in early 2000’s, and is to be replaced by a new generation “EGNOS V3”. 

This latter will augment both GPS and Galileo, provide additional SBAS service capabilities through a new SBAS channel on L5 and will benefit from a reinforced security to increase the robustness of EGNOS services to potential threats.

Presently, the provision of EGNOS Services is ensured via the current ESP contract, which continues until the end of 2021, as a baseline.

The next EGNOS Service Provider is expected to be in charge of the delivery of EGNOS services based on EGNOS V2 infrastructure first, then on EGNOS V3 infrastructure.

The contract is expected to be signed before end-2020, with a duration of 6 to 8 years. 

The GSA has published a Prior Information Notice OJ/S S22 31/01/2019 47118-2019-EN in the Official Journal of the European Union, containing the above and further information for the contemplated procurement. 

The full Prior Information Notice may be found here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

At the 11th European Space Policy Conference in Brussels, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides explained why Europe's flagship satellite navigation system, Galileo, is a cornerstone of the strategy for a European Single Digital Economy.

The global economy is rapidly being digitised. Information and communications technologies are no longer confined to a specific sector but constitute the foundation of all modern innovative economic systems. Connectivity, in particular, is now seen as a key enabler of a multitude of new services that are transforming the global scene.

"The future of intelligent connectivity is going hand-in-hand with the future of GNSS," said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, speaking at the 11th European Space Policy Conference in Brussels.

Important milestone

The term ‘intelligent connectivity’ describes the powerful combination of flexible, high-speed 5G networks, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. Today, location plays a major role in all of these developments, with navigation and Earth observation data combining to provide the needed geographical framework to deliver personalised services.

"Just last month, in December 2018, we achieved a very important milestone," said des Dorides, "namely that more than fifty percent of the worldwide population is now connected to the digital world, to the Internet."

Read this: EU Space enables an interconnected future

It also means that the other fifty percent will be getting connected in the coming years, and this will revolutionise the way individuals think and societies operate. People today and people tomorrow will be connected in new and different ways. They will have different needs and will use their connectivity for as yet unimagined purposes.

"We can see that this expansion is continuing and the growth rate is really amazing," des Dorides said. "So we are in the age of what some people are describing as a 'silent revolution'. Every day we are seeing more and more new users and new ways to connect to the growing digital world."

Hard work rewarded

The GSA has been working ceaselessly to ensure the widespread uptake of European GNSS technologies, including Galileo and EGNOS, and the efforts have been paying off. An important element is the incorporation of Galileo-enabled GNSS receivers in handheld devices, such as smartphones.

"We have some other very important figures to mention," said des Dorides. "Today we have more subscriptions worldwide for mobile phones than inhabitants in the world, and with all that, around seventy percent of these digital devices are broadband-enabled. So this is the connection with the digital world."

Des Dorides talked about the closing gap between the physical world and the digital world: "There is a clear convergence, and the catalyst, the enabler, is the Internet of Things, the ubiquitous things, and the best example of ubiquitous things are our smartphones – this is the context we are living in. We also know that at the basis of the ubiquitous things is geo-positioning, and in particular GNSS. Fifty percent of our apps in our smartphones require geo-positioning and ninety percent of those require GNSS, so here is the link with GNSS."

It should also be noted that in addition to location information, accurate timing delivered by GNSS is providing an indispensable tool for precisely synchronising transactions, including those operated by Digitally Autonomous Organisations in a distributed ledger. Apart from accurate timing, there is also a critical role for GNSS in the authentication of smart contracts, which is an important way to increase security of transactions. Galileo will provide a unique authentication feature with its service.

"In all of these areas, there is a GNSS-based silent revolution happening right now," said des Dorides. "In 2011 an important new feature was multi-constellation, which is now in all our phones. This means a more reliable performance, with more available positioning and timing.”

Watch this: European Space Programmes: Empowering Digital Markets

"Then last year we also had a very important new milestone with the introduction of dual frequency, which will guarantee better accuracy on the mass market. GNSS, and Galileo in particular, is granting a flexible connection with the Internet of Things, the digital world, and big data."

GNSS and Europe's Digital Strategy

The rapid digitisation being seen in so many areas and at such a scale and speed bring immense opportunities for innovation, growth and jobs. It also raises challenging policy issues for public authorities that require coordinated EU action. All Member States are wrestling with similar problems, but on a national basis, which is too limited to allow them to seize all the opportunities and deal with all the issues raised by these profoundly transformational developments. That is why the European Commission has set the creation of a Digital Single Market for Europe as one of its key priorities, with digital autonomy in particular as a strategic goal.

Also speaking at the event in Brussels was Mariya Gabriel, EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society. She said the European space programmes have a key role to play in support of the European Digital Single Market: "We need to be moving to digital autonomy and sovereignty in Europe. The space sector can help us get there, from satellites for 5G coverage to important Earth Observation services of Copernicus and of course the critical geo-localisation capacity enabled by Galileo."

Indeed, at a time of increasing geopolitical uncertainty, Galileo is now inarguably a critical infrastructure. Today, European GNSS is used to synchronise mobile networks, energy grids and financial transactions. It is used in emergency services, in safety-critical operations and, with the advent of AI and automation, driverless cars, drones and other autonomous systems will need GNSS for navigation.

In any number of vital application areas, including all that concerns the digital economy, Galileo is a key enabler of European independence and sovereignty, at the same time built to be interoperable with all the other GNSS systems in the world and able to provide a fully autonomous European solution.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) comes to the 2019 Mobile World Congress (MWC) with an important message: When close isn’t enough, use Galileo!

It’s only been two years since the launch of Galileo Initial Services, but already over half-a-billion users are benefiting from the increased accuracy and precision it brings. “According to the latest figures, today over 600 million devices – most of them the latest smartphone models – are now Galileo-enabled,” said Fiammetta Diani, Deputy Head of Market Development at the GSA. “Clearly, the time has come to make people aware that Europe’s investment in Galileo is bringing daily benefits to hundreds of millions!”

And what better place to drive this message home than at the largest mobile event in the world? 

With over 107,000 visitors expected to attend, MWC 2019 is the perfect stage to showcase the Galileo ‘Accuracy Matters’ message. The new awareness-building campaign, which includes a number of entertaining videos showing how a little extra accuracy can go a long way, will be one of the highlights at this year’s Galileo stand (Hall 8.0, Stand 8.0H15).

Read this: Introducing the MyGalileoApp prize contest

The Galileo stand will showcase several Horizon 2020 funded, Galileo-powered innovations. “With the goal of exploring the hottest trends influencing the mobile industry, MWC Barcelona is the ideal platform to promote innovative EGNSS-based solutions and applications,” adds Diani. “As a global event, it’s also the place to show the world how European Union (EU) space research enhances EU industrial competitiveness and plays a pivotal role in tackling various societal challenges.”

Galileo as a game changer

One solution being showcased at MWC is Lycie, a mobile application that actively prevents traffic accidents. “By simply mounting your phone to the dashboard of your car, Lycie’s machine learning algorithm learns from your driving patterns and notifies you in real-time whenever a dangerous situation is detected,” explains Lycie’s Jean Galinowski. “The safer your drive, the lower your insurance costs.”

Unlike similar monitoring applications, Lycie offers unmatchable accuracy, thanks to its use of Galileo. “Having Galileo is not only a game-changer compared to our competitors, whose lack of precision prevents a reliable driving assessment, but also brings significantly more safety,” adds Lycie’s Jeremy Maisse.

The FLAMINGO solution will also be on display at the Galileo stand where its high-accuracy positioning service for mass-market applications within smart city environments with be highlighted. “FLAMINGO is showcasing the near future by enabling and demonstrating high-accuracy positioning and navigation using Smartphones and Internet of Things devices,” says William Roberts, the project coordinator.

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) with Galileo

The GALILEO FOR MOBILITY project aims at supporting the introduction of GALILEO technology within the Mobility as a Service context. “The potential MaaS market will be mostly concentrated on the urban environment, whereas Galileo, within a multi-constellation context, can bring benefits in terms of availability, accuracy and integrity in other areas too,” explains Dr. Josep Maria Salanova Grau.

At MWC, GALILEO FOR MOBILITY will be discussing the various services it is currently testing, including an on-demand public transportation system in Barcelona, a vehicle sharing initiative in Paris, and a ride sharing programme in Thessaloniki – among others. “The project as a whole tackles all modes of transport, both private and public, as well as various services that will support MaaS in the near future, emphasising the advantages of using EGNSS with regards to the performance of these services,” explains the project’s Coordinator Martí Jofre.

High-precision, high-accuracy at MWC

Also on display will be the NaviSoC single chip all-in-one solution – a miniature multi-frequency GNSS receiver that offers high-precision and reliability to mass-market users and applications. “This kind of product could be a market enabler for a future GNSS user segment, taking the automation and autonomy of IoT devices to the next level,” says ChipCraft's CEO Dr Tomasz Borejko.

Last but not least, Geo++ GmbH will be using the MWC stage to announce its high-accuracy positioning framework for Android smartphones, which routinely achieves sub-metre accurate smartphone positions. “We believe this technology is of interest to a large number of MWC visitors and we are looking forward to sharing it at the Galileo stand” adds Geo++ Managing Director Dr. Jannes Wübbena.

MWC Barcelona runs from 25 – 28 February at Barcelona’s Fira Gran Via. Come and meet the GSA team at the Galileo stand is located at Hall 8.0, Stand 8.0H15.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) comes to the 2019 Mobile World Congress (MWC) with an important message: When close isn’t enough, use Galileo!

It’s only been two years since the launch of Galileo Initial Services, but already over half-a-billion users are benefiting from the increased accuracy and precision it brings. “According to the latest figures, today over 600 million devices – most of them the latest smartphone models – are now Galileo-enabled,” said Fiammetta Diani, Deputy Head of Market Development at the GSA. “Clearly, the time has come to make people aware that Europe’s investment in Galileo is bringing daily benefits to hundreds of millions!”

And what better place to drive this message home than at the largest mobile event in the world? 

With over 107,000 visitors expected to attend, MWC 2019 is the perfect stage to showcase the Galileo ‘Accuracy Matters’ message. The new awareness-building campaign, which includes a number of entertaining videos showing how a little extra accuracy can go a long way, will be one of the highlights at this year’s Galileo stand (Hall 8.0, Stand 8.0H15).

Read this: Introducing the MyGalileoApp prize contest

The Galileo stand will showcase several Horizon 2020 funded, Galileo-powered innovations. “With the goal of exploring the hottest trends influencing the mobile industry, MWC Barcelona is the ideal platform to promote innovative EGNSS-based solutions and applications,” adds Diani. “As a global event, it’s also the place to show the world how European Union (EU) space research enhances EU industrial competitiveness and plays a pivotal role in tackling various societal challenges.”

Galileo as a game changer

One solution being showcased at MWC is Lycie, a mobile application that actively prevents traffic accidents. “By simply mounting your phone to the dashboard of your car, Lycie’s machine learning algorithm learns from your driving patterns and notifies you in real-time whenever a dangerous situation is detected,” explains Lycie’s Jean Galinowski. “The safer your drive, the lower your insurance costs.”

Unlike similar monitoring applications, Lycie offers unmatchable accuracy, thanks to its use of Galileo. “Having Galileo is not only a game-changer compared to our competitors, whose lack of precision prevents a reliable driving assessment, but also brings significantly more safety,” adds Lycie’s Jeremy Maisse.

The FLAMINGO solution will also be on display at the Galileo stand where its high-accuracy positioning service for mass-market applications within smart city environments with be highlighted. “FLAMINGO is showcasing the near future by enabling and demonstrating high-accuracy positioning and navigation using Smartphones and Internet of Things devices,” says William Roberts, the project coordinator.

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) with Galileo

The GALILEO FOR MOBILITY project aims at supporting the introduction of GALILEO technology within the Mobility as a Service context. “The potential MaaS market will be mostly concentrated on the urban environment, whereas Galileo, within a multi-constellation context, can bring benefits in terms of availability, accuracy and integrity in other areas too,” explains Dr. Josep Maria Salanova Grau.

At MWC, GALILEO FOR MOBILITY will be discussing the various services it is currently testing, including an on-demand public transportation system in Barcelona, a vehicle sharing initiative in Paris, and a ride sharing programme in Thessaloniki – among others. “The project as a whole tackles all modes of transport, both private and public, as well as various services that will support MaaS in the near future, emphasising the advantages of using EGNSS with regards to the performance of these services,” explains the project’s Coordinator Martí Jofre.

High-precision, high-accuracy at MWC

Also on display will be the NaviSoC single chip all-in-one solution – a miniature multi-frequency GNSS receiver that offers high-precision and reliability to mass-market users and applications. “This kind of product could be a market enabler for a future GNSS user segment, taking the automation and autonomy of IoT devices to the next level,” says ChipCraft's CEO Dr Tomasz Borejko.

Last but not least, Geo++ GmbH will be using the MWC stage to announce its high-accuracy positioning framework for Android smartphones, which routinely achieves sub-metre accurate smartphone positions. “We believe this technology is of interest to a large number of MWC visitors and we are looking forward to sharing it at the Galileo stand” adds Geo++ Managing Director Dr. Jannes Wübbena.

MWC Barcelona runs from 25 – 28 February at Barcelona’s Fira Gran Via. Come and meet the GSA team at the Galileo stand is located at Hall 8.0, Stand 8.0H15.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The main specifications of the Galileo E6-B and E6-C codes are now available to the User Community. These codes can be used for accessing the future Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) and Galileo Commercial Authentication Service (CAS) and can be downloaded from the Galileo Service Centre (GSC) website under the “Programme Reference Documents” section. 

The main specifications of the Galileo E6-B/C codes have been published in a Technical Note - Galileo E6-B/C Codes Technical Note – which is now available to users via the Galileo Service Centre (GSC) website:  https://www.gsc-europa.eu/

The description of the primary E6-B/C and secondary E6-C codes and their assignment to specific satellites will provide receiver manufacturers the information they need to develop Galileo E6-B/C enabled receivers. The Technical Note also provides a hexadecimal representation of the E6-B/C primary and secondary codes.

Value-added services

The Galileo User Community will be able to benefit from the added-value services, offered through the E6 signal, namely the Galileo High Accuracy Service and the Galileo Commercial Authentication Service: 

• The Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) will allow users to obtain a positioning error below two decimetres in nominal conditions of use. The Galileo HAS will be based on the free transmission of Precise Point Positioning (PPP) corrections through the Galileo E6 signal data component (E6-B) by the Galileo satellites. 

• The Galileo Commercial Authentication Service (CAS) will make it possible to authenticate signals, by giving access to the E6 signal pilot component (E6-C) codes, which will be encrypted.

Cost-effective solution

The Galileo high accuracy and authentication services will provide cost-effective solutions with very good performance and much needed redundancy that are essential for safety-critical applications, such as autonomous driving, for example.

To ensure that Galileo services continue to meet your needs, we encourage users to help us shape the future of Galileo! You can do this by completing the Galileo User Satisfaction Survey 2018, - it will only take you a few minutes!

For further up-to-date information on the Galileo system and its services, visit the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) website or contact the Galileo Helpdesk.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The main specifications of the Galileo E6-B and E6-C codes are now available to the User Community. These codes can be used for accessing the future Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) and Galileo Commercial Authentication Service (CAS) and can be downloaded from the Galileo Service Centre (GSC) website under the “Programme Reference Documents” section. 

The main specifications of the Galileo E6-B/C codes have been published in a Technical Note - Galileo E6-B/C Codes Technical Note – which is now available to users via the Galileo Service Centre (GSC) website:  https://www.gsc-europa.eu/

The description of the primary E6-B/C and secondary E6-C codes and their assignment to specific satellites will provide receiver manufacturers the information they need to develop Galileo E6-B/C enabled receivers. The Technical Note also provides a hexadecimal representation of the E6-B/C primary and secondary codes.

Value-added services

The Galileo User Community will be able to benefit from the added-value services, offered through the E6 signal, namely the Galileo High Accuracy Service and the Galileo Commercial Authentication Service: 

• The Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) will allow users to obtain a positioning error below two decimetres in nominal conditions of use. The Galileo HAS will be based on the free transmission of Precise Point Positioning (PPP) corrections through the Galileo E6 signal data component (E6-B) by the Galileo satellites.
• The Galileo Commercial Authentication Service (CAS) will make it possible to authenticate signals, by giving access to the E6 signal pilot component (E6-C) codes, which will be encrypted.

Cost-effective solution

The Galileo high accuracy and authentication services will provide cost-effective solutions with very good performance and much needed redundancy that are essential for safety-critical applications, such as autonomous driving, for example.

To ensure that Galileo services continue to meet your needs, we encourage users to help us shape the future of Galileo! You can do this by completing the Galileo User Satisfaction Survey 2018, - it will only take you a few minutes!

For further up-to-date information on the Galileo system and its services, visit the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) website or contact the Galileo Helpdesk.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS User Consultation Platform was hard at work in Marseille during this year's EU Space Week. Parallel panel sessions brought together users from different market segments. Each session had specific objectives aiming at profiting from the valuable contributions of users. The UCP ended with a plenary session in which the elected chairperson of each panel presented the results of their discussions to the wider community.

The User Consultation Platform (UCP) is a forum enabling direct interaction between users of positioning, navigation and time solutions and the organisations and institutions that oversee Galileo and EGNOS.

The UCP took place for the first time in 2017. The participants are actual users of the solutions, comprising representatives of associations such as standardisation bodies and industry groups, regulatory bodies and other members of the user community.

Watch this: EU Space Week in Marseille, 3 - 6 December 2018

The 2018 meeting of the UCP took place at the elegant Pharo Palace with spectacular views overlooking Marseille's old port. The platform was divided, on the first day, into subgroups representing the professional, transport and mass markets. A plenary to bring them together took place on the second day. Tasks undertaken by each group included discussing and validation of user needs and requirements on positioning, navigation and time technologies that can later be evaluated and, for those relevant to GNSS, implemented in the EGNOS and Galileo programmes. The ones that cannot be implemented in the current technology baselines will be taken into consideration for future evolutions of the systems. Feedback on current Galileo Service Centre user support was also elicited among other topics of the upmost importance such as R&D priorities, PNT backup solutions, high accuracy services, etc.

What the users said

The Platform's plenary session was open to all participants in European Space Week. Members of the plenary audience were encouraged to comment and to ask questions as the chairpersons of each of the eight individual sectors reported the results of their discussions. A panel of representatives of the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency listened attentively to the messages delivered by the presenters, asking their own questions whenever necessary.

Positive reception

Considering the depth and breadth of the presentations, as well as the response from gathered EU Space Week delegates, the 2018 UCP exercise was very productive. Fiammetta Diani, Head of Market Development at the GSA, said all the comments, suggestions and requests were important and would be properly assessed to determine how they can influence the evolution of European GNSS services.

GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides thanked all the UCP participants for their engagement and said: “The GSA works very hard to maintain close relationships with our GNSS users, and that means all stakeholders in the downstream markets. An important part of the value of the GSA is built on these relationships.”

Matthias Petschke, European Commission Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes, said: “What this User Consultation shows is that we are listening to you. Unlike other GNSS around the world, Galileo is a demand-driven programme. We want to hear your ideas and we want to know what you need, to bring your ideas to the market and create businesses.”

The event in Marseille was the second full UCP meeting. The first meeting took place in November 2017 in Madrid.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) new MyGalileoApp prize contest challenges developers to design, develop, test and launch a mobile application that takes advantage of the increased accuracy and availability provided by Galileo. The winner stands to win up to EUR 100,000.

Do you have an innovative idea for an application that could benefit from the precise positioning offered by Galileo? Whether it be in the area of augmented reality, geo-marketing, smart navigation, social networking or otherwise – the GSA wants to help you take your idea from concept to reality.

The GSA’s MyGalileoApp Prize Contest challenges developers to design, develop, test and commercially launch a mobile application that provides a position and/or time fix using a Galileo-enabled smartphone equipped with Android /IOS operating system. It must also demonstrate how the increased accuracy/availability provided by Galileo within a multi-constellation/multi-frequency solution adds value to the application.

Each proposed application should target one of the following areas:

• Smart navigation and infotainment
• Augmented reality and games
• Geo marketing and advertising
• Fitness, sport and mHealth
• Enterprise applications
• Social networking
• Mapping, GIS and agriculture
• Automated mobility (all transport modes)
• Aviation
• Drones
• Finance

“The MyGalileoApp Prize will help application developers embrace Galileo’s full potential to create new tools and services,” says Carlo des Dorides, GSA Executive Director. “Through this contest, the GSA is encouraging market adoption of Galileo by supporting the development of mobile applications that address end user needs.”

And did we mention that the winner will receive EUR 100,000?

Interested?

Now that we have your attention, it’s time to get started. To compete, all you have to do is submit a proposal describing how your application addresses one of the 11 development areas, and how it will use Galileo to do so. The deadline for submissions is 28 March 2019.  Proposals can be submitted here.

All proposals will be reviewed by GSA experts, who will select a maximum of 30 projects to proceed to the development phase. During this phase, contestants are required to develop a beta version of their app and be able to demonstrate at least 50% functionality. To help, the GSA will provide a dedicated API and online mentoring.

After careful evaluation, the judges will select a maximum of 10 projects to continue to the next phase of the contest. Here, projects must deliver a finalised version of the application with 100% functionality. Those that succeed will be invited to the Finals, where they will present their application to the GSA evaluation board.

Following the presentations, the judges will announce the winners, with the first-place winner receiving a EUR 100,000 prize. The runner up and third place finishers will receive EUR 50,000 and EUR 30,000 respectively.   

Let’s talk details…

The MyGalileoApp contest is open to all mobile application developers, entrepreneurs, students, researchers and anybody else who’s up for the challenge (so long as you are at least 18 years of age). You can compete as an individual or a team. All teams are required to appoint a team coordinator, who must be an EU citizen, while other team members can also be from outside the EU. Team members may also represent legal entities as long as this entity has its central administration or registered office in the EU.

At all stages of the contest, projects will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Innovation: is this kind of solution not yet available on the market? Is the application technologically advanced (e.g. using multi-frequency, innovating algorithms)?
• Market potential: is this solution sellable after repackaging it into a real product? Is there a potential market demand/customer base for this product?
• Galileo-relevance: is the application making use of Galileo? Is the increased accuracy/availability offered by Galileo relevant to the application?
• Technical feasibility: What is the level of progress since the start of the contest? Has the required level of completion for the phase been fully achieved? Is the plan presented for the future of the application (i.e. the scalability and an ensured 18 months of technical support) credible?

More information on the contest will be provided in the course of two webinars, the first of which will be organised on 11 February 2019.

For more details and to register for updates, click here.

Good luck – and we hope to see you at the Finals!

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) new MyGalileoApp competition challenges developers to design, develop, test and launch a mobile application that takes advantage of the increased accuracy and availability provided by Galileo. The winner stands to win up to EUR 100,000.

Do you have an innovative idea for an application that could benefit from the precise positioning offered by Galileo? Whether it be in the area of augmented reality, geo-marketing, smart navigation, social networking or otherwise – the GSA wants to help you take your idea from concept to reality.

The GSA’s MyGalileoApp Competition challenges developers to design, develop, test and commercially launch a mobile application that provides a position and/or time fix using a Galileo-enabled smartphone equipped with Android /IOS operating system. It must also demonstrate how the increased accuracy/availability provided by Galileo within a multi-constellation/multi-frequency solution adds value to the application.

Each proposed application should target one of the following areas:

• Smart navigation and infotainment
• Augmented reality and games
• Geo marketing and advertising
• Fitness, sport and mHealth
• Enterprise applications
• Social networking
• Mapping, GIS and agriculture
• Automated mobility (all transport modes)
• Aviation
• Drones
• Finance

“The MyGalileoApp Prize will help application developers embrace Galileo’s full potential to create new tools and services,” says Carlo des Dorides, GSA Executive Director. “Through this competition, the GSA is encouraging market adoption of Galileo by supporting the development of mobile applications that address end user needs.”

And did we mention that the winner will receive EUR 100,000?

Interested?

Now that we have your attention, it’s time to get started. To compete, all you have to do is submit a proposal describing how your application addresses one of the 11 development areas, and how it will use Galileo to do so. The deadline for submissions is 28 March 2019.  Proposals can be submitted here.

All proposals will be reviewed by GSA experts, who will select a maximum of 30 projects to proceed to the development phase. During this phase, contestants are required to develop a beta version of their app and be able to demonstrate at least 50% functionality. To help, the GSA will provide a dedicated API and online mentoring.

After careful evaluation, the judges will select a maximum of 10 projects to continue to the next phase of the contest. Here, projects must deliver a finalised version of the application with 100% functionality. Those that succeed will be invited to the Finals, where they will present their application to the GSA evaluation board.

Following the presentations, the judges will announce the winners, with the first-place winner receiving a EUR 100,000 prize. The runner up and third place finishers will receive EUR 50,000 and EUR 30,000 respectively.   

Let’s talk details…

The MyGalileoApp competition is open to all mobile application developers, entrepreneurs, students, researchers and anybody else who’s up for the challenge (so long as you are at least 18 years of age). You can compete as an individual or a team. All teams are required to appoint a team coordinator, who must be an EU citizen, while other team members can also be from outside the EU. Team members may also represent legal entities as long as this entity has its central administration or registered office in the EU.

At all stages of the contest, projects will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Innovation: is this kind of solution not yet available on the market? Is the application technologically advanced (e.g. using multi-frequency, innovating algorithms)?
• Market potential: is this solution sellable after repackaging it into a real product? Is there a potential market demand/customer base for this product?
• Galileo-relevance: is the application making use of Galileo? Is the increased accuracy/availability offered by Galileo relevant to the application?
• Technical feasibility: What is the level of progress since the start of the contest? Has the required level of completion for the phase been fully achieved? Is the plan presented for the future of the application (i.e. the scalability and an ensured 18 months of technical support) credible?

More information on the competition will be provided in the course of two webinars, the first of which will be organised on 11 February 2019.

For more details and to register for updates, click here.

Good luck – and we hope to see you at the Finals!

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) new MyGalileoApp prize contest challenges developers to design, develop, test and launch a mobile application that takes advantage of the increased accuracy and availability provided by Galileo. The winner stands to win up to EUR 100,000.00.

Do you have an innovative idea for an application that could benefit from the precise positioning offered by Galileo? Whether it be in the area of augmented reality, geo-marketing, smart navigation, social networking or otherwise – the GSA wants to help you take your idea from concept to reality.

The GSA’s MyGalileoApp Prize Contest challenges developers to design, develop, test and commercially launch a mobile application that provides a position and/or time fix using a Galileo-enabled smartphone equipped with Android /IOS operating system. It must also demonstrate how the increased accuracy/availability provided by Galileo within a multi-constellation/multi-frequency solution adds value to the application.

Each proposed application should target one of the following areas:

• Smart navigation and infotainment
• Augmented reality and games
• Geo marketing and advertising
• Fitness, sport and mHealth
• Enterprise applications
• Social networking
• Mapping, GIS and agriculture
• Automated mobility (all transport modes)
• Aviation
• Drones
• Finance

“The MyGalileoApp Prize will help application developers embrace Galileo’s full potential to create new tools and services,” says Carlo des Dorides, GSA Executive Director. “Through this contest, the GSA is encouraging market adoption of Galileo by supporting the development of mobile applications that address end user needs.”

And did we mention that the winner will receive EUR 100,000.00?

Interested?

Now that we have your attention, it’s time to get started. To compete, all you have to do is submit a proposal describing how your application addresses one of the 11 development areas, and how it will use Galileo to do so. The deadline for submissions is 28 March 2019.  Proposals can be submitted here.

All proposals will be reviewed by GSA experts, who will select a maximum of 30 projects to proceed to the development phase. During this phase, contestants are required to develop a beta version of their app and be able to demonstrate at least 50% functionality. To help, the GSA will provide a dedicated API and online mentoring.

After careful evaluation, the judges will select a maximum of 10 projects to continue to the next phase of the contest. Here, projects must deliver a finalised version of the application with 100% functionality. Those that succeed will be invited to the Finals, where they will present their application to the GSA evaluation board.

Following the presentations, the judges will announce the winners, with the first-place winner receiving a EUR 100,000.00 prize. The runner up and third place finishers will receive EUR 50,000.00 and EUR 30,000.00 respectively.   

Let’s talk details…

The MyGalileoApp contest is open to all mobile application developers, entrepreneurs, students, researchers and anybody else who’s up for the challenge (so long as you are at least 18 years of age). You can compete as an individual or a team. All teams are required to appoint a team coordinator, who must be an EU citizen, while other team members can also be from outside the EU. Team members may also represent legal entities as long as this entity has its central administration or registered office in the EU.

At all stages of the contest, projects will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Innovation: is this kind of solution not yet available on the market? Is the application technologically advanced (e.g. using multi-frequency, innovating algorithms)?
• Market potential: is this solution sellable after repackaging it into a real product? Is there a potential market demand/customer base for this product?
• Galileo-relevance: is the application making use of Galileo? Is the increased accuracy/availability offered by Galileo relevant to the application?
• Technical feasibility: What is the level of progress since the start of the contest? Has the required level of completion for the phase been fully achieved? Is the plan presented for the future of the application (i.e. the scalability and an ensured 18 months of technical support) credible?

More information on the contest will be provided in the course of two webinars, the first of which will be organised on 11 February 2019. For more details and to register for updates, click here.

Good luck – and we hope to see you at the Finals!

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) new MyGalileoApp prize contest challenges developers to design, develop, test and launch a mobile application that takes advantage of the increased accuracy and availability provided by Galileo. The winner stands to win up to EUR 100,000.00.

Do you have an innovative idea for an application that could benefit from the precise positioning offered by Galileo? Whether it be in the area of augmented reality, geo-marketing, smart navigation, social networking or otherwise – the GSA wants to help you take your idea from concept to reality.

The GSA’s MyGalileoApp Prize Contest challenges developers to design, develop, test and commercially launch a mobile application that provides a position and/or time fix using a Galileo-enabled smartphone equipped with Android /IOS operating system. It must also demonstrate how the increased accuracy/availability provided by Galileo within a multi-constellation/multi-frequency solution adds value to the application.

Each proposed application should target one of the following areas:

• Smart navigation and infotainment
• Augmented reality and games
• Geo marketing and advertising
• Fitness, sport and mHealth
• Enterprise applications
• Social networking
• Mapping, GIS and agriculture
• Automated mobility (all transport modes)
• Aviation
• Drones
• Finance

“The MyGalileoApp Prize will help application developers embrace Galileo’s full potential to create new tools and services,” says Carlo des Dorides, GSA Executive Director. “Through this contest, the GSA is encouraging market adoption of Galileo by supporting the development of mobile applications that address end user needs.”

And did we mention that the winner will receive EUR 100,000.00?

Interested?

Now that we have your attention, it’s time to get started. To compete, all you have to do is submit a proposal describing how your application addresses one of the 11 development areas, and how it will use Galileo to do so. The deadline for submissions is 28 March 2019.  Proposals can be submitted here.

All proposals will be reviewed by GSA experts, who will select a maximum of 30 projects to proceed to the development phase. During this phase, contestants are required to develop a beta version of their app and be able to demonstrate at least 50% functionality. To help, the GSA will provide a dedicated API and online mentoring.

After careful evaluation, the judges will select a maximum of 10 projects to continue to the next phase of the contest. Here, projects must deliver a finalised version of the application with 100% functionality. Those that succeed will be invited to the Finals, where they will present their application to the GSA evaluation board.

Following the presentations, the judges will announce the winners, with the first-place winner receiving a EUR 100,000.00 prize. The runner up and third place finishers will receive EUR 50,000.00 and EUR 30,000.00 respectively.   

Let’s talk details…

The MyGalileoApp contest is open to all mobile application developers, entrepreneurs, students, researchers and anybody else who’s up for the challenge (so long as you are at least 18 years of age). You can compete as an individual or a team. All teams are required to appoint a team coordinator, who must be an EU citizen, while other team members can also be from outside the EU. Team members may also represent legal entities as long as this entity has its central administration or registered office in the EU.

At all stages of the contest, projects will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Innovation: is this kind of solution not yet available on the market? Is the application technologically advanced (e.g. using multi-frequency, innovating algorithms)?
• Market potential: is this solution sellable after repackaging it into a real product? Is there a potential market demand/customer base for this product?
• Galileo-relevance: is the application making use of Galileo? Is the increased accuracy/availability offered by Galileo relevant to the application?
• Technical feasibility: What is the level of progress since the start of the contest? Has the required level of completion for the phase been fully achieved? Is the plan presented for the future of the application (i.e. the scalability and an ensured 18 months of technical support) credible?

More information on the contest will be provided in the course of two webinars, the first of which will be organised on 11 February 2019.

For more details and to register for updates, click here.

Good luck – and we hope to see you at the Finals!

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The GNSS Simulation and Testing Tools Infrastructure (GSTI) database has been recently updated to offer to the developer community the most comprehensive catalogue of commercial tools available for professional use.

The GNSS Simulation and Testing Tools Infrastructure (GSTI), a GSC database containing the most extensive public catalogue of commercial testing and simulation tools for professional use, has been recently updated. In terms of numbers, this update has seen the database increase 52% thanks to the new tools added.

With this revamped resource, GSC intends to bring renewed support to application developers. This update, performed by the GSC team with invaluable support from manufacturers, has resulted in two main actions: the removal of tools previously published but no longer commercially available, and the introduction of the newest tools offered in the market for professional purposes.

The GSTI is a collaborative platform intended to support both developers of GNSS applications and equipment and providers of GNSS testing and simulation tools or testbeds. It is an initiative launched by the European Commission (EC) and transferred to the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC).

All GSC users, and especially the GNSS developer community, are invited to visit the GSTI section to check the upgraded catalogue and access the new information included in the list.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

A special session at the European Space Week conference in Marseille featured representatives of key EU space bodies addressing challenges and implications in the area of Security and Defence.

In an evolving global security context, it becomes increasingly critical to ensure the independent capabilities and freedom of action of the European Union and its Member States. "Security and defence is becoming more and more a priority field for the EU," said European Space Week session chair Jean-Pierre Diris, Head of Telecommunications and Navigation Projects at the French Space Agency. "The list of recent terrorist attacks is long and terrible, from Paris to Brussels to Berlin, Barcelona and Madrid, and many others. We have the migration crisis coming from the south, and Russia has made clear its intentions at the EU's eastern borders."

Geopolitics is evolving, Diris said, with the USA seeking to reduce its burden and asking its allies to bear more of the cost of defence. "We in Europe must master our own security and defence," he said. "Moreover, by increasing synergies between civilian and security activities, we could reduce costs and improve efficiency." Among the central priorities as the Union looks forward, Diris said, is a credible European defence fund, with a figure of around 1.5 billion per year now having been proposed.

While the EU flagship space programmes, Galileo and Copernicus, are essentially civil and commercial in nature, both have the potential for military use, making them possible assets as Europe moves towards a more independent stance. Evi Papantoniou, European Commission Head of Unit for Galileo and EGNOS legal and institutional aspects, said: "Strategic autonomy has become a buzzword for Europe. But we want to be sure we understand what that means. We don't want to create additional tension with our external allies."

In the area of security and defence, said Papantoniou, Europe is proposing the creation of a European Defence Fund to support the European defence industry, promoting cooperation between Member States. This is not about creating a "European army", as President Juncker said, but working together with Member States, addressing the new security challenges. 

Protecting the programme

Given the importance of space-related activities for the European economy and for the lives of its citizens, achieving and maintaining a high degree of security is a key priority. This priority applies to the protection of the EU Space Programme itself, which encompasses Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus, the GovSatCom initiative and Space Situational Awareness (SSA).

Stefano Iannitti, Head of Security at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), discussed the role of the Agency in this context. "One of the major focuses of the GSA is security - security of the European GNSS systems and of their operations, of the services," he said. Ensuring that Galileo and EGNOS services are secure involves a number of elements, Iannitti said, including the implementation of security governance, policies, requirements and standards.

"A specific team at the GSA is in charge of security engineering for operations and services. This team is also responsible for cyber security," Iannitti said. "And indeed this area is growing because of the increasing threats of this type. Another team is in charge of handling the cryptographic items in use in the EU GNSS."

Finally, the GSA is focused on the Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS) and the implementation of its requirements. "Here we work on PRS engineering and evolution, PRS operations and service provision, and finally we focus on the PRS user segment and access," Iannitti said. “This includes user equipment development under GSA-funded projects and support to the Competent PRS Authority (CPA) set-up. And we have ongoing operational demos and validation work. We also have ongoing projects for testing the full operational PRS chain."

Another key role is played by the Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC), which is an integral part of the Galileo infrastructure. It monitors and takes action regarding security threats, security alerts and the operational status of systems components.

Philippe Rosius, Head of the GSMC explained, "The GSMC is a GSA entity, independent from the operator. It has direct reporting connections with the EC, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Members States. We have two sites, one master in France and one back-up, currently being relocated from the UK to Spain."

The GSMC comprises a crew of highly motivated people dedicated to security, he said. Since 1 July 2016, the Centre has been monitoring the safety and security of Galileo operations, providing an interface for Member States and access to the PRS, distributing the cryptographic keys.

With regards to PRS, "we are in the ramp-up phase” he said. “The GSMC will eventually become the single access point for the Member States to the PRS. And we also provide other services, when requested by the European Council, providing GNSS expertise and analysis to a variety of parties”.

"On the question of why we do this work," Rosius said, "it is because our world is not as secure as we would like it to be. We need to be secure against physical and cyber threats, and we need to be able to mitigate the risks. We need to protect our networks, our centres and stations all around the world. And we have a solid European regulatory framework that gives us the authority to carry out our missions within clear boundaries."

Another body with a key role to play is the EU GNSS Security Accreditation Board (SAB), represented at the session by SAB Chair Bruno Vermeire. The Board is the sole Security Accreditation Authority of the European GNSS systems and acts independently, composed of representatives of Member States, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

In his conclusions, Stefano Iannitti reminded participants that security is a transversal activity. "The GSA can be considered as a security hub, supporting all aspects of EU GNSS security. And we at the GSA are ready to share our experience, our competencies, with other EU Space Programmes, because we are confident that we are paving the way towards European space security for European citizens and the European Union."

Other EU Space Programmes

Europe's other flagship space programme, Copernicus, also came centre stage during the Security and Defence session in Marseille. Distinguished speakers such as Darek Saunders, Senior Research officer at Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Ricardo Vicente of the European Maritime Safety Agency, and Denis Bruckert, Head of the Copernicus Unit at the European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen) all delivered important presentations on how Copernicus is contributing to security- and defence-related Earth Observation missions in virtually every part of the world.

The session also included a roundtable on the GOVSATCOM initiative. Its objective is to ensure in both the civil and military environment reliable, secure and cost-effective satellite communication services for EU and national public authorities managing security-critical missions and operations. The goal is also to enhance European autonomy and overcome fragmentation of demand by making use of affordable and innovative solutions in concert with industrial players.

GOVSATCOM actions are currently taken jointly by the European Commission, the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Space Agency (ESA). The first two communication platforms, the Pacis projects, based on a partnership between a group of private providers and satellite operators, are being set up through a cooperative scheme involving ESA and the EDA.

A new European mind-set

Pablo Gonzalez of Indra, speaking on behalf of the Aerospace and Defence Industry Association (ASD), returned in his presentation to the broader geopolitical perspective. He talked about the recent announcement by the US President about the creation of a new US Space Force.

"In order to reflect on the future in defence it is mandatory to take into account what is going on the other side of the Atlantic," Gonzalez said. "Because usually, the Americans, we need to recognise, especially in the area of defence, are a step ahead of us.

"We currently have an enormous amount of assets in space, tens of billions of Euros in infrastructure, and we need to defend it. Up to now, the ability to attack in space was limited to one, two, three countries. But today, with current technologies, traditional and non-traditional threats, it is possible for much smaller countries or even terrorist organisations to attack these assets. So we need to be able to defend and to counterattack."

This means, Gonzalez argued, "Europe needs to adopt a different mind-set when it comes to the military use of space. We need to work towards the medium term, we need to think about a strategic view," he said. "And here I would say that we need to talk about operational but also technical capabilities, so this is closely linked to industry. Industry is key to developing new capabilities in Europe with the necessary degree of strategic autonomy."

You can access presentations from the Security and Defence session at European Space Week here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

As was highlighted at the 2018 European Space Week special session on Interconnectivity, European space technology is providing smart, new applications that deliver the information we need to make faster, easier and more efficient decisions.

According to a study conducted by CISCO, by as early as next year, there will be more than 30 billion connected objects in the world. From connected watches to cars and even houses, this unprecedented shift towards interconnectivity will transform the global economy.

Driving this revolution in interconnectivity are space technologies, including GNSS and Earth observation. “Everything from logistics to agriculture, outdoor recreation and the Internet of Things, depend on such space technologies as EGNOS and Galileo,” said Justyna Redelkiewicz, Head of Section LBS & IoT at GSA, who chaired a special session on Interconnectivity during the 2018 European Space Week. “Space technologies are also at the centre of many of the latest consumer applications – and their use will only increase in the near future.”

Everyone, everywhere, and everything

On the topic of How to Connect and Locate Things, the Alliance of Internet of Things Innovation’s Francois Fisher discussed both the challenges that European industry currently faces and how IoT can help overcome these challenges. The European Commission’s Christoph Kautz provided an overview of areas relevant to interconnectivity, with a focus on the areas where the European Commission is playing an active role (i.e., artificial intelligence, IoT standardisation, E112 pilots, and digital maps). David Fernandez of Sigfox noted that by 2020 his company’s terrestrial network would be complemented by a global capability, thanks to a satellite communication service.

Satellites in the scrum

Speaking of satellites and sports, Frederic Valois of Thales Services took the European Space Week stage to introduce the Thales GEONAV service. The seamless indoor/outdoor location solution is currently being used to provide critical information to rugby teams in France. Via a hybridisation of ultra-wideband and GNSS, GEONAV provides teams with real-time measurements and monitoring of a player’s position, speed and even heart rate.

“Because this technology can provide precise and secured location both inside and outside, its use goes beyond sports and can include helping to locate people and assets,” explained Valois. “It is innovation like this that will position European industry as a major actor in the LBS market.”

Accurate and affordable positioning

Another key market trend highlighted during the session was the shift towards accurate and affordable positioning. “We are witnessing exciting times, as low-cost, high-precision GNSS receivers are coming onto the market and challenging the dominance of the older and expensive models,” said Xavier Banqué-Casanovas, CEO of Rokubun.

Rokubun is the company behind ARGONAUT, a fully-integrated GNSS receiver designed to meet the need for high-precision geo-location data. The receiver combines an advanced, multi-constellation GNSS receiver and a powerful navigation processing cloud service to provide users with more accurate and affordable geolocation.

Rokubun is now part of consortium developing FLAMINGO – a high accuracy positioning service for use by mass market applications.

A packed agenda

The Interconnectivity session was packed with informative presentations from a range of stakeholders, projects and companies. You will be able to access the presentations here, as soon as they are available.

Thanks to initiatives like the Kinéis constellation, in the coming years, interconnectivity will be available to everyone, everywhere and for all devices. “Kinéis IoT devices will integrate seamlessly, need little power and be fully compatible with other systems,” said Marc Leminh, Director of Development at CLS. “It will also be robust, reliable and inexpensive.”

Specifically designed for IoT, the Kinéis nanosatellite satcom constellation will provide connectivity for a whole host of activities, all having in common one feature: all being away from the reach of terrestrial networks. 

Talking about new IoT chipsets and trends in digital mapping, Sony’s Rajni Agarval introduced the company’s low power, multi-constellation GNSS chipsets for wearables, trackers and telematics. On the mapping side, David Barbier from TomTom presented high definition maps created via professional methods (i.e., survey vehicles) and crowdsourcing. “Open source data has proved to be a highly reliable source of information for TomTom,” he said. “Currently, 400,000 kilometres of roads covered with high definition maps are being utilised by many OEMs.”

The session also put the spotlight on a number of innovative start-ups, including Centrip, a tracking system for children; OPT/NET BV, a classification service for Earth observation data; TensorScience, a geocaching smartphone application that recently won the GSA’s Geekie Award; and +39, an app for guiding children with autism that won the Galileo Hackathon in Padua.  

“What each of these presentations make abundantly clear is that the not-so-distant future will be defined by interconnectivity – and enabled by European space technology,” concluded Redelkiewicz.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The oceans represent 90% of the Earth’s biosphere and are essential to a range of economic activities with over 90% of world trade travelling via maritime routes. The oceans also play a central role in regulating the Earth’s climate. Global observation and monitoring systems are therefore essential to better manage the oceans and to achieve a sustainable blue economy. A dedicated session at EU Space Week on 6 December highlighted how the Galileo and Copernicus programmes contribute to the sustainable management of our oceans and provide support for maritime operations.

The half-day session addressed a wide range of aspects including safety at sea, search and rescue, optimised maritime transport, sustainable fisheries, renewable energies, security and society’s response to pollution.
EU seas – safe & clean

The 6 December session was chaired by Fabienne Jacq from the European Commission and the initial speakers outlined the overall context in which the EU space programmes operate. Helena Ramon Jarraud from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) described their mission “to ensure that EU’s seas were safe and clean.” The agency faces many challenges from people trafficking to illegal fishing and ensuring safety of navigation. All aspects were aided and new services enabled by the support provided from EGNSS and Copernicus systems.

This view was supported by Pierre Bahurel, Director General of Mercator Ocean International that operates the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS). His talk focused on the ocean challenges relating to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in particular SDG 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. CMEMS delivered “a complete ocean information portfolio that is free, open and assessed” that both helped protect the oceans and enabled the sustainable realisation of marine and maritime jobs and growth.

The policy context of the EU space programmes was further developed by Elisabeth Hamdouch of DG GROW. “The marine environmental and maritime challenges are beautiful examples of how EU space programmes could add value by making useful tools available on an open and free basis for many different users,” she said.

Space as a tool supporting the EU’s energy package was praised by Adam Candy from Delft Technical University. He described the BlueRise project developing Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion technology as an appropriate renewable energy source for coastal and island communities. Space-based systems provided “the information to both understand the resource potential for the system – i.e. where to locate it - and also its local environmental impact,” he said.

Maritime safety

The opportunity for EGNOS to provide safer and cost-effective navigation safety in French coastal regions was described by Etienne Leroy of CEREMA, which has developed and tested an EGNOS-based solution for the French Differential GPS (DGPS) network. This is part of the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities - World Wide Radio Navigation Plan.

The French network of seven coastal stations needs to be modernised – could EGNOS provide a cost-effective solution? CEREMA made some initial tests and found that EGNOS augmenting GPS could provide the necessary availability, continuity and accuracy levels, without impacting the independent integrity scheme. In addition, cost analysis showed that the EGNOS solution offered a greatly reduced capital requirement and reduced maintenance costs.

An official commission for the establishment of the first operational French station is now anticipated in early 2019 with more stations to be equipped during the year.

The ability of the Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) service to accelerate the detection of an incident and give more precise, life-saving positioning data was highlighted by Alain Bouhet from OROLIA Maritime. His company had led the GSA-funded HELIOS project to commercialise Galileo SAR enabled maritime and aviation distress beacons. The project had enabled certification for one aviation and two marine distress beacons and the first Galileo-enabled Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), launched in March 2018.

The use of the Galileo SAR service within the global SAR satellite system is already significantly improving the speed of response and the accuracy and reliability of SAR operations. “Galileo offers global coverage with near instantaneous detection and location,” said Bouhet.

“Response times are up to ten times faster.” And the unique Galileo return communications link from the SAR operator to the beacon ensures that victims know that the distress alarm has been received- and enables better survival decisions to be made.

Tethered drone

A further example of the potential of EGNSS and Earth Observation systems to combine to boost safety at sea was exemplified by Ricardo Rossi of Gruppo Sistematica who described the SARA project. This used a fusion of sensors and space technologies to improve surveillance operations at sea using a tethered drone acting as a ‘virtual pylon’ on the ship.

The drone is a semi-autonomous platform to aid search and rescue and surveillance using high EGNSS accuracy. The system enables cost-effective and extended surveillance that is reliable and fast to deploy. A proof of concept exercise has been undertaken with the Italian coastguard in the Bay of Naples using a low-resolution thermal camera to detect people in the water.

“Using a tether has a number of advantages,” claimed Rossi. “Including the ability to provide power for a continuous service and a continuous high-speed data link.” It is also a mechanical aid for landing the drone and ensures that the flight envelope of the drone is physically constrained, which eases issues around authorisation.

As well as SAR services a number of additional markets were foreseen for the device including border control, law enforcement, military applications and event or traffic management.

SAR demo

Earlier in EU Space Week, a press event introduced the media to the capabilities of EU space technologies in the maritime arena. On the morning of Tuesday 4 December, the GSA joined forces with the European Commission, the French Space Agency CNES, and the French naval authorities to highlight the various distress situations that can occur at sea and how Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are helping.

Demonstrations included briefings on the new Galileo SAR distress beacons and the SAR service itself as well as the Copernicus Maritime Security Service. An actual demonstration of the system at sea had to be cancelled at the last moment as the naval vessel and aircraft to be used were called away to a real-life emergency off the coast of Corsica, demonstrating that the Galileo SAR is fully operational and ready for action!

"This Search and Rescue operation demonstrated how beacons using the Galileo SAR service help to provide a faster and more efficient response for those in distress,” said Carlo des Dorides, GSA Executive Director. “With Galileo, a person in trouble can now be detected in less than 10 minutes. Today more than 500 million users are benefiting from a wide range Galileo services – and helping to save lives is one of them.”

Commenting on the event, European Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska said: “The EU invests in space activities to protect its citizens. Thanks to our space programmes, we can provide help to those who need it faster and in a more efficient way. EU space programmes are helping to save lives.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The oceans represent 90% of the Earth’s biosphere and are essential to a range of economic activities with over 90% of world trade travelling via maritime routes. The oceans also play a central role in regulating the Earth’s climate. Global observation and monitoring systems are therefore essential to better manage the oceans and to achieve a sustainable blue economy. A dedicated session at EU Space Week on 6 December highlighted how the Galileo and Copernicus programmes contribute to the sustainable management of our oceans and provide support for maritime operations.

The half-day session addressed a wide range of aspects including safety at sea, search and rescue, optimised maritime transport, sustainable fisheries, renewable energies, security and society’s response to pollution.
EU seas – safe & clean

The 6 December session was chaired by Fabienne Jacq from the European Commission and the initial speakers outlined the overall context in which the EU space programmes operate. Helena Ramon Jarraud from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) described their mission “to ensure that EU’s seas were safe and clean.” The agency faces many challenges from people trafficking to illegal fishing and ensuring safety of navigation. All aspects were aided and new services enabled by the support provided from EGNSS and Copernicus systems.

This view was supported by Pierre Bahurel, Director General of Mercator Ocean International that operates the Copernicus Marine Service (CMS). His talk focused on the ocean challenges relating to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in particular SDG 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. CMS delivered “a complete ocean information portfolio that is free, open and assessed” that both helped protect the oceans and enabled the sustainable realisation of marine and maritime jobs and growth.

The policy context of the EU space programmes was further developed by Elisabeth Hamdouch of DG GROW. “The marine environmental and maritime challenges are beautiful examples of how EU space programmes could add value by making useful tools available on an open and free basis for many different users,” she said.

Space as a tool supporting the EU’s energy package was praised by Adam Candy from Delft Technical University. He described the BlueRise project developing Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion technology as an appropriate renewable energy source for coastal and island communities. Space-based systems provided “the information to both understand the resource potential for the system – i.e. where to locate it - and also its local environmental impact,” he said.

Maritime safety

The opportunity for EGNOS to provide safer and cost-effective navigation safety in French coastal regions was described by Etienne Leroy of CEREMA, which has developed and tested an EGNOS-based solution for the French Differential GPS (DGPS) network. This is part of the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities - World Wide Radio Navigation Plan.

The French network of seven coastal stations needs to be modernised – could EGNOS provide a cost-effective solution? CEREMA made some initial tests and found that EGNOS augmenting GPS could provide the necessary availability, continuity and accuracy levels, without impacting the independent integrity scheme. In addition, cost analysis showed that the EGNOS solution offered a greatly reduced capital requirement and reduced maintenance costs.

An official commission for the establishment of the first operational French station is now anticipated in early 2019 with more stations to be equipped during the year.

The ability of the Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) service to accelerate the detection of an incident and give more precise, life-saving positioning data was highlighted by Alain Bouhet from OROLIA Maritime. His company had led the GSA-funded HELIOS project to commercialise Galileo SAR enabled maritime and aviation distress beacons. The project had enabled certification for one aviation and two marine distress beacons and the first Galileo-enabled Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), launched in March 2018.

The use of the Galileo SAR service within the global SAR satellite system is already significantly improving the speed of response and the accuracy and reliability of SAR operations. “Galileo offers global coverage with near instantaneous detection and location,” said Bouhet.

“Response times are up to ten times faster.” And the unique Galileo return communications link from the SAR operator to the beacon ensures that victims know that the distress alarm has been received- and enables better survival decisions to be made.

Tethered drone

A further example of the potential of EGNSS and Earth Observation systems to combine to boost safety at sea was exemplified by Ricardo Rossi of Gruppo Sistematica who described the SARA project. This used a fusion of sensors and space technologies to improve surveillance operations at sea using a tethered drone acting as a ‘virtual pylon’ on the ship.

The drone is a semi-autonomous platform to aid search and rescue and surveillance using high EGNSS accuracy. The system enables cost-effective and extended surveillance that is reliable and fast to deploy. A proof of concept exercise has been undertaken with the Italian coastguard in the Bay of Naples using a low-resolution thermal camera to detect people in the water.

“Using a tether has a number of advantages,” claimed Rossi. “Including the ability to provide power for a continuous service and a continuous high-speed data link.” It is also a mechanical aid for landing the drone and ensures that the flight envelope of the drone is physically constrained, which eases issues around authorisation.

As well as SAR services a number of additional markets were foreseen for the device including border control, law enforcement, military applications and event or traffic management.

SAR demo

Earlier in EU Space Week, a press event introduced the media to the capabilities of EU space technologies in the maritime arena. On the morning of Tuesday 4 December, the GSA joined forces with the European Commission, the French Space Agency CNES, and the French naval authorities to highlight the various distress situations that can occur at sea and how Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are helping.

Demonstrations included briefings on the new Galileo SAR distress beacons and the SAR service itself as well as the Copernicus Maritime Security Service. An actual demonstration of the system at sea had to be cancelled at the last moment as the naval vessel and aircraft to be used were called away to a real-life emergency off the coast of Corsica, demonstrating that the Galileo SAR is fully operational and ready for action!

"This Search and Rescue operation demonstrated how beacons using the Galileo SAR service help to provide a faster and more efficient response for those in distress,” said Carlo des Dorides, GSA Executive Director. “With Galileo, a person in trouble can now be detected in less than 10 minutes. Today more than 500 million users are benefiting from a wide range Galileo services – and helping to save lives is one of them.”

Commenting on the event, European Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska said: “The EU invests in space activities to protect its citizens. Thanks to our space programmes, we can provide help to those who need it faster and in a more efficient way. EU space programmes are helping to save lives.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The oceans represent 90% of the Earth’s biosphere and are essential to a range of economic activities with over 90% of world trade travelling via maritime routes. The oceans also play a central role in regulating the Earth’s climate. Global observation and monitoring systems are therefore essential to better manage the oceans and to achieve a sustainable blue economy. A dedicated session at EU Space Week on 6 December highlighted how the Galileo and Copernicus programmes contribute to the sustainable management of our oceans and provide support for maritime operations.

The half-day session addressed a wide range of aspects including safety at sea, search and rescue, optimised maritime transport, sustainable fisheries, renewable energies, security and society’s response to pollution.
EU seas – safe & clean

The 6 December session was chaired by Fabienne Jacq from the European Commission and the initial speakers outlined the overall context in which the EU space programmes operate. Helena Ramon Jarraud from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) described their mission “to ensure that EU’s seas were safe and clean.” The agency faces many challenges from people trafficking to illegal fishing and ensuring safety of navigation. All aspects were aided and new services enabled by the support provided from EGNSS and Copernicus systems.

This view was supported by Pierre Bahurel, Director General of Mercator Ocean International that operates the Copernicus Marine Service (CMS). His talk focused on the ocean challenges relating to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in particular SDG 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. CMS delivered “a complete ocean information portfolio that is free, open and assessed” that both helped protect the oceans and enabled the sustainable realisation of marine and maritime jobs and growth.

The policy context of the EU space programmes was further developed by Elisabeth Hamdouch of DG GROW. “The marine environmental and maritime challenges are beautiful examples of how EU space programmes could add value by making useful tools available on an open and free basis for many different users,” she said.

Space as a tool supporting the EU’s energy package was praised by Adam Candy from Delft Technical University. He described the BlueRise project developing Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion technology as an appropriate renewable energy source for coastal and island communities. Space-based systems provided “the information to both understand the resource potential for the system – i.e. where to locate it - and also its local environmental impact,” he said.

Maritime safety

The opportunity for EGNOS to provide safer and cost-effective navigation safety in French coastal regions was described by Etienne Leroy of CEREMA, which has developed and tested an EGNOS-based solution for the French Differential GPS (DGPS) network. This is part of the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities - World Wide Radio Navigation Plan.

The French network of seven coastal stations needs to be modernised – could EGNOS provide a cost-effective solution? CEREMA made some initial tests and found that EGNOS augmenting GPS could provide the necessary availability, continuity and accuracy levels, without impacting the independent integrity scheme. In addition, cost analysis showed that the EGNOS solution offered a greatly reduced capital requirement and reduced maintenance costs.

An official commission for the establishment of the first operational French station is now anticipated in early 2019 with more stations to be equipped during the year.

The ability of the Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) service to accelerate the detection of an incident and give more precise, life-saving positioning data was highlighted by Alain Bouhet from OROLIA Maritime. His company had led the GSA-funded HELIOS project to commercialise Galileo SAR enabled maritime and aviation distress beacons. The project had enabled certification for one aviation and two marine distress beacons and the first Galileo-enabled Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), launched in March 2018.

The use of the Galileo SAR service within the global SAR satellite system is already significantly improving the speed of response and the accuracy and reliability of SAR operations. “Galileo offers global coverage with near instantaneous detection and location,” said Bouhet.

“Response times are up to ten times faster.” And the unique Galileo return communications link from the SAR operator to the beacon ensures that victims know that the distress alarm has been received- and enables better survival decisions to be made.

Tethered drone

A further example of the potential of EGNSS and Earth Observation systems to combine to boost safety at sea was exemplified by Ricardo Rossi of Gruppo Sistematica who described the SARA project. This used a fusion of sensors and space technologies to improve surveillance operations at sea using a tethered drone acting as a ‘virtual pylon’ on the ship.

The drone is a semi-autonomous platform to aid search and rescue and surveillance using high EGNSS accuracy. The system enables cost-effective and extended surveillance that is reliable and fast to deploy. A proof of concept exercise has been undertaken with the Italian coastguard in the Bay of Naples using a low-resolution thermal camera to detect people in the water.

“Using a tether has a number of advantages,” claimed Rossi. “Including the ability to provide power for a continuous service and a continuous high-speed data link.” It is also a mechanical aid for landing the drone and ensures that the flight envelope of the drone is physically constrained, which eases issues around authorisation.

As well as SAR services a number of additional markets were foreseen for the device including border control, law enforcement, military applications and event or traffic management.

SAR demo

Earlier in EU Space Week, a press event introduced the media to the capabilities of EU space technologies in the maritime arena. On the morning of Tuesday 4 December, the GSA joined forces with the European Commission, the French Space Agency CNES, and the French naval authorities to highlight the various distress situations that can occur at sea and how Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are helping.

Demonstrations included briefings on the new Galileo SAR distress beacons and the SAR service itself as well as the Copernicus Maritime Security Service. An actual demonstration of the system at sea had to be cancelled at the last moment as the naval vessel and aircraft to be used were called away to a real-life emergency off the coast of Corsica, demonstrating that the Galileo SAR is fully operational and ready for action!

"This Search and Rescue operation demonstrated how beacons using the Galileo SAR service help to provide a faster and more efficient response for those in distress,” said Carlo des Dorides, GSA Executive Director. “With Galileo, a person in trouble can now be detected in less than 10 minutes. Today more than 500 million users are benefiting from a wide range Galileo services – and helping to save lives is one of them.”

Commenting on the event, European Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska said: “The EU invests in space activities to protect its citizens. Thanks to our space programmes, we can provide help to those who need it faster and in a more efficient way. EU space programmes are helping to save lives.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

On 3 December, as part of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Geko Navsat inaugurated the first accessible urban park using its Blind Explorer sensorial guidance solution.

With one in 30 people in Europe experiencing vision loss, innovator Rafael Olmedo had an idea: pair sound cues with augmented satellite navigation signals to help the visually impaired navigate along a predefined track. He called it 3SOUND.

“The idea behind the 3SOUND system was to provide an acoustic track perception based on the integration of an augmented acoustic reality application developed for a smartphone and an accurate and reliable navigation solution based on the use of GNSS signals augmented with EGNOS,” explains Olmedo. “The system would accurately identify the position and orientation of the user and, using binaural sounds, provide an innovative acoustic guidance solution for track navigation instead of the classical waypoint or route navigation.”

As the winner of the GSA Special Prize at the 2012 European Satellite Navigation Competition, the idea was first promoted at a special event organised by the GSA, ‘Space Solutions for Assisted Living’ held in London on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3 December 2012. Thanks to GSA support, Olmedo was able to further develop the 3SOUND idea at a business incubation centre in Madrid. Here, he founded Geko Navsat, a start-up dedicated to transforming the 3SOUND concept into a market-ready solution.

The great outdoors

Out of this work came Blind Explorer, an application that provides an accurate and reliable, personal navigation solution to guide people with visual impairments along unknown paths. To do this, it uses sensory interfaces that improve the user’s autonomy, safety and experience. “This is the first guidance system based on binaural, or 3D, sounds and advanced satellite navigation technologies, including Galileo,” explains Olmedo. “Used together, these technologies provide the user with an intuitive perception of a course’s orientation and the ability to move in the right direction.”

Available on the Google Play and Apple App store, the Blind Explorer application is geared towards helping the visually impaired explore the outdoors by themselves. All the user has to do is a select a destination or route, which Blind Explorer refers to as ‘tracks’. From here, the app automatically generates 3D sound cues to enable the acoustic perception of the right direction. All sounds and guidance indications can be customised in accordance with the user’s specific needs.

Another feature allows users to record their own tracks or points of interests with just the press of a button. These routes can then be shared with other users, thus growing the network of available routes. For those needing higher accuracy than what is provided by the smartphone, Blind Explorer can be enhanced using an external GNSS Bluetooth.

First tracks launched – more to come

In celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, Geko Navsat launched its first batch of accessible urban park routes for the Blind Explorer solution. The initial rollout includes 15 routes in five urban parks located in the Madrid region. “Blind Explorer provides all the information about these reliable and quality routes,” says Olmedo. “You can consult route details, select the preferred one and activate the navigation to walk the route and discover its points of interests – even when outside of cellular coverage.”

These initial routes are just the beginning – as Olmedo and his team plan to add more parks and routes from across Europe. “Historically, the visually impaired have had limited options for outdoor activities and tourism,” he adds.  “Blind Explorer is changing that by providing both tourism providers and visually impaired tourists with an accurate navigation system for discovering the outdoors independently.”  

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is organising a public consultation on the Integrity & Reliability of Digital Maps for Connected and Automated Driving, in connection with the recently published Commission Communication on Connected and Automated Mobility. This Communication addresses the need to investigate the integrity and reliability of digital maps in order to facilitate the deployment of fully automated and connected vehicles.

Digital maps are an essential building block to ensure a safe driving experience for highly automated driving and autonomous vehicles. Purpose-built maps will be produced that will be much more reliable and accurate than those used for traditional applications.

These digital maps will be enriched with information from public databases and sensor data from connected vehicles. Traffic information, such as speed limits or the real-time dynamics of traffic flow, will help the vehicle’s navigation system to anticipate upcoming road conditions and take decisions beyond what is enabled by the vehicle’s on-board sensors.

Key role for GNSS

Satellite navigation (GNSS), and in particular Galileo, plays a key role in providing precise and secure positioning in vehicle navigation technologies for driverless mobility. Moreover, GNSS is the primary sensor for building digital maps to provide very accurate positioning together with other sensors, such as LiDAR, for example.

Dynamic data pose specific problems, particularly given their real-time nature: they must be generated, validated and made available to the user equipment without delay. This makes their integrity validation more challenging, and their transmission can be subject to errors or disruptions affecting the overall reliability.

Addressing the issue

Currently, it is the navigation and map provider’s responsibility to ensure the integrity of its products and the reliability of the information provided by third-party suppliers. However, until now the maps have been mainly used to support navigation, giving information to the driver, rather than to support safety-related functions.

Some industry standards exist or are being developed for data exchange and map content, but there are currently no specific standards or certification procedures to assess map data quality characteristics, such as reliability, integrity, and traceability. This public consultation is a starting point in addressing this issue.

Have your say

The public consultation can be accessed here. It will be open until 27 January 2019, so make sure you have your say!

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The Cabinet Office and the European Commission, in cooperation with the European GNSS Agency (GSA), will organise the 4th EU-Japan Satellite Positioning Public-Private Roundtable in Tokyo, Japan, on 14 March 2019.

At the roundtable the EU-Japan GNSS Mission, led by the European Commission, will consist of representatives from European industry, SMEs and start-ups. The Cabinet Office will host the delegation, arranging site visits and meetings with Japanese companies in the field of Automotive, Agriculture, Drones and other GNSS technologies.

Read this: Japan joins the GNSS table with QZSS

During these site visits, the participants will have the opportunity to see demonstrations of autonomous driving, smart agriculture and drones and meet with value-chain makers, application developers and end users.

Opportunity to explore business cooperation

The programme for the event, a final version of which will be announced in January 2019, also includes an overview of the Japanese Space Programme, an update on EU-Japan GNSS cooperation and a networking reception.

The event will provide companies from the EU and Japan with an opportunity to explore potential business cooperation in the application of GNSS technologies.

Registration to participate in the Mission is scheduled to open in mid-January 2019. For more information contact: com@gsa.europa.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The Cabinet Office of the Goverment of Japan and the European Commission, in cooperation with the European GNSS Agency (GSA), will organise the 4th EU-Japan Satellite Positioning Public-Private Roundtable in Tokyo, Japan, on 14 March 2019.

At the roundtable the EU-Japan GNSS Mission, led by the European Commission, will consist of representatives from European industry, SMEs and start-ups. The National Space Policy Secretariat, from the Cabinet Office of the Goverment of Japan will host the delegation, arranging site visits and meetings with Japanese companies in the field of Automotive, Agriculture, Drones and other GNSS technologies.

Read this: Japan joins the GNSS table with QZSS

During these site visits, the participants will have the opportunity to see demonstrations of autonomous driving, smart agriculture and drones and meet with value-chain makers, application developers and end users.

Opportunity to explore business cooperation

The programme for the event, a final version of which will be announced in January 2019, also includes an overview of the Japanese Space Programme, an update on EU-Japan GNSS cooperation and a networking reception.

The event will provide companies from the EU and Japan with an opportunity to explore potential business cooperation in the application of GNSS technologies.

Registration to participate in the Mission is scheduled to open in mid-January 2019. For more information contact: com@gsa.europa.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The Cabinet Office and the European Commission, in cooperation with the European GNSS Agency (GSA), will organise the 4th EU-Japan Satellite Positioning Public-Private Roundtable in Tokyo, Japan, on 14 March 2019.

At the roundtable the EU-Japan GNSS Mission, led by the European Commission, will consist of representatives from European industry, SMEs and start-ups. The Cabinet Office will host the delegation, arranging site visits and meetings with Japanese companies in the field of Automotive, Agriculture, Drones and other GNSS technologies.

Read this: Japan joins the GNSS table with QZSS

During these site visits, the participants will have the opportunity to see demonstrations of autonomous driving, smart agriculture and drones and meet with value-chain makers, application developers and end users.

Opportunity to explore business cooperation

The programme for the event, a final version of which will be announced in January 2019, also includes an overview of the Japanese Space Programme, an update on EU-Japan GNSS cooperation and a networking reception.

The event will provide companies from the EU and Japan with an opportunity to explore potential business cooperation in the application of GNSS technologies.

Registration to participate in the Mission is scheduled to open in mid-January 2019. For more information contact: com@gsa.europa.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The Cabinet Office and the European Commission, in cooperation with the European GNSS Agency (GSA), will organise the 4th EU-Japan Satellite Positioning Public-Private Roundtable in Tokyo, Japan, on 14 March 2019.

At the roundtable the EU-Japan GNSS Mission, led by the European Commission, will consist of representatives from European industry, SMEs and start-ups. The Cabinet Office will host the delegation, arranging site visits and meetings with Japanese companies in the field of Automotive, Agriculture, Drones and other GNSS technologies.

Read this: Japan joins the GNSS table with QZSS

During these site visits, the participants will have to opportunity to see demonstrations of autonomous driving, smart agriculture and drones and meet with value-chain makers, application developers and end users.

Opportunity to explore business cooperation

The programme for the event, a final version of which will be announced in January 2019, also includes an overview of the Japanese Space Programme, an update on EU-Japan GNSS cooperation and a networking reception.

The event will provide companies from the EU and Japan with an opportunity to explore potential business cooperation in the application of GNSS technologies.

Registration to participate in the Mission is scheduled to open in mid-January 2019. For more information contact: com@gsa.europa.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The Cabinet Office and the European Commission, in cooperation with the European GNSS Agency (GSA), will organise the 4th EU-Japan Satellite Positioning Public-Private Roundtable in Tokyo, Japan, on 14 March 2019.

At the roundtable the EU-Japan GNSS Mission, led by the European Commission, will consist of representatives from European industry, SMEs and start-ups. The Cabinet Office will host the delegation, arranging site visits and meetings with Japanese companies in the field of Automotive, Agriculture, Drones and other GNSS technologies.

Read this: Japan joins the GNSS table with QZSS

During these site visits, the participants will have the opportunity to see demonstrations of autonomous driving, smart agriculture and drones and meet with value-chain makers, application developers and end users.

Opportunity to explore business cooperation

The programme for the event, a final version of which will be announced in January 2019, also includes an overview of the Japanese Space Programme, an update on EU-Japan GNSS cooperation and a networking reception.

The event will provide companies from the EU and Japan with an opportunity to explore potential business cooperation in the application of GNSS technologies.

Registration to participate in the Mission is scheduled to open in mid-January 2019. For more information contact: com@gsa.europa.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

CNH Industrial, a global leader in the capital goods sector, has enhanced the robustness of the precision agriculture systems for its global agricultural brands, Case IH, STEYR and New Holland Agriculture, by adding Galileo signals to their reference network solution.

During November’s EIMA International Agricultural and Gardening Machinery Exhibit in Bologna, Italy, Case IH, STEYR and New Holland announced that their equipment will now be Galileo-capable, enhancing the robustness of the RTK correction services.

This RTK guided auto-steering and its related technology ensures a fast, dependable signal and sub 1.5 cm repeatable accuracy in all conditions, regardless of field location. However, until now, farmers have had to depend on non-civilian American GPS or Russian GLONASS signals when driving in the field. “Enhanced RTK accuracy through the incorporation of signals from the Galileo satellites is a core way in which we can help Case IH tractor and combine users be innovative and competitive as they seek to help develop sustainable agricultural practices to feed an ever-increasing world population in an environmentally responsible way,” says Dan Stuart, Product Marketing Director EMEA Case IH.

For Maxime Rocaboy, Product Marketing EMEA at STEYR, the benefits of the enhanced RTK correction services are quite clear: “Use of the Galileo satellite navigation system, which is extremely accurate and available almost everywhere, enables a whole new range of options for farmers and contractors. It gives them detailed information on their land and crops like never before and realises all the potential benefits of the STEYR auto steering systems.”

The addition of Galileo signals also helps minimise the risk of signal failure, which is one of the major reasons why the Case IH, STEYR and New Holland CNH Industrial RTK networks are integrating corrections from Galileo satellites. “By improving positioning and timing information, consistency of signal coverage is enhanced and a robust and reliable signal for accurate pass-to-pass repeatability is ensured,” says Alessio Quatraro, Product Marketing Manager EMEA at New Holland Agriculture. Michael Mahieu, CNH Industrial RTK network analyst, “This benefits farmers by minimising downtime and assist in consistent and efficient use of seed, fertiliser and crop protection products through parallel passes with minimal overlap, thereby maximising a crop’s potential.”

The addition of Galileo signals means a higher number of available satellites when using RTK corrections, making the service even more robust – especially under challenging circumstances such as working under trees, in forestry or in orchards. The company is currently testing and validating Galileo correction signals for its RTK corrective service, which are expected to be available on the market starting in January 2019.

Galileo drives European competitiveness

The use of GNSS technology, including Galileo, is opening new business models and opportunities in the agricultural sector. GNSS-based precision farming gives farmers an unprecedented level of knowledge about their crops, livestock and operations while making the sector more efficient, economically competitive and environmentally sustainable.

According to the European GNSS Agency (GSA), Galileo provides improved positioning and timing information, with significant positive implications for many European farmers. “Galileo is well-positioned to enhance the GNSS performance, allowing users to benefit from an improved monitoring of the distribution and dilution of chemicals, improved parcel yields thanks to customised treatment and more efficient property management,” says Joaquín Reyes, who has prepared the the so-called User Consultation Platform, Agriculture panel, in Marseille early December where Precision Agriculture plays a central role. CNH Industrial participated in this event along with other leading tractor and machinery manufacturers.

EU Space Week

CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI) is a global leader in the capital goods sector with established industrial experience, a wide range of products and a worldwide presence. Each of the individual brands belonging to the Company is a major international force in its specific industrial sector: Case IH, New Holland Agriculture and Steyr for tractors and agricultural machinery; Case and New Holland Construction for earth moving equipment; Iveco for commercial vehicles; Iveco Bus and Heuliez Bus for buses and coaches; Iveco Astra for quarry and construction vehicles; Magirus for firefighting vehicles; Iveco Defence Vehicles for defence and civil protection; and FPT Industrial for engines and transmissions. More information can be found on the corporate website: www.cnhindustrial.com 

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

CNH Industrial, a global leader in the capital goods sector, has enhanced the robustness of the precision agriculture systems for its global agricultural brands, Case IH, STEYR and New Holland Agriculture, by adding Galileo signals to their reference network solution.

During November’s EIMA International Agricultural and Gardening Machinery Exhibit in Bologna, Italy, Case IH, STEYR and New Holland announced that their equipment will now be Galileo-capable, enhancing the robustness of the RTK correction services.

This RTK guided auto-steering and its related technology ensures a fast, dependable signal and sub 1.5 cm repeatable accuracy in all conditions, regardless of field location. However, until now, farmers have had to depend on non-civilian American GPS or Russian GLONASS signals when driving in the field. “Enhanced RTK accuracy through the incorporation of signals from the Galileo satellites is a core way in which we can help Case IH tractor and combine users be innovative and competitive as they seek to help develop sustainable agricultural practices to feed an ever-increasing world population in an environmentally responsible way,” says Dan Stuart, Product Marketing Director EMEA Case IH.

For Maxime Rocaboy, Product Marketing EMEA at STEYR, the benefits of the enhanced RTK correction services are quite clear: “Use of the Galileo satellite navigation system, which is extremely accurate and available almost everywhere, enables a whole new range of options for farmers and contractors. It gives them detailed information on their land and crops like never before and realises all the potential benefits of the STEYR auto steering systems.”

The addition of Galileo signals also helps minimise the risk of signal failure, which is one of the major reasons why the Case IH, STEYR and New Holland CNH Industrial RTK networks are integrating corrections from Galileo satellites. “By improving positioning and timing information, consistency of signal coverage is enhanced and a robust and reliable signal for accurate pass-to-pass repeatability is ensured,” says Alessio Quatraro, Product Marketing Manager EMEA at New Holland Agriculture. Michael Mahieu, CNH Industrial RTK network analyst, “This benefits farmers by minimising downtime and assist in consistent and efficient use of seed, fertiliser and crop protection products through parallel passes with minimal overlap, thereby maximising a crop’s potential.”

The addition of Galileo signals means a higher number of available satellites when using RTK corrections, making the service even more robust – especially under challenging circumstances such as working under trees, in forestry or in orchards. The company is currently testing and validating Galileo correction signals for its RTK corrective service, which are expected to be available on the market starting in January 2019.

Galileo drives European competitiveness

The use of GNSS technology, including Galileo, is opening new business models and opportunities in the agricultural sector. GNSS-based precision farming gives farmers an unprecedented level of knowledge about their crops, livestock and operations while making the sector more efficient, economically competitive and environmentally sustainable.

According to the European GNSS Agency (GSA), Galileo provides improved positioning and timing information, with significant positive implications for many European farmers. “Galileo is well-positioned to enhance the GNSS performance, allowing users to benefit from an improved monitoring of the distribution and dilution of chemicals, improved parcel yields thanks to customised treatment and more efficient property management,” says Joaquín Reyes, who has prepared the the so-called User Consultation Platform, Agriculture panel, in Marseille early December where Precision Agriculture plays a central role. CNH Industrial participated in this event along with other leading tractor and machinery manufacturers.

EU Space Week

CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI) is a global leader in the capital goods sector with established industrial experience, a wide range of products and a worldwide presence. Each of the individual brands belonging to the Company is a major international force in its specific industrial sector: Case IH, New Holland Agriculture and Steyr for tractors and agricultural machinery; Case and New Holland Construction for earth moving equipment; Iveco for commercial vehicles; Iveco Bus and Heuliez Bus for buses and coaches; Iveco Astra for quarry and construction vehicles; Magirus for firefighting vehicles; Iveco Defence Vehicles for defence and civil protection; and FPT Industrial for engines and transmissions. More information can be found on the corporate website: www.cnhindustrial.com 

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

2018 has been an action-packed year for the GSA and for Europe’s satellite navigation programmes, Galileo and EGNOS.

In terms of infrastructure, we have seen the Galileo constellation grow. In July, four more satellites were successfully launched, and are expected to enter into service in early 2019, and in October we commissioned another four satellites, launched in December 2017. The GSA was responsible for the Early Orbit Phase of both these launches, which put us on track to achieve full operational capacity in 2020.

It is not only in space that we have seen our infrastructure expand - our Earth-based assets also grew this year, with the official inauguration of the Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, in May.

This expansion in infrastructure has been mirrored in an expanded market uptake of European GNSS. In a significant development for the Galileo programme, the European Commission mandated that, from 31 March 2018, all new car and light van models sold in the EU have to be fitted with Galileo-enabled eCall devices that automatically alert rescue services in the event of an accident. This was followed, six months later, by the presentation to the market of the first eCall-enabled car.

Another major market development milestone was reached in June, with the launch of the first dual-frequency smartphone. This enabled developers to create new applications that meet users’ growing high accuracy requirements, allowing them to increasingly benefit from Europe’s investment in space.

In September we published the latest issue of our GNSS User Technology Report, providing an in-depth analysis of the trends set to shape the global GNSS technology landscape. This report, along with its sister GNSS Market Report, is proving to be a useful tool for all market players, from laymen to GNSS experts, providing a comprehensive overview of the status and trends on the GNSS market.

The figures highlighted in this report bring the impressive successes of the GSA’s market development efforts into sharp focus. In the two years since the launch of Galileo Initial Services, hundreds of millions of people are already using Galileo, with 69 smartphone models Galileo-enabled and over half a billion Galileo-enabled phones sold globally. EGNOS has also seen some impressive figures: currently 80% of all tractors with guidance use EGNOS, and 81% of maritime receivers and 59 drone receiver models use EGNSS.

These excellent results bear testimony to the fact that our main commitment is to provide users with high-level, secure and reliable service world-wide. This is the GSA’s primary objective today and will remain so throughout 2019.

In 2018 we celebrated a decade of partnership between the GSA and the Galileo Masters Competition – a partnership that has helped many exciting European GNSS-based ideas make the jump from the drawing board into the devices that people carry in their pockets, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration into the future.

The end of the year has been every bit as eventful as the start. European Space Week, which ran from December 3 to 6, was a huge success, with over a thousand participants gathering in Marseille to discuss how Europe’s space programme - Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus - are tackling societal challenges and supporting business growth and efficiency in multiple sectors.

Finally, December 16 marked two years since Galileo Initial Services were launched. As industry is already very aware of the benefits that Galileo’s increased accuracy offers, the time is ripe to increase awareness among the general public of the the added value that Galileo brings. So, to coincide with the anniversary of Initial Services the new ‘Accuracy Matters’ campaign was just launched to start to inform the public about how Galileo is improving their lives. This campaign will run over the coming year.

Looking to the year ahead, I see an exciting time for Europe’s space programmes, with ever-increasing market uptake of EGNSS-based applications and services and increased public awareness and appreciation of the benefits of Galileo and EGNOS. It is with this spirit of optimism that we face the challenges ahead, which we will tackle with a renewed commitment to partner with the European Commission and the European Space Agency.

As the year draws to a close, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the GSA staff for their hard work and commitment throughout the year, and to the European GNSS user community for their trust and support.

Happy Holidays to all of you!

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

2018 has been an action-packed year for the GSA and for Europe’s satellite navigation programmes, Galileo and EGNOS.

In terms of infrastructure, we have seen the Galileo constellation grow. In July, four more satellites were successfully launched, and are expected to enter into service in early 2019, and in October we commissioned another four satellites, launched in December 2017. The GSA was responsible for the Early Orbit Phase of both these launches, which put us on track to achieve full operational capacity in 2020.

It is not only in space that we have seen our infrastructure expand - our Earth-based assets also grew this year, with the official inauguration of the Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, in May.

This expansion in infrastructure has been mirrored in an expanded market uptake of European GNSS. In a significant development for the Galileo programme, the European Commission mandated that, from 31 March 2018, all new car and light van models sold in the EU have to be fitted with Galileo-enabled eCall devices that automatically alert rescue services in the event of an accident. This was followed, six months later, by the presentation to the market of the first eCall-enabled car.

Another major market development milestone was reached in June, with the launch of the first dual-frequency smartphone. This enabled developers to create new applications that meet users’ growing high accuracy requirements, allowing them to increasingly benefit from Europe’s investment in space.

In September we published the latest issue of our GNSS User Technology Report, providing an in-depth analysis of the trends set to shape the global GNSS technology landscape. This report, along with its sister GNSS Market Report, is proving to be a useful tool for all market players, from laymen to GNSS experts, providing a comprehensive overview of the status and trends on the GNSS market.

The figures highlighted in this report bring the impressive successes of the GSA’s market development efforts into sharp focus. In the two years since the launch of Galileo Initial Services, hundreds of millions of people are already using Galileo, with 69 smartphone models Galileo-enabled and over half a billion Galileo-enabled phones sold globally. EGNOS has also seen some impressive figures: currently 80% of all tractors with guidance use EGNOS, and 81% of maritime receivers and 59 drone receiver models use EGNSS.

These excellent results bear testimony to the fact that our main commitment is to provide users with high-level, secure and reliable service world-wide. This is the GSA’s primary objective today and will remain so throughout 2019.

In 2018 we celebrated a decade of partnership between the GSA and the Galileo Masters Competition – a partnership that has helped many exciting European GNSS-based ideas make the jump from the drawing board into the devices that people carry in their pockets, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration into the future.

The end of the year has been every bit as eventful as the start. European Space Week, which ran from December 3 to 6, was a huge success, with over a thousand participants gathering in Marseille to discuss how Europe’s space programme - Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus - are tackling societal challenges and supporting business growth and efficiency in multiple sectors.

Finally, December 16 marked two years since Galileo Initial Services were launched. As industry is already very aware of the benefits that Galileo’s increased accuracy offers, the time is ripe to increase awareness among the general public of the the added value that Galileo brings. So, to coincide with the anniversary of Initial Services the new ‘Accuracy Matters’ campaign was just launched to start to inform the public about how Galileo is improving their lives. This campaign will run over the coming year.

Looking to the year ahead, I see an exciting time for Europe’s space programmes, with ever-increasing market uptake of EGNSS-based applications and services and increased public awareness and appreciation of the benefits of Galileo and EGNOS. It is with this spirit of optimism that we face the challenges ahead, which we will tackle with a renewed commitment to partner with the European Commission and the European Space Agency.

As the year draws to a close, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the GSA staff for their hard work and commitment throughout the year, and to the European GNSS user community for their trust and support.

Happy Holidays to all of you!

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The 2018 European Space Week special session on Smart Cities saw professionals and decision makers showcasing how space applications are fostering urban innovation. Presentations highlighted current projects and cutting-edge technologies set to emerge in the coming years.

Smart cities use information and communication technologies to increase operational efficiency, share information with the public and improve citizens' welfare and the quality of key services such as public transport. Advances in satellite-based technologies, the likes of EU flagship Galileo, are giving rise to more competitive transport services, while minimising environmental and social impacts.

Evi Papantoniou, European Commission Head of Unit for Galileo and EGNOS legal and institutional aspects, introduced the European Space Week Smart Cities session: "By 2050, we expect two-thirds of the world's population to be living in urban areas, including mega-cities. With these rapid changes, many challenges are being faced by urban planners. We need efficient data flow and state-of-the-art infrastructure."

Smart Mobility is a basic requisite for Smart Cities. In the case of passenger transportation, the arrival of services like on-demand riding, vehicle sharing, multi-modal transportation, and autonomous vehicles are all changing how people get around.

"And at the same time we have the Internet of Things, with connected physical objects being able to locate themselves and communicate with other devices," said Papantoniou. "The question for all of us is how we fit this all together, to securely and affordably accommodate these services within currently available infrastructures and communication technologies."

Thought-provoking presentations

Thomas Bekker, Open and Smart Data Manager at Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur said: "Being smart is really a question of opening networks. We want open hardware, open data, open services, open knowledge, open innovation and Open Space! With technological barriers falling, we need to accelerate the deployment of user-centric approaches, making spatial digital data more accessible. Exploiting the new services of European space programmes is surely a means to addressing those issues."

Josep Maria Salanova Grau, Research Associate at the Hellenic Institute of Transport discussed a range of new emerging applications being enabled by Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). "In conjunction with Galileo, new developments in ITS include the ability to provide information on fuelling and charging stations, protection for vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists, on-street and off-street parking information, park and ride information, connected and cooperative navigation, and many other kinds of traffic and routing information."

Grau outlined work under the EU-funded Galileo4Mobility project, now under way in his home region of Thessaloniki. The project is carrying out a number of pilot studies on the topic of 'Mobility as a Service' (MaaS). "Shared mobility services have grown exponentially during the last years," Grau said. "While car sharing is still the most widespread form, other services such as bike sharing, ride hailing and flexible forms of public transport are also growing rapidly." Geolocation of people, things and vehicles by means of satellite navigation technologies is now a prime enabler for most shared mobility services, and its use is expanding. Galileo4Mobility is also undertaking work in the field of autonomous driving, another application with GNSS technologies at its core.

Autonomous driving, and more

The Bosch company was present at the Smart Cities session in the form of a video about its latest autonomous driving technologies. Combining advanced on-board sensors, satellite navigation, correction services and highly advanced software for position calculation, Bosch is keeping Europe at the front of the pack in this rapidly evolving field.

"Indeed," said GSA Officer Alberto Fernandez-Wyttenbach, "Bosch recently became the first automotive supplier to confirm the commercialisation of a Galileo dual-frequency on-board localisation unit, a must-have feature in high autonomous driving This means added precision to mitigate the multipath effect when you talk about city driving. This is a major step towards the industry´s innovation, and we expect other European manufacturers to follow very quickly."

Presenting another exciting research initiative was Martin Skjold-Grontved, Head of Section at the Danish Agency for Data Supply and Efficiency. The TAPAS project ('Testbed in Aarhus for precision positioning and autonomous systems') is aimed at using improved infrastructure to exploit the full technical advantages of modern GNSS.

"Geodetic reference systems are the fundamental infrastructure that provides the basis for precision positioning and navigation using GNSS," Grontved explained. "Until now this has been primarily based on GPS measurements, supplemented by local Real Time Kinematic (RTK) systems. But now we have the new GNSS systems being implemented, such as BeiDou and not least Galileo. These systems are now forming the basis for new terrestrial networks and the basis for both faster and better position determination.">

TAPAS is establishing a sound, ground-based network test bed to support and test new advanced technological developments that require fast, efficient and flexible precision positioning. "This is a geodetic innovation platform," said Grontved, "in the form of physical and virtual networks. The ambition is to exploit the full potential of Galileo and evaluate this system's quality in relation to GPS. Further, and in particular, it is the goal to achieve unprecedented precision positioning in real-time."

Roland Trauter, Manager of Software Integration at Daimler Trucks presented the EU-funded TransSec, aimed at preventing terrorist attacks, in particular the recent rise in vehicle-based terror attacks across Europe. In a number of such incidents, perpetrators used heavy trucks to assault pedestrians.

Trauter said: "The TransSec project is developing and evaluating autonomous systems to detect and prevent trucks from being misused, to prevent these attacks from occurring. With the advances we have achieved in GNSS positioning, map data and map matching, we can assemble on-board environment sensors and V2X communication to create a local dynamic map. This can then be used to monitor movement, critical area alarm, pre-crash object detection and for implementing emergency manoeuvres."

The TransSec project team is also interested in developing new and more effective methods to detect GNSS jamming and spoofing, which represent further threats to security in the context of automated driving technologies. Here, Galileo's unique authentication feature can play an important role.

Pedro Jorge Caridade is Associate Professor at the University of Coimbra and also co-founder of SpaceLayer Technologies. The company is carrying out the SOUL project ('Sensor observation of urban life'), installing small, reliable, inexpensive and georeferenced air quality sensors in moving vehicles.

"Air pollution is the top environmental cause of premature death, and it has a huge impact on productivity and health," said Caridade. "The exposure to risk may be minimised by issuing alerts. Our vehicle-mounted sensors map dynamically the city, with an additional layer of data coming from earth observation satellite images, such as from Copernicus, and other sources of information,” he said. “We can then determine air-quality pollutant-correlating indexes. The users receive real-time alerts on mobile and web platforms. Knowing the air quality in various parts of the city, citizens can act in a proactive way, plan a less polluted route to work, reschedule meetings or take preventive pharmaceutical drugs."

Freight matters

Improving the flow of goods while reducing congestion, accidents and pollution is one of the most important challenges for Smart Cities. Here, new business models inspired by the sharing economy and disruptive technologies have recently emerged and are quickly being adopted.

Mourad El Bidaoui, CEO of MAGMA Technology explained how his company is using a small, battery-powered autonomous geolocation module to enable precise location of logistics assets, using Galileo and other precise positioning technologies. "Today there are ten million maritime containers, two billion trolleys and five billion pallets being used in the transport of goods." El Bidaoui said. "These are all logistics assets and we are making it possible for shippers around the world to have a full visibility of their logistics thanks to the MAGMA web platform."

Finally, Frederic Dagnet, Director of Strategy at the Port Authority of Marseille, and Frederic Rychen, Professor at Aix-Marseille University, gave a joint presentation on exciting new measures and initiatives around the Port of Marseille, France's 'Smart Port'.

Geo-referencing remains a key capability being delivered by space-based technologies such as Galileo. When used in concert with the latest data technologies, EU space flagships Galileo and Copernicus are enabling Smart Cities to streamline and speed up information flows and thus drive and optimise more efficient physical and economic flows.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

OS and SAR Service Performance Reports of the third quarter of 2018 (covering July, August and September) have been published under the European GNSS Service Centre web portal, under Performance Reports section.

The third Galileo Open Service (OS) and SAR Service Quarterly Performance Reports of 2018 are available on the Electronic Library, under the Performance Reports section, providing the status of the Galileo constellation and the achieved performance over the reported period (July, August and September 2018).

These quarterly reports provide the public with the latest information on the Galileo OS and SAR/Galileo Initial Services measured performance statistics with respect to their Minimum Performance Levels (MPLs), as declared in their respective Galileo Service Definition Documents (OS - SDD and SAR - SDD), in particular on parameters such as:

• For Open Service: Initial ranging performance, Galileo to GPS Time Offset (GGTO) determination performance, Galileo positioning performance and the Timely publication of NAGUs.
• For SAR Service: detection and location performance, and infrastructure availability performance.

Highlights from Q3 2018 on Galileo OS and SAR Service:

As in previous periods, measured Galileo OS and SAR Service performance figures comfortably exceed their MPL thresholds.

Some highlights from the Q3 2018 performance reports:

Open Service

• The Availability of both the Galileo Ranging Service at the Worst User Location (WUL) and the Healthy Signal have been significantly better than the MPLs (all above the threshold of 87%), reaching the first figure on the reported quarter a monthly value of 100%.
• The Galileo UTC Determination Service Availability has reached a constant monthly value of 100%. Moreover, the GGTO Determination Availability comfortably exceeds the MPL target of 87% over the reported month: 98.58% in July and August and 98.84% in September.
• The target MPLs for Publishing NAGUs were met for both Planned and Unplanned events. A total number of 9 NAGUs have been published on the GSC web portal in the reported period, neither of them announcing unplanned events.

SAR Service

• Detection Service Probability for each of the Reference Beacons (REFBE) every month was above the MPL (which is 99%).
• Both the single and multi-burst Location Probabilities for each REFBE were, in all cases, well above the MPLs (which are 75% and 98%, respectively).
• SAR/Galileo Service Infrastructure Performance is measured by the availability of the Ground Segment, Space Segment and SAR Server. As a particular case of the Ground Segment availability, the MEOLUTs have reached better values than the MPL target (95%) in "Nominal" mode during the whole period: average availability of 96.9% for Larnaca and Spitsbergen and 98.1% for Maspalomas.

For the most up-to-date information on the Galileo system and constellation, visit the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) website, in particular, the Galileo constellation status section. For an exhaustive description of the Minimum Performance Levels (MPLs), refer to the Galileo OS SDD.

For more details on Galileo performance and its Services, do not hesitate to contact the Galileo Help Desk.

Help us on shaping the future of Galileo! Just a few minutes of your time are needed to complete the Galileo User Satisfaction Survey 2018.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The productivity and sustainability of land is determined by interactions between land resources, climate and human activities. Selecting the optimal, sustainable use of land is essential to minimise degradation, rehabilitate degraded land, ensure the sustainable use of natural resources and mitigate the impact of climate change. So it was appropriate that on World Soil Day, an EU Space Week session showcased how the EU space programmes Galileo and Copernicus are supporting sustainable land use and management.

Taking place, most appropriately, on World Soil Day, the EU Space Week session on 5 December focused on how sustainable land management impacts the resilience and vulnerability of land resources, particularly within the context of mitigating climate change, and was organised around three relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Keynote speaker Markus Erhard from the European Environment Agency (EEA) gave a user perspective of how satellite data impacts on policy in this area, in particular in terms of the EU’s Seventh Environmental Action Programme. “Copernicus is a true game changer in terms of environmental monitoring and assessment,” he stated. “With outstanding availability, accessibility, and at zero cost.”

Elisabeth Hamdouch from the Commission’s DG GROW agreed that EU space instruments were very important and the synergies between Copernicus and Galileo could make a big difference in this area. “These space-based programmes produce huge flows of new data,” she said. The key question was how to make best use of this quantity and quality data.

Read this: European GNSS and Earth Observation: A promising convergence for sustainable development

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

How resource efficiency in agriculture could be improved by early detection of diseases and pests using Copernicus was outlined by João Araújo of Spin.Works. Remote sensing is a key enabling technology to ensure we can feed a burgeoning world population. The company has developed the MAPPING online application that integrates Copernicus data and drone imaging to create insights that help farmers make the right choices and increase yield while reducing inputs such as pesticides and fertilizer.

The GSA-funded Horizon 2020 project Green Patrol showed how Galileo-enabled autonomous robots can detect and control pests in greenhouses thereby boosting yield. Maria Campo-Cossio from Fundación Centro Tecnológico de Componentes in Spain noted that 20 centimetre positioning accuracy was required but they could “count on Galileo for a solution, thanks to its greater resilience to multipath interference” – a major issue when working in large glasshouses.

The role of Galileo and EGNOS to enable precision agriculture and increase both the efficiency and sustainability of agriculture is well documented but has been often seen as a niche application for very big farms. However, now it is becoming mainstream as cheaper entry level applications become available. Stephan Vormbrock of CLAAS E-systems said: “Agricultural vehicles must be smarter, they cannot get bigger!” He presented a range of intelligent solutions that enable farmers to integrate and use all available space-based data to sustainably increase crop yields.

Bernard Richter of HEXAGON Leica Geosystems described their GNSS based solution for land registry applications in particular to enable farmers to comply with the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy (CAP). The system’s network of 4,500 base stations used to correct positioning data is being upgraded to use Galileo data that will enable the centimetre level precision that applications such as accurate seeding require.

And this: Agriculture and Space: The journey from field to fork

SDG 6: Clean water

Irrigation is becoming an increasing issue for farmers across EU-27 countries. The GSA-funded Horizon 2020 project Mistrale uses reflected GNSS signals (GNSS-R) for a number of applications including water management. Tamme van deer Wal from Aerovision showed how the technique can be used as a remote sensing alternative or compliment to Copernicus data. The main advantage for GNSS-R is that it can provide data 24/7 as the signal receiver is mounted on a drone. Practical applications include measurements of field water content, water management in flood areas and monitoring of mine waste seepage.

The use of Copernicus Land Service data to monitor lakes and rivers in near real time was described by Lionel Zawadzki from Collecte Localisation Satellites. The water component is an emerging Copernicus service with various products available including information on snow cover, lake ice extent, lake surface temperatures, and the area of bodies of water.

An enhanced flood mapping service was outlined by Federica Maserati of Telespazio. “Flood risks are rising due to global warming,” she said. However, the Copernicus rapid mapping service is now fully operational with global coverage and enables authorities anywhere in the world to react fast. A new vision for the service is that service users become distributed service providers by supplying additional crowdsourced data input. “We are looking for users to act as in-situ sensors generating local data,” he said. Collection of GNSS geolocation with this social data would help with data integration and increase accuracy.

SDG 15: Life on Land

SDG 15 aims to protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems explained Hans Dufourmont of the European Environment Agency (EEA), who outlined how the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (LMS) supported these objectives. Service support includes high level imperviousness data, high resolution data on forest cover, grassland cover and even extent of ploughing indicators. It is possible to monitor CO2 emissions by mapping probable sources and sinks. “Agricultural production is responsible for around a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions,” stated Dufourmont.

The Farm Sustainability Tool for Nutrients (FaST) was described by Isidro Campos Rodriguez from DG-AGRI. This tool also looks to support farmers under the CAP. The tool is under development and could be a key to boosting digitalisation in agriculture. The tool takes relevant farm information and enables fine tuning of nutrient management on the farm including outputs such as personalised advice on irrigation requirements. The app is currently working with Copernicus data but there is interest in the added value that Galileo can bring.

The final presentation of the session was from Antoine Lefebvre, founder of start-up Kermap that uses Copernicus data with artificial intelligence to analyse and predict urban heat island effects and local climate zones. The work visualises temperature distributions within city areas and enables modelling of climate change impacts on living conditions for citizens.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The productivity and sustainability of land is determined by interactions between land resources, climate and human activities. Selecting the optimal, sustainable use of land is essential to minimise degradation, rehabilitate degraded land, ensure the sustainable use of natural resources and mitigate the impact of climate change. So it was appropriate that on World Soil Day, an EU Space Week session showcased how the EU space programmes Galileo and Copernicus are supporting sustainable land use and management.

Taking place, most appropriately, on World Soil Day, the EU Space Week session on 5 December focused on how sustainable land management impacts the resilience and vulnerability of land resources, particularly within the context of mitigating climate change, and was organised around three relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Keynote speaker Markus Erhard from the European Environment Agency (EEA) gave a user perspective of how satellite data impacts on policy in this area, in particular in terms of the EU’s Seventh Environmental Action Programme. “Copernicus is a true game changer in terms of environmental monitoring and assessment,” he stated. “With outstanding availability, accessibility, and at zero cost.”

Elisabeth Hamdouch from the Commission’s DG GROW agreed that EU space instruments were very important and the synergies between Copernicus and Galileo could make a big difference in this area. “These space-based programmes produce huge flows of new data,” she said. The key question was how to make best use of this quantity and quality data.

Read this: European GNSS and Earth Observation: A promising convergence for sustainable development

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

How resource efficiency in agriculture could be improved by early detection of diseases and pests using Copernicus was outlined by João Araújo of Spin.Works. Remote sensing is a key enabling technology to ensure we can feed a burgeoning world population. The company has developed the MAPPING online application that integrates Copernicus data and drone imaging to create insights that help farmers make the right choices and increase yield while reducing inputs such as pesticides and fertilizer.

The GSA-funded Horizon 2020 project Green Patrol showed how Galileo-enabled autonomous robots can detect and control pests in greenhouses thereby boosting yield. Maria Campo-Cossio from Fundación Centro Tecnológico de Componentes in Spain noted that 20 centimetre positioning accuracy was required but they could “count on Galileo for a solution, thanks to its greater resilience to multipath interference” – a major issue when working in large glasshouses.

The role of Galileo and EGNOS to enable precision agriculture and increase both the efficiency and sustainability of agriculture is well documented but has been often seen as a niche application for very big farms. However, now it is becoming mainstream as cheaper entry level applications become available. Stephan Vormbrock of CLAAS E-systems said: “Agricultural vehicles must be smarter, they cannot get bigger!” He presented a range of intelligent solutions that enable farmers to integrate and use all available space-based data to sustainably increase crop yields.

Bernard Richter of HEXAGON Leica Geosystems described their GNSS based solution for land registry applications in particular to enable farmers to comply with the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy (CAP). The system’s network of 4,500 base stations used to correct positioning data is being upgraded to use Galileo data that will enable the centimetre level precision that applications such as accurate seeding require.

And this: Agriculture and Space: The journey from field to fork

SDG 6: Clean water

Irrigation is becoming an increasing issue for farmers across EU-27 countries. The GSA-funded Horizon 2020 project Mistrale uses reflected GNSS signals (GNSS-R) for a number of applications including water management. Tamme van deer Wal from Aerovision showed how the technique can be used as a remote sensing alternative or compliment to Copernicus data. The main advantage for GNSS-R is that it can provide data 24/7 as the signal receiver is mounted on a drone. Practical applications include measurements of field water content, water management in flood areas and monitoring of mine waste seepage.

The use of Copernicus Land Service data to monitor lakes and rivers in near real time was described by Lionel Zawadzki from Collecte Localisation Satellites. The water component is an emerging Copernicus service with various products available including information on snow cover, lake ice extent, lake surface temperatures, and the area of bodies of water.

An enhanced flood mapping service was outlined by Federica Maserati of Telespazio. “Flood risks are rising due to global warming,” she said. However, the Copernicus rapid mapping service is now fully operational with global coverage and enables authorities anywhere in the world to react fast. A new vision for the service is that service users become distributed service providers by supplying additional crowdsourced data input. “We are looking for users to act as in-situ sensors generating local data,” he said. Collection of GNSS geolocation with this social data would help with data integration and increase accuracy.

SDG 15: Life on Land

SDG 15 aims to protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems explained Hans Dufourmont of the European Environment Agency (EEA), who outlined how the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (LMS) supported these objectives. Service support includes high level imperviousness data, high resolution data on forest cover, grassland cover and even extent of ploughing indicators. It is possible to monitor CO2 emissions by mapping probable sources and sinks. “Agricultural production is responsible for around a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions,” stated Dufourmont.

The Farm Sustainability Tool for Nutrients (FaST) was described by Isidro Campos Rodriguez from DG-AGRI. This tool also looks to support farmers under the CAP. The tool is under development and could be a key to boosting digitalisation in agriculture. The tool takes relevant farm information and enables fine tuning of nutrient management on the farm including outputs such as personalised advice on irrigation requirements. The app is currently working with Copernicus data but there is interest in the added value that Galileo can bring.

The final presentation of the session was from Antoine Lefebvre, founder of start-up Kermap that uses Copernicus data with artificial intelligence to analyse and predict urban heat island effects and local climate zones. The work visualises temperature distributions within city areas and enables modelling of climate change impacts on living conditions for citizens.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

At the annual Snapdragon Technology Summit, which took place on December 4-6 in Hawaii, global chipset manufacturer Qualcomm Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, unveiled the newest generation in the 8 Mobile Platform Series, the dual frequency Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 855 Mobile Platform.

The latest offering from Qualcomm Technologies is the world’s first commercial mobile platform supporting multi-gigabit 5G, industry-leading AI and immersive extended reality (XR) collectively, ushering in a new decade of revolutionary mobile devices.

The Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform supports dual-frequency GNSS, leveraging the Galileo E1/E5a signals as well as the GPS and QZSS L1/L5 signals to produce a more accurate and robust location in dense urban canyons where GNSS signals tend to be blocked or reflected.

Using new chip architectures built on leading 7nm process technology, the Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform will also offer users long-lasting battery life and superior experiences in areas such as imaging, audio, gaming and XR.

Major milestone

“This announcement follows the trend of implementing dual frequency in consumer platforms to achieve new levels of location performance,” said European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Combining high accuracy of location with 5G connectivity is a major milestone and we are proud that Galileo and its E1/E5 signals are part of this revolution.”

“Accurate and reliable position location is of utmost importance to the mobile experience,” said Alex Katouzian, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Mobile, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Qualcomm Technologies continues to help improve consumers’ experiences with location-based services by adding dual-frequency GNSS support to the Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform.”

Galileo use

Working closely with the GSA for what concerns the Galileo use in the chipsets, Qualcomm Technologies is active in Location Based Services for smartphones, wearables, computing, IoT and the automotive market segments. In 2016, the company made headlines when it launched the Galileo-enabled Snapdragon smartphone chipset, which was used in the BQ Aquaris X5 – the market’s first Galileo smartphone.

Earlier this year, Qualcomm Technologies also introduced a number of European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) capable automotive chipsets for Europe’s eCall system, the emergency response location initiative now mandatory in all new vehicle types sold in Europe. With most of its chipsets capable of receiving and using Galileo signals, Qualcomm is the world’s largest chipset manufacturer of Galileo-enabled receivers.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

At the annual Snapdragon Technology Summit, which took place on December 4-6 in Hawaii, global chipset manufacturer Qualcomm Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, unveiled the newest generation in the 8 Mobile Platform Series, the dual frequency Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 855 Mobile Platform.

The latest offering from Qualcomm Technologies is the world’s first commercial mobile platform supporting multi-gigabit 5G, industry-leading AI and immersive extended reality (XR) collectively, ushering in a new decade of revolutionary mobile devices.

The Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform supports dual-frequency GNSS, leveraging the Galileo E1/E5a signals as well as the GPS and QZSS L1/L5 signals to produce a more accurate and robust location in dense urban canyons where GNSS signals tend to be blocked or reflected.

Using new chip architectures built on leading 7nm process technology, the Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform will also offer users long-lasting battery life and superior experiences in areas such as imaging, audio, gaming and XR.

Major milestone

“This announcement follows the trend of implementing dual frequency in consumer platforms to achieve new levels of location performance,” said European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Combining high accuracy of location with 5G connectivity is a major milestone and we are proud that Galileo and its E1/E5 signals are part of this revolution.”

“Accurate and reliable position location is of utmost importance to the mobile experience,” said Alex Katouzian, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Mobile, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Qualcomm Technologies continues to help improve consumers’ experiences with location-based services by adding dual-frequency GNSS support to the Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform.”

Galileo use

Working closely with the GSA for what concerns the Galileo use in the chipsets, Qualcomm Technologies is active in Location Based Services for smartphones, wearables, computing, IoT and the automotive market segments. In 2016, the company made headlines when it launched the Galileo-enabled Snapdragon smartphone chipset, which was used in the BQ Aquaris X5 – the market’s first Galileo smartphone.

Earlier this year, Qualcomm Technologies also introduced a number of European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) capable automotive chipsets for Europe’s eCall system, the emergency response location initiative now mandatory in all new vehicle types sold in Europe. With most of its chipsets capable of receiving and using Galileo signals, Qualcomm is the world’s largest chipset manufacturer of Galileo-enabled receivers.

Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

A team from Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, took the first prize in this year’s Farming by Satellite competition with FODDERApp, a mobile app for grass and grazing management.

Second prize went to the pan-European team TREASURE for their project "GALILEO for automated transplanting of crop seedlings"; and the project "Copernicus Satellites Data Fusion for Management Zones Definition" from the University of Padua’s Space Junk team took third prize.

The winning teams overcame stiff competition from 42 other young people across 17 European countries. The competition judges selected six teams to take forward to the final ‘live’ judging round, held on Wednesday 5 December as part of European Space Week in Marseille.

The finalists came from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK and, for the first time in the competition, Ireland and Finland.

“This was an amazing experience we really enjoyed brainstorming and developing the idea back in Ireland. And meeting all the other finalists and judges here in Marseille was fantastic! We hope to keep these connections in years to come,” Teagasc team member Gabriela Afrasinei said.

Read this: Agriculture and Space: The journey from field to fork

Interesting times ahead

The Farming by Satellite Prize, which promotes the use of satellite technologies in agriculture, is an initiative of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) and the European Environment Agency (EEA) and is sponsored by agricultural equipment manufacturer CLAAS.

“The outcome of this year´s Farming by Satellite Prize once again showed there is no better way for innovation than investing in and rewarding the next generation of farmers. The amount and quality of the entries we received indicate that we have interesting times ahead in the area of smart farming,” said GSA Market Development Officer Reinhard Blasi, who was part of the judging panel.

Innovative thinking

Commenting on the environmental focus of the entries, Hans Dufourmont from the EEA said: “At a time when we are facing critical environmental and climate challenges, it is of increasing importance that we continue to encourage this type of strong innovative thinking from the next generation.”

And this: Agriculture a key beneficiary of EU Space Programmes

Marcel Foelsch, Head of Precision Farming Services at CLAAS E-Systems noted that the past summer, with its unusually high temperatures and low rainfall, had highlighted the need to even further optimise the ecological benefits in the field of agriculture. “The participants of this competition are aware of this and submitted great ideas that tackle the challenges of today. I was impressed by the quality and level of innovation of the concepts that made it difficult to nominate the best one,” he said.

If you missed out on this year’s competition, but think you might have an idea that you could develop for next year, you can find all you need to know about entering the competition here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

December 16 marks two years since the launch of Galileo Initial Services. Timed to coincide with this milestone, the ‘Accuracy Matters’ campaign, officially launched on 15 December 2018, aims to increase public awareness of Galileo’s successes over the past two years and highlight the added value that Galileo brings to the mass market.

Did you know that Galileo is already improving the GPS signal that your smartphone receives, giving you extra accuracy and precision? Most Europeans are unaware that they are already benefitting from Galileo, but this is about to change! The Accuracy Matters campaign was introduced to the public at European Space Week in Marseille in the first week of December and the campaign officially kicked off this weekend. 

The campaign focuses on the fact that a little goes a long way and that today “Accuracy Matters” more than ever before for the latest location-based applications and services. The new awareness-building campaign will include a series of short video clips that give an entertaining glimpse of everyday situations where ‘Accuracy Matters’ to anyone using location data on their smartphones.

The videos can be viewed on a dedicated campaign page on the GSA website. The clips will be released in all EU languages and promoted on the Internet and through social media.

Milestone after milestone

A number of milestones with major significance for the Galileo programme have been reached since the launch of Initial Services in December 2016. In September 2017, semiconductor developer Broadcom announced the launch of the world’s first mass-market, dual frequency GNSS receiver for smartphones - the BCM47755. This was followed, in June 2018, by the launch of the first dual frequency smartphone – the Xiaomi Mi 8.

Now, according to the latest figures, over 500 million devices - most of them the latest smartphone models - are already Galileo-enabled. This new campaign aims to make users of these devices aware of the benefits that they can enjoy thanks Europe’s investment in the Galileo programme. 

Accuracy is particularly important when it comes to emergency response, and Galileo’s increased accuracy is a key enabler in this area too. As of 31 March 2018, all new car and light van models sold in the EU have to be fitted with Galileo-enabled eCall devices that automatically alert rescue services in the event of an accident, sending their position. A mere six months later, in September 2018, the first eCall-enabled car, the Volvo V60, was presented to the market.

These and the many other ways that Galileo’s added accuracy is benefitting end users will be highlighted throughout the campaign. 

Do you have Galileo in your pocket?

How about you? Do you know whether your phone or device is Galileo-enabled and whether you are already benefitting from Galileo’s added accuracy? To find out, check the devices that are already Galileo-enabled here: UseGalileo.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

December 16 marks two years since the launch of Galileo Initial Services. Timed to coincide with this milestone, the ‘Accuracy Matters’ campaign, officially launched on 15 December 2018, aims to increase public awareness of Galileo’s successes over the past two years and highlight the added value that Galileo brings to the mass market.

Did you know that Galileo is already improving the GPS signal that your smartphone receives, giving you extra accuracy and precision? Most Europeans are unaware that they are already benefitting from Galileo, but this is about to change! The Accuracy Matters campaign was introduced to the public at European Space Week in Marseille in the first week of December and the campaign officially kicked off this weekend. 

The campaign focuses on the fact that a little goes a long way and that today “Accuracy Matters” more than ever before for the latest location-based applications and services. The new awareness-building campaign will include a series of short video clips that give an entertaining glimpse of everyday situations where ‘Accuracy Matters’ to anyone using location data on their smartphones.

The videos can be viewed on a dedicated YouTube channel. The clips will be released in all EU languages and promoted on the Internet and through social media.

Milestone after milestone

A number of milestones with major significance for the Galileo programme have been reached since the launch of Initial Services in December 2016. In September 2017, semiconductor developer Broadcom announced the launch of the world’s first mass-market, dual frequency GNSS receiver for smartphones - the BCM47755. This was followed, in June 2018, by the launch of the first dual frequency smartphone – the Xiaomi Mi 8.

Now, according to the latest figures, over 500 million devices - most of them the latest smartphone models - are already Galileo-enabled. This new campaign aims to make users of these devices aware of the benefits that they can enjoy thanks Europe’s investment in the Galileo programme. 

Accuracy is particularly important when it comes to emergency response, and Galileo’s increased accuracy is a key enabler in this area too. As of 31 March 2018, all new car and light van models sold in the EU have to be fitted with Galileo-enabled eCall devices that automatically alert rescue services in the event of an accident, sending their position. A mere six months later, in September 2018, the first eCall-enabled car, the Volvo V60, was presented to the market.

These and the many other ways that Galileo’s added accuracy is benefitting end users will be highlighted throughout the campaign. 

Do you have Galileo in your pocket?

How about you? Do you know whether your phone or device is Galileo-enabled and whether you are already benefitting from Galileo’s added accuracy? To find out, check the devices that are already Galileo-enabled here: UseGalileo.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

December 16 marks two years since the launch of Galileo Initial Services. Timed to coincide with this milestone, the ‘Accuracy Matters’ campaign, officially launched on 15 December 2018, aims to increase public awareness of Galileo’s successes over the past two years and highlight the added value that Galileo brings to the mass market.

Did you know that Galileo is already improving the GPS signal that your smartphone receives, giving you extra accuracy and precision? Most Europeans are unaware that they are already benefitting from Galileo, but this is about to change! The Accuracy Matters campaign was introduced to the public at European Space Week in Marseille in the first week of December and the campaign officially kicked off this weekend. 

The campaign focuses on the fact that a little goes a long way and that today “Accuracy Matters” more than ever before for the latest location-based applications and services. The new awareness-building campaign will include a series of short video clips that give an entertaining glimpse of everyday situations where ‘Accuracy Matters’ to anyone using location data on their smartphones.

The videos can be viewed on a dedicated YouTube channel. The clips will be released in all EU languages and promoted on the Internet and through social media.

Milestone after milestone

A number of milestones with major significance for the Galileo programme have been reached since the launch of Initial Services in December 2016. In September 2017, semiconductor developer Broadcom announced the launch of the world’s first mass-market, dual frequency GNSS receiver for smartphones - the BCM47755. This was followed, in June 2018, by the launch of the first dual frequency smartphone – the Xiaomi Mi 8.

Now, according to the latest figures, over 500 million devices - most of them the latest smartphone models - are already Galileo-enabled. This new campaign aims to make users of these devices aware of the benefits that they can enjoy thanks Europe’s investment in the Galileo programme. 

Accuracy is particularly important when it comes to emergency response, and Galileo’s increased accuracy is a key enabler in this area too. As of 31 March 2018, all new car and light van models sold in the EU have to be fitted with Galileo-enabled eCall devices that automatically alert rescue services in the event of an accident, sending their position. A mere six months later, in September 2018, the first eCall-enabled car, the Volvo V60, was presented to the market.

These and the many other ways that Galileo’s added accuracy is benefitting end users will be highlighted throughout the campaign. 

Do you have Galileo in your pocket?

How about you? Do you know whether your phone or device is Galileo-enabled and whether you are already benefitting from Galileo’s added accuracy? To find out, check the devices that are already Galileo-enabled here: UseGalileo.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The ‘Space for Innovation in Rail’ forum, to be held in Vienna, Austria on 18-19 March 2019, will be an opportunity to discuss innovation and digitalisation in the rail sector, with a special focus on GNSS applications for rail. The event, under the auspices of the Austrian Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology, is being jointly organised by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), Shift2rail Joint Undertaking (S2R JU), and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA).

In recent years, the railway segment, which includes the rail industry, infrastructure managers and railway businesses, as well as the R&D ecosystem, has developed a portfolio of innovative solutions to increase the cost effectiveness and safety of rail transport, while at the same time improving passenger experience.

Both the GSA and Shift2Rail, a European initiative that seeks focused, market-driven research and innovation solutions for rail, are playing a key role in leading this innovative push in the rail sector and engaging with all stakeholders involved. ERA, meanwhile, is orchestrating the process from a more strategic and regulatory point of view within the framework of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS).

Read this: GSA Rail report tracks user PNT requirements

The jointly organised event, hosted by the Austrian Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology in Vienna, will bring together about 150 people representing Europe’s rail stakeholders, including the rail users’ community, the rail industry and service providers, specialised media, and policy-makers in the areas of mobility, multimodality and innovation.

GNSS on track

Following a welcome address from Norbert Hofer, Austrian Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology, discussions will touch on the key role of GNSS in innovation in rail positioning. It will also give an overview of the current state of affairs and highlight the lessons learned from GNSS adoption in various other transport segments – particularly the aviation sector.

Watch this: EGNOS and Galileo for Rail

Furthermore, the event will focus on the progress achieved so far on the implementation of the GNSS Roadmap for Rail as well as on the way forward towards the availability of a GNSS-enabled and certifiable train positioning system for the ERTMS, including the business challenges ahead. A further topic will be innovative solutions for rail-safety and signalling as well as the regulatory perspective towards GNSS adoption for rail.

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Vienna and discussing with you GNSS and the future of rail in Europe. Please register here. For more information contact: com@gsa.europa.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The ‘Space for Innovation in Rail’ forum, to be held in Vienna, Austria on 18-19 March 2019, will be an opportunity to discuss innovation and digitalisation in the rail sector, with a special focus on GNSS applications for rail. The event, under the auspices of the Austrian Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology, is being jointly organised by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), Shift2rail Joint Undertaking (S2R JU), and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA).

In recent years, the railway segment, which includes the rail industry, infrastructure managers and railway businesses, as well as the R&D ecosystem, has developed a portfolio of innovative solutions to increase the cost effectiveness and safety of rail transport, while at the same time improving passenger experience.

Both the GSA and Shift2Rail, a European initiative that seeks focused, market-driven research and innovation solutions for rail, are playing a key role in leading this innovative push in the rail sector and engaging with all stakeholders involved. ERA, meanwhile, is orchestrating the process from a more strategic and regulatory point of view within the framework of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS).

Read this: GSA Rail report tracks user PNT requirements

The jointly organised event, hosted by the Austrian Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology in Vienna, will bring together about 150 people representing Europe’s rail stakeholders, including the rail users’ community, the rail industry and service providers, specialised media, and policy-makers in the areas of mobility, multimodality and innovation.

GNSS on track

Following a welcome address from Norbert Hofer, Austrian Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology, discussions will touch on the key role of GNSS in innovation in rail positioning. It will also give an overview of the current state of affairs and highlight the lessons learned from GNSS adoption in various other transport segments – particularly the aviation sector.

Watch this: EGNOS and Galileo for Rail

Furthermore, the event will focus on the progress achieved so far on the implementation of the GNSS Roadmap for Rail as well as on the way forward towards the availability of a GNSS-enabled and certifiable train positioning system for the ERTMS, including the business challenges ahead. A further topic will be innovative solutions for rail-safety and signalling as well as the regulatory perspective towards GNSS adoption for rail.

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Vienna and discussing with you GNSS and the future of rail in Europe. Please register here. For more information contact: com@gsa.europa.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The ‘Space for Innovation in Rail’ forum, to be held in Vienna, Austria on 18-19 March 2019, will be an opportunity to discuss innovation and digitalisation in the rail sector, with a special focus on GNSS applications for rail. The event, under the auspices of the Austrian Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology, is being jointly organised by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), Shift2rail Joint Undertaking (S2R JU), and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA).

In recent years, the railway segment, which includes the rail industry, infrastructure managers and railway businesses, as well as the R&D ecosystem, has developed a portfolio of innovative solutions to increase the cost effectiveness and safety of rail transport, while at the same time improving passenger experience.

Both the GSA and Shift2Rail, a European initiative that seeks focused, market-driven research and innovation solutions for rail, are playing a key role in leading this innovative push in the rail sector and engaging with all stakeholders involved. ERA, meanwhile, is orchestrating the process from a more strategic and regulatory point of view within the framework of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS).

Read this: GSA Rail report tracks user PNT requirements

The jointly organised event, hosted by the Austrian Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology in Vienna, will bring together about 150 people representing Europe’s rail stakeholders, including the rail users’ community, the rail industry and service providers, specialised media, and policy-makers in the areas of mobility, multimodality and innovation.

GNSS on track

Following a welcome address from Norbert Hofer, Austrian Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology, discussions will touch on the key role of GNSS in innovation in rail positioning. It will also give an overview of the current state of affairs and highlight the lessons learned from GNSS adoption in various other transport segments – particularly the aviation sector.

Watch this: EGNOS and Galileo for Rail

Furthermore, the event will focus on the progress achieved so far on the implementation of the GNSS Roadmap for Rail as well as on the way forward towards the availability of a GNSS-enabled and certifiable train positioning system for the ERTMS, including the business challenges ahead. A further topic will be innovative solutions for rail-safety and signalling as well as the regulatory perspective towards GNSS adoption for rail.

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Vienna and discussing with you GNSS and the future of rail in Europe. Please register here. For more information contact: com@gsa.europa.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Europe's flagship space programmes, Galileo and Copernicus, serve as powerful tools for tackling today's economic, social, and environmental challenges, creating real opportunities for money making and job creation. This year's EU Space Week, which took place in the beautiful port city of Marseille, provided ample opportunities for reflection and exchange of ideas as the European space sector continues to move forward.

The 2018 EU Space Week opening plenary brought together an impressive array of key figures from the public sector and industry to deliver valuable insights into where the European space sector stands and where it is going.

The message from the European Commission was clear and simple: “Space is essential for our economy," said Elzbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. "We are not investing in space for the sake of space, but because of the benefits it brings to our citizens and society.”

Watch this: EU Space Week in Marseille, 3 - 6 December 2018

The Commissioner's comments came with EU Parliament and Member States in the midst of negotiations concerning the next EU space budget. The current proposal sees about EUR 16 billion being invested during the period 2021-2027 to further strengthen Europe's leadership position in space. The new space programme, with a budget 50% higher than that of the previous seven year period, will solidify the EU's role as a world space player, successfully competing with both state and private-sector actors.

“Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are world-class European success stories,” Bieńkowska said. “We have fought hard to keep them funded and we can see the results.”

Tangible outcomes

The European space sector employs over 231,000 professionals, with an estimated value of EUR 53-62 billion in 2017. Europe manufactures an astonishing one third of all the world's satellites. Galileo programme successes enumerated by Bieńkowska include recent satellite launches, bringing the system nearer and nearer to full operational capacity. And, she said, Galileo Initial Services, launched in December 2016, have surpassed all expectations in terms of performance. The coming months and years will see new Galileo services coming on line, including the secure Public Regulated Service (PRS), the Search and Rescue service (SAR) and a free high-accuracy service, among others.

Galileo is certainly leading the way in the area of dual-frequency signal delivery, now with more dual-frequency operational satellites in orbit than any other GNSS system. And market uptake of Galileo receivers has been impressive, with 500 million Galileo-enabled smartphones now on the market, thanks largely to the efforts of the European GNSS Agency (GSA). Marseille native and President of the French Space Agency (CNES) Jean-Yves Le Gall called Galileo a “fine testimony” to European teamwork.

For European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, the success of Galileo has had a lot to do with forward thinking and constant contact with user communities. "We did a lot of preparatory work to ensure market uptake," he said. "We had to get to know the people we were talking to, such as the chip set and receiver manufacturers. And we had financial tools in place to help facilitate their decision making." There is still work to be done, Bieńkowska said, arguing, for example, for a change of mind-set needed to keep young European space entrepreneurs in Europe, through greater private investment and venture capitalism.

Cooperation and competition were the key words for European Space Agency (ESA) Director General Jan Wörner. He said competition is good, but he added: “To remain strong and autonomous, Europe also needs to focus on cooperation. We need to continue to come together, to join forces.” Wörner also reminded gathered participants of the important role of space in stimulating and inspiring young people.

Inspiring words

Another source of inspiration for the gathered delegates was Simonetta Di Pippo, the Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). She spoke of unlocking the full potential of the global talent pool under the UN's boldest sustainable development agenda ever. "We are seeing an expanding portfolio of opportunities and invaluable partnerships are being created," she said, "bringing more and more countries into the space community."

Read this: European GNSS and Earth Observation: A promising convergence for sustainable development

Pierre Delsaux, Deputy Director General for DG GROW, European Commission, referenced the recent decision by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approving the use of Galileo In the United States. "This is a clear sign of the increasing global acceptance of European space leadership."

Aiming his comments directly at the gathered European space community, Delsaux said: "These systems, Galileo and Copernicus, are infrastructure tools for innovation and growth on Earth. We, the European institutions, are not in charge of innovation. Our role is to deliver the tools, to set the legal environment, to remove barriers. But innovation is done by you, the people on the ground. I am truly proud of the work you are doing."

Responding to Bieńkowska comments on the lack of enthusiasm shown by European venture capital, Delsaux said: "We have capacity, we have venture capital, but in Europe the money is sleeping in bank accounts. We must change our mentality. The US dares to do innovation. We should do more.”

Business perspectives

In addition to the policy-related presentations, the opening plenary also featured round-table discussions with representatives of businesses that are turning space-based data from Galileo and Copernicus into valuable services on the ground.

Michael Bültmann, Managing Director of HERE Deutschland, talked about how his company is putting space data to work: “Every industry needs location data to maximize value. Intelligent use of high-quality location data gives us the real-time information and insights that not only unlock the power of burgeoning technologies, such as autonomous vehicle navigation, but enable greater accuracy and efficiency across sectors."

From pinpointing and tracking assets, Bültmann said, to managing fleets, improving traffic flow and creating better urban infrastructure, satellite technologies are now playing an increasingly important role in improving the quality of all manner of data and thereby enhancing a wide range of business opportunities.

In today's increasingly unpredictable geopolitical context, space activities are a strategic game changer. Space is a question of science, exploration and international cooperation and, through critical programmes such as Galileo and Copernicus, space plays a very practical role in terms of boosting innovation, economic growth and security.

With over a thousand participants the 2018 edition of EU Space Week provided an ideal forum for leaders, as well as key user communities, to network, talk about projects and perspectives, and to recognise the best of Europe's GNSS researchers and entrepreneurs.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Europe's flagship space programmes, Galileo and Copernicus, serve as powerful tools for tackling today's economic, social, and environmental challenges, creating real opportunities for money making and job creation. This year's EU Space Week, which took place in the beautiful port city of Marseille, provided ample opportunities for reflection and exchange of ideas as the European space sector continues to move forward.

The 2018 EU Space Week opening plenary brought together an impressive array of key figures from the public sector and industry to deliver valuable insights into where the European space sector stands and where it is going.

The message from the European Commission was clear and simple: “Space is essential for our economy," said Elzbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. "We are not investing in space for the sake of space, but because of the benefits it brings to our citizens and society.”

The Commissioner's comments came with EU Parliament and Member States in the midst of negotiations concerning the next EU space budget. The current proposal sees about EUR 16 billion being invested during the period 2021-2027 to further strengthen Europe's leadership position in space. The new space programme, with a budget 50% higher than that of the previous seven year period, will solidify the EU's role as a world space player, successfully competing with both state and private-sector actors.

“Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are world-class European success stories,” Bieńkowska said. “We have fought hard to keep them funded and we can see the results.”

Tangible outcomes

The European space sector employs over 231,000 professionals, with an estimated value of EUR 53-62 billion in 2017. Europe manufactures an astonishing one third of all the world's satellites. Galileo programme successes enumerated by Bieńkowska include recent satellite launches, bringing the system nearer and nearer to full operational capacity. And, she said, Galileo Initial Services, launched in December 2016, have surpassed all expectations in terms of performance. The coming months and years will see new Galileo services coming on line, including the secure Public Regulated Service (PRS), the Search and Rescue service (SAR) and a free high-accuracy service, among others.

Galileo is certainly leading the way in the area of dual-frequency signal delivery, now with more dual-frequency operational satellites in orbit than any other GNSS system. And market uptake of Galileo receivers has been impressive, with 500 million Galileo-enabled smartphones now on the market, thanks largely to the efforts of the European GNSS Agency (GSA). Marseille native and President of the French Space Agency (CNES) Jean-Yves Le Gall called Galileo a “fine testimony” to European teamwork.

For European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, the success of Galileo has had a lot to do with forward thinking and constant contact with user communities. "We did a lot of preparatory work to ensure market uptake," he said. "We had to get to know the people we were talking to, such as the chip set and receiver manufacturers. And we had financial tools in place to help facilitate their decision making." There is still work to be done, Bieńkowska said, arguing, for example, for a change of mind-set needed to keep young European space entrepreneurs in Europe, through greater private investment and venture capitalism.

Cooperation and competition were the key words for European Space Agency (ESA) Director General Jan Wörner. He said competition is good, but he added: “To remain strong and autonomous, Europe also needs to focus on cooperation. We need to continue to come together, to join forces.” Wörner also reminded gathered participants of the important role of space in stimulating and inspiring young people.

Inspiring words

Another source of inspiration for the gathered delegates was Simonetta Di Pippo, the Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). She spoke of unlocking the full potential of the global talent pool under the UN's boldest sustainable development agenda ever. "We are seeing an expanding portfolio of opportunities and invaluable partnerships are being created," she said, "bringing more and more countries into the space community."

Read this: European GNSS and Earth Observation: A promising convergence for sustainable development

Pierre Delsaux, Deputy Director General for DG GROW, European Commission, referenced the recent decision by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approving the use of Galileo In the United States. "This is a clear sign of the increasing global acceptance of European space leadership."

Aiming his comments directly at the gathered European space community, Delsaux said: "These systems, Galileo and Copernicus, are infrastructure tools for innovation and growth on Earth. We, the European institutions, are not in charge of innovation. Our role is to deliver the tools, to set the legal environment, to remove barriers. But innovation is done by you, the people on the ground. I am truly proud of the work you are doing."

Responding to Bieńkowska comments on the lack of enthusiasm shown by European venture capital, Delsaux said: "We have capacity, we have venture capital, but in Europe the money is sleeping in bank accounts. We must change our mentality. The US dares to do innovation. We should do more.”

Business perspectives

In addition to the policy-related presentations, the opening plenary also featured round-table discussions with representatives of businesses that are turning space-based data from Galileo and Copernicus into valuable services on the ground.

Michael Bültmann, Managing Director of HERE Deutschland, talked about how his company is putting space data to work: “Every industry needs location data to maximize value. Intelligent use of high-quality location data gives us the real-time information and insights that not only unlock the power of burgeoning technologies, such as autonomous vehicle navigation, but enable greater accuracy and efficiency across sectors."

From pinpointing and tracking assets, Bültmann said, to managing fleets, improving traffic flow and creating better urban infrastructure, satellite technologies are now playing an increasingly important role in improving the quality of all manner of data and thereby enhancing a wide range of business opportunities.

In today's increasingly unpredictable geopolitical context, space activities are a strategic game changer. Space is a question of science, exploration and international cooperation and, through critical programmes such as Galileo and Copernicus, space plays a very practical role in terms of boosting innovation, economic growth and security.

With over a thousand participants the 2018 edition of EU Space Week provided an ideal forum for leaders, as well as key user communities, to network, talk about projects and perspectives, and to recognise the best of Europe's GNSS researchers and entrepreneurs.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

In good news for the maritime and inland waterways domain, initial results show that EGNOS corrections perform well when retransmitted over IALA beacons and AIS base stations.

As a member of the International Association of Maritime Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), the GSA has been working to foster safer and more efficient maritime travel through the use of such improved and harmonised navigation aids as satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS), including EGNOS. In fact, this potential use of SBAS corrections for navigation, in both coastal waters and inland waterways (IWW), has attracted the attention of many European authorities interested in its potential to complement their Differential GNSS (DGNSS) radio beacon networks.

Watch this: EGNOS for Waterborne Transport

To better understand this potential, the GSA, along with consortium partners ALG, Indra, ESSP and Alberding GmbH, launched a pilot project on the transmission of SBAS corrections via IALA beacons and automatic identification systems (AIS) for the maritime and IWW domain.

The project aims to demonstrate the operational performance of the transmission of EGNOS corrections converted to DGNSS corrections over the existing transmission infrastructure (AIS base stations/IALA beacons) used by the maritime and IWW domain, while also providing a detailed cost/benefit analysis of the proposed solutions.

A two-step approach

To accomplish this, the project is utilising a two-step approach. In the first phase, which concluded in April 2018, the consortium established an advisory board and working groups, along with a preliminary assessment of the technical, operational and economic feasibility analysis of the different service provision schemes.

In the currently ongoing second phase, the focus is on the deployment of the preferred service provision schemes. To start, the consortium selected the most suitable architectures for transmitting the EGNOS-based virtual reference stations (VRS) differential corrections, which can be either centralised or de-centralised. The four pilots uses a fair combination of both IALA beacons and AIS stations, as well as maritime and IWW domains, with data being collected from both static and dynamic receivers. Furthermore, DGNSS corrections that are currently being generated and broadcasted to users have been deactivated and replaced with the EGNOS-based solution (with the current infrastructure remaining as a backup).

Satisfactory performance

With the results from the first batch of pilot projects in, researchers can confirm that EGNOS-based corrections have achieved performance levels above or closely below the requirements set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). According to project researchers, this is mainly due to the:

• High availability of the EGNOS Signal in Space (SiS) (100% in the period of analysis when using combined SiS) and of the EGNOS Data Access Service (EDAS) (only minor outages detected); and
• High quality of the corrections generated.

Ongoing work

A fine tuning of the system is being implemented for those cases where requirements are not fully met.

In close cooperation with the participating authorities, the consortium has also developed a complete cost-benefit model for quantifying potential savings brought by the introduction of EGNOS and to assess the optimal deployment strategy for maximising the benefits of this transition. On top of this, some possible operational benefits are also being analysed. Finally, the consortium is working on an EGNOS Service Provision operational/liability scheme.

The second quarterly report can be downloaded here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Smart Gate, a system designed to measure time precisely during sporting activities, has been awarded first place in the GSA Special Prize at this year’s European Satellite Navigation Competition. The awards were handed out at the Galileo and Copernicus Masters gala award ceremony – the ‘Space Oscars’, held on 4 December as part of 2018 European Space Week in Marseille.

The Smart Gate team, a group of sport and tech enthusiasts, combined their two passions to develop a cost-effective solution that enables skiers and snowboarders to improve their performance. Using GNSS precise timing combined with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, Smart Gate provides precise times on ski/snowboard runs, which sportspeople can use to hone their skills and techniques.

"So far, the Smart Gate solution has been built using the private funds of its founders. We have dedicated a lot of our knowledge, involvement and passion to it,” project developer Marcin Wilik said.

Wilik said that winning the GSA Special Prize would be extremely important for the project. “First of all, we will have funds to improve our prototype and secondly it will give us the attention of the media and investors. This is what we need right now. It is no exaggeration to say that winning the GSA prize will be an important turning point for the Smart Gate project," he said.

Ridesharing

Second place in this year’s GSA prize went to Troodle – a ridesharing solution that, unlike previous systems, offers socially and ecologically motivated drivers a digital platform based on environmental awareness and social responsibility rather than earning opportunities or cost sharing.

Utilising geodata-based real-time communication, the Troodle app calculates optimal stopping points, ideal routes and average travel times as a basis for immediate and effective ridesharing. As a result, it can offer spontaneous, safe, environmentally friendly and low-cost mobility without advance agreement, for short and long distances in both cities and rural areas.

"We are very pleased about the ESNC GSA Prize. Together with the ESA-BIC funding, the financial support will enable us to develop our prototype of the Troodle app, which will be tested in two German cities at the beginning of 2019," Troodle founder Bernd Sailer said.

Autonomous machines

Finally, the third place this year goes to HIVE, a cloud-based solution for highly accurate GNSS positioning and navigation that helps position, navigate, and track drones, robots, and other autonomous GNSS-equipped machines with up to centimetre-level precision.

To improve their positioning accuracy, autonomous vehicles need to be connected to a ground-based, continuously operating reference station (CORS) that uses GNSS.  HIVE’s software combines unlimited numbers of fragmented GNSS CORS facilities in a single solution and provides easy access to all of them. In this way, it acts as an instrument for creating a united European GNSS CORS infrastructure, supporting the next-generation of autonomous machines.

“Winning a GSA nomination is a significant milestone for us, as the project we have worked hard on for years is receiving international recognition. And this is just the beginning,” project founder Simon Litvinov said.

10 years of partnership

This year is the 10th consecutive year that the GSA has been a main partner in the European Satellite Navigation Competition and awarded a Special Prize. This year for the first time the GSA awarded cash prizes of EUR 7,000, EUR 5,000 and EUR 3,000 to the top three proposals. This year’s contenders for the GSA prize addressed the topic 'When and where? – Exact timing and positioning matters'.

Watch this: Galileo Masters-GSA – 10 Years of Partnership

“I would like to congratulate this year’s worthy winners of the GSA Galileo Special Prize and all the Galileo Masters prize winners,” GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said. “During our 10 years of partnership with the competition, the GSA has awarded a Special Prize to contenders who presented the most pioneering ideas for the commercial use of Galileo and EGNOS. This year has been no different, and market uptake potential was an important criterion when evaluating the winning projects,” he said.

As part of its Special Topic Prizes over the past ten years, the GSA has received more than 80 innovative proposals per year, covering new applications across the broad scope of sectors that benefit from Galileo and EGNOS in a wide variety of areas. Over the years, the GSA Special Prize winners have helped establish the ESNC as a major driver of new, useful and economically viable GNSS applications.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Smart Gate, a system designed to measure time precisely during sporting activities, has been awarded first place in the GSA Special Prize at this year’s European Satellite Navigation Competition. The awards were handed out at the Galileo and Copernicus Masters gala award ceremony – the ‘Space Oscars’, held on 4 December as part of 2018 European Space Week in Marseille.

The Smart Gate team, a group of sport and tech enthusiasts, combined their two passions to develop a cost-effective solution that enables skiers and snowboarders to improve their performance. Using GNSS precise timing combined with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, Smart Gate provides precise times on ski/snowboard runs, which sportspeople can use to hone their skills and techniques.

"So far, the Smart Gate solution has been built using the private funds of its founders. We have dedicated a lot of our knowledge, involvement and passion to it,” project developer Marcin Wilk said.

Wilk said that winning the GSA Special Prize would be extremely important for the project. “First of all, we will have funds to improve our prototype and secondly it will give us the attention of the media and investors. This is what we need right now. It is no exaggeration to say that winning the GSA prize will be an important turning point for the Smart Gate project," he said.

Ridesharing

Second place in this year’s GSA prize went to Troodle – a ridesharing solution that, unlike previous systems, offers socially and ecologically motivated drivers a digital platform based on environmental awareness and social responsibility rather than earning opportunities or cost sharing.

Utilising geodata-based real-time communication, the Troodle app calculates optimal stopping points, ideal routes and average travel times as a basis for immediate and effective ridesharing. As a result, it can offer spontaneous, safe, environmentally friendly and low-cost mobility without advance agreement, for short and long distances in both cities and rural areas.

"We are very pleased about the ESNC GSA Prize. Together with the ESA-BIC funding, the financial support will enable us to develop our prototype of the Troodle app, which will be tested in two German cities at the beginning of 2019," Troodle founder Bernd Sailer said.

Autonomous machines

Finally, the third place this year goes to HIVE, a cloud-based solution for highly accurate GNSS positioning and navigation that helps position, navigate, and track drones, robots, and other autonomous GNSS-equipped machines with up to centimetre-level precision.

To improve their positioning accuracy, autonomous vehicles need to be connected to a ground-based, continuously operating reference station (CORS) that uses GNSS.  HIVE’s software combines unlimited numbers of fragmented GNSS CORS facilities in a single solution and provides easy access to all of them. In this way, it acts as an instrument for creating a united European GNSS CORS infrastructure, supporting the next-generation of autonomous machines.

“Winning a GSA nomination is a significant milestone for us, as the project we have worked hard on for years is receiving international recognition. And this is just the beginning,” project founder Simon Litvinov said.

10 years of partnership

This year is the 10th consecutive year that the GSA has been a main partner in the European Satellite Navigation Competition and awarded a Special Prize. This year for the first time the GSA awarded cash prizes of EUR 7,000, EUR 5,000 and EUR 3,000 to the top three proposals. This year’s contenders for the GSA prize addressed the topic 'When and where? – Exact timing and positioning matters'.

Watch this: Galileo Masters-GSA – 10 Years of Partnership

“I would like to congratulate this year’s worthy winners of the GSA Galileo Special Prize and all the Galileo Masters prize winners,” GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said. “During our 10 years of partnership with the competition, the GSA has awarded a Special Prize to contenders who presented the most pioneering ideas for the commercial use of Galileo and EGNOS. This year has been no different, and market uptake potential was an important criterion when evaluating the winning projects,” he said.

As part of its Special Topic Prizes over the past ten years, the GSA has received more than 80 innovative proposals per year, covering new applications across the broad scope of sectors that benefit from Galileo and EGNOS in a wide variety of areas. Over the years, the GSA Special Prize winners have helped establish the ESNC as a major driver of new, useful and economically viable GNSS applications.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Smart Gate, a system designed to measure time precisely during sporting activities, has been awarded first place in the GSA Special Prize at this year’s European Satellite Navigation Competition. The awards were handed out at the Galileo and Copernicus Masters gala award ceremony – the ‘Space Oscars’, held on 4 December as part of 2018 European Space Week in Marseille.

The Smart Gate team, a group of sport and tech enthusiasts, combined their two passions to develop a cost-effective solution that enables skiers and snowboarders to improve their performance. Using GNSS precise timing combined with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, Smart Gate provides precise times on ski/snowboard runs, which sportspeople can use to hone their skills and techniques.

"So far, the Smart Gate solution has been built using the private funds of its founders. We have dedicated a lot of our knowledge, involvement and passion to it,” project developer Marcin Wilik said.

Wilik said that winning the GSA Special Prize would be extremely important for the project. “First of all, we will have funds to improve our prototype and secondly it will give us the attention of the media and investors. This is what we need right now. It is no exaggeration to say that winning the GSA prize will be an important turning point for the Smart Gate project," he said.

Ridesharing

Second place in this year’s GSA prize went to Troodle – a ridesharing solution that, unlike previous systems, offers socially and ecologically motivated drivers a digital platform based on environmental awareness and social responsibility rather than earning opportunities or cost sharing.

Utilising geodata-based real-time communication, the Troodle app calculates optimal stopping points, ideal routes and average travel times as a basis for immediate and effective ridesharing. As a result, it can offer spontaneous, safe, environmentally friendly and low-cost mobility without advance agreement, for short and long distances in both cities and rural areas.

"We are very pleased about the ESNC GSA Prize. Together with the ESA-BIC funding, the financial support will enable us to develop our prototype of the Troodle app, which will be tested in two German cities at the beginning of 2019," Troodle founder Bernd Sailer said.

Autonomous machines

Finally, the third place this year goes to HIVE, a cloud-based solution for highly accurate GNSS positioning and navigation that helps position, navigate, and track drones, robots, and other autonomous GNSS-equipped machines with up to centimetre-level precision.

To improve their positioning accuracy, autonomous vehicles need to be connected to a ground-based, continuously operating reference station (CORS) that uses GNSS.  HIVE’s software combines unlimited numbers of fragmented GNSS CORS facilities in a single solution and provides easy access to all of them. In this way, it acts as an instrument for creating a united European GNSS CORS infrastructure, supporting the next-generation of autonomous machines.

“Winning a GSA nomination is a significant milestone for us, as the project we have worked hard on for years is receiving international recognition. And this is just the beginning,” project founder Simon Litvinov said.

10 years of partnership

This year is the 10th consecutive year that the GSA has been a main partner in the European Satellite Navigation Competition and awarded a Special Prize. This year for the first time the GSA awarded cash prizes of EUR 7,000, EUR 5,000 and EUR 3,000 to the top three proposals. This year’s contenders for the GSA prize addressed the topic 'When and where? – Exact timing and positioning matters'.

“I would like to congratulate this year’s worthy winners of the GSA Galileo Special Prize and all the Galileo Masters prize winners,” GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said. “During our 10 years of partnership with the competition, the GSA has awarded a Special Prize to contenders who presented the most pioneering ideas for the commercial use of Galileo and EGNOS. This year has been no different, and market uptake potential was an important criterion when evaluating the winning projects,” he said.

As part of its Special Topic Prizes over the past ten years, the GSA has received more than 80 innovative proposals per year, covering new applications across the broad scope of sectors that benefit from Galileo and EGNOS in a wide variety of areas. Over the years, the GSA Special Prize winners have helped establish the ESNC as a major driver of new, useful and economically viable GNSS applications.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Smart Gate, a system designed to measure time precisely during sporting activities, has been awarded first place in the GSA Special Prize at this year’s European Satellite Navigation Competition. The awards were handed out at the Galileo and Copernicus Masters gala award ceremony – the ‘Space Oscars’, held on 4 December as part of 2018 European Space Week in Marseille.

The Smart Gate team, a group of sport and tech enthusiasts, combined their two passions to develop a cost-effective solution that enables skiers and snowboarders to improve their performance. Using GNSS precise timing combined with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, Smart Gate provides precise times on ski/snowboard runs, which sportspeople can use to hone their skills and techniques.

"So far, the Smart Gate solution has been built using the private funds of its founders. We have dedicated a lot of our knowledge, involvement and passion to it,” project developer Marcin Wilik said.

Wilik said that winning the GSA Special Prize would be extremely important for the project. “First of all, we will have funds to improve our prototype and secondly it will give us the attention of the media and investors. This is what we need right now. It is no exaggeration to say that winning the GSA prize will be an important turning point for the Smart Gate project," he said.

Ridesharing

Second place in this year’s GSA prize went to Troodle – a ridesharing solution that, unlike previous systems, offers socially and ecologically motivated drivers a digital platform based on environmental awareness and social responsibility rather than earning opportunities or cost sharing.

Utilising geodata-based real-time communication, the Troodle app calculates optimal stopping points, ideal routes and average travel times as a basis for immediate and effective ridesharing. As a result, it can offer spontaneous, safe, environmentally friendly and low-cost mobility without advance agreement, for short and long distances in both cities and rural areas.

"We are very pleased about the ESNC GSA Prize. Together with the ESA-BIC funding, the financial support will enable us to develop our prototype of the Troodle app, which will be tested in two German cities at the beginning of 2019," Troodle founder Bernd Sailer said.

Autonomous machines

Finally, the third place this year goes to HIVE, a cloud-based solution for highly accurate GNSS positioning and navigation that helps position, navigate, and track drones, robots, and other autonomous GNSS-equipped machines with up to centimetre-level precision.

To improve their positioning accuracy, autonomous vehicles need to be connected to a ground-based, continuously operating reference station (CORS) that uses GNSS.  HIVE’s software combines unlimited numbers of fragmented GNSS CORS facilities in a single solution and provides easy access to all of them. In this way, it acts as an instrument for creating a united European GNSS CORS infrastructure, supporting the next-generation of autonomous machines.

“Winning a GSA nomination is a significant milestone for us, as the project we have worked hard on for years is receiving international recognition. And this is just the beginning,” project founder Simon Litvinov said.

10 years of partnership

This year is the 10th consecutive year that the GSA has been a main partner in the European Satellite Navigation Competition and awarded a Special Prize. This year for the first time the GSA awarded cash prizes of EUR 7,000, EUR 5,000 and EUR 3,000 to the top three proposals. This year’s contenders for the GSA prize addressed the topic 'When and where? – Exact timing and positioning matters'.

Watch this: Galileo Masters-GSA – 10 Years of Partnership

“I would like to congratulate this year’s worthy winners of the GSA Galileo Special Prize and all the Galileo Masters prize winners,” GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said. “During our 10 years of partnership with the competition, the GSA has awarded a Special Prize to contenders who presented the most pioneering ideas for the commercial use of Galileo and EGNOS. This year has been no different, and market uptake potential was an important criterion when evaluating the winning projects,” he said.

As part of its Special Topic Prizes over the past ten years, the GSA has received more than 80 innovative proposals per year, covering new applications across the broad scope of sectors that benefit from Galileo and EGNOS in a wide variety of areas. Over the years, the GSA Special Prize winners have helped establish the ESNC as a major driver of new, useful and economically viable GNSS applications.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) kicked off a new campaign to raise awareness of the fact that Galileo is making a real difference in the lives of the over half-a-billion users who have extra Galileo accuracy in their phone…. yet may not know it!

Did you know that Galileo is already improving the GPS signal that your smartphone receives, giving you extra accuracy and precision? Most Europeans are unaware that they are already benefitting from Galileo, but this is about to change! The Accuracy Matters campaign aim to increase public awareness of Galileo’s success and the added value it brings to the mass-market.

Lost in Location? Use Galileo!

According to the latest figures, today over 500 million devices - most of them the latest smartphone models - are now Galileo-enabled. The time has come to make people aware that Europe’s investment in Galileo is bringing daily benefits to millions! The new campaign is focusing on the fact that a little goes a long way and that “Accuracy Matters”. The new awareness-building campaign will include ten short video clips that give an entertaining glimpse of everyday situations where ‘Accuracy Matters’ to anyone using location data on their smartphones.

The campaign will be fully launched on December 15, but you can already get a first taste here: Lost in Location? The video clips will be released in all EU languages and promoted on the Internet and through social media.

Do you know whether your phone is Galileo-enabled? You can check out all the devices that are already Galileo-enabled here: UseGalileo.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) kicked off a new campaign to raise awareness of the fact that Galileo is making a real difference in the lives of the over half-a-billion users who have extra Galileo accuracy in their phone…. yet may not know it!

Did you know that Galileo is already improving the GPS signal that your smartphone receives, giving you extra accuracy and precision? Most Europeans are unaware that they are already benefitting from Galileo, but this is about to change! The Accuracy Matters campaign aim to increase public awareness of Galileo’s success and the added value it brings to the mass-market.

Lost in Location? Use Galileo!

According to the latest figures, today over 500 million devices - most of them the latest smartphone models - are now Galileo-enabled. The time has come to make people aware that Europe’s investment in Galileo is bringing daily benefits to millions! The new campaign is focusing on the fact that a little goes a long way and that “Accuracy Matters”. The new awareness-building campaign will include ten short video clips that give an entertaining glimpse of everyday situations where ‘Accuracy Matters’ to anyone using location data on their smartphones.

The campaign will be fully launched on December 15, but you can already get a first taste here: Lost in Location? The video clips will be released in all EU languages and promoted on the Internet and through social media.

Do you know whether your phone is Galileo-enabled? You can check out all the devices that are already Galileo-enabled here: UseGalileo.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Entrepreneurs and SMEs, along with business and public sector professionals using space data from across Europe and around the globe descended on Marseille ‘en masse’ for the 2018 edition of EU Space Week. The event featured presentations from high-level personalities, as well as key user communities. Plus, awards for Europe's up-and-coming space application researchers and innovators were given at the annual ‘Space Oscars’.

The EU Space Week opening plenary gathered speakers from industry and the public sector. They discussed how European Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation serve as powerful tools for tackling today's economic, social, and environmental challenges and creating opportunities for growth and job creation.

Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, said, “Space is essential for our economy. We are not investing in space for the sake of space itself, but because of the benefits it brings to our citizens and society.”

Watch this: EU Space Week in Marseille, 3 - 6 December 2018

The Commissioner's comments come as EU parliamentarians and Member States are in the midst of negotiations concerning the next EU space budget. “Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are world-class European success stories,” she said. “We have fought hard to keep them funded and we can see the results.” She also argued that a change of mind-set is needed to keep young European entrepreneurs in Europe, through greater private investment and venture capitalism.

President of the French Space Agency (CNES) Jean-Yves Le Gall called Galileo a “fine testimony” to European teamwork, as are the over 500 million Galileo-enabled smartphones now on the market. The opening plenary also featured round-table discussions with business leaders who are turning space-based data from Galileo and Copernicus into valuable and profitable services on the ground.

For European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, the success of Galileo has had a lot to do with forward thinking. "We did a lot of preparatory work," he said. "We had to get to know the people we were talking to, those instrument and receiver manufacturers. And we had the financial tools in place to help facilitate their decision making." The GSA handles, among other things, promoting Galileo market uptake. 

Cooperation and competition were the key words for ESA Director General Jan Wörner. He said competition is good, but he added, “To remain strong and autonomous, Europe also needs to focus on cooperation. We all need to continue to come together, to join forces.” 

User Consultation Platform helps ensure customer satisfaction

The annual EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP) enables direct interaction between users of positioning, navigation and timing solutions and the organisations and institutions providing Galileo and EGNOS services. The ultimate goal is to allow programme decision-makers to immediately take on-board inputs coming from users.

UCP participants are actual users of European GNSS systems, representatives of standardisation bodies and industry groups, regulatory bodies, and other members of the GNSS value chain. The work of the Platform in Marseille entailed eight parallel panel sessions bringing together users by market segment. The segments were: Mass Market; Road Transport; Aviation; Rail; Maritime; Agriculture; Surveying & Mapping; and Timing & Synchronisation.

At the UCP plenary session, representatives of the sectors reported the results of their discussions. Members of the audience were encouraged to ask questions and a panel of representatives from the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) also interacted directly with the user representatives.

“The exercise was extremely fruitful,” said panellist Fiammetta Diani of the GSA. ”All comments, suggestions and requests will be taken into account and will have a real impact on the evolution of European GNSS services.”

GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides thanked participants for their strong engagement and said, “The GSA works hard to maintain close relationships with European GNSS users, and that means all stakeholders in the downstream markets. The real value of the GSA is built on these relationships.”

Matthias Petschke, European Commission Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes, said, “What this User Consultation shows is that we are listening to you. Unlike other GNSS around the world, Galileo is a demand-driven programme. We want to hear your ideas and we want to know what you need, to bring your ideas to the market and create business.”

Rewarding programme

The stars came out for the prestigious Galileo and Copernicus Masters Gala Awards Ceremony, also known as the 'Space Oscars'. This year's annual European space innovation competition focused on how to tackle global challenges with Galileo and Copernicus. Prizes were presented by high-ranking competition partners from business, government and the space community.

Carlo des Dorides presented the 2018 GSA Special Prizes around the theme, 'When and Where'. He explained the rationale for the Agency's ongoing involvement in the awards, which are organised by Germany's AZO. “The focus is this virtuous cycle between innovation, SMEs and finally business in the market,” des Dorides said. “This partnership is a good fit. We have 60 projects funded under Horizon 2020, this is really R&D. We are funding specific technology areas. With the European Satellite Navigation Competition, we can get closer to the market, so this is certainly where we want to be.”

Entrepreneurs and SMEs, along with business and public sector professionals using space data from across Europe and around the globe descended on Marseille ‘en masse’ for the 2018 edition of EU Space Week. The event featured presentations from high-level personalities, as well as key user communities. Plus, awards for Europe's up-and-coming space application researchers and innovators were given at the annual ‘Space Oscars’.

The EU Space Week opening plenary gathered speakers from industry and the public sector. They discussed how European Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation serve as powerful tools for tackling today's economic, social, and environmental challenges and creating opportunities for growth and job creation.

Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, said, “Space is essential for our economy. We are not investing in space for the sake of space itself, but because of the benefits it brings to our citizens and society.”

Watch this: EU Space Week in Marseille, 3 - 6 December 2018

The Commissioner's comments come as EU parliamentarians and Member States are in the midst of negotiations concerning the next EU space budget. “Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are world-class European success stories,” she said. “We have fought hard to keep them funded and we can see the results.” She also argued that a change of mind-set is needed to keep young European entrepreneurs in Europe, through greater private investment and venture capitalism.

President of the French Space Agency (CNES) Jean-Yves Le Gall called Galileo a “fine testimony” to European teamwork, as are the over 500 million Galileo-enabled smartphones now on the market. The opening plenary also featured round-table discussions with business leaders who are turning space-based data from Galileo and Copernicus into valuable and profitable services on the ground.

For European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, the success of Galileo has had a lot to do with forward thinking. "We did a lot of preparatory work," he said. "We had to get to know the people we were talking to, those instrument and receiver manufacturers. And we had the financial tools in place to help facilitate their decision making." The GSA handles, among other things, promoting Galileo market uptake. 

Cooperation and competition were the key words for ESA Director General Jan Wörner. He said competition is good, but he added, “To remain strong and autonomous, Europe also needs to focus on cooperation. We all need to continue to come together, to join forces.” 

User Consultation Platform helps ensure customer satisfaction

The annual EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP) enables direct interaction between users of positioning, navigation and timing solutions and the organisations and institutions providing Galileo and EGNOS services. The ultimate goal is to allow programme decision-makers to immediately take on-board inputs coming from users.

UCP participants are actual users of European GNSS systems, representatives of standardisation bodies and industry groups, regulatory bodies, and other members of the GNSS value chain. The work of the Platform in Marseille entailed eight parallel panel sessions bringing together users by market segment. The segments were: Mass Market; Road Transport; Aviation; Rail; Maritime; Agriculture; Surveying & Mapping; and Timing & Synchronisation.

At the UCP plenary session, representatives of the sectors reported the results of their discussions. Members of the audience were encouraged to ask questions and a panel of representatives from the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) also interacted directly with the user representatives.

“The exercise was extremely fruitful,” said panellist Fiammetta Diani of the GSA. ”All comments, suggestions and requests will be taken into account and will have a real impact on the evolution of European GNSS services.”

GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides thanked participants for their strong engagement and said, “The GSA works hard to maintain close relationships with European GNSS users, and that means all stakeholders in the downstream markets. The real value of the GSA is built on these relationships.”

Matthias Petschke, European Commission Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes, said, “What this User Consultation shows is that we are listening to you. Unlike other GNSS around the world, Galileo is a demand-driven programme. We want to hear your ideas and we want to know what you need, to bring your ideas to the market and create business.”

Rewarding programme

The stars came out for the prestigious Galileo and Copernicus Masters Gala Awards Ceremony, also known as the 'Space Oscars'. This year's annual European space innovation competition focused on how to tackle global challenges with Galileo and Copernicus. Prizes were presented by high-ranking competition partners from business, government and the space community.

Carlo des Dorides presented the 2018 GSA Special Prizes around the theme, 'When and Where'. He explained the rationale for the Agency's ongoing involvement in the awards, which are organised by Germany's AZO. “The focus is this virtuous cycle between innovation, SMEs and finally business in the market,” des Dorides said. “This partnership is a good fit. We have 60 projects funded under Horizon 2020, this is really R&D. We are funding specific technology areas. With the European Satellite Navigation Competition, we can get closer to the market, so this is certainly where we want to be.”

Entrepreneurs and SMEs, along with business and public sector professionals using space data from across Europe and around the globe descended on Marseille ‘en masse’ for the 2018 edition of EU Space Week. The event featured presentations from high-level personalities, as well as key user communities. Plus, awards for Europe's up-and-coming space application researchers and innovators were given at the annual ‘Space Oscars’.

The EU Space Week opening plenary gathered speakers from industry and the public sector. They discussed how European Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation serve as powerful tools for tackling today's economic, social, and environmental challenges and creating opportunities for growth and job creation.

Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, said, “Space is essential for our economy. We are not investing in space for the sake of space itself, but because of the benefits it brings to our citizens and society.”

Watch this: EU Space Week in Marseille, 3 - 6 December 2018

The Commissioner's comments come as EU parliamentarians and Member States are in the midst of negotiations concerning the next EU space budget. “Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are world-class European success stories,” she said. “We have fought hard to keep them funded and we can see the results.” She also argued that a change of mind-set is needed to keep young European entrepreneurs in Europe, through greater private investment and venture capitalism.

President of the French Space Agency (CNES) Jean-Yves Le Gall called Galileo a “fine testimony” to European teamwork, as are the over 500 million Galileo-enabled smartphones now on the market. The opening plenary also featured round-table discussions with business leaders who are turning space-based data from Galileo and Copernicus into valuable and profitable services on the ground.

For European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, the success of Galileo has had a lot to do with forward thinking. "We did a lot of preparatory work," he said. "We had to get to know the people we were talking to, those instrument and receiver manufacturers. And we had the financial tools in place to help facilitate their decision making." The GSA handles, among other things, promoting Galileo market uptake. 

Cooperation and competition were the key words for ESA Director General Jan Wörner. He said competition is good, but he added, “To remain strong and autonomous, Europe also needs to focus on cooperation. We all need to continue to come together, to join forces.” 

User Consultation Platform helps ensure customer satisfaction

The annual EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP) enables direct interaction between users of positioning, navigation and timing solutions and the organisations and institutions providing Galileo and EGNOS services. The ultimate goal is to allow programme decision-makers to immediately take on-board inputs coming from users.

UCP participants are actual users of European GNSS systems, representatives of standardisation bodies and industry groups, regulatory bodies, and other members of the GNSS value chain. The work of the Platform in Marseille entailed eight parallel panel sessions bringing together users by market segment. The segments were: Mass Market; Road Transport; Aviation; Rail; Maritime; Agriculture; Surveying & Mapping; and Timing & Synchronisation.

At the UCP plenary session, representatives of the sectors reported the results of their discussions. Members of the audience were encouraged to ask questions and a panel of representatives from the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) also interacted directly with the user representatives.

“The exercise was extremely fruitful,” said panellist Fiammetta Diani of the GSA. ”All comments, suggestions and requests will be taken into account and will have a real impact on the evolution of European GNSS services.”

GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides thanked participants for their strong engagement and said, “The GSA works hard to maintain close relationships with European GNSS users, and that means all stakeholders in the downstream markets. The real value of the GSA is built on these relationships.”

Matthias Petschke, European Commission Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes, said, “What this User Consultation shows is that we are listening to you. Unlike other GNSS around the world, Galileo is a demand-driven programme. We want to hear your ideas and we want to know what you need, to bring your ideas to the market and create business.”

Rewarding programme

The stars came out for the prestigious Galileo and Copernicus Masters Gala Awards Ceremony, also known as the 'Space Oscars'. This year's annual European space innovation competition focused on how to tackle global challenges with Galileo and Copernicus. Prizes were presented by high-ranking competition partners from business, government and the space community.

Carlo des Dorides presented the 2018 GSA Special Prizes around the theme, 'When and Where'. He explained the rationale for the Agency's ongoing involvement in the awards, which are organised by Germany's AZO. “The focus is this virtuous cycle between innovation, SMEs and finally business in the market,” des Dorides said. “This partnership is a good fit. We have 60 projects funded under Horizon 2020, this is really R&D. We are funding specific technology areas. With the European Satellite Navigation Competition, we can get closer to the market, so this is certainly where we want to be.”

Entrepreneurs and SMEs, along with business and public sector professionals using space data from across Europe and around the globe descended on Marseille ‘en masse’ for the 2018 edition of EU Space Week. The event featured presentations from high-level personalities, as well as key user communities. Plus, awards for Europe's up-and-coming space application researchers and innovators were given at the annual ‘Space Oscars’.

The EU Space Week opening plenary gathered speakers from industry and the public sector. They discussed how European Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation serve as powerful tools for tackling today's economic, social, and environmental challenges and creating opportunities for growth and job creation.

Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, said, “Space is essential for our economy. We are not investing in space for the sake of space itself, but because of the benefits it brings to our citizens and society.”

Watch this: EU Space Week in Marseille, 3 - 6 December 2018

The Commissioner's comments come as EU parliamentarians and Member States are in the midst of negotiations concerning the next EU space budget. “Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are world-class European success stories,” she said. “We have fought hard to keep them funded and we can see the results.” She also argued that a change of mind-set is needed to keep young European entrepreneurs in Europe, through greater private investment and venture capitalism.

President of the French Space Agency (CNES) Jean-Yves Le Gall called Galileo a “fine testimony” to European teamwork, as are the over 500 million Galileo-enabled smartphones now on the market. The opening plenary also featured round-table discussions with business leaders who are turning space-based data from Galileo and Copernicus into valuable and profitable services on the ground.

For European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, the success of Galileo has had a lot to do with forward thinking. "We did a lot of preparatory work," he said. "We had to get to know the people we were talking to, those instrument and receiver manufacturers. And we had the financial tools in place to help facilitate their decision making." The GSA handles, among other things, promoting Galileo market uptake. 

Cooperation and competition were the key words for ESA Director General Jan Wörner. He said competition is good, but he added, “To remain strong and autonomous, Europe also needs to focus on cooperation. We all need to continue to come together, to join forces.” 

User Consultation Platform helps ensure customer satisfaction

The annual EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP) enables direct interaction between users of positioning, navigation and timing solutions and the organisations and institutions providing Galileo and EGNOS services. The ultimate goal is to allow programme decision-makers to immediately take on-board inputs coming from users.

UCP participants are actual users of European GNSS systems, representatives of standardisation bodies and industry groups, regulatory bodies, and other members of the GNSS value chain. The work of the Platform in Marseille entailed eight parallel panel sessions bringing together users by market segment. The segments were: Mass Market; Road Transport; Aviation; Rail; Maritime; Agriculture; Surveying & Mapping; and Timing & Synchronisation.

At the UCP plenary session, representatives of the sectors reported the results of their discussions. Members of the audience were encouraged to ask questions and a panel of representatives from the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) also interacted directly with the user representatives.

“The exercise was extremely fruitful,” said panellist Fiammetta Diani of the GSA. ”All comments, suggestions and requests will be taken into account and will have a real impact on the evolution of European GNSS services.”

GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides thanked participants for their strong engagement and said, “The GSA works hard to maintain close relationships with European GNSS users, and that means all stakeholders in the downstream markets. The real value of the GSA is built on these relationships.”

Matthias Petschke, European Commission Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes, said, “What this User Consultation shows is that we are listening to you. Unlike other GNSS around the world, Galileo is a demand-driven programme. We want to hear your ideas and we want to know what you need, to bring your ideas to the market and create business.”

Rewarding programme

The stars came out for the prestigious Galileo and Copernicus Masters Gala Awards Ceremony, also known as the 'Space Oscars'. This year's annual European space innovation competition focused on how to tackle global challenges with Galileo and Copernicus. Prizes were presented by high-ranking competition partners from business, government and the space community.

Carlo des Dorides presented the 2018 GSA Special Prizes around the theme, 'When and Where'. He explained the rationale for the Agency's ongoing involvement in the awards, which are organised by Germany's AZO. “The focus is this virtuous cycle between innovation, SMEs and finally business in the market,” des Dorides said. “This partnership is a good fit. We have 60 projects funded under Horizon 2020, this is really R&D. We are funding specific technology areas. With the European Satellite Navigation Competition, we can get closer to the market, so this is certainly where we want to be.”

Entrepreneurs and SMEs, along with business and public sector professionals using space data from across Europe and around the globe descended on Marseille ‘en masse’ for the 2018 edition of EU Space Week. The event featured presentations from high-level personalities, as well as key user communities. Plus, awards for Europe's up-and-coming space application researchers and innovators were given at the annual ‘Space Oscars’.

The EU Space Week opening plenary gathered speakers from industry and the public sector. They discussed how European Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation serve as powerful tools for tackling today's economic, social, and environmental challenges and creating opportunities for growth and job creation.

Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, said, “Space is essential for our economy. We are not investing in space for the sake of space itself, but because of the benefits it brings to our citizens and society.”

Watch this: EU Space Week in Marseille, 3 - 6 December 2018

The Commissioner's comments come as EU parliamentarians and Member States are in the midst of negotiations concerning the next EU space budget. “Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are world-class European success stories,” she said. “We have fought hard to keep them funded and we can see the results.” She also argued that a change of mind-set is needed to keep young European entrepreneurs in Europe, through greater private investment and venture capitalism.

President of the French Space Agency (CNES) Jean-Yves Le Gall called Galileo a “fine testimony” to European teamwork, as are the over 500 million Galileo-enabled smartphones now on the market. The opening plenary also featured round-table discussions with business leaders who are turning space-based data from Galileo and Copernicus into valuable and profitable services on the ground.

For European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, the success of Galileo has had a lot to do with forward thinking. "We did a lot of preparatory work," he said. "We had to get to know the people we were talking to, those instrument and receiver manufacturers. And we had the financial tools in place to help facilitate their decision making." The GSA handles, among other things, promoting Galileo market uptake. 

Cooperation and competition were the key words for ESA Director General Jan Wörner. He said competition is good, but he added, “To remain strong and autonomous, Europe also needs to focus on cooperation. We all need to continue to come together, to join forces.” 

User Consultation Platform helps ensure customer satisfaction

The annual EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP) enables direct interaction between users of positioning, navigation and timing solutions and the organisations and institutions providing Galileo and EGNOS services. The ultimate goal is to allow programme decision-makers to immediately take on-board inputs coming from users.

UCP participants are actual users of European GNSS systems, representatives of standardisation bodies and industry groups, regulatory bodies, and other members of the GNSS value chain. The work of the Platform in Marseille entailed eight parallel panel sessions bringing together users by market segment. The segments were: Mass Market; Road Transport; Aviation; Rail; Maritime; Agriculture; Surveying & Mapping; and Timing & Synchronisation.

At the UCP plenary session, representatives of the sectors reported the results of their discussions. Members of the audience were encouraged to ask questions and a panel of representatives from the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) also interacted directly with the user representatives.

“The exercise was extremely fruitful,” said panellist Fiammetta Diani of the GSA. ”All comments, suggestions and requests will be taken into account and will have a real impact on the evolution of European GNSS services.”

GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides thanked participants for their strong engagement and said, “The GSA works hard to maintain close relationships with European GNSS users, and that means all stakeholders in the downstream markets. The real value of the GSA is built on these relationships.”

Matthias Petschke, European Commission Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes, said, “What this User Consultation shows is that we are listening to you. Unlike other GNSS around the world, Galileo is a demand-driven programme. We want to hear your ideas and we want to know what you need, to bring your ideas to the market and create business.”

Rewarding programme

The stars came out for the prestigious Galileo and Copernicus Masters Gala Awards Ceremony, also known as the 'Space Oscars'. This year's annual European space innovation competition focused on how to tackle global challenges with Galileo and Copernicus. Prizes were presented by high-ranking competition partners from business, government and the space community.

Carlo des Dorides presented the 2018 GSA Special Prizes around the theme, 'When and Where'. He explained the rationale for the Agency's ongoing involvement in the awards, which are organised by Germany's AZO. “The focus is this virtuous cycle between innovation, SMEs and finally business in the market,” des Dorides said. “This partnership is a good fit. We have 60 projects funded under Horizon 2020, this is really R&D. We are funding specific technology areas. With the European Satellite Navigation Competition, we can get closer to the market, so this is certainly where we want to be.”

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has launched the 2018 edition of its Galileo User Satisfaction Survey and its EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey. These surveys will provide a better understanding of the value of Galileo and EGNOS to end users and help ensure that future evolutions of the systems continue to meet users’ needs.

Users have always been at the heart of European GNSS (EGNSS - Galileo and EGNOS) service provision, and feedback from users on their experience of Galileo and EGNOS is invaluable in shaping these services, helping ensure that they continuously improve and better serve the EGNSS community.

Tailored by segment

The Galileo User Satisfaction Survey is tailored to fit different categories of users and market segments. Likewise, this year’s EGNOS survey is broken down per EGNOS market segment (Aviation, Maritime, Rail, Road, Agriculture, Surveying and Mapping and LBS). Please click on the relevant link to respond to the survey that corresponds to the market segment in which you are operating, the market segment that corresponds to your main area of activity, or the market segment that is the most important for your company or organisation, if you are active in multiple market segments.  

Watch this: EGNOS is growing

The EGNOS survey covers all market segments and services, including the Open Service, the Safety of Life Service and the EGNOS Data Access Service (EDAS). It also assesses the ESSP’s management of EGNOS User Support Services.

Make your voice heard

If you are a Galileo or EGNOS user, we strongly encourage you to participate and let your voice be heard. The more users respond, the better the GSA, ESSP and the Galileo and EGNOS systems will be able to continue to meet your requirements. The surveys will only take about five minutes to complete, and your feedback will make a real difference to future EGNSS service provision.

And this: Who is using Galileo today?

The 2017 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey showed a positive trend, with user satisfaction slightly increased compared with 2016. Based on the outcomes of the 2017 survey, for example, several improvements have been made to the EGNOS user support website, with newly available tools and features. The main outcomes and conclusions from the 2017 Galileo User Satisfaction Survey are already available, and can be downloaded here.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has launched the 2018 edition of its Galileo User Satisfaction Survey and its EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey. These surveys will provide a better understanding of the value of Galileo and EGNOS to end users and help ensure that future evolutions of the systems continue to meet users’ needs.

Users have always been at the heart of European GNSS (EGNSS - Galileo and EGNOS) service provision, and feedback from users on their experience of Galileo and EGNOS is invaluable in shaping these services, helping ensure that they continuously improve and better serve the EGNSS community.

Tailored by segment

The Galileo User Satisfaction Survey is tailored to fit different categories of users and market segments. Likewise, this year’s EGNOS survey is broken down per EGNOS market segment (Aviation, Maritime, Rail, Road, Agriculture, Surveying and Mapping and LBS). Please click on the relevant link to respond to the survey that corresponds to the market segment in which you are operating, the market segment that corresponds to your main area of activity, or the market segment that is the most important for your company or organisation, if you are active in multiple market segments.  

Watch this: EGNOS is growing

The EGNOS survey covers all market segments and services, including the Open Service, the Safety of Life Service and the EGNOS Data Access Service (EDAS). It also assesses the ESSP’s management of EGNOS User Support Services.

Make your voice heard

If you are a Galileo or EGNOS user, we strongly encourage you to participate and let your voice be heard. The more users respond, the better the GSA, ESSP and the Galileo and EGNOS systems will be able to continue to meet your requirements. The surveys will only take about five minutes to complete, and your feedback will make a real difference to future EGNSS service provision.

And this: Who is using Galileo today?

The 2017 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey showed a positive trend, with user satisfaction slightly increased compared with 2016. Based on the outcomes of the 2017 survey, for example, several improvements have been made to the EGNOS user support website, with newly available tools and features. The main outcomes and conclusions from the 2017 Galileo User Satisfaction Survey are already available, and can be downloaded here.

Ever dreamed about presenting your solution at Mobile World Congress? The GSA is looking for innovative solutions to be presented at the Galileo stand in Barcelona. The MWC is the largest mobile event in the world - every year it brings together leading mobile technology developers, manufacturers, service providers and app developers from across the globe. With over 107,000 visitors expected to attend MWC 2019, next year’s event promises to be an ideal forum to showcase the latest EGNSS-based innovations.

From 25 to 28 February 2019, MWC Barcelona will host the latest cutting-edge technologies from more than 2,400 of the world’s leading mobile technology companies. With a programme featuring leading visionaries and investors, the Congress is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to present and promote innovative new ideas, technologies and applications and bring them to the attention of key decision-makers.

Read this: EGNOS and Galileo – opening the door to new drone applications

Having as its goal to explore the hottest trends influencing the mobile industry, MWC Barcelona is an ideal platform to showcase and promote innovative EGNSS-based solutions and applications, for example those being developed within Horizon 2020, and show how European space research is enhancing EU industrial competitiveness and playing a pivotal role in tackling various societal challenges facing Europe. 

At MWC, you can present your EGNSS-based services and applications with the potential to improve the lives of European citizens, and bring the benefits of cutting-edge European space-based research to the attention of your peers, investors and the public at large. 

Drones in focus MWC 2018

By matching ideas with opportunities and talent with available resources, MWC Barcelona helps support the European GNSS Agency (GSA) in its mission of linking space to user needs. In fact, from dual frequency chipsets to new smartphones, EGNSS was behind many of the technology announcements made during the Mobile World Congress 2018. 

Watch this: GNSS for drones and UAVs

What’s more, at the 2018 MWC, the GSA showcased how Galileo-enabled drones are benefitting a range of different applications, including surveying, search and rescue and agriculture. The GSA stand at the Congress featured displays and presentations on a number of EU-funded drone projects, including selected GSA-managed H2020 projects such as Real, EASY-PV, Gauss, Geovision and Mapkite, and the Argonaut solution developed within the Barcelona ESA Business Incubation Centre.

“MWC 2018 in Barcelona was a valuable opportunity to introduce Easy-PV outcomes to a wider audience. I am sure that the other EU-funded projects involved also benefited from it. Specifically, I find that the Congress has been an excellent venue to forge partnerships, gain valuable insights and expand our professional networks. Almost one year later, I can say that some of the contacts established in Barcelona ended up as important partnerships. We are grateful to the GSA for making this happen,” said Marco Nisi, Head of Integrated GNSS Solutions at Sistematica S.p.A.

Expression of Interest

Ahead of next year’s MWC in Barcelona on 25-28 February 2019, the GSA is launching a call for expressions of interest among Horizon 2020, Fundamental Elements partners and other EU companies. If you have an EGNSS-based solution or product that you would like to demonstrate at MWC Barcelona, please contact the GSA at market@gsa.europa.eu. Put “Interested in showcasing our project at MWC 2019” in the subject line of your email.

This will be an unmissable opportunity to present your solutions to a large audience of potential investors and beneficiaries. Join us in Barcelona in February 2019 at MWC, where innovation is celebrated, connections are made, insights are gained, products are launched and business gets done!

For more information read the Rules and conditions and  submit the Declaration of Honour by 19th December 2018.

You can find additional clarifications here.

Ever dreamed about presenting your solution at Mobile World Congress? The GSA is looking for innovative solutions to be presented at the Galileo stand in Barcelona. The MWC is the largest mobile event in the world - every year it brings together leading mobile technology developers, manufacturers, service providers and app developers from across the globe. With over 107,000 visitors expected to attend MWC 2019, next year’s event promises to be an ideal forum to showcase the latest EGNSS-based innovations.

From 25 to 28 February 2019, MWC Barcelona will host the latest cutting-edge technologies from more than 2,400 of the world’s leading mobile technology companies. With a programme featuring leading visionaries and investors, the Congress is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to present and promote innovative new ideas, technologies and applications and bring them to the attention of key decision-makers.

Read this: EGNOS and Galileo – opening the door to new drone applications

Having as its goal to explore the hottest trends influencing the mobile industry, MWC Barcelona is an ideal platform to showcase and promote innovative EGNSS-based solutions and applications, for example those being developed within Horizon 2020, and show how European space research is enhancing EU industrial competitiveness and playing a pivotal role in tackling various societal challenges facing Europe. 

At MWC, you can present your EGNSS-based services and applications with the potential to improve the lives of European citizens, and bring the benefits of cutting-edge European space-based research to the attention of your peers, investors and the public at large. 

Drones in focus MWC 2018

By matching ideas with opportunities and talent with available resources, MWC Barcelona helps support the European GNSS Agency (GSA) in its mission of linking space to user needs. In fact, from dual frequency chipsets to new smartphones, EGNSS was behind many of the technology announcements made during the Mobile World Congress 2018. 

Watch this: GNSS for drones and UAVs

What’s more, at the 2018 MWC, the GSA showcased how Galileo-enabled drones are benefitting a range of different applications, including surveying, search and rescue and agriculture. The GSA stand at the Congress featured displays and presentations on a number of EU-funded drone projects, including selected GSA-managed H2020 projects such as Real, EASY-PV, Gauss, Geovision and Mapkite, and the Argonaut solution developed within the Barcelona ESA Business Incubation Centre.

“MWC 2018 in Barcelona was a valuable opportunity to introduce Easy-PV outcomes to a wider audience. I am sure that the other EU-funded projects involved also benefited from it. Specifically, I find that the Congress has been an excellent venue to forge partnerships, gain valuable insights and expand our professional networks. Almost one year later, I can say that some of the contacts established in Barcelona ended up as important partnerships. We are grateful to the GSA for making this happen,” said Marco Nisi, Head of Integrated GNSS Solutions at Sistematica S.p.A.

Expression of Interest

Ahead of next year’s MWC in Barcelona on 25-28 February 2019, the GSA is launching a call for expressions of interest among Horizon 2020, Fundamental Elements partners and other EU companies. If you have an EGNSS-based solution or product that you would like to demonstrate at MWC Barcelona, please contact the GSA at market@gsa.europa.eu. Put “Interested in showcasing our project at MWC 2019” in the subject line of your email.

This will be an unmissable opportunity to present your solutions to a large audience of potential investors and beneficiaries. Join us in Barcelona in February 2019 at MWC, where innovation is celebrated, connections are made, insights are gained, products are launched and business gets done!

For more information read the Rules and conditions and  submit the Declaration of Honour by 19th December 2018.

Ever dreamed about presenting your solution at Mobile World Congress? The GSA is looking for innovative solutions to be presented at the Galileo stand in Barcelona. The MWC is the largest mobile event in the world - every year it brings together leading mobile technology developers, manufacturers, service providers and app developers from across the globe. With over 107,000 visitors expected to attend MWC 2019, next year’s event promises to be an ideal forum to showcase the latest EGNSS-based innovations.

From 25 to 28 February 2019, MWC Barcelona will host the latest cutting-edge technologies from more than 2,400 of the world’s leading mobile technology companies. With a programme featuring leading visionaries and investors, the Congress is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to present and promote innovative new ideas, technologies and applications and bring them to the attention of key decision-makers.

Read this: EGNOS and Galileo – opening the door to new drone applications

Having as its goal to explore the hottest trends influencing the mobile industry, MWC Barcelona is an ideal platform to showcase and promote innovative EGNSS-based solutions and applications, for example those being developed within Horizon 2020, and show how European space research is enhancing EU industrial competitiveness and playing a pivotal role in tackling various societal challenges facing Europe. 

At MWC, you can present your EGNSS-based services and applications with the potential to improve the lives of European citizens, and bring the benefits of cutting-edge European space-based research to the attention of your peers, investors and the public at large. 

Drones in focus MWC 2018

By matching ideas with opportunities and talent with available resources, MWC Barcelona helps support the European GNSS Agency (GSA) in its mission of linking space to user needs. In fact, from dual frequency chipsets to new smartphones, EGNSS was behind many of the technology announcements made during the Mobile World Congress 2018. 

Watch this: GNSS for drones and UAVs

What’s more, at the 2018 MWC, the GSA showcased how Galileo-enabled drones are benefitting a range of different applications, including surveying, search and rescue and agriculture. The GSA stand at the Congress featured displays and presentations on a number of EU-funded drone projects, including selected GSA-managed H2020 projects such as Real, EASY-PV, Gauss, Geovision and Mapkite, and the Argonaut solution developed within the Barcelona ESA Business Incubation Centre.

“MWC 2018 in Barcelona was a valuable opportunity to introduce Easy-PV outcomes to a wider audience. I am sure that the other EU-funded projects involved also benefited from it. Specifically, I find that the Congress has been an excellent venue to forge partnerships, gain valuable insights and expand our professional networks. Almost one year later, I can say that some of the contacts established in Barcelona ended up as important partnerships. We are grateful to the GSA for making this happen,” said Marco Nisi, Head of Integrated GNSS Solutions at Sistematica S.p.A.

Expression of Interest

Ahead of next year’s MWC in Barcelona on 25-28 February 2019, the GSA is launching a call for expressions of interest among Horizon 2020, Fundamental Elements partners and other EU companies. If you have an EGNSS-based solution or product that you would like to demonstrate at MWC Barcelona, please contact the GSA at market@gsa.europa.eu. Put “Interested in showcasing our project at MWC 2019” in the subject line of your email.

This will be an unmissable opportunity to present your solutions to a large audience of potential investors and beneficiaries. Join us in Barcelona in February 2019 at MWC, where innovation is celebrated, connections are made, insights are gained, products are launched and business gets done!

For more information read the Rules and conditions and  submit the Declaration of Honour by 19th December 2018.

High-ranked representatives from the European Commission and from the automotive industry gathered at a Euractiv forum in Brussels on November 26 to discuss the question - ‘Is Galileo is a critical component for autonomous driving?’ The answer, it seems, is a resounding “Yes!”

Space has become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives and a key element of the European economy, and the importance of space technology to our lives will only increase in the future. In his keynote address at the forum, Pierre Delsaux, Deputy Director General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) noted, however, that the development of space technology is not an objective in itself - it is a tool to bring benefits to European citizens. 

“These benefits come in the form of job creation and economic growth and, no less importantly, in the many applications and services that use space technology to improve our lives,” he said.

GNSS is essential

One such area of application, and the focus of the Euractiv event, is the transport sector and, specifically, the area of autonomous driving. Speaking at the forum, Mattias Petschke, Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes at DG GROW, outlined what Galileo brings to the table when it comes to autonomous driving. 

Petschke stressed that Galileo is already working and improving the GPS signal that users receive. “With GPS you know which road you are on, with Galileo you know which lane of the road you are on,” he said, adding that GNSS is essential to determine absolute position and also for predictive driving. “GNSS technology is globally available, it does not need any additional local infrastructure and it is available in areas with difficult network coverage,” he said.

A major asset that Galileo has to offer in terms of autonomous driving is its high quality performance. “Galileo offers outstanding availability and accuracy. The Galileo authentication and high accuracy services, which should become operational in 2020, will have an enormous positive impact in many areas, including autonomous driving,” Petschke said.  

The importance of cooperating with industry for the development and uptake of space-based solutions was also highlighted. “The market development department of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) in Prague has been doing excellent work with industry to identify what can be achieved together,” he said, adding that thanks to this work there has been excellent market uptake, with currently all major smartphone models being Galileo enabled.

The industry perspective

“The 20-centimetre accuracy that Galileo will provide will bring a revolution in active safety and will enable cooperative, connected, automated mobility by providing lane positioning, which is very important and something that the industry has been waiting for,” Angelos Amditis, Chairman of ERTICO and Research Director at the National Technical University of Athens said. He noted that this would pave the way towards even higher levels of automation.

With its high accuracy, GNSS will be an essential element of the autonomous vehicle, but will need to be combined with other on-board sensors and systems such as cameras, radar, inertial sensors and so on, in order to have the required accuracy, integrity, reliability and availability on a continuous basis, Amditis said. He stressed that, thanks to its high accuracy, Galileo will play a major role as an enabler of many new services and concepts, such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and platooning.

Available and free

Joost Vantomme, Smart Mobility Director at the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), said that access to new technology would help keep European industry competitive. At the moment, geo-positioning is a convenience, allowing us to know where we are in relation to certain objects. “In the future, geo-positioning will no longer be a convenience, it will be a necessary, critical requirement for automation,” he said.  

Alessandro Coda, Chief Technology Officer at the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) representing 3,000 companies and 5 million employees, said that for autonomous driving the 20 centimetre accuracy that Galileo will offer is already a big result, and that his members are happy with the service that Galileo provides. His one request to the European Commission is: “Keep it always available, keep it always free!”

High-ranked representatives from the European Commission and from the automotive industry gathered at a Euractiv forum in Brussels on November 26 to discuss the question - ‘Is Galileo is a critical component for autonomous driving?’ The answer, it seems, is a resounding “Yes!”

Space has become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives and a key element of the European economy, and the importance of space technology to our lives will only increase in the future. In his keynote address at the forum, Pierre Delsaux, Deputy Director General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) noted, however, that the development of space technology is not an objective in itself - it is a tool to bring benefits to European citizens. 

“These benefits come in the form of job creation and economic growth and, no less importantly, in the many applications and services that use space technology to improve our lives,” he said.

GNSS is essential

One such area of application, and the focus of the Euractiv event, is the transport sector and, specifically, the area of autonomous driving. Speaking at the forum, Mattias Petschke, Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes at DG GROW, outlined what Galileo brings to the table when it comes to autonomous driving. 

Petschke stressed that Galileo is already working and improving the GPS signal that users receive. “With GPS you know which road you are on, with Galileo you know which lane of the road you are on,” he said, adding that GNSS is essential to determine absolute position and also for predictive driving. “GNSS technology is globally available, it does not need any additional local infrastructure and it is available in areas with difficult network coverage,” he said.

A major asset that Galileo has to offer in terms of autonomous driving is its high quality performance. “Galileo offers outstanding availability and accuracy. The Galileo authentication and high accuracy services, which should become operational in 2020, will have an enormous positive impact in many areas, including autonomous driving,” Petschke said.  

The importance of cooperating with industry for the development and uptake of space-based solutions was also highlighted. “The market development department of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) in Prague has been doing excellent work with industry to identify what can be achieved together,” he said, adding that thanks to this work there has been excellent market uptake, with currently all major smartphone models being Galileo enabled.

The industry perspective

“The 20-centimetre accuracy that Galileo will provide will bring a revolution in active safety and will enable cooperative, connected, automated mobility by providing lane positioning, which is very important and something that the industry has been waiting for,” Angelos Amditis, Chairman of ERTICO and Research Director at the National Technical University of Athens said. He noted that this would pave the way towards even higher levels of automation.

With its high accuracy, GNSS will be an essential element of the autonomous vehicle, but will need to be combined with other on-board sensors and systems such as cameras, radar, inertial sensors and so on, in order to have the required accuracy, integrity, reliability and availability on a continuous basis, Amditis said. He stressed that, thanks to its high accuracy, Galileo will play a major role as an enabler of many new services and concepts, such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and platooning.

Available and free

Joost Vantomme, Smart Mobility Director at the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), said that access to new technology would help keep European industry competitive. At the moment, geo-positioning is a convenience, allowing us to know where we are in relation to certain objects. “In the future, geo-positioning will no longer be a convenience, it will be a necessary, critical requirement for automation,” he said.  

Alessandro Coda, Chief Technology Officer at the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) representing 3,000 companies and 5 million employees, said that for autonomous driving the 20 centimetre accuracy that Galileo will offer is already a big result, and that his members are happy with the service that Galileo provides. His one request to the European Commission is: “Keep it always available, keep it always free!”

Major farming equipment manufacturer Case New Holland Industrial (CNHi) have enhanced the robustness of their precision agriculture system by adding Galileo signals to their reference network solution.

During last week’s EIMA International Agricultural and Gardening Machinery Exhibit in Bologna, Italy, CNHi announced that its equipment will now be Galileo-capable. CNHi is a global manufacturer of agricultural machinery, including tractors, combine harvesters and balers. Galileo enhances the robustness of its RTK+ correction services.

The CNHi RTK+ guided auto-steering and its related technology ensures a fast, dependable signal and a sub 1.5 cm repeatable accuracy in all conditions, regardless of field location. However, until now, farmers have had to depend on non-civilian American GPS or Russian GLONASS signals when driving in the field. “Enhanced RTK+ accuracy through incorporation of signals from the Galileo satellites is a core way in which we can help CNHi tractor and combine users be innovative and competitive as they seek to help develop a sustainable agriculture to feed an ever-increasing world population in an environmentally responsible way,” says Maxime Rocaboy, Product Marketing Manager at Case IH.

The addition of Galileo also helps minimise the risk of signal failure, which is one of the major reasons why the CNHi RTK network is integrating corrections for Galileo satellites. “By improving positioning and timing information, consistency of signal coverage is enhanced and a robust and reliable signal for accurate pass-to-pass repeatability is ensured,” says Alessio Quatraro, Product Marketing Manager at New Holland. “This benefits farmers by minimising downtime from waiting for a lost signal to be regained and guarantees a consistent and efficient use of seed, fertiliser and crop protection products through parallel passes with minimal overlap, thus maximising a crop’s potential.”

The addition of Galileo means a higher number of available satellites when using RTK corrections, making the service even more robust – especially under challenging circumstances such as working under trees, in forestry or in orchards. The company is currently testing and validating Galileo corrections for its RTK corrective service, which are expected to be available on the market starting in January 2019.

Galileo drives European competitiveness

The use of GNSS technology, including Galileo, is opening new business models and opportunities in the agricultural sector. GNSS-based precision farming gives farmers an unprecedented level of knowledge about their crops, livestock and operations while making the sector more efficient, economically competitive and environmentally sustainable.

According to the European GNSS Agency (GSA), Galileo provides improved positioning and timing information, with significant positive implications for many European farmers. “Galileo is well-positioned to enhance the GNSS performance, allowing users to benefit from an improved monitoring of the distribution and dilution of chemicals, improved parcel yields thanks to customised treatment and more efficient property management,” says Joaquín Reyes, who is currently preparing the so called User Consultation Platform, Agriculture panel, taking place in Marseille early December where Precision Agriculture place a central role. CNHi is taking part of this event along with other leading tractor and machinery manufacturers.

EU Space Week

“Enhanced RTK+ accuracy through the incorporation of signals from the Galileo satellite system is a core way in which we can help Case IH and New Holland tractor and combine users be innovative and competitive as they seek to develop a sustainable agriculture to feed an ever-increasing population in an environmentally responsible way,” adds Michael Mahieu, CNH RTK network analyst.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Major farming equipment manufacturer Case New Holland Industrial (CNHi) have enhanced the robustness of their precision agriculture system by adding Galileo signals to their reference network solution.

During last week’s EIMA International Agricultural and Gardening Machinery Exhibit in Bologna, Italy, CNHi announced that its equipment will now be Galileo-capable. CNHi is a global manufacturer of agricultural machinery, including tractors, combine harvesters and balers. Galileo enhances the robustness of its RTK+ correction services.

The CNHi RTK+ guided auto-steering and its related technology ensures a fast, dependable signal and a sub 1.5 cm repeatable accuracy in all conditions, regardless of field location. However, until now, farmers have had to depend on non-civilian American GPS or Russian GLONASS signals when driving in the field. “Enhanced RTK+ accuracy through incorporation of signals from the Galileo satellites is a core way in which we can help CNHi tractor and combine users be innovative and competitive as they seek to help develop a sustainable agriculture to feed an ever-increasing world population in an environmentally responsible way,” says Maxime Rocaboy, Product Marketing Manager at Case IH.

The addition of Galileo also helps minimise the risk of signal failure, which is one of the major reasons why the CNHi RTK network is integrating corrections for Galileo satellites. “By improving positioning and timing information, consistency of signal coverage is enhanced and a robust and reliable signal for accurate pass-to-pass repeatability is ensured,” says Alessio Quatraro, Product Marketing Manager at New Holland. “This benefits farmers by minimising downtime from waiting for a lost signal to be regained and guarantees a consistent and efficient use of seed, fertiliser and crop protection products through parallel passes with minimal overlap, thus maximising a crop’s potential.”

The addition of Galileo means a higher number of available satellites when using RTK corrections, making the service even more robust – especially under challenging circumstances such as working under trees, in forestry or in orchards. The company is currently testing and validating Galileo corrections for its RTK corrective service, which are expected to be available on the market starting in January 2019.

Galileo drives European competitiveness

The use of GNSS technology, including Galileo, is opening new business models and opportunities in the agricultural sector. GNSS-based precision farming gives farmers an unprecedented level of knowledge about their crops, livestock and operations while making the sector more efficient, economically competitive and environmentally sustainable.

According to the European GNSS Agency (GSA), Galileo provides improved positioning and timing information, with significant positive implications for many European farmers. “Galileo is well-positioned to enhance the GNSS performance, allowing users to benefit from an improved monitoring of the distribution and dilution of chemicals, improved parcel yields thanks to customised treatment and more efficient property management,” says Joaquín Reyes, who is currently preparing the so called User Consultation Platform, Agriculture panel, taking place in Marseille early December where Precision Agriculture place a central role. CNHi is taking part of this event along with other leading tractor and machinery manufacturers.

EU Space Week

“Enhanced RTK+ accuracy through the incorporation of signals from the Galileo satellite system is a core way in which we can help Case IH and New Holland tractor and combine users be innovative and competitive as they seek to develop a sustainable agriculture to feed an ever-increasing population in an environmentally responsible way,” adds Michael Mahieu, CNH RTK network analyst.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

You spoke. We listened. The results of the GSA’s 2017 Galileo User Satisfaction Survey are now available.

At the end of 2017, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) launched its Galileo User Satisfaction Survey. This dedicated survey aimed to collect a range of valuable information from users like you. From your perception of and expectations for Galileo, to specific market segment and user needs and suggestions for improving the services provided by the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) – the survey was a unique opportunity for you to share your thoughts and ideas.

Responses from across the market

And share you did. Users of every kind responded to our survey, including end users, receiver and chipset manufacturers, system integrators, service providers, application developers, public authorities and scientific entities. Responses also came from across a wide-range of market segments, including maritime, aviation, rail and road. In total, we received over 100 answers.

Read this: Just published: First report series on User Needs and Requirements on Position, Navigation and Time

Now, the results of this effort have been processed and the main outcomes and conclusions can be read in the Galileo User Satisfaction Survey Report.

According to the report, 55% of all respondents said they were already using Galileo – an impressive figure coming just one year after the launch of Initial Services. Of these users, 89% said they were satisfied with Galileo’s current level of service. Furthermore, 94% would recommend Galileo to other users.

In terms of suggestions for improving Galileo, respondents said they wanted to see improved availability of Galileo services and even better positioning accuracy. As to the GSC, the main suggestions coming from users included a need for a more enhanced website and an increase in range of available GSC products.

“These results show that Galileo is on the right track, with the market quickly adopting the service,” says Aitor Alvarez Rodriguez, GNSS Service Centre Supervisor at the GSA. “The GSA and GSC are building a solid user community ready to reap the many benefits of Galileo.”

Continuous dialogue

Our work doesn’t stop with the survey, however. The process of giving a voice to the growing Galileo User Community and building a continuous dialogue for improving the Galileo system and its services is ongoing. This dialogue will continue at the second EGNSS User Consultation Platform at European Space Week. Held 3 -6 December in Marseille, France, here Galileo users will have the opportunity to share their experiences first-hand. 

“We really appreciate all who contributed and took the time to answer the survey,” says Gian Gherardo Calini, Head of Market Development at the GSA. “Your opinion is our driver, and we will continue to listen to your ideas on how to continuously enhance our services.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) recently published a Report on Road User Needs and Requirements, as part of a series that examines user needs and requirements for position, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions in various sectors. These reports, which are an outcome of the first European GNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP), will help shape the discussion at the next UCP, to be held as part of European Space Week in Marseille on 3-4 December 2018.

Road applications have a dominant position in the GNSS market, and this will be further strengthened by policy decisions from public authorities and the advent of connected cars. The report notes that eCall and the Smart Tachograph are already good examples of European policy promoting GNSS, and the directive on interoperability of road toll systems in the European Union is another.

Stringent performance requirements

However, according to the report, we are moving from specific devices supporting specific applications, to a situation where the vehicle is a platform of connected services requiring more stringent performances for positioning, timing and navigation.
Autonomous vehicles will bring a new set of requirements, but it is not yet clear what the final role of GNSS will be in the complex guiding system installed in these cars. Nevertheless, there is a significant potential for GNSS use in road transport as the global car industry moves towards connected cars and automated driving.

Watch this: eCall - Emergency Positioning

However, the report notes that there is a low awareness among stakeholders of the new possibilities offered by EGNSS and that research and pilot projects are needed all along the road value chain to convince decisions-makers to incorporate the latest GNSS signals into their system architectures. Consultation with stakeholders and users will help increase awareness of, and confidence in, GNSS solutions. The EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP) plays a key role in this process.

The EGNSS User Consultation Platform

The UCP is a periodic forum organised by the European Commission and the GSA involving end users, user associations and representatives of the value chain, such as receiver and chipset manufacturers, application developers and the organisations and institutions dealing, directly and indirectly, with Galileo and EGNOS. The Platform is a part of the process developed at the GSA to collect user needs and requirements and take them as inputs for the provision of user-driven Galileo and EGNOS services.

And this: Register now to the EU Space Week in Marseille

The next User Consultation Platform will be held on 3-4 December, during European Space Week in Marseille. The main work of the UCP will be carried out in eight parallel panel sessions grouping users by market segment, with a dedicated session on the road sector.

This year, European Space Week also has a special session on Smart Cities, which will highlight how space applications are driving innovation in today’s smart cities, supporting applications in various areas – from intelligent mobility and the Internet of Things (IoT) to location-based services for health, transportation and everything in-between, including in the road transport sector.

To join the ongoing discussion and to ensure that future European space programme evolutions meet your needs and requirements, you can take part by registering to attend European Space Week here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The innovative Crash Care helmet utilises 3D sensors, Galileo-based positioning and mobile phone networks to detect, and respond to, motorcycle and bicycle accidents, like the eCall system for cars.

Imagine you are out riding you bicycle or cruising on your motorcycle along a picturesque country road. Far from anything, you simply take in the open road and enjoy the rural scenery. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, a deer darts out in front of you. You swerve to avoid hitting it and, in doing so, slide on some loose gravel. Falling off your bike, your head bounces against the pavement, leaving you unconscious in the middle of the road.

Normally, your well-being would depend on a vehicle coming by, seeing you and calling for help. But, luckily for you, your Crash Care smart helmet has already detected the accident and automatically alerted the emergency helpdesk about your location.

Help is on the way.

Automatic for the biker

The innovative, German made Crash Care device is a compact sensor that can be attached to nearly all types of motorcycle and bicycle helmets. Using a 3D sensor and gyroscope, the system not only detects when an accident happens, but also how strong the impact was. Thanks to its built-in Galileo-enabled receiver, Crash Care uses GNSS-based positioning information to determine the exact location of the accident.

“All of this information, along with previously added medical background information, is automatically transmitted via SMS to local emergency services and other third parties,” says Crash Care inventor Dr. Winrich Hoseit. “It even provides vital data, so doctors have a clear picture of the situation before the patient arrives in the emergency room.” 

Crash Care is compatible with all European mobile networks. To provide users with more peace of mind, the system’s lithium battery guarantees a usage period of 10 years – with no need for recharging. Crash Care even automatically self-checks and notifies the user of any potential glitches.  

Looking ahead

Although originally designed for motorcycles and bicycles, Dr. Hoseit notes that the system can also be used by equestrians, skiers, fire fighters, police officers, and the military. In fact, the company is currently in talks with the German military about developing a satellite-based system, as opposed to using mobile phone networks as the standard system does. There are also plans to implement the Crash Care system into hard hats, so those working in construction sites, remote oil rigs and other accident-prone sites can benefit from the extra layer of security the system provides. 

Having been certified, Crash Care is set to hit the market by mid-2019. In total, 17,000 orders have already been placed across Germany, Austria, the UK and the Netherlands.

Aftermarket eCall

The Crash Care team is exploring the possibility of creating a version that can be inserted into vehicles, providing a service similar to Europe’s eCall system. eCall devices automatically dial the European emergency number 112 to alert rescue services in the event of an accident. The system sends the exact location to responders, along with the time of the incident and the direction of travel, even if the driver is unconscious or unable to make a phone call, thereby reducing the response time for road accidents and saving more lives.

“According to EU law, all new vehicles sold in Europe must be eCall enabled,” explains Dr. Hoseit. “What we aim to do is to make the Crash Care architecture available to provide the same service in legacy vehicles, or those that were manufactured before eCall went into effect.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) recently published a Report on Maritime and Inland Waterways User Needs and Requirements as part of a series of eight similar reports examining user needs and requirements for position, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions. These reports will help shape the discussion at the next EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP), to be held as part of European Space Week in Marseille on 3-4 December 2018.

In the maritime and inland waterways (IWW) domains, GNSS is used for both navigation and positioning and it has become the primary means of navigation in many maritime and IWW applications. The GSA report provides an overview of GNSS-enabled maritime and IWW applications, sheds light on the current market and technology trends and outlines the key user requirements for GNSS, covering the most important market and technology trends of the sector, the main market players and the main user groups.

Watch this: EGNOS and Galileo for Waterborne Transport

Regulation and standards

Even though GNSS has gained widespread acceptance as the preferred positioning system for a majority of maritime applications, no existing GNSS is capable of meeting all operational requirements, especially integrity, without the use of augmentation systems including SBAS. However, the report notes that to consolidate the permanent and widespread use of SBAS, it will be necessary to have specific regulation concerning maritime users’ needs.

Indeed, with the notable exception of recreational navigation, regulation has a strong role in defining user requirements and represents a key driver for the adoption of new solutions for navigation and positioning, including satellite-based systems and services. Given the international scope of the maritime sector, the report notes that agreement and mutual understanding is needed in terms of regulation and standards if the sector is to fully benefit from GNSS potential.

In this context, improving maritime EGNSS based positioning and navigation will require the appropriate system evolution. This will be achieved by identifying clear user requirements, which is the goal of the EGNSS User Consultation Platform and of the critical analysis carried out in the report.

The EGNSS User Consultation Platform

The report’s findings will feed into discussions at the next EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP) in Marseille in December. The UCP is a periodic forum organised by the European Commission and the GSA, involving end users, user associations and representatives of the value chain, such as receiver and chipset manufacturers, application developers and the organisations and institutions dealing, directly and indirectly, with Galileo and EGNOS. The event is a part of the process developed at the GSA to collect user needs and requirements and take them as inputs for the provision of user-driven Galileo and EGNOS services.

Read this: H2H – leveraging EGNSS for safer maritime navigation

The next User Consultation Platform will be held on 3-4 December, during European Space Week. The main work of the UCP will be carried out in eight parallel panel sessions grouping users by market segment, with a dedicated session on Maritime.

This year, European Space Week also has a special session on Marine and Maritime, which will highlight how the Galileo and Copernicus programmes contribute to the sustainable management of our oceans and provide support for maritime operations. Specifically, the session will address aspects such as safety at sea, search and rescue, optimised maritime transport, sustainable fisheries, renewable energies, security and the fight against pollution.

The event will also feature a dramatic sea rescue simulation as part of which a Galileo search and rescue (SAR) beacon will be activated, triggering the deployment of a French rescue boat and helicopter to carry out a rescue operation. The demonstration will be followed by a debrief session on the technologies used, explaining how space is making maritime rescue faster, safer and more effective.

To join the ongoing discussion and to ensure that future European space programme evolutions meet your needs and requirements, you can take part by registering to attend European Space Week here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) opened the doors of its Prague headquarters to the public for the 4th year in a row on 16-17 November. As the final event in this year’s Czech Space Week, the GSA Open Days 2018 welcomed visitors eager to get an insider’s look at the European GNSS services and the people behind them.

This year’s event saw over 2,000 visitors visit the GSA to learn more about the European space programmes and how they benefit our daily lives. This included over 400 school children and their families, who enjoyed a full and exciting programme that included seminars and space workshops (in both Czech and English), competitions and quizzes, and other fun educational activities.

Watch this: European GNSS Agency: Linking space to user needs

From Launch to Services

Visitors to the event were able to experience the journey of a Galileo satellite from the rocket launch in Kourou, French Guiana, to the services used by citizens and business worldwide. What’s more, visitors were able to build Galileo satellites, take a selfie in space, try landing a plane with EGNOS and experience a Search and Rescue with the help of Galileo.

The ambience at this year’s Open Days was very friendly – the visitors were very enthusiastic and curious, asking many questions about what the European Union is doing in space, the role of the GSA, and the impact of satellite navigation on modern life. Some of the visitors had the opportunity to meet with Claudio Mastracci, previous ESA Director of Application Programmes, one of the founding fathers of the Galileo programme who signed the contract for the first Galileo satellites in 2003. What a path!

Hackathon winners

As the culmination of Czech Space Week, the GSA Open Days was an opportunity to present an award won at one of the first events of the week – the Space Applications Hackathon, held in Prague on 9-11 November. The GSA was a partner in this event, which aimed to find the most creative solutions in four main categories: Navigation/GNSS, Earth Observation, SpaceTech, and Blockchain in Space.

The winning application was Dronetag, an IoT device providing real-time drone identification and flight data sharing. The device can be adapted to all drones and the winning team is ready to bring their idea to the next level and to develop a business.

To see photos, and comments and feedback from the GSA Open Days 2018, check out the event’s Twitter and Facebook feeds.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) opened the doors of its Prague headquarters to the public for the 4th year in a row on 16-17 November. As the final event in this year’s Czech Space Week, the GSA Open Days 2018 welcomed visitors eager to get an insider’s look at the European GNSS services and the people behind them.

This year’s event saw over 2,000 visitors visit the GSA to learn more about the European space programmes and how they benefit our daily lives. This included over 400 school children and their families, who enjoyed a full and exciting programme that included seminars and space workshops (in both Czech and English), competitions and quizzes, and other fun educational activities.

Watch this: European GNSS Agency: Linking space to user needs

From Launch to Services

Visitors to the event were able to experience the journey of a Galileo satellite from the rocket launch in Kourou, French Guiana, to the services used by citizens and business worldwide. What’s more, visitors were able to build Galileo satellites, take a selfie in space, try landing a plane with EGNOS and experience a Search and Rescue with the help of Galileo.

The ambience at this year’s Open Days was very friendly – the visitors were very enthusiastic and curious, asking many questions about what the European Union is doing in space, the role of the GSA, and the impact of satellite navigation on modern life. Some of the visitors had the opportunity to meet with Claudio Mastracci, previous ESA Director of Application Programmes, one of the founding fathers of the Galileo programme who signed the contract for the first Galileo satellites in 2003. What a path!

GSA’s Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and Claudio Mastracci, previous ESA Director of Application Programmes, one of the founding fathers of the Galileo programme

Hackathon winners

As the culmination of Czech Space Week, the GSA Open Days was an opportunity to present an award won at one of the first events of the week – the Space Applications Hackathon, held in Prague on 9-11 November. The GSA was a partner in this event, which aimed to find the most creative solutions in four main categories: Navigation/GNSS, Earth Observation, SpaceTech, and Blockchain in Space.

The winning application was Dronetag, an IoT device providing real-time drone identification and flight data sharing. The device can be adapted to all drones and the winning team is ready to bring their idea to the next level and to develop a business.

To see photos, and comments and feedback from the GSA Open Days 2018, check out the event’s Twitter and Facebook feeds.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) opened the doors of its Prague headquarters to the public for the 4th year in a row on 16-17 November. As the final event in this year’s Czech Space Week, the GSA Open Days 2018 welcomed visitors eager to get an insider’s look at the European GNSS services and the people behind them.

This year’s event saw over 2,000 visitors visit the GSA to learn more about the European space programmes and how they benefit our daily lives. This included over 400 school children and their families, who enjoyed a full and exciting programme that included seminars and space workshops (in both Czech and English), competitions and quizzes, and other fun educational activities.

Watch this: European GNSS Agency: Linking space to user needs

From Launch to Services

Visitors to the event were able to experience the journey of a Galileo satellite from the rocket launch in Kourou, French Guiana, to the services used by citizens and business worldwide. What’s more, visitors were able to build Galileo satellites, take a selfie in space, try landing a plane with EGNOS and experience a Search and Rescue with the help of Galileo.

The ambience at this year’s Open Days was very friendly – the visitors were very enthusiastic and curious, asking many questions about what the European Union is doing in space, the role of the GSA, and the impact of satellite navigation on modern life. Some of the visitors had the opportunity to meet with Claudio Mastracci, previous ESA Director of Application Programmes, one of the founding fathers of the Galileo programme who signed the contract for the first Galileo satellites in 2003. What a path!

GSA’s Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and Claudio Mastracci, previous ESA Director of Application Programmes, one of the founding fathers of the Galileo programme

Hackathon winners

As the culmination of Czech Space Week, the GSA Open Days was an opportunity to present an award won at one of the first events of the week – the Space Applications Hackathon, held in Prague on 9-11 November. The GSA was a partner in this event, which aimed to find the most creative solutions in four main categories: Navigation/GNSS, Earth Observation, SpaceTech, and Blockchain in Space.

The winning application was Dronetag, an IoT device providing real-time drone identification and flight data sharing. The device can be adapted to all drones and the winning team is ready to bring their idea to the next level and to develop a business.

To see photos, and comments and feedback from the GSA Open Days 2018, check out the event’s Twitter and Facebook feeds.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) opened the doors of its Prague headquarters to the public for the 4th year in a row on 16-17 November. As the final event in this year’s Czech Space Week, the GSA Open Days 2018 welcomed visitors eager to get an insider’s look at the European GNSS services and the people behind them.

This year’s event saw over 2,000 visitors visit the GSA to learn more about the European space programmes and how they benefit our daily lives. This included over 400 school children and their families, who enjoyed a full and exciting programme that included seminars and space workshops (in both Czech and English), competitions and quizzes, and other fun educational activities.

Watch this: European GNSS Agency: Linking space to user needs

From Launch to Services

Visitors to the event were able to experience the journey of a Galileo satellite from the rocket launch in Kourou, French Guiana, to the services used by citizens and business worldwide. What’s more, visitors were able to build Galileo satellites, take a selfie in space, try landing a plane with EGNOS and experience a Search and Rescue with the help of Galileo.

The ambience at this year’s Open Days was very friendly – the visitors were very enthusiastic and curious, asking many questions about what the European Union is doing in space, the role of the GSA, and the impact of satellite navigation on modern life. Some of the visitors had the opportunity to meet with Claudio Mastracci, previous ESA Director of Application Programmes, one of the founding fathers of the Galileo programme who signed the contract for the first Galileo satellites in 2003. What a path!

GSA’s Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and Claudio Mastracci, previous ESA Director of Application Programmes, one of the founding fathers of the Galileo programme

Hackathon winners

As the culmination of Czech Space Week, the GSA Open Days was an opportunity to present an award won at one of the first events of the week – the Space Applications Hackathon, held in Prague on 9-11 November. The GSA was a partner in this event, which aimed to find the most creative solutions in four main categories: Navigation/GNSS, Earth Observation, SpaceTech, and Blockchain in Space.

The winning application was Dronetag, an IoT device providing real-time drone identification and flight data sharing. The device can be adapted to all drones and the winning team is ready to bring their idea to the next level and to develop a business.

To see photos, and comments and feedback from the GSA Open Days 2018, check out the event’s Twitter and Facebook feeds.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), at a meeting on November 15, granted in part a request from the European Commission for a waiver of the FCC rules so that devices in the United States may access specific signals transmitted from the Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System.

Following this decision, consumers and industry in the U.S. will be permitted to access certain satellite signals from the Galileo system to be used in combination with the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), allowing them to benefit from improved availability, reliability, and resiliency of these position, navigation, and timing services, the FCC said in a statement.

Breakthrough

“This breakthrough serves the public interest across many areas of our economy, including the automotive, aviation, rail, maritime, and agriculture industries. It will also produce public safety benefits by reducing risks of accidents and disaster, aiding emergency response, and synchronising power grids and critical infrastructure,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said.

Watch this: Galileo in your Pocket

The FCC noted that Galileo is uniquely situated as a foreign GNSS system with respect to GPS, since the two systems are interoperable and radiofrequency compatible following the 2004 European Union/United States Galileo-GPS Agreement.

“This is an important milestone for Galileo. This ruling means that individual users and industry in the U.S. are now able to benefit from the high accuracy that Galileo brings, it also means that Galileo’s position as a truly global navigation system has been strengthened,” European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said.

Improved U.S. consumer experience

Specifically, the FCC ruling permits access to two Galileo signals – the E1 signal that is transmitted in the 1559-1591 MHz portion of the 1559-1610 MHz Radio-navigation-Satellite Service (RNSS) frequency band and the E5 signal that is transmitted in the 1164-1219 MHz portion of the 1164-1215 MHz and 1215-1240 MHz RNSS bands.  These are the same RNSS bands in which GPS satellite signals operate. 

“Adding these new signal streams should only improve the U.S. consumer experience without causing any downsides,” FCC Commissioner Michael O’Reilly said.

And this: Register now to the EU Space Week in Marseilles

The Order does not grant access to the Galileo E6 signal, which is transmitted over the 1260-1300 MHz frequency band, since this band is not allocated for RNSS in the United States or used by the U.S. GPS to provide PNT services.  The FCC noted that granting access to the Galileo E6 signal could constrain U.S. spectrum management in the future in spectrum above 1300 MHz, where potential allocation changes are under consideration.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

A Report on Rail User Needs and Requirements, recently published by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), examines user needs and requirements for position, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions in the rail sector. These reports, which are an outcome of the first European GNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP), will help shape the discussion at the next UCP, to be held as part of European Space Week in Marseille on 3-4 December 2018.

GNSS is already widely used for non-safety and non-liability relevant rail applications, such as passenger information systems. However, as GNSS can support solutions for safety relevant applications that have emerged in recent years, rail stakeholders around the world are also investigating the possibilities for GNSS introduction to cover such advanced and technically complex use-cases.

Rail, however, is a highly regulated domain and the introduction of new technologies is a time-consuming process. Understanding rail user requirements as well as their specifications in terms of GNSS is crucial to foster GNSS penetration in this market. Rail and GNSS communities have been working together for many years to increase this understanding.

Watch this: EGNOS and Galileo for Rail

Limitations and development axes

The main limitations for GNSS penetration in rail PNT applications concern Signal-in-Space obscuration, for example at stations, deep cuttings or in tunnels; the very high availability and integrity requirements for train position determination; excessive positioning errors due to local effects such as multipath; and also high accuracy requirements for some specific functions, like train positioning on parallel tracks.

Given these limitations, the main axes of development for GNSS applications in rail are safety relevant and liability relevant applications where EGNSS differentiators can play a key role. Within the context of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS), GNSS could be used as way of reducing the need for physical balises in the European Train Control System (ETCS). Outside of the ERTMS, GNSS is already being deployed for train control, particularly in Positive Train Control applications in the USA.

Read this: European GNSS contributes to the evolution of ERTMS

In recent years, the rail and GNSS communities have conducted a lot of work to try and understand their respective safety philosophies. However, work is still needed to define user requirements applicable to GNSS and, in particular, to establish quantified requirements. The EGNSS User Consultation Platform is a key tool in this process.

The EGNSS User Consultation Platform

The UCP is a periodic forum organised by the European Commission and the GSA involving end users, user associations and representatives of the value chain, such as receiver and chipset manufacturers, application developers and the organisations and institutions dealing, directly and indirectly, with Galileo and EGNOS. The Platform is a part of the process developed at the GSA to collect user needs and requirements and take them as inputs for the provision of user-driven Galileo and EGNOS services.

The next User Consultation Platform will be held on 3-4 December, during European Space Week in Marseille. The main work of the UCP will be carried out in eight parallel panel sessions grouping users by market segment, with a dedicated session on the rail sector.

This year, European Space Week also has a special session on Infrastructure Management, which will highlight how the Galileo and Copernicus programmes contribute to the operation and monitoring of complex infrastructure networks, including rail networks. Infrastructures around the world also face challenges relating to climate change. Here too, European GNSS offers a solution. This session will showcase potential solutions and best-practices for using Copernicus and Galileo to manage infrastructures, both in Europe and worldwide.

To join the ongoing discussion and to ensure that future European space programme evolutions meet your needs and requirements, you can take part by registering to attend European Space Week here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

LetMeAut, an application that leverages Galileo high accuracy to make everyday tasks easier for people with autism, was declared the winner at the 2nd EU Space Programmes Hackathon, which brought experts and developers interested in shaping the future of location-based services (LBS), the Internet of Things (IoT) and Earth Observation together in Padua, Italy on 24-26 October 2018.

The overload of sensory stimuli in the modern urban environment can make everyday experiences like walking in the park or going to school an extremely daunting task for somebody suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

There are already apps available on the market that allow people affected by ASD to visualise the tasks that they should accomplish throughout the day and tick them off as they are completed, but they do not give them the possibility of moving autonomously outside, while allowing caregivers to monitor stress and risk levels and to intervene in the event of a crisis.

Timely solution

With over 500,000 people suffering from ASD in Italy alone - a number that is on the increase, putting strain on the Italian healthcare services - the +39 team from the University of Padua saw a clear need for an app that would help make ASD sufferers more autonomous.

At the Padua hackathon, the team started to develop an app that uses precise positioning and other inputs, such as Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and heart rate sensors, to monitor people affected by ASD as they carry out their tasks or take a journey through town. The app removes the need for constant supervision by a caregiver. However, machine learning and deep learning will enable the solution to recognise falls, panic attacks or other anomalous behaviour and alert parents or supervisors immediately, so they can take action.

Galileo precision

“Galileo is a key component of the application,” team member Cristina Gava said. “First of all there is the speed of time to first fix, which is much faster than with GPS alone. This is important, as the app needs to respond quickly. Secondly, but no less important, is the high accuracy that Galileo offers – if the app is to provide meaningful information on what actions the user should take, then it needs to know exactly what side of the street they are on, for example. Galileo provides this accuracy, especially in urban environments,” she said.

“There are two main stages involved in our work – the first is to develop and build the app, and the second main stage is to teach the subjects and caregivers how to use it,” +39 team member Matteo Stringher said, adding that feedback from users would also be taken on board when fine-tuning the solution.

To receive additional feedback from users, the team hopes to have the opportunity to cooperate with ‘Vivi la città’, an independent project working with people affected by ASD in the Italian city of Pordenone. “This will give us the opportunity to test the app with autism sufferers going about their daily tasks in real-life situations – in schools, at the bakery or in the pizzeria,” Stringher said.

European Space Week

The LetMeAut app was judged to be the winner by a board composed of senior officials from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), European Space Agency (ESA), Unismart and the University of Padua, and the +39 team will now have the opportunity to present their app at the 2018 European Space Week in Marseille, on 3-6 December 2018.

Until then, the team is continuing to work on the app, collecting feedback from parents, doctors, psychologists and autism associations. They will use this information to fine-tune their solution and prepare a working mock-up to present in Marseille.

The Padua Hackathon winners will not be the only ones to receive prizes in Marseille, the event will also see the winners of the Act in Space Hackathon receive their award. All in all, European Space Week will be an excellent opportunity for young talents to showcase their developments, exposing them to potential investors and acting as a springboard to business development opportunities, bridging the gap between ideas and working solutions that people can use.

To register to attend European Space Week, click here.

Space for your App

At the 2nd EU Space Programmes Hackathon, engineers, geologists, economists and sociologists joined with app developers, coders, graphic and web designers, data scientists and marketers to develop ideas that tackle societal challenges, and to discover how space technologies can help transform these ideas into reality.

The assembled hackers focused in particular on applications dealing with smart mobility, augmented reality, geo-marketing, and mapping and GIS. Also targeted were fitness, sport and mHealth, business applications and social networking. The hackers had access to an API provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) that allowed easy access to Earth Observation data. They also had Galileo enabled hardware and GNSS raw measurements to play with.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The high accuracy benefits offered by Galileo were in focus at this year’s INTERGEO conference, which saw more than 19,000 visitors, over 1,400 delegates and 640 exhibitors from 40 different countries come together in Frankfurt on 16-18 October.

At a presentation on the Galileo High Accuracy Service and its importance for mobility applications, Ignacio Fernandez-Hernandez, from the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG Grow), spoke about how Galileo’s high accuracy can offer cost-effective support for autonomous vehicle applications.

Autonomous driving is a safety-critical application, as its failure may have serious consequences for people, property and the environment. Therefore autonomous cars need high-performance positioning engines that make optimal use of a complete set of sensors complementing each other in a tightly merged solution. "Galileo High Accuracy Service and authentication services can provide a cost-effective effective solution with very good performance and much needed redundancy in the positioning system of autonomous cars," he said.

Read this: GNSS a key element of all-purpose, user-driven positioning solutions

Visitors to the joint Galileo-Copernicus stand at the exhibition were enthusiastic about the benefits that Galileo high accuracy has to offer. "Various equipment manufacturers and service providers showed a high level of interest in the Galileo high accuracy service and there is a clear trend towards the penetration of high precision towards the mass market, including autonomous cars," GSA Market Development Officer Reinhard Blasi said, adding that there was also a lot of interest in the possibilities offered by access to GNSS raw measurements in Android based smartphones and tablets.

Trends in surveying

Other GNSS-enabled trends highlighted at the exhibition include Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM), seamless indoor/outdoor mapping, and building information modelling (BIM), particularly within the context of smart cities.

"Feedback from manufacturers indicates that Galileo has become standard in high-end receivers for surveying and is being requested by their customers," Blasi said, adding that several meetings were organised during the conference with GIS and surveying companies to support them in using EGNSS in their services.

And this: Just published: First report series on User Needs and Requirements on Position, Navigation and Time

The conference was also seen as an opportunity to receive feedback from UAV manufacturers and service providers on the added value of EGNSS, and to receive input in a User survey on GNSS requirements for RPAS/Drones and autonomous air systems. Information received in this survey will feed into discussions at the EGNSS User Consultation platform at the upcoming European Space Week in December.

CLGE Young Surveyors Prize

The award ceremony for the seventh edition of the Council of European Geodetic Surveyors’ (CLGE) Young Surveyors Prize, awarded in partnership with the GSA, was held as part of the InterGEO exhibition.

The Young Surveyor’s Prize invited students of topography, GIS, geodesy, mapping and related studies to submit unique and innovative ideas in their field of expertise leveraging Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus. This year the prize in the Galileo section went to Iuliana Constantinov, from the Technical University of Moldova, who won with the paper "Adjustment of GNSS permanent stations network MOLDPOS".

"We need to look at what added value Galileo can bring to RTK network services, and Iuliana’s project is an excellent example of how to test and compare the performance of Galileo enhanced RTK networks," Blasi said.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

A recent report from the European GNSS Agency (GSA) highlights user needs and requirements on position, navigation and timing (PNT) for location-based service (LBS) applications. The report will help shape the discussion at the next EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP), to be held in Marseille on 3-4 December 2018 as part of European Space Week.

The Report on Location-Based Services User Needs and Requirements is one of a series of eight user segment-specific reports recently published by the GSA. This report aims at enhancing the understanding of the LBS market evolution, including strong points, limitations, key technological trends and main drivers related to the uptake of GNSS solutions across the various LBS applications.

GNSS-enabled solutions cover a wide range of applications that can be divided into 13 main categories according to their usage: navigation, mapping and GIS, geo-marketing and advertising, safety and emergency, enterprise applications, sports, games, health, tracking, augmented reality, social networking, infotainment and commercial.

Hybrid solutions overcoming limitations

The report notes that, despite the large penetration of GNSS in the LBS segment, its use has some limitations. These include power consumption, availability in challenging environments, indoor availability, susceptibility to multipath, interference, jamming and spoofing. These hurdles are typically overcome by employing hybrid solutions using complementary positioning technologies when necessary or by following best practices regarding the type of GNSS equipment used.

Read this: Where (exactly) are my things? Learn how Galileo empowers IoT solutions

Over recent years, a burgeoning group of new applications has emerged that requires far more stringent horizontal and vertical accuracy levels. These range from innovative safety-critical m-Health technologies, to mapping and GIS applications which are among the most demanding types of smartphones apps. Other application categories require authentication of the position to protect app users or service providers from malicious signal interference such as spoofing.

Taking all these above aspects into account, the report presents a user requirement analysis across the different GNSS-enabled or supported applications in LBS, based on performance requirements. This research will feed into discussions at the next EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP) in Marseille in December.

The EGNSS User Consultation Platform

The UCP is a periodic forum organised by the European Commission and the GSA, involving end users, user associations and representatives of the value chain, such as receiver and chipset manufacturers, application developers and the organisations and institutions dealing, directly and indirectly, with Galileo and EGNOS. The event is a part of the process developed at the GSA to collect user needs and requirements and take them as inputs for the provision of user-driven Galileo and EGNOS services.

And this: GNSS a key element of all-purpose, user-driven positioning solutions

The next User Consultation Platform will be held on 3-4 December, during European Space Week. The platform will consist of eight parallel panel sessions, in which users will be grouped by market segment. Of particular interest to the LBS ecosystem will be the session on the mass market.

In addition to the UCP, LBS will be featured at a number of panel discussions within the European Space Week. In particular, a special session on Interconnectivity will showcase how ubiquitous communication enhances access to the GNSS and Earth Observation information underpinning countless new consumer applications. A number of interesting speakers is already confirmed for the session, including representatives from Sigfox, CLS, Sony and AIOTI. LBS will be also at the centre of the Smart Cities session, given the key role that they play in the context of global urbanisation and smart city developments.

To join the ongoing discussion and to ensure that future European space programme evolutions meet your needs and requirements, you can take part by registering to attend European Space Week here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

A Report from the European GNSS Agency (GSA) on Aviation User Needs and Requirements highlights current and future requirements for position, navigation and timing in the aviation sector and will feed into the discussion at the next EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP), to be held in Marseille on 3-4 December 2018 as part of European Space Week.

The report, one of a series on User Needs and Requirements for position, navigation and time published recently on the European GNSS Service Centre web portal, provides a reference for the European GNSS Programmes and for the aviation community on the latest GNSS user needs and requirements in the aviation market segment. The report is considered a “living document” and will be periodically updated to reflect the evolution of technology, the market and user needs, as captured during the upcoming UCP.

Watch this: EGNOS for Aviation

With EGNOS fully operational and Galileo providing initial services, it is necessary to continuously improve services and plan future evolutions, and user requirements are a key driver of this process. By providing the GSA with a clear view of current and potential future user needs, the Report will serve as an input for the continuous improvement of services provided by the European GNSS systems. Furthermore, as the report is publicly available, it also serves as a reference for users and industry, supporting their planning and decision-making.

Some key insights

The Report provides an overview of GNSS market trends in the four main aviation applications using GNSS: navigation, surveillance, aircraft tracking and drones.  For navigation, the Report notes that, with the increasing implementation of RNP approaches and the expansion of the EGNOS-enabled fleet, there is a need for increased coverage area. The report also notes an increasing trend to combine GNSS with other technologies such as Enhanced Vision Systems and Synthetic Vision Systems.

Regarding Search & Rescue and autonomous aircraft distress tracking, the development of beacons integrating Galileo RLS is progressing, led by major EU manufacturers who are also exploring advanced uses, such as automatic triggering of ELT and remote activation from the ground, opening new opportunities for search and rescue operations.

Finally, for drone operations, Galileo is expected to provide superior performance in challenging environments, facilitating operations in urban canyons, for example. Work is currently ongoing to define a common set of requirements on positioning, navigation and surveillance for drones and follow-up discussions on user needs and requirements for drone operations related to GNSS are fundamental to this process.

The EGNSS User Consultation Platform

The User Consultation Platform (UCP) is a periodic forum organised by the European Commission and the GSA, involving end users, user associations and representatives of the value chain, such as receiver and chipset manufacturers, application developers and the organisations and institutions dealing, directly and indirectly, with Galileo and EGNOS. The event is a part of the process developed at the GSA to collect user needs and requirements and take them as inputs for the provision of user-driven Galileo and EGNOS services.

The next User Consultation Platform will be held on 3-4 December, during European Space Week. The main work of the UCP will be carried out in eight parallel panel sessions grouping users by market segment, with a dedicated session on aviation.

European Space Week also has a special session on the EGNOS Safety of Life Service, which will address EGNOS in action, with presentations of successful EGNOS implementation stories in aviation by a wide range of stakeholders, from airlines to air navigation service providers and from manufacturers to operators. This year, the EGNOS Service Provision Workshop has also been integrated into EUSW.

To join the ongoing discussion and to ensure that future European space programme evolutions meet your needs and requirements, you can take part by registering here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

A recent report from the European GNSS Agency (GSA) highlights user needs and requirements in the Agriculture sector on position, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions from the strict user perspective and the market conditions, regulations, and standards that drive them. The report will help shape the discussion at the next EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP), to be held in Marseille on 3-4 December 2018 as part of European Space Week.

The Report on Agriculture User Needs and Requirements, which is the outcome of the first EGNSS User Consultation Platform, includes an analysis of current and potential future market trends in the agriculture sector. It analyses user requirements for applications in Precision Agriculture and agri-logistics and examines performance requirements by application.

Key drivers… and challenges

GNSS user requirements in the agriculture sector are driven by a number of needs: increased profitability of agricultural operations, solutions targeted at small and medium-sized farms, and compliance with policy considerations related to agricultural subsidies. Technological drivers include significant improvements in high accuracy solutions, coupled with the increased availability of low-cost equipment and the combining of GNSS with other technologies in integrated farm management solutions.

Read this: Agriculture a key beneficiary of EU Space Programmes

Despite successful uptake rates for GNSS-driven solutions for agriculture, a number of technological, economic and awareness-related challenges need to be addressed if these solutions are to be mainstreamed. According to the Report, these include developing solutions tailored to the reality of small and medium farms, smart solutions for integrated information management farming systems, further R&D on ways that new technologies can be leveraged and, finding appropriate mechanisms to include farmers and cooperatives in consultations on all of these aspects.

Based on these needs, the Report presents a user requirement analysis across the different GNSS-enabled or supported applications used in agricultural activities. The analysis focuses on performance requirements and the specific potential of the relevant EGNSS service (EGNOS OS, EDAS, Galileo OS, and Galileo HAS) in meeting them.

The EGNSS User Consultation Platform

This research will feed into discussions at the next EGNSS User Consultation Platform (UCP) in Marseille in December. The UCP is a periodic forum organised by the European Commission and the GSA, involving end users, user associations and representatives of the value chain, such as receiver and chipset manufacturers, application developers and the organisations and institutions dealing, directly and indirectly, with Galileo and EGNOS. The event is a part of the process developed at the GSA to collect user needs and requirements and take them as inputs for the provision of user-driven Galileo and EGNOS services.

And this: Agriculture: A new frontier for European space policy

The next User Consultation Platform will be held on 3-4 December, during European Space Week. The main work of the UCP will be carried out in eight parallel panel sessions grouping users by market segment, with a dedicated session on agriculture.

This year, European Space Week also has a special session on Sustainable Land Management, which will showcase various solutions that integrate Earth Observation with satellite navigation to help maximise the resilience of land systems and mitigate the effects of climate change.

To join the ongoing discussion and to ensure that future European space programme evolutions meet your needs and requirements, you can take part by registering to attend European Space Week here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Galileo supports compliance with new Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) from the International Civil Aviation Organisation relating to the location of an aeroplane in distress. This and other benefits of European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) for the aviation sector were in focus at the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) General Assembly, which took place on 9-11 October in Edinburg, UK.

The new ICAO SARPs address the Global Aeronautical Distress & Safety System (GADSS) Autonomous Distress Tracking (ADT) concept, which became effective on 11 July 2016 and will be applicable from 1 January 2021.

ADT is defined as the capability, using transmission of information, from which the position of an aircraft in distress can be determined at least once every minute and which is resilient to failures of the aircraft’s electrical power, navigation and communication systems.

At a meeting of the ERA Operations Group held during the General Assembly, Katerina Strelcova, Aviation Market Development Officer at the European GNSS Agency (GSA) stressed that Galileo would enable compliance with these requirements, thanks to the Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) service. The Galileo SAR service is Europe’s contribution to the international COSPAS-SARSAT system.

The corresponding European regulation for ADT is (EU) 2015/2338, which is not technology-specific. One of the solutions – the Emergency Locator Transmitter for Distress Tracking ELT (DT) – is based on the use of the Galileo SAR service and the COSPAS-SARSAT system.

New Galileo Services

Noting that the Galileo SAR service makes a fundamental European contribution to the COSPAS-SARSAT International Programme, Strelcova highlighted the new Galileo services that support improved SAR, in particular the Forward Link Service (FLS) capability.

The SAR transponder on Galileo satellites picks up signals emitted from distress beacons and broadcasts this information to dedicated ground stations (MEOLUTs). Once these signals are detected and the beacons are located by the MEOLUTs, COSPAS-SARSAT Mission Control Centres (MCC) receive the beacon location information and distribute the data to the relevant rescue centres (RCC) worldwide. In addition, Galileo introduces a new concept, i.e. the Return Link Service (RLS) that is currently being defined and standardised by EUROCAE.

“All Galileo satellites are able to offer a Return Link Service (RLS), which enables an acknowledgement message that allows people in distress to know that their message has been received and that help is on the way,” Strelcova said. She also noted that the RLS Command Service could make it possible to remotely activate and deactivate an emergency locator transmitter, ELT (DT) on an aircraft.

Watch this: Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) Service

“This link will enable the ELT to be triggered from the ground, by a third party having access to the Return Link Service Provider, and establish the position of a non-cooperative aircraft with which communications have been lost. This will make it possible to track the aircraft when other systems are not responding,” she said.

User Consultation

At the General, Assembly, the GSA launched a consultation process among airlines about the Galileo RLS with a view to gathering requirements from interested parties, raising awareness about the need for cooperation, and fostering the adoption of new standards and equipment in order to improve safety in SAR operations.

Also highlighted at the session was the EGNSS User Consultation Platform, which will be held as part of European Space Week in Marseille in December. This Platform is a forum for interaction between the Galileo and EGNOS programmes and end users, focused on user needs and requirements. It is an opportunity for the EGNSS programmes to listen to users and key industry players in order to optimise current use of the systems, continuously improve them, and plan for future evolutions. To contribute to the Platform and have your say, register to attend European Space Week here.

ERA General Assembly

The GSA was present at the General Assembly with a stand which included a  EGNOS enabled flight simulator at which airlines were briefed on LPV approach procedures. Speaking at the Operations group, Loganair Flight Support Manager Stewart Houston said that the airline was flying LPV approaches at Kirkwall – the main airport serving Scotland’s Orkney Islands – on its Twin Otter and Islander planes, equipped with G430W.

“Between 19 and 46 Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Ranges (VORs) will be removed in the UK, potentially leaving required navigation performance (RNP) as the only approaches available at several airports,” Houston said.

The ERA General Assembly is a key event for Regional Aviation Stakeholders. This year’s event brought together more than 400 key figures from the European aviation industry. The event is an opportunity to network, discuss key issues affecting the industry, learn from a wide range of thought-provoking conference sessions and celebrate the industry’s successes.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Galileo supports compliance with new Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) from the International Civil Aviation Organisation relating to the location of an aeroplane in distress. This and other benefits of European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) for the aviation sector were in focus at the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) General Assembly, which took place on 9-11 October in Edinburg, UK.

The new ICAO SARPs address the Global Aeronautical Distress & Safety System (GADSS) Autonomous Distress Tracking (ADT) concept, which became effective on 11 July 2016 and will be applicable from 1 January 2021.

ADT is defined as the capability, using transmission of information, from which the position of an aircraft in distress can be determined at least once every minute and which is resilient to failures of the aircraft’s electrical power, navigation and communication systems.

At a meeting of the ERA Operations Group held during the General Assembly, Katerina Strelcova, Aviation Market Development Officer at the European GNSS Agency (GSA) stressed that Galileo would enable compliance with these requirements, thanks to the Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) service. The Galileo SAR service is Europe’s contribution to the international COSPAS-SARSAT system.

The corresponding European regulation for ADT is (EU) 2015/2338, which is not technology-specific. One of the solutions – the Emergency Locator Transmitter for Distress Tracking ELT (DT) – is based on the use of the Galileo SAR service and the COSPAS-SARSAT system.

New Galileo Services

Noting that the Galileo SAR service makes a fundamental European contribution to the COSPAS-SARSAT International Programme, Strelcova highlighted the new Galileo services that support improved SAR, in particular the Forward Link Service (FLS) capability.

The SAR transponder on Galileo satellites picks up signals emitted from distress beacons and broadcasts this information to dedicated ground stations (MEOLUTs). Once these signals are detected and the beacons are located by the MEOLUTs, COSPAS-SARSAT Mission Control Centres (MCC) receive the beacon location information and distribute the data to the relevant rescue centres (RCC) worldwide. In addition, Galileo introduces a new concept, i.e. the Return Link Service (RLS) that is currently being defined and standardised by EUROCAE.

“All Galileo satellites are able to offer a Return Link Service (RLS), which enables an acknowledgement message that allows people in distress to know that their message has been received and that help is on the way,” Strelcova said. She also noted that the RLS Command Service could make it possible to remotely activate and deactivate an emergency locator transmitter, ELT (DT) on an aircraft.

Watch this: Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) Service

“This link will enable the ELT to be triggered from the ground, by a third party having access to the Return Link Service Provider, and establish the position of a non-cooperative aircraft with which communications have been lost. This will make it possible to track the aircraft when other systems are not responding,” she said.

User Consultation

At the General, Assembly, the GSA launched a consultation process among airlines about the Galileo RLS with a view to gathering requirements from interested parties, raising awareness about the need for cooperation, and fostering the adoption of new standards and equipment in order to improve safety in SAR operations.

Also highlighted at the session was the EGNSS User Consultation Platform, which will be held as part of European Space Week in Marseille in December. This Platform is a forum for interaction between the Galileo and EGNOS programmes and end users, focused on user needs and requirements. It is an opportunity for the EGNSS programmes to listen to users and key industry players in order to optimise current use of the systems, continuously improve them, and plan for future evolutions. To contribute to the Platform and have your say, register to attend European Space Week here.

ERA General Assembly

The GSA was present at the General Assembly with a stand which included a G1000 EGNOS simulator at which airline operators were briefed on LPV approach procedures. Speaking at the General Assembly, Loganair Flight Support Manager Stewart Houston said that his airline was flying LPV approaches at Kirkwall – the main airport serving Scotland’s Orkney Islands – on its Twin Otter and Islander planes, equipped with G430W.

“Between 19 and 46 Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Ranges (VORs) will be removed in the UK, potentially leaving required navigation performance (RNP) as the only approaches available at several airports,” Houston said.

The ERA General Assembly is a key event for Regional Aviation Stakeholders. This year’s event brought together more than 400 key figures from the European aviation industry. The event is an opportunity to network, discuss key issues affecting the industry, learn from a wide range of thought-provoking conference sessions and celebrate the industry’s successes.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including Galileo, play a key role in the Internet of Things (IoT), and positioning, velocity and timing information supports a wide range of context-aware applications, from drones and driverless cars to asset tracking. At a webinar hosted by the Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation (AIOTI) on November 29, representatives from the GSA will explain how the IoT can benefit from Galileo’s unique features.

The Alliance for Internet Of Things Innovation (AIOTI) is an European organisation created to strengthen dialogue and interaction among IoT players and counting among its members an important number of global and European industry players and research centres active in the IoT domain. GSA in cooperation with AIOTI is organizing a dedicated webinar addressing the important benefits that Galileo can bring to the IoT community. 

In recent years, access to GNSS technology has developed exponentially, quickly progressing from the appearance of the first GPS navigation equipment to the current situation, with more than 6 billion GNSS devices available globally. What’s more, the arrival of the IoT has considerably increased the number of services and applications that require positioning information.

Key development areas

GNSS supports real-time, accurate tracking, timing, and other machine-to-machine communication. The current location performance is sufficient to support many applications, but as the IoT market expands, so will the demands placed on GNSS systems. The IoT and the self-driving cars and drones of tomorrow will all require more accuracy, ubiquity of location both indoors and outdoors, and security of location data, all with the lowest possible power consumption. 

Read this: GNSS a key element of all-purpose, user-driven positioning solutions

With such a wide range of applications, innovation around positioning is evolving along three main paths. First of all, there is ubiquitous location, where the aim is to be able to locate people and objects at anytime, anywhere. The second area of development is the automation of positioning systems, enabling systems to sense their environment and react to it in real time. Finally, there is security of positioning. This is particularly important in liability-critical applications such as autonomous driving, where hacking threats can put people’s lives in danger. 

What Galileo brings to the table

On 29 November 2018, at 14:00, the GSA’s Deputy Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani and Justyna Redelkiewicz Musial, in charge of LBS and IoT market development at the GSA, will talk about Galileo’s unique features for IoT, including signal authentication to prevent spoofing, additional frequencies for better accuracy in urban environments, and high accuracy service for more demanding applications. 

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn how your IoT solution can benefit from Galileo. Register today by following this link.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

A first series of Reports on User Needs and Requirements on position, navigation and time has been published on the European GNSS Service Centre web portal in the section “GSA Publications”. The publication of this series paves the way to the 2018 edition of the User Consultation Platform to be held in Marseille on 3-4 December 2018 as part of European Space Week.

The User Consultation Platform (UCP) is a periodic forum organised by the European Commission and the GSA that aims at listening to users’ needs and feedback. The event is a part of a process developed at the GSA to collect user needs and requirements and take them as inputs to support the provision of user-driven Galileo and EGNOS services.

In preparation for the next UCP, which will take place in Marseille on 3-4 December 2018, a total of eight reports are being published:

• Report on Aviation User Needs and Requirements;
• Report on Maritime and Inland Waterways User Needs and Requirements;
• Report on Location-Based Services User Needs and Requirements;
• Report on Agriculture User Needs and Requirements;
• Report on Surveying User Needs and Requirements;
• Report on Time & Synchronization User Needs and Requirements;
• Report on Rail User Needs and Requirements;
• Report on Road User Needs and Requirements.

The reports are available in the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) website, in the Electronic Library under the “GSA Publications” section.

All the reports are structured in the same way: they start with an overview of the GNSS trends applicable to the segment in question, an in-depth analysis of the user needs and requirements, and finalising with a user requirements specification applicable to the particular market segment.

Finally, as the reports are publicly available, they serve also as a reference for users and industry, supporting planning and decision-making activities for those concerned with the use of location technologies.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Positioning and mapping technologies are converging and integrating as never before, enabling developers to deliver innovative high added-value applications and services, according to participants in the 5th edition of Technology for All, a forum dedicated to technological innovation in support of the environment, cultural heritage and smart cities, which was held at Rome’s Higher Institute for Firefighting (Istituto Superiore Antincendi) on 3-5 October.

At the event, which brought together over a hundred industrial stakeholders, public administrators, researchers and students, participants discussed how positioning, navigation and imagery technologies are being used to enable applications in the public sector and in other areas, such as autonomous machines, and military and civilian robotic applications.

Galileo added value

Speaking at a session on Position, Navigation and Timing: accurate position for safety, Gian Gherardo Calini, Head of Market Development at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), said that the global satellite navigation market had seen strong growth recently and it is expected that by 2020 the number of devices equipped with satellite positioning would reach 8 billion, creating ‘numerous opportunities’ for application developers to provide high value-added services.

Read this: GNSS a key element of all-purpose, user-driven positioning solutions

“Satellite navigation services already touch our daily lives and are generating economic and social benefits, with the European satellite navigation programmes Galileo and EGNOS being adopted by many users in various fields, such as transport, consumer and professional services,” Calini said. This was thanks to the GSA’s market outreach work and to the development of new applications by European companies leveraging the unique features of EGNOS and Galileo.

“There are many other development opportunities where Galileo can bring added value, such as in autonomous vehicles and in smart cities”, Calini said, adding that “the GSA is committed to keep the fruitful cooperation with European business to improve competitiveness and reach new heights”.

Interest in high-precision GNSS

Speaking about the high positioning accuracy of GNSS receivers, Marco Lisi from the European Space Agency said that there had been a significant increase in interest in high-precision GNSS in recent months.
“In particular, this increased demand for greater positioning accuracy is evident for mass-market applications in areas such as IoT, wearable tracking devices, assisted and autonomous driving, UAV and robotic vehicles,” he said.

Watch this: Who is using Galileo today?

Mass market revolution

Meanwhile, Lisi noted that the world of GNSS handset and chipset manufacturing is experiencing a small revolution. “Four major companies - Broadcom, Intel, STMicroelectronics and u-blox - have decided to make Galileo dual-frequency receivers commercially available to mass market applications, offering positioning accuracy of up to 30 centimetres,” he said, adding that several flagship smartphone manufacturers would integrate these into their products in the course of 2018.

Roberto Capua, responsible for GNSS R&D at Sogei, the technological partner of Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, presented a GNSS-enabled software defined radio (SDR) receiver that has been extensively tested in the area of Rome to verify its usability for cadastral survey. “The test showed the usefulness of this technology, which is comparable with hardware receivers,” he said, adding that convergence time could be reduced in future by using different constellations and frequencies.

Finally, GNSS and Earth Observation applications presented at Technology for All 2018, demonstrated that Space technologies help to protect and monitor both the natural and built environment, with a view to guaranteeing our heritage for future generations.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Positioning and mapping technologies are converging and integrating as never before, enabling developers to deliver innovative high added-value applications and services, according to participants in the 5th edition of Technology for All, a forum dedicated to technological innovation in support of the environment, cultural heritage and smart cities, which was held at Rome’s Higher Institute for Firefighting (Istituto Superiore Antincendi) on 3-5 October.

At the event, which brought together over a hundred industrial stakeholders, public administrators, researchers and students, participants discussed how positioning, navigation and imagery technologies are being used to enable applications in the public sector and in other areas, such as autonomous machines, and military and civilian robotic applications.

Galileo added value

Speaking at a session on Position, Navigation and Timing: accurate position for safety, Gian Gherardo Calini, Head of Market Development at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), said that the global satellite navigation market had seen strong growth recently and it is expected that by 2020 the number of devices equipped with satellite positioning would reach 8 billion, creating ‘numerous opportunities’ for application developers to provide high value-added services.

Read this: GNSS a key element of all-purpose, user-driven positioning solutions

“Satellite navigation services already touch our daily lives and are generating economic and social benefits, with the European satellite navigation programmes Galileo and EGNOS being adopted by many users in various fields, such as transport, consumer and professional services,” Calini said. This was thanks to the GSA’s market outreach work and to the development of new applications by European companies leveraging the unique features of EGNOS and Galileo.

“There are many other development opportunities where Galileo can bring added value, such as in autonomous vehicles and in smart cities”, Calini said, adding that “the GSA is committed to keep the fruitful cooperation with European business to improve competitiveness and reach new heights”.

Interest in high-precision GNSS

Speaking about the high positioning accuracy of GNSS receivers, Marco Lisi from the European Space Agency said that there had been a significant increase in interest in high-precision GNSS in recent months.

“In particular, this increased demand for greater positioning accuracy is evident for mass-market applications in areas such as IoT, wearable tracking devices, assisted and autonomous driving, UAV and robotic vehicles,” he said.

Watch this: Who is using Galileo today?

Mass market revolution

Meanwhile, Lisi noted that the world of GNSS handset and chipset manufacturing is experiencing a small revolution. “Four major companies - Broadcom, Intel, STMicroelectronics and u-blox - have decided to make Galileo dual-frequency receivers commercially available to mass market applications, offering positioning accuracy of up to 30 centimetres,” he said, adding that several flagship smartphone manufacturers would integrate these into their products in the course of 2018.

Roberto Capua, responsible for GNSS R&D at Sogei, the technological partner of Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, presented a GNSS-enabled software defined radio (SDR) receiver that has been extensively tested in the area of Rome to verify its usability for cadastral survey. “The test showed the usefulness of this technology, which is comparable with hardware receivers,” he said, adding that convergence time could be reduced in future by using different constellations and frequencies.

Finally, GNSS and Earth Observation applications presented at Technology for All 2018, demonstrated that Space technologies help to protect and monitor both the natural and built environment, with a view to guaranteeing our heritage for future generations.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is partnering with GNSS receiver manufacturer Septentrio to award a prize in the ERL Emergency Local Tournament 2019, which aims to foster advanced developments of autonomous capabilities and seamless navigation for emergency robotic systems.

The European Robotics League (ERL) is an innovative robot competition that stems from its predecessors - the euRathlon and RoCKIn competitions - and focuses on tasks that robots must execute in realistic emergency situations. The competition is composed of multiple local tournaments, held in different locations across Europe, in addition to a few major events.

The first of the ERL Emergency challenges was announced in July 2018, and focused on land and sea robotic systems. The second, the deadline for which has been extended until 29 October, will be held in February 2019 at the premises of the Advanced Centre for Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) in Seville, Spain. This time the challenge will include air and land robots working in an outdoor/indoor environment. You can find more information about the challenges here.

Read this: Integrating GNSS in UAVs for faster SAR

Teams participate in a minimum of two tournaments (local and/or major) per year and get scores based on their performances. Each team’s top two tournament scores are then added together and the teams are ranked based on their cumulative score. Prizes for the top teams are awarded at the following year’s European Robotics Forum (ERF).

GSA-Septentrio Prize

The GSA will award a special prize at ERL Emergency 2019 focusing on robots that make use of solutions based on Galileo and EGNOS. This year, the Agency is partnering with the receiver manufacturer Septentrio, which will offer an AsteRx-i S receiver to the winning team.
Septentrio designs and manufactures highly accurate GNSS receivers for demanding applications requiring accuracies in the decimetre or centimetre range, even under difficult conditions. With its size, weight and power consumption, the AsteRx-i S is ideal for applications such as inspection with UAV's, UAS photogrammetry, automation, robotics and logistics.

“Whether it’s on the high seas, in scintillation prone areas or at high latitudes, our customers know that Septentrio receivers deliver fast, accurate and reliable positions. Our clients are active in urban canyons, under canopies or even under circumstances where there is deliberate interference, we make robust receivers to help our customers excel. It’s our long term vision to enable our customers’ success with GNSS,” said Septentrio Global Marketing Communications Manager Bas Broothaerts.

The challenge

The challenge this year is different depending on whether the teams work with air or land robots. For air robots, this challenge will involve two types of tasks: horizontal accuracy in landings at a specific geographic coordinate; and vertical accuracy while hovering at a specific geographic coordinate. For land robots, there will be only one type of task - horizontal accuracy during waypoint-based navigation.

Visual markers will be used to support the assessment of both types of task. To be eligible for the award, a team must have executed valid trials of the tasks. The team deemed to have achieved the best results will be declared the winner. For information on Galileo capable receivers and navigation kits for robotic systems visit https://www.usegalileo.eu/EN/.

Last chance to register!

If you are interested in participating in this ERL Emergency Local Tournament, you should register your team here by the deadline of October 29. For more information, click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Galileo Satellites GSAT0215, GSAT0216, GSAT0217, and GSAT0218, launched in December 2017, have been commissioned for operational use.

Since Friday 12 October, all Galileo satellites that were launched last year (in December) are usable for service provision. NAGUs 2018023, 2018019, 2018020 and 2018018 announced the commissioning of Galileo satellites GSAT0215 (E21), GSAT0216 (E25), GSAT02017 (E27) and GSAT0218 (E31), increasing the number of satellites that are available for service provision to 18.

Galileo launch information

Galileo satellites Nicole (GSAT0215), Zofia (GSAT0216), Alexandre (GSAT0217) and Irina (GSAT0218), were launched on Tuesday 12 December 2017 at 18:36 UTC, from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) - Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana - with a nominal duration of 3 hours, 55 minutes and 45 seconds from lift-off to separation of the satellites.

The Arianespace Ariane 5 has placed the four Galileo satellites into MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) circular orbit, at an altitude of 22,922 km above sea level. The launcher carried a total payload of approximately 2,860 kg. Each of the four satellites presents the following features:

Galileo status information

Updated information on the status of the Galileo constellation can be found in the Constellation Status section of GSC website. Moreover, to receive NAGUs automatically, register to the GSC web portal.

Since Galileo Initial Services were declared on December, 2016 more than 100 million devices are using Galileo today. To keep track of Galileo-enabled devices serving a variety of needs as they become available, check out: usegalileo.eu.

The Galileo Initial Services allow the use of Galileo Open Service (OS), which enables a free of charge, global ranging, positioning and timing service for the OS users. Galileo is interoperable with the GNSS constellations (GPS, GLONASS, Beidou). By offering dual frequencies as standard, Galileo is set to deliver real-time positioning accuracy down to the meter range. If you have any questions about Galileo, you are invited to contact the GSC Helpdesk.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Key representatives from the automotive industry came together at the ITS World event in Copenhagen to discuss their work in the field of autonomous driving. All of them are using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) solutions and other localisation techniques in order to make safe driverless road transport a reality.

GNSS technologies, including Europe's Galileo satellite positioning system, are playing a central role in all of the principal autonomous vehicle prototypes currently under development. Typically, satellite positioning is being used in a complimentary fashion with other integrated sensor- and connectivity-based systems.

The session on precise positioning for autonomous driving at this year's ITS World in Copenhagen was co-moderated by Fiammetta Diani, GSA Deputy Head of Market Development. She said, "There is an increasing need for access to secure GNSS for autonomous driving. The initiatives we will hear from today are all working to meet this challenge."

Multi-GNSS ANavS solution

Germany's ANavS GmbH provides position and attitude solutions with centimetre-level accuracy. Fast fixing is achieved by using three GNSS constellations and the company's patented RTK fixing technology.

ANavS Founder and Managing Director, and former European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) first prize winner, Patrick Henkel said, "Our sensor fusion framework delivers precise position and attitude information for navigation. It also generates real-time, highly accurate maps with high resolution."

The system is capable of combining multi-GNSS (GPS + GLONASS + Galileo), inertial sensors, vehicle data, visual odometry and feature mapping, as well as LiDAR and radar. Tight coupling of GNSS and all of these other systems ensure reliable positioning even in areas with limited satellite visibility.

"Our platform can be used for the whole range of transport applications," Henkel said, "from road transport to maritime and drone navigation, as well as in robotics, surveying applications and of course in agriculture for precision farming."

The system is particularly well suited to autonomous driving applications, because of its high accuracy, high availability and continuity, and, with Galileo, its integrity. All of this comes at an affordable cost, said Henkel. "The ANavS module is available in different versions, with one, two or three integrated GNSS receivers, depending on the specific level of performance required."

PRoPART sensor fusion

Fredrik Hoxell is Senior ITS engineer at truck manufacturer Scania Group in Sweden. He described work under the EU H2020-funded PRoPART project. "We set out with the understanding that pre-connected, manual, partially automated and fully automated, connected vehicles will all co-exist on European roads at least during an extended transition period."

The project, Hoxell explained, has developed and demonstrated a high-availability positioning solution for connected automated driving applications. The system implements sensor fusion using information from both the on-board vehicle sensors and an off-board road infrastructure traffic sensor. It is the off-board sensor technology that allows the system to account for non-automated and non-connected road vehicles.

The project's RTK software solution exploits the distinguishing features of Galileo. "We are benefiting from the high multipath mitigation enabled by the Galileo binary offset code, and there is a substantial improvement of reliability of the carrier phase ambiguity resolution. All of this makes Galileo a really good addition to our sensor platform," he said.

TomTom's Big Data contribution

Tom Jensen of GNSS giant TomTom discussed his company's long experience in digital mapping, now a critical resource for autonomous driving applications – and he impressed session participants with some very big numbers: "We have been compiling data from our GNSS receiver users for 10 years. We have 500 million devices currently running and today we have about 90 trillion data points!"

The European company is putting an enormous amount of energy and resources into the development of methods for fusing that data for the generation of detailed maps that can be updated within minutes. "And now we want to open that up for the users," he said.

"We are meeting with public authorities, governments, decision makers who we know can use this information, for the roads, for the infrastructure, to plan their projects in the best and most intelligent way." TomTom data is of unparalleled value, Jensen argued, for mapping, for understanding traffic flow and traffic changes in near real time.

TransSec preventing terrorist attacks

The H2020-funded TransSec project coordinated by Daimler AG Trucks  is aimed at delivering a solution to the recent rise in vehicle-based terror attacks across Europe. In a number of such incidents, perpetrators used heavy trucks to attack pedestrians.

Oihana Otaegui is Head of ITS at TransSec project partner Vicomtech. She said, "We are developing and evaluating autonomous systems to detect and prevent trucks from being misused, to prevent these incidents from occurring. The trustability provided by Galileo is very remarkable. We have achieved advances in GNSS positioning, map data and map matching. On-board environment sensors and V2X communication are all combined in a local dynamic map. This can then be used for movement monitoring, critical area alarm, pre-crash object detection and for the implementation of non-defeatable emergency manoeuvres."

The project team is also concerned with developing new and more effective methods to combat GNSS jamming and spoofing, which represent further threats to security in the context of automated driving technologies. Here, Galileo's unique authentication feature will play an important role.

SIP-adus testing 3D mapping

Japan's SIP (Strategic Innovation Promotion Program)-adus (Automated Driving for Universal Services) project is undertaking a wide range of activities aimed at ushering in the next generation of road transport systems.

Project researchers are taking on, among other things, the human-machine interface in for autonomous and semi-autonomous driving. Another area of interest is in the application of automated driving technologies in buses. The team are investigating ways to implement precise stopping at bus stops with almost no space between the bus and the curb. This will make getting on and off easier for wheelchair users and elderly passengers.

Satoru Nakajo of the University of Tokyo discussed ongoing field operational tests involving the use of digital maps for automated driving. "The project is validating the specifications and accuracy of a high-accuracy 3D mapping function," he said, "including data updating and distribution systems, and of the critical linkage of dynamic data delivered via road infrastructure."

The full-on pursuit of autonomous driving represents a real paradigm shift in the automotive industry. The initiatives on display at the ITS World conference in Copenhagen underline how high-level research and development is leveraging powerful GNSS signals, advanced sensing techniques and other innovations.

Superior performance delivered by technologies such as European GNSS flagship Galileo are helping to enable centimetre-level absolute positioning solutions, functioning seamlessly in challenging environments such as deep urban canyons and in low-visibility weather conditions.

Particularly when used in conjunction with other complimentary technologies, Galileo represents a vital building block for automated driving systems.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

BELS+ aims to develop GNSS markets for EU companies and helps EU GNSS applications gain a foothold in Southeast Asia. Towards these goals, the project is organising a workshop on October 25, 2018 in Gilching/Oberpfaffenhofen, close to Munich, to raise awareness about business opportunities in Southeast Asia among European companies, professionals and institutions offering GNSS-based products and services.

BELS - Building European Links toward Southeast Asia - was set-up in 2015 and renewed as BELS+, in 2018 to facilitate the breakthrough of European GNSS services and technology in the Southeast Asian (SEA) market.

Workshop

The event on October 25, 2018 “Opportunities for European GNSS companies in Southeast Asia”, which will take place at bavAIRia e.V. in Gilching, Germany, will include presentations of the BELS+ project and the NAVIS EGNSS Demo Centre in Hanoi, where European companies can showcase their GNSS-based solutions. In addition, European companies will present their experience of working in the SEA region.

This event is an ideal opportunity for European producers of GNSS-based technologies and solutions to present their products and services as well as their motivation in trying to get a foothold in the South East Asian market. For more information on the workshop, click here. To register to attend the workshop, go straight to the registration page.

Read this: BELS Builds Bridges to South East Asia

About BELS+

The Horizon 2020-funded BELS+ project, like its predecessor BELS, conducts a range of coordinated activities to raise awareness and build capacities for the exploitation of EGNSS technologies in Southeast Asia. The BELS+ consortium brings together partners from Europe and Southeast Asia.

Founded in 2010 the NAVIS Centre serves as entry point for EU companies. Within BELS+ a GNSS Demo Centre will be established at the NAVIS. It builds upon the broad engagement of companies, researchers and stakeholders and aims at attracting EU companies.

The Centre will serve as a platform to demonstrate the European GNSS expertise from hardware to software as well as service and maintenance. BELS+ supports European companies participating in the Demo Centre. In addition, the Centre offers potential customers and GNSS stakeholders in the SEA region to see and experience the European GNSS solutions within their geographical environment.

One of the project’s core aims is to promote Galileo and demonstrate how it can benefit the region. This work is particularly important as the SEA region lacks its own satellite navigation capabilities and is therefore dependent on other national or regional systems.

For more information, visit the project portal.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Following its success in advising the 5-LIVES H2020 research and development project, the Five Lives Advisory Group (FLAG) of helicopter users has now been consolidated as the European focal point for coordination and harmonisation of the implementation of satellite-based rotorcraft operations and, with the support of GSA, will continue its work on the early implementation of satellite-based rotorcraft operations for emergency response.

FLAG was set up to bring helicopter operators and national aviation authorities together in an effort to harmonise the implementation of rotorcraft EGNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) operations at the European level. FLAG was chaired by Pildo Labs and co-funded by GSA as part of the 5-Lives project and within the Horizon 2020 programme.

Now, following the success of the group, at the request of the user community and with support from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), FLAG will continue its work to promote the use of EGNSS in rotorcraft – one of the most effective means of ensuring a timely response in emergency situations.

Read this: GSA support to helicopter operators presented in the European Parliament

The development of advanced operations and products based on the use of EGNSS represents an opportunity to provide a more efficient and safe service to society. Thanks to EGNSS, rotorcraft operators will, in the near future, be able to fly at any time, any place and in all weather conditions, ensuring that European citizens get a more effective response in first aid or distress situations.

“Thanks to EGNSS, rotorcraft operators will be able to conduct 24-hour operations in instrument flight conditions, ensuring more immediate and effective responses to emergency or distress situations,” said Santiago Soley, CEO of PildoLabs, the Spanish aeronautical engineering company that chaired the FLAG working group.

Barcelona meeting

On 13-14 September 2018, with the support of Barcelona City Council, the GSA and EUROCONTROL, PildoLabs organised the 4th FLAG Working Group meeting at their Barcelona headquarters. The meeting brought together more than 40 experts, including representatives from the main rotorcraft OEMs, air navigation service providers, aviation authorities, rotorcraft operator managers and pilots, and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Over the two days, attendees were updated on current implementation programmes dealing with so-called Point-in-Space (PinS) and Low-Level Routes flight operations and were able to share experience and derive lessons learned, with a view to harmonising the overall implementation process in light of applicable European and national regulations.

Those present also had the opportunity to talk to a representative from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with broad experience on the implementation of these novel operations, and quite a high number of flight procedures being operated on a regular basis.

5-LIVES

The GSA-funded 5-LIVES R&D project aims to provide innovative EGNSS-based solutions to overcome various operational weaknesses identified in five different scenarios related to emergency and other critical missions: Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) operations; challenging environments; firefighting helicopter displacement; maritime search; and firefighting rescue.

Watch this: EGNOS for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS)

The project aims to expand the use of EGNSS in these rotorcraft operations, particularly where life is at risk. This is being done by demonstrating the benefits of EGNSS in diverse search and rescue operations, such as maritime search and rescue assisted by an EGNSS-enabled RPAS, or firefighting evacuations using EGNSS-equipped ground units and rescue helicopters.

By fostering research into innovative concepts, demonstrating the technical feasibility of advanced navigation procedures in constraining environments, and showing the operational gains that these have in historically inaccessible markets, the project will help embed EGNSS technology in rotorcraft operations and increase the effectiveness and safety of rotorcraft emergency response and search and rescue.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has opened a call for proposals within its Fundamental Elements funding mechanism to develop a Galileo-enabled multi-frequency antenna. The activity shall also focus on developing a close-to-market GNSS antenna for both mass-market and professional users. The deadline for submissions is 08 March 2019.

The Galileo constellation is already operational, with 26 satellites in orbit. And, with Galileo satellites working together with other constellations, there are more GNSS satellites available for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) than ever before. Users are already able to profit from a significant improvement in terms of signal availability, especially in harsh environments, such as urban canyons.

Multi-frequency, multi-purpose

The modernisation of existing and the arrival of new GNSS systems mean also that there are more frequencies available. Both mass market and professional applications stand to benefit from the improved positioning and navigation derived from this multi-frequency. However, this creates the need for antennas that can support a wider bandwidth. Enabling multi-frequency capabilities requires the antenna to cope, on one hand, with higher bandwidth requirements and, on the other, with the constraints imposed by the platform on which the antenna operates.

Read this: GSA releases 2018 Grant Plan

Meanwhile, recent advances in GNSS antenna technology are enabling higher flexibility and adaptability, and the future trend is towards the development of multi-purpose antennas that can be used in different platforms and applications. For example, two user-segments that can clearly benefit from these advances are the mass-market for dual-frequency GNSS chipsets (smartphones, portable devices), and the professional market associated with future autonomous vehicles (cars, drones, ships, trains, and tractors).

Two user groups

The objective of this call for proposals is to further develop Galileo-enabled multi-frequency antennas, close to market, for mass-market and professional applications.

This call for proposal aims at launching up to two projects to develop, test and assess advanced multi-frequency, multi-constellation antennas dedicated to these user groups.

In particular, the project aims to develop and test advanced antenna technology that is:

• capable of coping with at least the frequencies L1/E1, L5/E5 and E6 (except for the mass market, where at least L1/E1 and L5/E5 should be used);
• multi-constellation (Galileo and GPS, as a minimum), including additional innovations at the antenna level optimised for one or more mass-market and professional applications; and
• Commercially ready with a competitive cost.

Webinar

On 27 November 2018, a webinar on the Fundamental Elements Call “Multi-frequency multipurpose antenna for Galileo” will be held to provide applicants with additional information and guidance on how to prepare a proposal. To register for the webinar click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has opened a call for proposals within its Fundamental Elements funding mechanism to develop a Galileo-enabled multi-frequency antenna. The activity shall also focus on developing a close-to-market GNSS antenna for both mass-market and professional users. The deadline for submissions is 08 March 2019.

The Galileo constellation is already operational, with 26 satellites in orbit. And, with Galileo satellites working together with other constellations, there are more GNSS satellites available for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) than ever before. Users are already able to profit from a significant improvement in terms of signal availability, especially in harsh environments, such as urban canyons.

Multi-frequency, multi-purpose

The modernisation of existing and the arrival of new GNSS systems mean also that there are more frequencies available. Both mass market and professional applications stand to benefit from the improved positioning and navigation derived from this multi-frequency. However, this creates the need for antennas that can support a wider bandwidth. Enabling multi-frequency capabilities requires the antenna to cope, on one hand, with higher bandwidth requirements and, on the other, with the constraints imposed by the platform on which the antenna operates.

Read this: GSA releases 2018 Grant Plan

Meanwhile, recent advances in GNSS antenna technology are enabling higher flexibility and adaptability, and the future trend is towards the development of multi-purpose antennas that can be used in different platforms and applications. For example, two user-segments that can clearly benefit from these advances are the mass-market for dual-frequency GNSS chipsets (smartphones, portable devices), and the professional market associated with future autonomous vehicles (cars, drones, ships, trains, and tractors).

Two user groups

The objective of this call for proposals is to further develop Galileo-enabled multi-frequency antennas, close to market, for mass-market and professional applications.

This call for proposal aims at launching up to two projects to develop, test and assess advanced multi-frequency, multi-constellation antennas dedicated to these user groups.

In particular, the project aims to develop and test advanced antenna technology that is:

• capable of coping with at least the frequencies L1/E1, L5/E5 and E6 (except for the mass market, where at least L1/E1 and L5/E5 should be used);
• multi-constellation (Galileo and GPS, as a minimum), including additional innovations at the antenna level optimised for one or more mass-market and professional applications; and
• Commercially ready with a competitive cost.

Webinar

On 27 November 2018, a webinar on the Fundamental Elements Call “Multi-frequency multipurpose antenna for Galileo” will be held to provide applicants with additional information and guidance on how to prepare a proposal. To register for the webinar click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has opened a call for proposals within its Fundamental Elements funding mechanism to develop a Galileo-enabled multi-frequency antenna. The activity shall also focus on developing a close-to-market GNSS antenna for both mass-market and professional users. The deadline for submissions is 08 March 2019.

The Galileo constellation is already operational, with 26 satellites in orbit. And, with Galileo satellites working together with other constellations, there are more GNSS satellites available for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) than ever before. Users are already able to profit from a significant improvement in terms of signal availability, especially in harsh environments, such as urban canyons.

Multi-frequency, multi-purpose

The modernisation of existing and the arrival of new GNSS systems mean also that there are more frequencies available. Both mass market and professional applications stand to benefit from the improved positioning and navigation derived from this multi-frequency. However, this creates the need for antennas that can support a wider bandwidth. Enabling multi-frequency capabilities requires the antenna to cope, on one hand, with higher bandwidth requirements and, on the other, with the constraints imposed by the platform on which the antenna operates.

Read this: GSA releases 2018 Grant Plan

Meanwhile, recent advances in GNSS antenna technology are enabling higher flexibility and adaptability, and the future trend is towards the development of multi-purpose antennas that can be used in different platforms and applications. For example, two user-segments that can clearly benefit from these advances are the mass-market for dual-frequency GNSS chipsets (smartphones, portable devices), and the professional market associated with future autonomous vehicles (cars, drones, ships, trains, and tractors).

Two user groups

The objective of this call for proposals is to further develop Galileo-enabled multi-frequency antennas, close to market, for mass-market and professional applications.

This call for proposal aims at launching up to two projects to develop, test and assess advanced multi-frequency, multi-constellation antennas dedicated to these user groups.

In particular, the project aims to develop and test advanced antenna technology that is:

• capable of coping with at least the frequencies L1/E1, L5/E5 and E6 (except for the mass market, where at least L1/E1 and L5/E5 should be used);
• multi-constellation (Galileo and GPS, as a minimum), including additional innovations at the antenna level optimised for one or more mass-market and professional applications; and
• Commercially ready with a competitive cost.

Webinar

On 27 November 2018, a webinar on the Fundamental Elements Call “Multi-frequency multipurpose antenna for Galileo” will be held to provide applicants with additional information and guidance on how to prepare a proposal. To register for the webinar click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), Europe's regional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), provides safety of life navigation services to aviation, maritime and land-based users over most of Europe. The ‘Landing with EGNOS’ exhibition, which opened at the Cité de l’Espace in Toulouse on 11 October, explains the system’s various applications, particularly for the aviation sector.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion held at the exhibition’s official launch, Jean-Marc Pieplu, EGNOS Programme Manager at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), said that the exhibition recognised the work that had been conducted over the past 20 years to put the EGNOS system into operation.

“We should be proud of the success of EGNOS, not just for us but because users are taking on board this European technology,” he said, adding that the exhibition was important, as the time had come to explain to the general public about what EGNOS is, and how it is widely used in Europe to contribute to aviation safety.

A350 EGNOS simulator

Visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to simulate landing a plane in an A350 EGNOS simulator. Thierry Racaud, CEO of European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), which is in charge of EGNOS operations and service provision, said that ESSP was delighted that Cité de l’Espace had installed the A350 EGNOS simulator in its permanent exhibition. 

“This simulator is a great way for the general public to understand the benefits of the European Union’s space programmes, and of EGNOS in particular, in their daily lives,” he said, adding that it was a source of pride for the EGNOS community to see the latest commercial aircraft adopting this technology.

Our clients like EGNOS

Representing manufacturers of commercial aircraft at the roundtable, Thierry Harquin, an engineer and EGNOS expert at Airbus, said that Airbus likes EGNOS very much because its clients like EGNOS. He said that at Airbus there is a programme to have all models of A319/A320/A321 and A330 with optional SBAS/GBAS. This is optional because some countries, such as Australia for instance, are not covered by SBAS. “Our first client for the A320 with the SBAS option is EasyJet,” he said.

Nicolas Dubois, Executive Deputy Director at DGAC/DTI, the technical department of DSNA Services (Direction des services de la navigation aérienne), the French organisation in charge of air traffic control, highlighted France’s role as an early adopter of EGNOS. “France was the first country to publish an EGNOS approach procedure and was the first to implement an LPV-200 approach,” he said, adding that DSNA would be decommissioning around 50 ILS in the coming year thanks to the use of EGNOS and will then ensure that more than 100 runways have CAT 1 ILS BY 2020.

The opening ceremony was attended by about 100 students from France’s National Civil Aviation University and from various schools and colleges in Toulouse, who were welcomed with a number of flash presentations on the European Union’s satellite navigation programmes.

The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), Europe's regional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), provides safety of life navigation services to aviation, maritime and land-based users over most of Europe. The ‘Landing with EGNOS’ exhibition, which opened at the Cité de l’Espace in Toulouse on 11 October, explains the system’s various applications, particularly for the aviation sector.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion held at the exhibition’s official launch, Jean-Marc Pieplu, EGNOS Programme Manager at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), said that the exhibition recognised the work that had been conducted over the past 20 years to put the EGNOS system into operation.

“We should be proud of the success of EGNOS, not just for us but because users are taking on board this European technology,” he said, adding that the exhibition was important, as the time had come to explain to the general public about what EGNOS is, and how it is widely used in Europe to contribute to aviation safety.

The opening ceremony was attended by about 100 students from France’s National Civil Aviation University

A350 EGNOS simulator

Visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to simulate landing a plane in an A350 EGNOS simulator. Thierry Racaud, CEO of European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), which is in charge of EGNOS operations and service provision, said that ESSP was delighted that Cité de l’Espace had installed the A350 EGNOS simulator in its permanent exhibition. 

“This simulator is a great way for the general public to understand the benefits of the European Union’s space programmes, and of EGNOS in particular, in their daily lives,” he said, adding that it was a source of pride for the EGNOS community to see the latest commercial aircraft adopting this technology.

Visitors to the exhibition can try landing a plane in an A350 EGNOS simulator

Our clients like EGNOS

Representing manufacturers of commercial aircraft at the roundtable, Thierry Harquin, an engineer and EGNOS expert at Airbus, said that Airbus likes EGNOS very much because its clients like EGNOS. He said that at Airbus there is a programme to have all models of A319/A320/A321 and A330 with optional SBAS/GBAS. This is optional because some countries, such as Australia for instance, are not covered by SBAS. “Our first client for the A320 with the SBAS option is EasyJet,” he said.

Nicolas Dubois, Executive Deputy Director at DGAC/DTI, the technical department of DSNA Services (Direction des services de la navigation aérienne), the French organisation in charge of air traffic control, highlighted France’s role as an early adopter of EGNOS. “France was the first country to publish an EGNOS approach procedure and was the first to implement an LPV-200 approach,” he said, adding that DSNA would be decommissioning around 50 ILS in the coming year thanks to the use of EGNOS and will then ensure that more than 100 runways have CAT 1 ILS BY 2020.

The opening ceremony was attended by about 100 students from France’s National Civil Aviation University and from various schools and colleges in Toulouse, who were welcomed with a number of flash presentations on the European Union’s satellite navigation programmes.

The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), Europe's regional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), provides safety of life navigation services to aviation, maritime and land-based users over most of Europe. The ‘Landing with EGNOS’ exhibition, which opened at the Cité de l’Espace in Toulouse on 11 October, explains the system’s various applications, particularly for the aviation sector.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion held at the exhibition’s official launch, Jean-Marc Pieplu, EGNOS Programme Manager at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), said that the exhibition recognised the work that had been conducted over the past 20 years to put the EGNOS system into operation.

“We should be proud of the success of EGNOS, not just for us but because users are taking on board this European technology,” he said, adding that the exhibition was important, as the time had come to explain to the general public about what EGNOS is, and how it is widely used in Europe to contribute to aviation safety.

The opening ceremony was attended by about 100 students from France’s National Civil Aviation University

A350 EGNOS simulator

Visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to simulate landing a plane in an A350 EGNOS simulator. Thierry Racaud, CEO of European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), which is in charge of EGNOS operations and service provision, said that ESSP was delighted that Cité de l’Espace had installed the A350 EGNOS simulator in its permanent exhibition. 

“This simulator is a great way for the general public to understand the benefits of the European Union’s space programmes, and of EGNOS in particular, in their daily lives,” he said, adding that it was a source of pride for the EGNOS community to see the latest commercial aircraft adopting this technology.

Visitors to the exhibition can try landing a plane in an A350 EGNOS simulator

Our clients like EGNOS

Representing manufacturers of commercial aircraft at the roundtable, Thierry Harquin, an engineer and EGNOS expert at Airbus, said that Airbus likes EGNOS very much because its clients like EGNOS. He said that at Airbus there is a programme to have all models of A319/A320/A321 and A330 with optional SBAS/GBAS. This is optional because some countries, such as Australia for instance, are not covered by SBAS. “Our first client for the A320 with the SBAS option is EasyJet,” he said.

Nicolas Dubois, Executive Deputy Director at DGAC/DTI, the technical department of DSNA Services (Direction des services de la navigation aérienne), the French organisation in charge of air traffic control, highlighted France’s role as an early adopter of EGNOS. “France was the first country to publish an EGNOS approach procedure and was the first to implement an LPV-200 approach,” he said, adding that DSNA would be decommissioning around 50 ILS in the coming year thanks to the use of EGNOS and will then ensure that more than 100 runways have CAT 1 ILS BY 2020.

The opening ceremony was attended by about 100 students from France’s National Civil Aviation University and from various schools and colleges in Toulouse, who were welcomed with a number of flash presentations on the European Union’s satellite navigation programmes.

The 4th Horizon 2020 EGNSS Call opened on October 16, with four topics that leverage EGNSS innovation to energise economic growth, foster digitisation and support environmental sustainability, particularly in Europe’s cities. So, let’s take a look at the many R&D funding opportunities available to the GNSS community within this call.

The 4th EGNSS-related call aims to foster the emergence of new innovative downstream applications based on Galileo and/or EGNOS and support the EU GNSS industry, SMEs, universities, research organisations and public bodies.

The specific challenge of the first topic of the call is to address the EGNSS applications fostering green, safe and smart mobility, with the objective of developing innovative EGNSS-based applications that lead to low-emission, safer, more cost-effective and higher performance mobility and transport solutions, responding to the growing mobility needs of people and goods.

Mass market and the environment

The second topic of the call addresses EGNSS applications fostering digitisation, and its main challenge is to develop EGNSS applications contributing to digitisation of products and services that will address major societal challenges in focus areas such as health, citizen safety, mobility, smart cities, sustainable resources monitoring and management and regional growth.

The third topic, on EGNSS applications fostering societal resilience and protecting the environment, aims to develop innovative EGNSS applications to support societal resilience, safeguard the wellbeing of EU citizens, improve emergency and disaster management as a response to climate-related natural and man-made disasters, and promote green growth.

Finally, the last topic of Awareness raising and capacity building, aims to build a mechanism to leverage EGNSS excellence, to provide opportunities to create networks of industrial relationships in Europe and globally, and facilitate EGNSS investments.

For more information on all of these calls, click here.

Horizon 2020 Info Day

Ahead of the call, the GSA together with the European Commission and COSMOS2020, the network of National Contact Points for Space, co-organised a Horizon 2020 International Space Information Day and Brokerage Event at the GSA’s Prague headquarters on 11-12 October 2018.

The event was organised to inform participants about space opportunities in Horizon 2020 and beyond and to provide first-hand information on the latest H2020 Space Calls, with a special focus on the 4th H2020 EGNSS Call, including a detailed description of all topics, submission and financial rules as well as the evaluation process.

Horizon 2020 International Space Information Day and Brokerage Event at the GSA’s Prague headquarters

Over the two day event, more than 130 participants from 28 countries were updated on the status of Galileo and Copernicus and on the synergies arising from these two flagship programmes. In addition, through the brokerage sessions the participants had the opportunity to network and meet potential partners.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The 4th Horizon 2020 EGNSS Call opened on October 16, with four topics that leverage EGNSS innovation to energise economic growth, foster digitisation and support environmental sustainability, particularly in Europe’s cities. So, let’s take a look at the many R&D funding opportunities available to the GNSS community within this call.

The 4th EGNSS-related call aims to foster the emergence of new innovative downstream applications based on Galileo and/or EGNOS and support the EU GNSS industry, SMEs, universities, research organisations and public bodies.

The specific challenge of the first topic of the call is to address the EGNSS applications fostering green, safe and smart mobility, with the objective of developing innovative EGNSS-based applications that lead to low-emission, safer, more cost-effective and higher performance mobility and transport solutions, responding to the growing mobility needs of people and goods.

Mass market and the environment

The second topic of the call addresses EGNSS applications fostering digitisation, and its main challenge is to develop EGNSS applications contributing to digitisation of products and services that will address major societal challenges in focus areas such as health, citizen safety, mobility, smart cities, sustainable resources monitoring and management and regional growth.

The third topic, on EGNSS applications fostering societal resilience and protecting the environment, aims to develop innovative EGNSS applications to support societal resilience, safeguard the wellbeing of EU citizens, improve emergency and disaster management as a response to climate-related natural and man-made disasters, and promote green growth.

Finally, the last topic of Awareness raising and capacity building, aims to build a mechanism to leverage EGNSS excellence, to provide opportunities to create networks of industrial relationships in Europe and globally, and facilitate EGNSS investments.

For more information on all of these calls, click here.

Horizon 2020 Info Day

Ahead of the call, the GSA together with the European Commission and COSMOS2020, the network of National Contact Points for Space, co-organised a Horizon 2020 International Space Information Day and Brokerage Event at the GSA’s Prague headquarters on 11-12 October 2018.

The event was organised to inform participants about space opportunities in Horizon 2020 and beyond and to provide first-hand information on the latest H2020 Space Calls, with a special focus on the 4th H2020 EGNSS Call, including a detailed description of all topics, submission and financial rules as well as the evaluation process.

Horizon 2020 International Space Information Day and Brokerage Event at the GSA’s Prague headquarters

Over the two day event, more than 130 participants from 28 countries were updated on the status of Galileo and Copernicus and on the synergies arising from these two flagship programmes. In addition, through the brokerage sessions the participants had the opportunity to network and meet potential partners.

To view presentations from the Horizon 2020 Info Day, click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The 4th Horizon 2020 EGNSS Call opened on October 16, with four topics that leverage EGNSS innovation to energise economic growth, foster digitisation and support environmental sustainability, particularly in Europe’s cities. So, let’s take a look at the many R&D funding opportunities available to the GNSS community within this call.

The 4th EGNSS-related call aims to foster the emergence of new innovative downstream applications based on Galileo and/or EGNOS and support the EU GNSS industry, SMEs, universities, research organisations and public bodies.

The specific challenge of the first topic of the call is to address the EGNSS applications fostering green, safe and smart mobility, with the objective of developing innovative EGNSS-based applications that lead to low-emission, safer, more cost-effective and higher performance mobility and transport solutions, responding to the growing mobility needs of people and goods.

Mass market and the environment

The second topic of the call addresses EGNSS applications fostering digitisation, and its main challenge is to develop EGNSS applications contributing to digitisation of products and services that will address major societal challenges in focus areas such as health, citizen safety, mobility, smart cities, sustainable resources monitoring and management and regional growth.

The third topic, on EGNSS applications fostering societal resilience and protecting the environment, aims to develop innovative EGNSS applications to support societal resilience, safeguard the wellbeing of EU citizens, improve emergency and disaster management as a response to climate-related natural and man-made disasters, and promote green growth.

Finally, the last topic of Awareness raising and capacity building, aims to build a mechanism to leverage EGNSS excellence, to provide opportunities to create networks of industrial relationships in Europe and globally, and facilitate EGNSS investments.

For more information on all of these calls, click here.

Horizon 2020 Info Day

Ahead of the call, the GSA together with the European Commission and COSMOS2020, the network of National Contact Points for Space, co-organised a Horizon 2020 International Space Information Day and Brokerage Event at the GSA’s Prague headquarters on 11-12 October 2018.

The event was organised to inform participants about space opportunities in Horizon 2020 and beyond and to provide first-hand information on the latest H2020 Space Calls, with a special focus on the 4th H2020 EGNSS Call, including a detailed description of all topics, submission and financial rules as well as the evaluation process.

Horizon 2020 International Space Information Day and Brokerage Event at the GSA’s Prague headquarters

Over the two day event, more than 130 participants from 28 countries were updated on the status of Galileo and Copernicus and on the synergies arising from these two flagship programmes. In addition, through the brokerage sessions the participants had the opportunity to network and meet potential partners.

To view presentations from the Horizon 2020 Info Day, click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

In the framework of GNSS cooperation between the European Union and Japan, a test was recently conducted of a GNSS-based global Emergency Warning Service using Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), which delivered impressive results.

The European Union is looking into the potential for deploying a new, global, emergency warning service (EWS) based on the EU Space Programme Galileo, as part of the EU Horizon 2020-funded GRALLE project (Galileo-based Reliable Automatic and Low Latent Emergency warning service).

Tested with QZSS

As the service should be based on a common alert protocol, one of the elements of the project is the development of a common alert messaging standard with QZSS, Japan’s satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS). This was the reason behind the recent test of the system with QZSS in a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

During the test, an alert message was prepared warning of a fire in the Melbourne suburb and uploaded in the ground segment of the QZSS system. The message was then uplinked to the QZSS satellites and broadcast to smartphones in the alert zone.

A prototype receiver using a smartphone in the alert zone received messages with instructions to follow based on where in the zone they were located. Some users were advised to remain inside and wait for emergency services to arrive, while others were instructed to leave the area and proceed to a pre-determined meeting point.

Smartphone users received messages with instructions to follow based on where in the alert zone they were located

The test was performed with only the L1S signal from QZSS, meaning that no other communication infrastructure (e.g. mobile towers) was used. The local Australian civil protection authorities who took part in the test were very impressed with the results.

Many benefits

European Commission Project Officer Frédéric Domps highlighted the many benefits of the project. “A GNSS-based Emergency Warning System will bring significant advantages for countries that do not currently have such a system, and even for countries that already have a land-based system,” he said, adding that a Galileo-based Emergency Warning Service would be global in its scope, resilient to ground damage and deployable in response to all types of hazards, from earthquakes to forest fires and terrorist attacks.

“The next steps should involve the conducting of further testing and refinement of the service definition,” Domps said.

Timeline

It is planned that the concept will be refined in 2019 with the objective of reaching a decision for implementation with the relevant EU organisations. Service deployment should then proceed with the objective of having a fully operational service in the 2023 timeframe.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is currently conducting a survey among operators and manufacturers of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) and aviation authorities with a view to better understanding user needs and identifying key requirements for future EGNSS upgrades and evolutions.

Various studies have shown the growing impact that RPAS will have on our daily lives. In fact, RPAS have already started bringing significant benefits all over Europe and the market is set to continue growing, in line with growth in the number applications. These applications come in a great variety including, but not limited to, delivery services, aerial photography and mapping, and precision agriculture. 

Read this: EGNOS and Galileo – opening the door to new drone applications

Europe has the opportunity to obtain a significant role in this rapidly evolving global marketplace but, in order to unlock this opportunity actions are needed at the EU level to both boost innovative capabilities and implement comprehensive regulation to create a single drone market.

Have your say!

GNSS is the backbone technology underpinning the navigation solutions used for RPAS applications and this is expected to remain true in the future. For this reason, the GSA wants to make sure that EGNSS continues to meet the requirements and expectations of the RPAS user community. But, to do this, we need some input from you.

We have put together a short RPAS user requirements survey to help us better understand the needs and requirements of RPAS users. The survey consists of approximately 20 questions, and should not take longer than five minutes of your time to fill in. You can access the survey here – it will remain open until 30 November 2018, but there is no time like the present!

By filling in this survey, you will help the GSA to better understand user needs and the value that users attribute to GNSS. With this information, we can deduce the requirements of future EGNSS upgrades and evolutions. The survey is intended for all stakeholders in the RPAS value chain, but it is mainly focussed on operators, manufacturers of RPAS and navigation systems, and aviation authorities.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is currently conducting a survey among operators and manufacturers of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) and aviation authorities with a view to better understanding user needs and identifying key requirements for future EGNSS upgrades and evolutions.

Various studies have shown the growing impact that RPAS will have on our daily lives. In fact, RPAS have already started bringing significant benefits all over Europe and the market is set to continue growing, in line with growth in the number applications. These applications come in a great variety including, but not limited to, delivery services, aerial photography and mapping, and precision agriculture. 

Read this: EGNOS and Galileo – opening the door to new drone applications

Europe has the opportunity to obtain a significant role in this rapidly evolving global marketplace but, in order to unlock this opportunity actions are needed at the EU level to both boost innovative capabilities and implement comprehensive regulation to create a single drone market.

Have your say!

GNSS is the backbone technology underpinning the navigation solutions used for RPAS applications and this is expected to remain true in the future. For this reason, the GSA wants to make sure that EGNSS continues to meet the requirements and expectations of the RPAS user community. But, to do this, we need some input from you.

We have put together a short RPAS user requirements survey to help us better understand the needs and requirements of RPAS users. The survey consists of approximately 20 questions, and should not take longer than five minutes of your time to fill in. You can access the survey here – it will remain open until 30 November 2018, but there is no time like the present!

By filling in this survey, you will help the GSA to better understand user needs and the value that users attribute to GNSS. With this information, we can deduce the requirements of future EGNSS upgrades and evolutions. The survey is intended for all stakeholders in the RPAS value chain, but it is mainly focussed on operators, manufacturers of RPAS and navigation systems, and aviation authorities.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

In emergency situations, robotic systems play a key role in providing rescue teams with remote access to an emergency site. The ERL Emergency Local Tournament 2019 aims to foster advanced developments of autonomous capabilities and seamless navigation for emergency robotic systems.

The European Robotics League (ERL) is an innovative robot competition that stems from its predecessors - the euRathlon and RoCKIn competitions - and focuses on tasks that robots must execute in realistic emergency situations. The competition is composed of multiple local tournaments, held in different locations across Europe, in addition to a few major events.

The first of the challenges was announced in July 2018, and focused on land and sea robotic systems. The second, to be held in February 2019 at the premises of the Advanced Centre for Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) in Seville, Spain, will include air and land robots working in an outdoor/indoor environment. You can find more information about the challenges here.

Read this: Integrating GNSS in UAVs for faster SAR

Teams participate in a minimum of two tournaments (local and/or major) per year and get scores based on their performances. Each team’s top two tournament scores are then added together and the teams are ranked based on their cumulative score. Prizes for the top teams are awarded at the following year’s European Robotics Forum (ERF).

GSA Special Prize

The European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA) will award a special prize at ERL Emergency 2019 focusing on robots that make use of solutions based on Galileo and EGNOS.

For air robots, this challenge will involve two types of tasks: horizontal accuracy in landings at a specific geographic coordinate; and vertical accuracy while hovering at a specific geographic coordinate. For land robots, there will be only one type of task - horizontal accuracy during waypoint-based navigation.

Visual markers will be used to support the assessment of both types of task. To be eligible for the award, a team must have executed valid trials of the tasks. The team deemed to have achieved the best results will be declared the winner. For information on Galileo capable receivers and navigation kits for robotic systems visit https://www.usegalileo.eu/EN/.

Register now!

If you are interested, on 22nd October 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM CEST  we will be holding a webinar on 'How to submit a winning proposal for the Emergency 2019 – robots to the rescue, competition!'

You can register to the webinar here.

Ready to join the ERL Emergency Local Tournament? Register your team here by the deadline of 29 October 2018. 

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA), in cooperation with the European Commission, organised a demo session at the ION GNSS+ 2018 conference in Miami. Participants learned about the GSA’s GNSS User Technology Report, which covers breakthrough innovations expected in the coming years, and they heard from hands-on developers of hardware and applications that use Galileo-enabled, dual-frequency positioning.

The GNSS User Technology Report is the go-to source for comprehensive information on the latest trends from the rapidly developing world of satellite-based navigation. The second edition, released this year, delivers an in-depth review of the latest state-of-the-art receiver technologies and provides analysis on the trends that are redefining the GNSS landscape.

This year's Report addresses with special attention the new capabilities enabled by Galileo, as the mass market starts to take advantage of the increased L5/E5 frequency capacity in orbit, as well as Galileo navigation message authentication.

At the GSA session in Miami Gian-Gherardo Calini, GSA Head of Market Development, presented highlights from the Report. "We are really focussed on three specific macro-segments," he said. "These are mass market solutions, transport safety- and liability-critical solutions, and we also have the high-precision, timing and asset management solutions."

A crucial observation outlined in the report, Calini said, is that worldwide GNSS infrastructure is indeed responding to the increasing user demand. "All global and regional GNSS constellations are developing, modernising and innovating," he said, "with more than 100 GNSS satellites now available, including of course Galileo, which is operational and performing very well."

Responding to user demands

Increasing demand for better performance is also pushing the growth in production of multi-frequency receivers. The main benefits here include increased accuracy and improved robustness. Today only around 30% of available receiver models use GPS only.
"While the legacy L1/E1 and L2 combination is still the most used dual-frequency solution," Calini said, "what we are seeing now is that L1/E1 and E5/L5 is the fastest growing dual-frequency solution. It is supported by a larger number of satellites and these two specific frequencies are the only protected ARNS (Aeronautical Radio Navigation Service) bands."

Calini also pointed to a growing offer of high-precision services targeting a wider customer base. Commercial augmentation services are beginning to deliver mass-market PPP and RTK corrections, while new high-accuracy services are being proposed directly by system providers such as Galileo and Japan's QZSS.

There are of course some important challenges still to be addressed. Calini said: "We still need to see improvements in terms of convergence time, for example, associated with PPP correction services. This is certainly needed to satisfy users' expectations in the automotive industry." Indeed, many presentations throughout the week-long ION GNSS+ event highlighted work aimed at delivering the high-precision, robust and secure positioning now desperately needed for the fast-emerging autonomous driving market.

Finally, Calini reminded participants of the different techniques used to mitigate signal vulnerabilities and highlighted that: "Security is especially important where PNT is at the core of automated systems such as autonomous vessels, cars or drones."

Exploiting the new dual-frequency GNSS

The GSA session at this year's ION GNSS+ featured a number of speakers presenting innovative applications that leverage the power and versatility of modern GNSS. Jefferey Wilson of STMicroelectronics was the first to speak, impressing gathered participants with his presentation of the Teseo V dual-band GNSS receiver, aimed at the automotive PPP and ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) market.

"In the automotive sector we are looking at ADAS/autonomous driving applications, collision avoidance, 'super-cruise' and auto-pilot driving modes," Wilson said, "as well as vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-everything connectivity." As the audience watched, he demonstrated the receiver's rapid convergence time and positioning accuracy, including Galileo dual-band tracking of E1 and E5 frequencies. The Teseo V also enables anti-spoofing and integrity functions, with built-in tracking cross-check.

Paolo Crosta of the European Space Agency presented the results of testing carried out at ESA ESTEC that showed sub-metre static positioning accuracy enabled by Galileo using a dual-frequency GNSS chipset. "We have demonstrated that these dual-frequency measurements along with GNSS chipset algorithmic enhancements are enabling a significant reduction of positioning error," he said.

Completing the line-up at the GSA session in Miami was Sean Barbeau of the University of South Florida. He presented the long-running and always-improving 'GPSTest' app, a dual-frequency GNSS application for Android devices.

"This is a free, open-source app that supports GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, BeiDou and all of the various SBAS satellites and two GNSS frequencies," Barbeau said. In fact, he explained, GPSTest has been out there for a long time, but Barbeau and his team keep it constantly updated and operating at a very high level. The app provides real-time ground and sky maps and in-depth information on the entire range of operational GNSS satellites.

GSA says 'get involved'!

Once the presentations were concluded, session participants were able to get some real, up-close exposure to all of the featured apps. The applications on show, along with many others, are now demonstrating in a very convincing way the power and precision enabled by dual-frequency GNSS, with Galileo leading the way.

Calini said: "These demonstrations are very important for you, to get involved in the concrete aspects, what we are talking about in the GSA User Technology Report. And please remember, the Report is published every two years, but as you know technology is changing every minute. Therefore, any challenge, any idea, any comment, any suggestions are most welcome. Please, come back to us. "

"As for Galileo dual frequency," he concluded, "it can in fact improve positioning accuracy and therefore position Galileo, with all the differentiators, as a strong player in automotive – the self-driving car, autonomous car - and in the mass market with smartphones."

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA), in cooperation with the European Commission, organised a demo session at the ION GNSS+ 2018 conference in Miami. Participants learned about the GSA’s GNSS User Technology Report, which covers breakthrough innovations expected in the coming years, and they heard from hands-on developers of hardware and applications that use Galileo-enabled, dual-frequency positioning.

The GNSS User Technology Report is the go-to source for comprehensive information on the latest trends from the rapidly developing world of satellite-based navigation. The second edition, released this year, delivers an in-depth review of the latest state-of-the-art receiver technologies and provides analysis on the trends that are redefining the GNSS landscape.

This year's Report addresses with special attention the new capabilities enabled by Galileo, as the mass market starts to take advantage of the increased L5/E5 frequency capacity in orbit, as well as Galileo navigation message authentication.

At the GSA session in Miami Gian-Gherardo Calini, GSA Head of Market Development, presented highlights from the Report. "We are really focussed on three specific macro-segments," he said. "These are mass market solutions, transport safety- and liability-critical solutions, and we also have the high-precision, timing and asset management solutions."

A crucial observation outlined in the report, Calini said, is that worldwide GNSS infrastructure is indeed responding to the increasing user demand. "All global and regional GNSS constellations are developing, modernising and innovating," he said, "with more than 100 GNSS satellites now available, including of course Galileo, which is operational and performing very well."

Responding to user demands

Increasing demand for better performance is also pushing the growth in production of multi-frequency receivers. The main benefits here include increased accuracy and improved robustness. Today only around 30% of available receiver models use GPS only.
"While the legacy L1/E1 and L2 combination is still the most used dual-frequency solution," Calini said, "what we are seeing now is that L1/E1 and E5/L5 is the fastest growing dual-frequency solution. It is supported by a larger number of satellites and these two specific frequencies are the only protected ARNS (Aeronautical Radio Navigation Service) bands."

Calini also pointed to a growing offer of high-precision services targeting a wider customer base. Commercial augmentation services are beginning to deliver mass-market PPP and RTK corrections, while new high-accuracy services are being proposed directly by system providers such as Galileo and Japan's QZSS.

There are of course some important challenges still to be addressed. Calini said: "We still need to see improvements in terms of convergence time, for example, associated with PPP correction services. This is certainly needed to satisfy users' expectations in the automotive industry." Indeed, many presentations throughout the week-long ION GNSS+ event highlighted work aimed at delivering the high-precision, robust and secure positioning now desperately needed for the fast-emerging autonomous driving market.

Finally, Calini reminded participants of the different techniques used to mitigate signal vulnerabilities and highlighted that: "Security is especially important where PNT is at the core of automated systems such as autonomous vessels, cars or drones."

Exploiting the new dual-frequency GNSS

The GSA session at this year's ION GNSS+ featured a number of speakers presenting innovative applications that leverage the power and versatility of modern GNSS. Jefferey Wilson of STMicroelectronics was the first to speak, impressing gathered participants with his presentation of the Teseo V dual-band GNSS receiver, aimed at the automotive PPP and ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) market.

"In the automotive sector we are looking at ADAS/autonomous driving applications, collision avoidance, 'super-cruise' and auto-pilot driving modes," Wilson said, "as well as vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-everything connectivity." As the audience watched, he demonstrated the receiver's rapid convergence time and positioning accuracy, including Galileo dual-band tracking of E1 and E5 frequencies. The Teseo V also enables anti-spoofing and integrity functions, with built-in tracking cross-check.

Paolo Crosta of the European Space Agency presented the results of testing carried out at ESA ESTEC that showed sub-metre static positioning accuracy enabled by Galileo using a dual-frequency GNSS chipset. "We have demonstrated that these dual-frequency measurements along with GNSS chipset algorithmic enhancements are enabling a significant reduction of positioning error," he said.

Completing the line-up at the GSA session in Miami was Sean Barbeau of the University of South Florida. He presented the long-running and always-improving 'GPSTest' app, a dual-frequency GNSS application for Android devices.

"This is a free, open-source app that supports GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, BeiDou and all of the various SBAS satellites and two GNSS frequencies," Barbeau said. In fact, he explained, GPSTest has been out there for a long time, but Barbeau and his team keep it constantly updated and operating at a very high level. The app provides real-time ground and sky maps and in-depth information on the entire range of operational GNSS satellites.

GSA says 'get involved'!

Once the presentations were concluded, session participants were able to get some real, up-close exposure to all of the featured apps. The applications on show, along with many others, are now demonstrating in a very convincing way the power and precision enabled by dual-frequency GNSS, with Galileo leading the way.

Calini said: "These demonstrations are very important for you, to get involved in the concrete aspects, what we are talking about in the GSA User Technology Report. And please remember, the Report is published every two years, but as you know technology is changing every minute. Therefore, any challenge, any idea, any comment, any suggestions are most welcome. Please, come back to us. "

"As for Galileo dual frequency," he concluded, "it can in fact improve positioning accuracy and therefore position Galileo, with all the differentiators, as a strong player in automotive – the self-driving car, autonomous car - and in the mass market with smartphones."

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

World Space Week, an international celebration of the contribution of science and technology to the betterment of the human condition, ends today, October 10. However, some of the associated events extend well beyond the week. One such event is the GSA Open Days, to be held on 16-17 November, during Czech Space Week.

Since the United Nations General Assembly declared World Space Week in 1999, it has grown into the largest public space-related event on Earth, with more than 4,000 events in 82 countries celebrating the benefits of space in 2017.

The theme of this year’s World Space Week is “Space Unites the World” and the Week is packed with space education and outreach events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world. Once such event is the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Open Days, which is being organized this year as part of the activities of Czech Space Week 2018, on November 12-16.

Read this: 2018 GSA Open Days. Mark your calendar

On Friday 16 and Saturday 17 November, the GSA will throw open the doors of its Prague headquarters to the public for the fourth year in a row, offering a unique opportunity to get an insider’s look at the European GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) services and the people behind them.

GSA Open Days 2018: From Launch to Services

The GSA Open Days will give you a chance to experience the journey of Galileo satellites from the rocket launch in Kourou, French Guiana, to the services used by citizens and business worldwide. This is your opportunity to learn more about what the European Union is doing in space, the crucial role of the GSA, and the impact of satellite navigation on our daily lives.

The programme includes exciting seminars and space workshops, competitions and quizzes, programmes for school visits, and other fun educational activities. Come visit us to see and follow Galileo satellites, take a selfie in space, try landing a plane with EGNOS or experience a Search and Rescue with the help of Galileo. There will also be opportunities to win great prizes!

If you would like to visit the GSA Open Days as a school, please fill in this registration form. A draft programme of the event can be found here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European Space Agency, in collaboration with the European GNSS Agency (GSA), and with support from Google, is organising a Galileo App Competition to develop and test a real-time position application able to provide a position and time fix using GNSS dual frequency raw measurements.

Launched on 24 September 2018, the competition is targeted at students and research trainees across Europe. The teams, which should consist of from three to five members, are faced with the challenge of using the dual frequency capability of Android 8.0 smartphones, or later versions, to compute positioning solutions from raw satnav signals and comparing them with their single frequency equivalents.

Excellent opportunity

“The Galileo App Competition is an interesting exercise for us to see how dual frequency raw measurements can work in practice and what benefits could really be achieved by developers,” said Justyna Redelkiewicz, in charge of LBS and IoT market development at the GSA.
Among other requirements, the applications should allow users to select the constellations used for navigation, enabling at least Galileo only positioning, GPS only positioning and combined Galileo + GPS positioning simultaneously, and be able to achieve sub metre accuracy worldwide in open sky conditions.

Teams interested in participating in the competition are invited to submit their proposals to Galileo.Services@esa.int by 12 November. The teams will be informed of the jury’s response to their proposal by 26 November. The competition final is scheduled for 18 April next year at ESA’s ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

Great prizes

The first and second prize-winning teams will receive the opportunity to attend the ESA/JRC International Summer School on Global Navigation Satellite Systems in Portugal. Additional prizes will be available to the most innovative app and the winner of a public online vote, to be undertaken during the final.

The GSA will sponsor a Galileo Special Prize, which will see EUR 1,000 going to the team that is deemed to have developed the application that best demonstrates the added value of Galileo in a dual frequency solution.

White Paper

Of particular value to the teams participating in the competition will be a White Paper on Using GNSS Raw Measurements on Android Devices, produced by the GSA’s GNSS Raw Measurements Task Force. The White Paper provides application developers with a broad insight into the use of GNSS raw measurements in mass market applications, including test results using various positioning techniques, and demonstrates their use to the GNSS community through practical examples.

The GSA launched the Raw Measurements Task Force in June 2017 to share knowledge and expertise on Android raw measurements, including their potential for high accuracy positioning techniques relevant to mass market applications. The Task Force includes GNSS experts, scientists and market players, all of whom are dedicated to promoting a wider use of these raw measurements. For more information on the Task Force, its members and their work, click here.

If you would like to learn more about the competition, you can register for a competition information day to be held at ESTEC on 16 October by writing to Galileo.Services@esa.int. You can find the competition’s terms and conditions here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Users don’t differentiate between good indoor and good outdoor positioning; they want solutions that deliver good positioning everywhere. Speaking at the IPIN 2018 indoor positioning and navigation conference in Nantes on 25 September, the European GNSS Agency’s Justyna Redelkiewicz presented the agency’s work to map user requirements along with the latest issue of its GNSS User Technology Report.

Understanding user requirements is key to delivering solutions that respond to user needs. However, these requirements are extremely diverse. Redelkiewicz, who is in charge of LBS and IoT market development at the GSA, said at the conference that last year alone a User Consultation Platform run by the GSA had collected more than 400 completely different user requirements, some of which contradicted each other.

“Consequently, there is no single positioning solution that we are aiming for, as no single positioning, navigation and timing solution is capable of satisfying user needs in all use cases,” she said, adding that there is a place for all technologies in providing effective solutions. “As an example, in the case of smartphones we have to look at visual navigation, we have to look at ultra-precise MEMS and Signals of Opportunity and see how we can integrate all available technologies to provide the best solution.”

Read this: GNSS User Technology Report 2018 available for download now!

Even though GNSS is a mature technology, there is still is a lot of development around it, particularly involving multi-frequency, so developers of outdoor-indoor positioning solutions should look at what is happening in GNSS and understand that there is more to the technology than simple navigation, Redelkiewicz said.

Looking to the future

The future of automated, intelligent positioning systems will be built on four main areas of development. Firstly, there is accuracy – here, rather than focusing on millimetre-level accuracy that is achievable with expensive receiver technology, the goal is to reach decimetre level accuracy that is available to everyone everywhere.

The second area of development is ubiquity, which means having seamless location everywhere – both outdoors and indoors. Another important element is connectivity, allowing the exchange of data with infrastructure and with other users to generate value added solutions using location. “There is a lot of development on both satellite and terrestrial networks such as 5G, LPWANs or satellite communication LEO constellations to provide the connectivity needed to enable constant sharing of positioning information,” Redelkiewicz said.

Finally, there is security which, in addition to robust and secure positioning, also involves protection of location information and covers all other issues related to data privacy.

Better availability

GNSS is responding to all of these needs. From 40 operational GNSS satellites in 2000 the global constellations have increased their fleet to 100 satellites in 2017. Likewise, the installed base of GNSS devices has increased to around 6 billion today, the majority of which are smartphones, of which currently around 400 million are Galileo-enabled.

This means that most people have a satellite receiver in their pockets and are able to use it. Of particular significance from the point of view of ubiquity, currently only about 30% of receiver models are single-constellation, which means that the majority use two, three or four constellations simultaneously.

On the downside, it has become increasingly easy in recent years to spoof a GNSS location, as spoofing devices have fallen in price. However, Redelkiewicz noted that authentication can provide a solution to this. “From 2020 Galileo will provide Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OS-NMA), which will be a type of digital signature confirming that a particular signal comes from a particular satellite,” she said, adding that this is supported further by a lot of development around end-to-end authentication and security, including with blockchain.

Increased accuracy

Galileo’s multi-frequency capability is responding to the need for increased accuracy. Around 40% of receiver models on the market are now multi-frequency. And, with the launch of the world’s first dual-frequency GNSS smartphone by Xiaomi, and u-blox, STM, Intel and Qualcomm launching their first dual-frequency products earlier this year, multi-frequency has entered the mass market, addressing user needs for increased accuracy.

Moreover, commercial augmentation services offering precise point positioning (PPP) and real-time kinematic (RTK) corrections are starting to target the mass market, and system providers are also aiming at providing new high accuracy services, such as the Galileo High Accuracy Service, Redelkiewicz said.

Access to GNSS raw measurements is also opening up new possibilities for app developers and users in terms of increased accuracy and robustness. The possibilities offered by access to these raw measurements were the subject of a separate tutorial at IPIN 2018. (See article below.)

And this: GNSS raw measurements delivering greater accuracy

The availability of raw measurements, combined with the availability of very powerful chipsets, the fact that dual-frequency capability is available in smartphones and high precision corrections are freely available means that the gap between high precision and the mass market is closing.

“The market used to be split between consumer, high precision, and safety-critical applications, but now everything is converging. Indoor and outdoor positioning solutions are also converging to provide ubiquitous location, so the future looks very exciting,” Redelkiewicz said.

GNSS User Technology Report

The second issue of the GSA’s GNSS User Technology Report, which Redelkiewicz presented at IPIN 2018, is available for free download, providing an exhaustive review of all the latest GNSS trends and developments. Like the inaugural Report in 2016, the second issue focuses on three key macrosegments: mass market solutions; transport safety- and liability-critical solutions; and high precision and timing solutions.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The widespread uptake of GNSS in commercial shipping has raised the need for common performance, reliability and resilience standards. With this in mind, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) are launching a test campaign to help manufacturers with the implementation of Galileo in maritime shipborne receivers while checking compliance with standards in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

GNSS has radically changed maritime navigation. Whether it is on board the largest super-tankers and container ships or on small leisure craft using inexpensive handsets, GNSS has become the main source of position and timing information. However, this has raised the need for common standards for performance, reliability and resilience across and within constellations.

The susceptibility of the GNSS signal to interruptions in the availability of any given constellation means that the ability of receivers to process signals from more than one constellation needs to be assessed. GNSS receivers in the maritime domain are also vulnerable to interference, creating the need for mitigation measures such as GNSS integrity warning monitoring and complementary back-up navigation systems.

IMO standards

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has published performance standards for multi-system shipborne receivers, which highlight the need to adopt the new GNSS systems, their space-based and terrestrial-based augmentations, as well as non-GNSS based terrestrial PNT.

Read this: H2H – leveraging EGNSS for safer maritime navigation

In this context, and to facilitate the successful market uptake of the EU GNSS programmes in the maritime domain, the GSA in collaboration with the JRC, the European Commission’s in-house science service, is launching a testing campaign on Galileo-enabled ship-borne GNSS receivers.

This test campaign aims to assess both the correct implementation of Galileo in the receivers through targeted tests with a GNSS simulator and/or live GNSS signals, and the consistency of the performance requirements set for Galileo in the maritime domain.

Added value for manufacturers

The testing campaign is targeted at maritime receiver manufacturers looking for independent assessment of Galileo implementation into their products and assistance with any issues linked to this implementation.

In order to assess the correct implementation of Galileo, the tested receivers should have the capacity to enable and disable specific GNSS constellations and be able to function in Galileo-only mode. During the execution of the tests the receivers should also be able to provide information on position, course over ground (COG), speed over ground (SOG), time, and any indications and warnings.

Manufacturers stand to benefit from the fact that the tests will be independent – the GSA/JRC will conduct neutral test cases and provide objective results. These test cases will also be flexible, and can be modified depending on the manufacturer's needs. The campaign is also completely free of cost to the manufacturers. It aims is to support the industry in the implementation of Galileo in shipborne receivers. Based on the testing, the manufacturer will receive a confidential comparative analysis of the results with respect to the average behaviour.

Timeframe

The testing campaign is planned to start in the fourth quarter of 2018 and will continue through 2019. The tests should not exceed four months per model and the duration of the whole test campaign will depend on the number of models tested.

How to apply

Interested shipborne receiver manufacturers and AIS Class A manufacturers are invited to send an email to market@gsa.europa.eu, with the subject Galileo testing campaign for shipborne receivers, indicating their interest in participating. The call for participation is continuously open.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has opened a call for proposals within its Fundamental Elements funding mechanism, targeting the development of an innovative positioning On-Board-Unit (OBU) suitable for fully automated driving. The deadline for submissions is 1 March 2019.

Autonomous driving is set to radically transform mobility - enhancing road safety, reducing traffic and exhaust pollution, and increasing comfort for drivers and passengers alike. The autonomous driving concept will transfer the vehicle control function from the human driver to the automated system, which needs to be aware of its location, sense the surrounding environment and navigate by making decisions without human input.

Hybridisation is key

Autonomous driving is a safety-critical application, as its failure may have serious consequences for people, property and the environment. Therefore autonomous cars need high-performance positioning engines that make optimal use of a complete set of sensors complementing each other in a tightly hybridised solution.

Read this: GSA releases 2018 Grant Plan

The objectives of this call for proposals are to develop an innovative close-to-market GNSS-based On-board-Unit (OBU) suitable for fully automated driving and/or cooperative positioning (ideally level 5, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) classification), integrating a GNSS receiver with additional sensors and possibly a communication modem to enable the target application’s performance.

GNSS will be the core element of the proposed solution, thanks to its unique capacity for providing accurate absolute positioning and precise timing information, but will be hybridised with other on-board sensors such as LIDAR, radar, cameras, etc.

EGNSS differentiators

The receiver should leverage EGNSS differentiators such as multi-frequency (E1/E5 or E1/E5/E6), wide-band (E5 AltBOC) and pilot signals, Open Service navigation message authentication (OS-NMA), Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS), and so on.

The call for proposals is intended to fund up to two projects with the following activities:

• Design, development, testing and demonstration of dual- or multi-frequency GNSS-based OBU for fully autonomous driving to be embedded on autonomous vehicles.
• Tight integration of the GNSS receiver with other sensors to reach the application needs.

To register to take part in the webinar, click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has opened a call for proposals within its Fundamental Elements funding mechanism, targeting the development of an innovative positioning On-Board-Unit (OBU) suitable for fully automated driving. The deadline for submissions is 1 March 2019.

Autonomous driving is set to radically transform mobility - enhancing road safety, reducing traffic and exhaust pollution, and increasing comfort for drivers and passengers alike. The autonomous driving concept will transfer the vehicle control function from the human driver to the automated system, which needs to be aware of its location, sense the surrounding environment and navigate by making decisions without human input.

Hybridisation is key

Autonomous driving is a safety-critical application, as its failure may have serious consequences for people, property and the environment. Therefore autonomous cars need high-performance positioning engines that make optimal use of a complete set of sensors complementing each other in a tightly hybridised solution.

Read this: GSA releases 2018 Grant Plan

The objectives of this call for proposals are to develop an innovative close-to-market GNSS-based On-board-Unit (OBU) suitable for fully automated driving and/or cooperative positioning (ideally level 5, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) classification), integrating a GNSS receiver with additional sensors and possibly a communication modem to enable the target application’s performance.

GNSS will be the core element of the proposed solution, thanks to its unique capacity for providing accurate absolute positioning and precise timing information, but will be hybridised with other on-board sensors such as LIDAR, radar, cameras, etc.

EGNSS differentiators

The receiver should leverage EGNSS differentiators such as multi-frequency (E1/E5 or E1/E5/E6), wide-band (E5 AltBOC) and pilot signals, Open Service navigation message authentication (OS-NMA), Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS), and so on.

The call for proposals is intended to fund up to two projects with the following activities:

• Design, development, testing and demonstration of dual- or multi-frequency GNSS-based OBU for fully autonomous driving to be embedded on autonomous vehicles.
• Tight integration of the GNSS receiver with other sensors to reach the application needs.

Webinar

On 22 November 2018 at 15:00, a webinar on the Fundamental Elements Call “Enhanced Receiver for autonomous driving/navigation” will be held to provide applicants with additional details on the proposal preparation.

To register for the webinar click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has opened a call for proposals within its Fundamental Elements funding mechanism, targeting the development of an innovative positioning On-Board-Unit (OBU) suitable for fully automated driving. The deadline for submissions is 1 March 2019.

Autonomous driving is set to radically transform mobility - enhancing road safety, reducing traffic and exhaust pollution, and increasing comfort for drivers and passengers alike. The autonomous driving concept will transfer the vehicle control function from the human driver to the automated system, which needs to be aware of its location, sense the surrounding environment and navigate by making decisions without human input.

Hybridisation is key

Autonomous driving is a safety-critical application, as its failure may have serious consequences for people, property and the environment. Therefore autonomous cars need high-performance positioning engines that make optimal use of a complete set of sensors complementing each other in a tightly hybridised solution.

Read this: GSA releases 2018 Grant Plan

The objectives of this call for proposals are to develop an innovative close-to-market GNSS-based On-board-Unit (OBU) suitable for fully automated driving and/or cooperative positioning (ideally level 5, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) classification), integrating a GNSS receiver with additional sensors and possibly a communication modem to enable the target application’s performance.

GNSS will be the core element of the proposed solution, thanks to its unique capacity for providing accurate absolute positioning and precise timing information, but will be hybridised with other on-board sensors such as LIDAR, radar, cameras, etc.

EGNSS differentiators

The receiver should leverage EGNSS differentiators such as multi-frequency (E1/E5 or E1/E5/E6), wide-band (E5 AltBOC) and pilot signals, Open Service navigation message authentication (OS-NMA), Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS), and so on.

The call for proposals is intended to fund up to two projects with the following activities:

• Design, development, testing and demonstration of dual- or multi-frequency GNSS-based OBU for fully autonomous driving to be embedded on autonomous vehicles.
• Tight integration of the GNSS receiver with other sensors to reach the application needs.

To register to take part in the webinar, click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

With the release of Android 7 (Nougat) in 2016, Google made GNSS raw measurements available to smartphone users, allowing them to improve their positioning accuracy. A tutorial at the IPIN 2018 indoor positioning and navigation conference in Nantes on 24 September explained how users can access raw measurements and examined how they are contributing to better location performance in mass market applications.

In August 2016 Google officially released its Android 7 (Nougat) operating system. With this release, Google made GNSS raw measurements available to users for the first time, giving them access to a range of advanced GNSS processing techniques that had previously been restricted to more professional GNSS receivers.

With these raw measurements, Android users are now able to calculate pseudoranges (the distance between the user’s receiver and the satellite) and position, velocity and time (PVT) on their own, using their Android device. ‘So what?’ you might ask. Well, the opportunity to use this information can deliver significant benefits in a number of areas.

Benefits for users

European GNSS Agency (GSA) Market Development Innovation Officer Martin Sunkevic highlighted some of these benefits at the IPIN 2018 tutorial. He said that, first of all, in the area of research and development, the measurements could be used to test hardware and software solutions for new algorithms, such as for modelling the ionosphere or troposphere. But the benefits to users do not stop there.

“Access to raw measurements also means that developers can now use advanced positioning techniques to create solutions that are currently only available in professional receivers,” Sunkevic said, adding that this increased accuracy is resulting in a technological push to develop new applications. As an example of an app providing high accuracy, he noted PPP WizzLite, which can achieve accuracy of 1-2 meters in motion, and sub-metre accuracy in static mode.

What’s more, access to raw measurements offers new ways to detect radio frequency interference and will make it possible to use the Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OS-NMA) to verify data from the Galileo navigation message, which will soon help to increase the robustness of the signal.

In the area of testing, performance monitoring and education, the GSA innovation officer noted that the raw measurements could be used to compare solutions from individual constellations. Using applications such as GNSSLogger and RINEX ON, it is possible to test only satellites from the Galileo constellation, for example. A smartphone testing campaign conducted by the GSA showed that Galileo delivered impressive accuracy gains.

Toolkit

Moisés Navarro Gallardo, Navigation User Receiver Testing Engineer at Airbus, provided an example on how to use RTK positioning using raw measurements. Firstly, there is the raw measurement log file, which can be logged using, for instance, the GNSSLogger from Google. Once logged, the raw measurements can be converted, in post processing, into a standard format, such as RINEX. Other tools, like RINEX GEO++, convert the raw data into RINEX format in real time.

Next, it is necessary to have the ephemerides, which are the parameters needed to compute the satellite positions – these can be downloaded from the Internet, Navarro Gallardo said. The observations from a base station are also needed, which can also be downloaded from the Internet (IGS network) or received from local stations. Finally, an RTK tool is required, like the public RTKLIP tool. With these elements in place, the raw measurements can be used in the RTK PVT solution to allow users to mitigate common errors (between station and the user smartphone) and to achieve a more accurate position.

GSA Task Force

Around the same time as the Android 7 release, the GSA set up a Task Force to engage with navigation and positioning experts and boost innovation around this new feature. Sunkevic noted at the tutorial that one of the GSA’s core responsibilities is to develop the GNSS market and ensure that Galileo is used by as many people as possible.

He said that, with the Raw Measurements Task Force, the GSA aimed to valorise the main Galileo differentiators, including high accuracy and authentication, and to share knowledge and expertise on Android raw measurements and their wider use, including their potential for high accuracy positioning techniques.

One of the main outcomes of the Task Force, highlighted at the conference, is a White Paper with which the Task Force promotes the use of GNSS raw measurements in mass market applications and demonstrates their use to the GNSS community through practical examples.

Galileo App Competition

Promoting the use of raw measurements among the development community is also the aim of an upcoming Galileo App Competition, announced at the IPIN session by Galileo Service Performance Engineer Gaetano Galluzzo, from the European Space Agency’s research and technology centre (ESA-ESTEC).

Galuzzo said that the goal of the competition is to design an Android application capable of performing fixes using single- and dual-frequency raw measurements from GPS, Galileo and GPS + Galileo satellites. Run by ESA in collaboration with the GSA and the European Commission, with support from Google, the competition is open to all students from European universities and trainees in posts at European research and development organisations.

In his presentation at the conference, the ESA engineer highlighted some of the key ingredients needed for high accuracy apps in smartphones, including raw measurements, continuous carrier phase measurements, and dual frequency chips for fast convergence. He noted in particular that dual frequency measurements, along with chipset algorithmic enhancements, are enabling a significant reduction in positioning error, and that decimetre-level accuracy is possible even in devices with low-cost GNSS chipsets, which means that the advantages of Galileo can be enjoyed by people on all budgets.

The GSA recently launched an enhanced version of its popular UseGalileo.eu site, which tracks the many new Galileo-enabled devices and services coming onto the market. You can check the site to find out which chipsets, smartphones or wearables are Galileo-enabled.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

With the release of Android 7 (Nougat) in 2016, Google made GNSS raw measurements available to smartphone users, allowing them to improve their positioning accuracy. A tutorial at the IPIN 2018 indoor positioning and navigation conference in Nantes on 24 September explained how users can access raw measurements and examined how they are contributing to better location performance in mass market applications.

In August 2016 Google officially released its Android 7 (Nougat) operating system. With this release, Google made GNSS raw measurements available to users for the first time, giving them access to a range of advanced GNSS processing techniques that had previously been restricted to more professional GNSS receivers.

With these raw measurements, Android users are now able to calculate pseudoranges (the distance between the user’s receiver and the satellite) and position, velocity and time (PVT) on their own, using their Android device. ‘So what?’ you might ask. Well, the opportunity to use this information can deliver significant benefits in a number of areas.

Benefits for users

European GNSS Agency (GSA) Market Development Innovation Officer Martin Sunkevic highlighted some of these benefits at the IPIN 2018 tutorial. He said that, first of all, in the area of research and development, the measurements could be used to test hardware and software solutions for new algorithms, such as for modelling the ionosphere or troposphere. But the benefits to users do not stop there.

“Access to raw measurements also means that developers can now use advanced positioning techniques to create solutions that are currently only available in professional receivers,” Sunkevic said, adding that this increased accuracy is resulting in a technological push to develop new applications. As an example of an app providing high accuracy, he noted PPP WizzLite, which can achieve accuracy of 1-2 meters in motion, and sub-metre accuracy in static mode.

What’s more, access to raw measurements offers new ways to detect radio frequency interference and will make it possible to use the Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OS-NMA) to verify data from the Galileo navigation message, which will soon help to increase the robustness of the signal.

In the area of testing, performance monitoring and education, the GSA innovation officer noted that the raw measurements could be used to compare solutions from individual constellations. Using applications such as GNSSLogger and RINEX ON, it is possible to test only satellites from the Galileo constellation, for example. A smartphone testing campaign conducted by the GSA showed that Galileo delivered impressive accuracy gains.

Toolkit

Moisés Navarro Gallardo, Navigation User Receiver Testing Engineer at Airbus, provided an example on how to use RTK positioning using raw measurements. Firstly, there is the raw measurement log file, which can be logged using, for instance, the GNSSLogger from Google. Once logged, the raw measurements can be converted, in post processing, into a standard format, such as RINEX. Other tools, like RINEX GEO++, convert the raw data into RINEX format in real time.

Next, it is necessary to have the ephemerides, which are the parameters needed to compute the satellite positions – these can be downloaded from the Internet, Navarro Gallardo said. The observations from a base station are also needed, which can also be downloaded from the Internet (IGS network) or received from local stations. Finally, an RTK tool is required, like the public RTKLIP tool. With these elements in place, the raw measurements can be used in the RTK PVT solution to allow users to mitigate common errors (between station and the user smartphone) and to achieve a more accurate position.

GSA Task Force

Around the same time as the Android 7 release, the GSA set up a Task Force to engage with navigation and positioning experts and boost innovation around this new feature. Sunkevic noted at the tutorial that one of the GSA’s core responsibilities is to develop the GNSS market and ensure that Galileo is used by as many people as possible.

He said that, with the Raw Measurements Task Force, the GSA aimed to valorise the main Galileo differentiators, including high accuracy and authentication, and to share knowledge and expertise on Android raw measurements and their wider use, including their potential for high accuracy positioning techniques.

One of the main outcomes of the Task Force, highlighted at the conference, is a White Paper with which the Task Force promotes the use of GNSS raw measurements in mass market applications and demonstrates their use to the GNSS community through practical examples.

Galileo App Competition

Promoting the use of raw measurements among the development community is also the aim of an upcoming Galileo App Competition, announced at the IPIN session by Galileo Service Performance Engineer Gaetano Galluzzo, from the European Space Agency’s research and technology centre (ESA-ESTEC).

Galuzzo said that the goal of the competition is to design an Android application capable of performing fixes using single- and dual-frequency raw measurements from GPS, Galileo and GPS + Galileo satellites. Run by ESA in collaboration with the GSA and the European Commission, with support from Google, the competition is open to all students from European universities and trainees in posts at European research and development organisations.

In his presentation at the conference, the ESA engineer highlighted some of the key ingredients needed for high accuracy apps in smartphones, including raw measurements, continuous carrier phase measurements, and dual frequency chips for fast convergence. He noted in particular that dual frequency measurements, along with chipset algorithmic enhancements, are enabling a significant reduction in positioning error, and that decimetre-level accuracy is possible even in devices with low-cost GNSS chipsets, which means that the advantages of Galileo can be enjoyed by people on all budgets.

The GSA recently launched an enhanced version of its popular UseGalileo.eu site, which tracks the many new Galileo-enabled devices and services coming onto the market. You can check the site to find out which chipsets, smartphones or wearables are Galileo-enabled.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The new EGNOS Safety-of-Life Service Definition Document, published by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), highlights the service’s extended coverage area. 

The GSA has published an updated EGNOS Safety-of-Life (SoL) Service Definition Document (SDD), which is now available to EGNOS users. A highlight of the new SDD is the significant extension to the declared service area that has been achieved since the last update in 2016. Overall, the service area has increased by 25%, with a substantial increase in coverage over Norway, Sweden and Finland and a slight increase over central Romania and north-east Bulgaria. 

Improved availability of LPV-200

This extension in coverage equates to an important improvement in LPV-200 (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance) availability. First declared in 2015, LPV-200 delivers accurate information on an aircraft’s approach to a runway with the use of GNSS positioning technology. The result is lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until an aircraft is 200 feet above the runway.  Today there are 150 LPV-200 procedures published across Europe and 434 instrumental runway ends with published LPV/LPV-200 procedures, representing 35% of all European instrumental runway ends. 

Additional clarifications and updates

The updated SDD clarifies use for non-EU and non-ATS cases, showing that it’s not only ANSPs that can benefit from EGNOS, but also aerodrome and rotocrafts operators. In addition, the SDD describes the characteristics and conditions of access to the EGNOS SoL service, along with providing information about the EGNOS system architecture, Single-in-Space (SIS) characteristic, service performance achieved, and EGNOS user interfaces.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The new EGNOS Safety-of-Life Service Definition Document, published by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), highlights the service’s extended coverage area. 

The GSA has published an updated EGNOS Safety-of-Life (SoL) Service Definition Document (SDD), which is now available to EGNOS users. A highlight of the new SDD is the significant extension to the declared service area that has been achieved since the last update in 2016. Overall, the service area has increased by 25%, with a substantial increase in coverage over Norway, Sweden and Finland and a slight increase over central Romania and north-east Bulgaria. 

Improved availability of LPV-200

This extension in coverage equates to an important improvement in LPV-200 (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance) availability. First declared in 2015, LPV-200 delivers accurate information on an aircraft’s approach to a runway with the use of GNSS positioning technology. The result is lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until an aircraft is 200 feet above the runway.  Today there are 150 LPV-200 procedures published across Europe and 434 instrumental runway ends with published LPV/LPV-200 procedures, representing 35% of all European instrumental runway ends. 

Additional clarifications and updates

The updated SDD clarifies use for non-EU and non-ATS cases, showing that it’s not only ANSPs that can benefit from EGNOS, but also aerodrome and rotocrafts operators. In addition, the SDD describes the characteristics and conditions of access to the EGNOS SoL service, along with providing information about the EGNOS system architecture, Single-in-Space (SIS) characteristic, service performance achieved, and EGNOS user interfaces.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is pleased to announce that registration for European Space Week 2018 is now open. Register today, and don’t miss out on this opportunity to shape the discussion at the number one European Union space event connecting business, policy-makers, international experts, space-powered businesses and application user communities.

Space is coming to Marseille on 3-6 December 2018, in the beautiful Pharo Palace. Kicking off with the 2nd European GNSS User Consultation Platform and the 5th European Space Solutions Conference, presenting the latest space-powered answers to today’s business challenges, European Space Week 2018 will examine how Europe is using space to tackle challenges in such diverse areas as sustainable development, mobility, defence, economic development and the environment.

At the European Space Week plenary session, participants will learn more about the state of the art of Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus, with input from keynote speakers and high-level officials, including Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elżbieta Bieńkowska, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, French Space Agency (CNES) President Jean-Yves Le Gall and many more.

Parallel sessions dedicated to Smart Cities, Sustainable Land Management, Interconnectivity, Marine and Maritime, Infrastructure Management, Security and Defence will examine how European businesses, entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized companies can harness the power of space technology to build the innovative applications and services needed in these areas.

European Space Week 2018 will be an opportunity to learn about the current status of the EU space programmes and to connect with more than 1,500 attendees from across Europe and beyond.

Follow this link to register for European Space Week 2018 and help shape the discussion about how the European space programmes Galileo, Copernicus and EGNOS can be harnessed to benefit Europe’s businesses and citizens.

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