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The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has selected Eutelsat Communications for the development, integration and operation of its next-generation EGNOS GEO-4 service. The contract agreed between Eutelsat and GSA covers 15 years of service provision and represents a total value of EUR 100 million.

The contract signed between the GSA and Eutelsat on 8 February 2021, is the result of an open tender launched by the GSA at the end of 2019. The signing of the contract will kick off a two-year service preparation phase, followed by 15 years of service provision. Of the EUR 100 million baseline, only EUR 15.5 million will be committed under the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) the remaining EUR 85 million is subject to the confirmation of funds allocated to the EGNOS programme from the European Union budget for 2021-2027. 

Watch this: The Story of EGNOS

Commenting on the agreement, Rodolphe Belmer, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat said: “We are delighted to have been entrusted once again by the GSA for this critical mission. It showcases the unparalleled coverage of our fleet as well as our technological expertise and reliability. Space technology continues to change the way we live, and we are delighted to support the GSA to ensure that European citizens get the most out of satellite navigation programmes.”.

Enhancing GSA’s core mission

Rodrigo da Costa, GSA Executive Director added: “The GSA has awarded Eutelsat the EGNOS GEO-4 contract to manage this important payload that enhances the GSA’s core mission to deliver reliable and secure space-based services. By delivering innovation and thus benefits , satellite navigation is changing how we manage the mobility, safety and security of people and goods for Europe and beyond in fundamental ways.”

The EGNOS payload on GEO-4 is necessary to ensure the transition from EGNOS V2 to EGNOS V3. 

And this: EGNOS for aviation

Eutelsat already operates the EGNOS GEO-3 payload on its EUTELSAT 5 West B satellite, which entered into service in February 2020. Built by Airbus Defence and Space, the new Eutelsat payload is scheduled to be launched in the first half of 2022.    

Improved positioning

EGNOS is the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service that acts as an augmentation service to global positioning systems, to improve the reliability of positioning information. This is ensured by a crucial integrity message that is essential in aviation where GNSS alone does not satisfy strict operational requirements set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It is especially important during critical flight stages such as the final approach. 

Other transport means including maritime and rail also benefit from the EGNOS Safety of Life service. Thanks to its Open Service, EGNOS also increases the positioning accuracy for other land-based applications, notably precision farming, geomatics, and land management.

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).

GNSS is a key enabler for drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), ensuring safety of navigation and providing increased reliability for both consumer and commercial applications. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that, over the past decade, drones have become a significant GNSS segment, overtaking mature segments such as maritime, aviation and agriculture in terms of shipments, according to the GNSS Market Report.

At the same time as we have seen this growth in drone traffic, with UAVs used in more and more application areas and a steadily growing user base, new regulatory measures have been put in place to harmonise the European drone market and guarantee the highest level of safety. 

In line with these market trends and new regulations and in support of EU priorities, the GSA defined several innovation areas in the MyGalileoDrone and MyGalileoSolution competitions - such as parcel delivery, emergency and crisis management, infrastructure inspection, leisure etc. - with the aim of challenging contestants to design, develop, test and deliver drone-based applications for commercial launch using Galileo-enabled receivers.

Critical precision

It is difficult to understate the importance of the precision provided by Galileo for drone-enabled services, especially if it is not possible to ensure line-of-sight or human supervision at all times. The improved integrity and high accuracy of Galileo positioning information helps drones to follow their assigned routes closely, especially in urban areas.

Read this: Entrepreneurship Day to showcase the most innovative Galileo-based solutions

“We were delighted to work together with the MyGalileoDrone and MyGalileoSolution competitors, who joined us virtually from across Europe. These teams represent start-ups and SMEs, business and academia alike,” said Katerina Strelcova, GSA Aviation Market Development Innovation Officer. “The contestants showed great creativity in identifying new service areas, achieved technological breakthroughs, and introduced novel business models. The results promise to have a positive societal impact and an excellent commercial value,” she said.

A World of Drones

After rounds of meticulous reviews, expert consultations, and mentoring, the 37 most innovative drone solutions developed during the two competitions will be presented at the “World of Drones” session of the Entrepreneurship Day that will take place  2 March. At this online event, the GSA will showcase the most innovative Galileo-based solutions delivering cutting-edge services across a range of application areas.

Watch this: EGNOS for Drones

Projects from MyGalileoDrone will be presented, along with the AirCoffee, Artificial Intelligence Autonomous VTOL Drone Platform, GALENCODER, SigLoc, TechNovator, Touchdown, and DROCATS projects from MyGalileoSolution. 

Make sure to join us and learn how the innovative teams are:

• delivering critical goods on time in remote and densely populated areas;
• helping to find  survivors at sea during search and rescue missions;
• guiding boats to their port moorings;
• combining drones with unmanned ground vehicles to assess and maintain road surface markings;
• monitoring pollution, and much more!

Register now to find out which application is deemed most successful by our jury and investors, and is awarded the grand prize. Make sure to follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram to stay up to date with all the latest news.

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).