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EGNOS, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, has revolutionised the way we fly: creating greater access to small and regional airports, increasing safety and facilitating more sustainable flight routes across Europe. 

“From the commercial, regional, general and business aviation sectors to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), airports and the end user – everyone benefits from EGNOS,” says Jean-Marc Piéplu,  Head of EGNOS Services Department at the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA).

With news that Airbus has delivered the first EGNOS-enabled A320neo to the popular low-cost airline EasyJet, soon even more passengers will be flying with EGNOS. The A320neo is the world’s most popular aircraft family for short-haul flights, claiming the greatest number of aircraft sold and delivered. 

Accurate guidance for safer landings

As an alternative to ground-based Instrument Landing System (ILS) navigational aids, EGNOS-enabled approaches, often referred to as localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV), utilise geostationary satellites and a network of ground stations to receive, analyse and augment GNSS signals. In doing so, it enables aircraft approaches that are operationally equivalent to ILS CAT I, providing lateral and vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until a decision height of only 200 feet above the runway as minimum. 

In addition to providing pilots with accurate guidance for safer landings (even in poor weather conditions), EGNOS is also more cost effective to install, maintain and operate than equivalent ground-based systems. This makes EGNOS particularly attractive to Europe’s many small and regional airports that simply cannot afford the high cost of ILS. 

“Having the ability to cost-effectively offer accurate vertical guidance makes these airports safer and more attractive to short-haul flights,” explains Piéplu “Moreover, EGNOS based procedures are mandatory in all instrument runways by 2024, and will be the main means for CAT-I by 2030 in EU.” 

Towards a more sustainable aviation sector 

Not only are these EGNOS-enabled approaches safer, they’re also more sustainable. “Having LPV in all airports give more choices for alternate airports, which means that the distance to be flown could be shorter, and results in less fuel being burned and more emissions being released,” adds Carmen Aguilera, Operational Market Development Officer at EUSPA. “EGNOS approaches, as enabler of PBN, allows shorter trajectories with respect to conventional approaches, which is more fuel efficient.”

Thanks to its lower decision height, EGNOS can help pilots better evaluate visibility conditions, which in many cases means avoiding the need to circle or divert – two manoeuvres that burn a lot of fuel. “Minimising diversions and aborted landings mean less fuel consumption, a win-win for both the environment and the airlines,” concludes Aguilera. 

EGNOS services are delivered by the EGNOS service provider (ESSP) under a contract with EUSPA.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) 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 EUSPA website (http://www.euspa.europa.eu).

EGNOS, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, has revolutionised the way we fly: creating greater access to small and regional airports, increasing safety and facilitating more sustainable flight routes across Europe. 

“From the commercial, regional, general and business aviation sectors to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), airports and the end user – everyone benefits from EGNOS,” says Jean-Marc Piéplu,  Head of EGNOS Services Department at the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA).

With news that Airbus has delivered the first EGNOS-enabled A320neo to the popular low-cost airline EasyJet, soon even more passengers will be flying with EGNOS. The A320neo is the world’s most popular aircraft family for short-haul flights, claiming the greatest number of aircraft sold and delivered. 

Accurate guidance for safer landings

As an alternative to ground-based Instrument Landing System (ILS) navigational aids, EGNOS-enabled approaches, often referred to as localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV), utilise geostationary satellites and a network of ground stations to receive, analyse and augment GNSS signals. In doing so, it enables aircraft approaches that are operationally equivalent to ILS CAT I, providing lateral and vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until a decision height of only 200 feet above the runway as minimum. 

In addition to providing pilots with accurate guidance for safer landings (even in poor weather conditions), EGNOS is also more cost effective to install, maintain and operate than equivalent ground-based systems. This makes EGNOS particularly attractive to Europe’s many small and regional airports that simply cannot afford the high cost of ILS. 

“Having the ability to cost-effectively offer accurate vertical guidance makes these airports safer and more attractive to short-haul flights,” explains Piéplu “Moreover, EGNOS based procedures are mandatory in all instrument runways by 2024, and will be the main means for CAT-I by 2030 in EU.” 

Towards a more sustainable aviation sector 

Not only are these EGNOS-enabled approaches safer, they’re also more sustainable. “Having LPV in all airports give more choices for alternate airports, which means that the distance to be flown could be shorter, and results in less fuel being burned and more emissions being released,” adds Carmen Aguilera, Operational Market Development Officer at EUSPA. “EGNOS approaches, as enabler of PBN, allows shorter trajectories with respect to conventional approaches, which is more fuel efficient.”

Thanks to its lower decision height, EGNOS can help pilots better evaluate visibility conditions, which in many cases means avoiding the need to circle or divert – two manoeuvres that burn a lot of fuel. “Minimising diversions and aborted landings mean less fuel consumption, a win-win for both the environment and the airlines,” concludes Aguilera. 

EGNOS services are delivered by the EGNOS service provider (ESSP) under a contract with EUSPA.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) 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 EUSPA website (http://www.euspa.europa.eu).

Farming by smartphone. Creating artistic, personalised products using satellite imagery. Building a better back nine from space. And monitoring road safety issues without a human in sight. 

These aren’t clips from some sci-fi future. It’s all happening now – thanks to EU Space and 11 very innovative European start-ups.

The start-ups are the winners of the #myEUspace competition, a EUSPA initiative supporting the development of innovative commercial applications that leverage data coming from the EU Space Programme. 

Launched in September 2021 as part of the European Commission’s CASSINI Space Entrepreneurship Initiative and with over EUR 1 million in prize money on the line, #myEUspace is one of the biggest competitions ever organised by EUSPA. 

And the winners are…

Following an intense nine-week process of fine-tuning prototypes and products, refining business plans and making final pitches to a scrutinising panel of judges, the competition’s winners were announced at EUSPA’s Entrepreneurship Day. 

While the selected solutions cover such diverse sectors as location-based services, smart mobility, geomatics and precision agriculture, they all share a foundation in their use of data coming from Galileo, Copernicus or a synergistic combination of the two.

So, without further ado, let us introduce to you 11 of Europe’s hottest, most disruptive space-based start-ups:

Track 1:

• SANGENE: integrated GNSS-based passive radar for the detection and first localisation of obstacles.

• EO4ART: web application for artistic and personalised products based on satellite images acquired over a specific region of interest.

• ALTIWAVE: satellite-derived regional wave heights for the marine energy sector.

• Master Map: automatic road mapping status for maintenance optimisation.

• VirtualCrop: application for sustainable precision farming that turns phones into data gathering and analysis tools.

• RIGOROUS: efficient and effective development and deployment of solutions based on using Randomness-Intensive algorithms for near-real-time route optimisation.

Track 2:

• C-ITS Platform: increased road safety, powered by Galileo and Copernicus.

• E20.Green: intelligent platform powered by GNSS, AI, EO and IoT that enables golf courses and urban green spaces to effectively manage their assets, operations and land.

• SPAI: solution to easily integrate satellite analytics into the work practices of expert and non-expert users, effortlessly extracting the value of EO using AI.

• SOILSPECT: automatic monitoring of ground settlement happening at construction sites.  

• Agricircle: dashboard for monitoring the outcome of regenerative agriculture initiatives.

Defining the future today 

While the competition may be over, for these 11 start-ups, the work is just beginning. Armed with up to EUR 50,000 in prize money and ready access to additional sources of financing, mentoring and incubation, the winners will now work to further develop their products and services and move them towards commercialisation.

"Space data and services are driving innovation and enabling disruptive technologies in a wide range of sectors", says EUSPA Executive Director, Rodrigo da Costa. "Start-ups have been particularly enthusiastic in embracing the potential offered by the EU Space Programme. I would like to congratulate the winners and also the participants for the effort they put."

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) 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 EUSPA website (http://www.euspa.europa.eu).

Farming by smartphone. Creating artistic, personalised products using satellite imagery. Building a better back nine from space. And monitoring road safety issues without a human in sight. 

These aren’t clips from some sci-fi future. It’s all happening now – thanks to EU Space and 11 very innovative European start-ups.

The start-ups are the winners of the #myEUspace competition, a EUSPA initiative supporting the development of innovative commercial applications that leverage data coming from the EU Space Programme. 

Launched in September 2021 as part of the European Commission’s CASSINI Space Entrepreneurship Initiative and with over EUR 1 million in prize money on the line, #myEUspace is one of the biggest competitions ever organised by EUSPA. 

And the winners are…

Following an intense nine-week process of fine-tuning prototypes and products, refining business plans and making final pitches to a scrutinising panel of judges, the competition’s winners were announced at EUSPA’s Entrepreneurship Day. 

While the selected solutions cover such diverse sectors as location-based services, smart mobility, geomatics and precision agriculture, they all share a foundation in their use of data coming from Galileo, Copernicus or a synergistic combination of the two.

So, without further ado, let us introduce to you 11 of Europe’s hottest, most disruptive space-based start-ups:

Track 1:

• SANGENE: integrated GNSS-based passive radar for the detection and first localisation of obstacles.

• EO4ART: web application for artistic and personalised products based on satellite images acquired over a specific region of interest.

• ALTIWAVE: satellite-derived regional wave heights for the marine energy sector.

• Master Map: automatic road mapping status for maintenance optimisation.

• VirtualCrop: application for sustainable precision farming that turns phones into data gathering and analysis tools.

• RIGOROUS: efficient and effective development and deployment of solutions based on using Randomness-Intensive algorithms for near-real-time route optimisation.

Track 2:

• C-ITS Platform: increased road safety, powered by Galileo and Copernicus.

• E20.Green: intelligent platform powered by GNSS, AI, EO and IoT that enables golf courses and urban green spaces to effectively manage their assets, operations and land.

• SPAI: solution to easily integrate satellite analytics into the work practices of expert and non-expert users, effortlessly extracting the value of EO using AI.

• SOILSPECT: automatic monitoring of ground settlement happening at construction sites.  

• Agricircle: dashboard for monitoring the outcome of regenerative agriculture initiatives.

Defining the future today 

While the competition may be over, for these 11 start-ups, the work is just beginning. Armed with up to EUR 50,000 in prize money and ready access to additional sources of financing, mentoring and incubation, the winners will now work to further develop their products and services and move them towards commercialisation.

"Space data and services are driving innovation and enabling disruptive technologies in a wide range of sectors", says EUSPA Executive Director, Rodrigo da Costa. "Start-ups have been particularly enthusiastic in embracing the potential offered by the EU Space Programme. I would like to congratulate the winners and also the participants for the effort they put."

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) 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 EUSPA website (http://www.euspa.europa.eu).