European GNSS Agency

The Horizon 2020-funded PRoPART project successfully tested a Galileo-based positioning solution enhanced with Real Time Kinematic (RTK) technique for automated trucks and advanced driver assistance systems at the AstaZero Proving Ground in Sandhult, near Borås, Sweden, at the end of November. Combining Galileo’s differentiators with other positioning and sensor technologies, the solution offers reliable cm-level accuracy using correction data from reference stations.

Autonomous vehicles/trucks and advanced driver assistance systems need robust and precise positioning to enhance safety and efficiency and enable reliable operations. This is especially important in the early transition phase when not all vehicles will be automated. 

PRoPART has achieved this goal by exploiting the distinguishing features of Galileo in combination with other positioning sensors and technologies, which it shares using V2X technology. The innovative solution developed during the project has the potential to be a game changer for autonomous transport in the future.

A game changer

The solution was demonstrated in a recreated highway situation, with a connected autonomous truck and two unconnected manned cars. As part of the test, a Scania self-driving truck executed a safe and efficient lane change managed by the PRoPART system, relying on centimetre-level positioning combined with collaborative perception sensor data.

Watch this: PRoPART - Precise and Robust Positioning for Automated Road Transport

“Galileo is a key component of the PRoPART platform, and contributes to maintaining the integrity of the information which is essential,” said GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani.

PRoPART is an important project, in the sense that it delivers robust positioning and timing for future autonomous road transport that fulfils the various needs of vehicle OEMs. It uses object detection sensors as well as PVT information from the GNSS engine along with similar information from road side detection units. This allows it to remotely sense non-connected vehicles, offering a reliable solution for the transition period when both automated and non-automated vehicles will be using the roads.

A truly European venture

The project combines RTK positioning software from Waysure (Sweden) with satellite measurements, in particular advanced and wide band Galileo signals for improved accuracy and enabled with authentication, as developed by Fraunhofer IIS (Germany). The satellite positioning is augmented with an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ranging solution from Spanish research institution Ceit-IK4. 

Read this: First Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle successfully demonstrated

The self-driving truck was supplied by Scania, with Hungary-based V2X company Commsignia providing the C-ITS technology. Baselabs from Germany provided fusion of sensor data from on-board and road-side sensors and developed a situational assessment for the automated lane change manoeuvre. The project was coordinated by the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE) and received funding from the GSA under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 innovation programme (grant agreement No 776307).

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).

Together with the European Commission, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) has been consulting with GNSS user communities to take their input into consideration when defining EGNSS downstream funding priorities in the new financial perspective. A recent report from the GSA summarises the results of these consultations and outlines future R&I priorities.

EGNSS downstream R&I should build on the positive momentum achieved in Horizon 2020, Fundamental Elements and earlier framework programmes by leveraging space data to build applications, receivers that integrate the various EU space programme services and stimulate entrepreneurship and job creation in Europe. 

The GSA’s consultation with the GNSS user community during its User Consultation Platforms in 2017 and 2018 revealed that, to make the space sector competitive, R&I investment should be focused on the downstream domain, increasing the use of space signals and data, and leveraging the differentiators of the EU space programmes to improve the worldwide market share of EU industry and SMEs.

Read this: Horizon 2020 key to international cooperation for Galileo & EGNOS

After 2020, when the Galileo system is fully operational and the new version of EGNOS will start to be deployed, the primary goal will be to establish European GNSS as the leader in those markets and sectors that best exploit the unique differentiators of the systems. Steps should also be taken to complete market uptake in longer-term regulated market segments (e.g. rail, aviation and maritime). Also new funding tools should be introduced in order to cope with the new needs.

Key recommendations

The report makes a number of key recommendations, including on the need to secure the budget and scope related to EGNSS downstream in the Space Regulation and Horizon Europe. What’s more, to achieve the goals outlined above, the report recommends that the Horizon Europe budget be significantly increased compared to Horizon 2020. This increase will also allow for larger pilot projects and operational implementations of Galileo differentiators.

It is also recommended that the Fundamental Elements funding mechanism should fill the gaps in the development of EGNSS-enabled receivers and antennas and target the emerging Galileo differentiators as they become operational, so as to facilitate market readiness. 

Finally, the report recommends the introduction of new funding tools to cope with new needs that cannot be covered by the Horizon 2020 and Fundamental Elements tools as used until now: 

• Innovation Procurement for the public sector as a customer of Galileo;
• Centres of Excellence to leverage regional and national competences as examples and supporters for others;
• Space-based entrepreneurship to provide a dedicated funding tool for start-ups and SMEs (e.g. in the area of mass market);
• Venture Capital to scale-up our start-ups.

Next steps 

In April 2019 the European Parliament and the Council reached a political agreement on key elements of the Horizon Europe proposal. According to this agreement, Horizon Europe will be structured in three Pillars: 1. Excellent Science; 2. Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness; and 3. Innovative Europe.

And this: Latest updates to Reports on User Needs and Requirements released

Early involvement and exchanges with Member States and consultation with stakeholders and the public at large took place during the summer of 2019, to stimulate a co-design process towards the first Strategic Plan for the framework programme. This included a workshop held at GSA headquarters in Prague.

This Strategic Planning process will prepare the Strategic Plan for Horizon Europe for 2021-2024. The plan will facilitate the implementation of Horizon Europe, focusing on Pillar II, by setting out key strategic orientations for support to research and innovation. Drafting of the first Horizon Europe Work Programme on the basis of the Strategic Plan will take place during 2020, after which Horizon Europe will come into effect in 2021.

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).

Together with the European Commission, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) has been consulting with GNSS user communities to take their input into consideration when defining EGNSS downstream funding priorities in the new financial perspective. A recent report from the GSA summarises the results of these consultations and outlines future R&I priorities.

EGNSS downstream R&I should build on the positive momentum achieved in Horizon 2020, Fundamental Elements and earlier framework programmes by leveraging space data to build applications, receivers that integrate the various EU space programme services and stimulate entrepreneurship and job creation in Europe. 

The GSA’s consultation with the GNSS user community during its User Consultation Platforms in 2017 and 2018 revealed that, to make the space sector competitive, R&I investment should be focused on the downstream domain, increasing the use of space signals and data, and leveraging the differentiators of the EU space programmes to improve the worldwide market share of EU industry and SMEs.

Read this: Horizon 2020 key to international cooperation for Galileo & EGNOS

After 2020, when the Galileo system is fully operational and the new version of EGNOS will start to be deployed, the primary goal will be to establish European GNSS as the leader in those markets and sectors that best exploit the unique differentiators of the systems. Steps should also be taken to complete market uptake in longer-term regulated market segments (e.g. rail, aviation and maritime). Also new funding tools should be introduced in order to cope with the new needs.

Key recommendations

The report makes a number of key recommendations, including on the need to secure the budget and scope related to EGNSS downstream in the Space Regulation and Horizon Europe. What’s more, to achieve the goals outlined above, the report recommends that the Horizon Europe budget be significantly increased compared to Horizon 2020. This increase will also allow for larger pilot projects and operational implementations of Galileo differentiators.

It is also recommended that the Fundamental Elements funding mechanism should fill the gaps in the development of EGNSS-enabled receivers and antennas and target the emerging Galileo differentiators as they become operational, so as to facilitate market readiness. 

Finally, the report recommends the introduction of new funding tools to cope with new needs that cannot be covered by the Horizon 2020 and Fundamental Elements tools as used until now: 

• Innovation Procurement for the public sector as a customer of Galileo;
• Centres of Excellence to leverage regional and national competences as examples and supporters for others;
• Space-based entrepreneurship to provide a dedicated funding tool for start-ups and SMEs (e.g. in the area of mass market);
• Venture Capital to scale-up our start-ups.

Next steps 

In April 2019 the European Parliament and the Council reached a political agreement on key elements of the Horizon Europe proposal. According to this agreement, Horizon Europe will be structured in three Pillars: 1. Excellent Science; 2. Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness; and 3. Innovative Europe.

And this: Latest updates to Reports on User Needs and Requirements released

Early involvement and exchanges with Member States and consultation with stakeholders and the public at large took place during the summer of 2019, to stimulate a co-design process towards the first Strategic Plan for the framework programme. This included a workshop held at GSA headquarters in Prague.

This Strategic Planning process will prepare the Strategic Plan for Horizon Europe for 2021-2024. The plan will facilitate the implementation of Horizon Europe, focusing on Pillar II, by setting out key strategic orientations for support to research and innovation. Drafting of the first Horizon Europe Work Programme on the basis of the Strategic Plan will take place during 2020, after which Horizon Europe will come into effect in 2021.

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).

Performance Cockpit, a business intelligence system from the start-up Aeroficial Intelligence, was named the 2019 Overall Winner of the Galileo Masters international innovation competition during its awards ceremony, held as part of European Space Week on 4 December in Helsinki, Finland. 

The Aeroficial Intelligence system leverages Galileo positioning and EGNOS augmentation in data-driven solutions that increase operational efficiency and considerably reduce fuel consumption in the aviation industry. In this way, it addresses a pressing challenge in an industry that is set to see the world’s aircraft fleet more than double in the next 20 years.

Galileo-Copernicus Synergy Challenge

In addition to the overall prize, 26 more prizes were awarded at this year’s Galileo Masters, including the Galileo-Copernicus Synergy Challenge. This award went to Xylene, an app that revolutionises the way timber is supplied to the market. The concept behind the Xylene app is to document every step of the timber supply chain, from the forest to the final product. This unique Source-2-Store process not only enables supply chain tracking, but also validates the origin of the wood as certified or not. 

Read this: uMaze takes Accuracy Matters prize in Galileo Innovation Challenge

By automatically registering GNSS position and consignment volume data, matching this with the individual process steps and generating real-time reports in the event of violations, the app prevents illegal wood from entering the supply chain and reduces fraud. The end customer, in addition to each partner along the supply chain, can visualise the entire supply chain using QR codes. Leveraging Galileo positioning and Copernicus imagery, the app offers the best combination of reliability, feasibility and cost.

Promoting innovation

“Promoting innovation has always been a key goal for the GSA. During our 11 years of partnership with the Galileo Masters, the competition has been an important generator of new market-driven applications and services based on Galileo’s differentiators, and this year has been no different,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “I would like to congratulate all of the participants in this year’s competition and particularly the winners for their innovative use of Galileo,” he said.

Idea of the year

In the ‘Idea of the Year’ category, the winner was CX-GEODRON – a radar-based drone payload for underground detection. The CX-Geodron project is developing a drone payload based on radar equipment and post-processing techniques for geo-referenced data to complement, and sometimes replace, LiDAR laser technologies and take the next step in underground detection applications.

And this: First Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle successfully demonstrated

The use of drones in non-destructive inspection applications has proven feasible and effective, making this a field with very important growth potential. The accuracy, stability, and flight time of drone platforms have significantly improved and the feasibility of using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems in different applications related to terrestrial observation has been demonstrated. What’s more, the detection of buried objects is also continuing to improve with regard to resolution and depth. 

Start-up of the Year

The winner in the ‘Start-up of the Year’ category - PODIS (POst DIstress Signal) - is a client-server IoT solution-as-a-service for automatic crash notification (ACN). The solution’s unique selling point is its patented underlying methodology for filtering out false alarms. Other ACN systems try to filter out false alarms on the client side, which is difficult due to varying vehicle behaviour, while PODIS does this on the server side. 

In this way, PODIS maximises the use of the “golden hour”. This is a trauma term that refers to the first hour from the moment a car accident occurs. The goal of trauma professionals is to get injured people to a hospital within one hour to increase their chances of survival.

The Galileo Masters annually awards the best services, products, and business ideas using satellite navigation in everyday life, fostering the development of market-driven applications and identifying the most outstanding business cases related to GNSS, in line with the EU Space Strategy.

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 Aeroficial Intelligence system leverages Galileo positioning and EGNOS augmentation in data-driven solutions that increase operational efficiency and considerably reduce fuel consumption in the aviation industry. In this way, it addresses a pressing challenge in an industry that is set to see the world’s aircraft fleet more than double in the next 20 years.

Galileo-Copernicus Synergy Challenge

In addition to the overall prize, 26 more prizes were awarded at this year’s Galileo Masters, including the Galileo-Copernicus Synergy Challenge. This award went to Xylene, an app that revolutionises the way timber is supplied to the market. The concept behind the Xylene app is to document every step of the timber supply chain, from the forest to the final product. This unique Source-2-Store process not only enables supply chain tracking, but also validates the origin of the wood as certified or not. 

Read this: uMaze takes Accuracy Matters prize in Galileo Innovation Challenge

By automatically registering GNSS position and consignment volume data, matching this with the individual process steps and generating real-time reports in the event of violations, the app prevents illegal wood from entering the supply chain and reduces fraud. The end customer, in addition to each partner along the supply chain, can visualise the entire supply chain using QR codes. Leveraging Galileo positioning and Copernicus imagery, the app offers the best combination of reliability, feasibility and cost.

Promoting innovation

“Promoting innovation has always been a key goal for the GSA. During our 11 years of partnership with the Galileo Masters, the competition has been an important generator of new market-driven applications and services based on Galileo’s differentiators, and this year has been no different,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “I would like to congratulate all of the participants in this year’s competition and particularly the winners for their innovative use of Galileo,” he said.

Idea of the year

In the ‘Idea of the Year’ category, the winner was CX-GEODRON – a radar-based drone payload for underground detection. The CX-Geodron project is developing a drone payload based on radar equipment and post-processing techniques for geo-referenced data to complement, and sometimes replace, LiDAR laser technologies and take the next step in underground detection applications.

And this: First Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle successfully demonstrated

The use of drones in non-destructive inspection applications has proven feasible and effective, making this a field with very important growth potential. The accuracy, stability, and flight time of drone platforms have significantly improved and the feasibility of using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems in different applications related to terrestrial observation has been demonstrated. What’s more, the detection of buried objects is also continuing to improve with regard to resolution and depth. 

Start-up of the Year

The winner in the ‘Start-up of the Year’ category - PODIS (POst DIstress Signal) - is a client-server IoT solution-as-a-service for automatic crash notification (ACN). The solution’s unique selling point is its patented underlying methodology for filtering out false alarms. Other ACN systems try to filter out false alarms on the client side, which is difficult due to varying vehicle behaviour, while PODIS does this on the server side. 

In this way, PODIS maximises the use of the “golden hour”. This is a trauma term that refers to the first hour from the moment a car accident occurs. The goal of trauma professionals is to get injured people to a hospital within one hour to increase their chances of survival.

The Galileo Masters annually awards the best services, products, and business ideas using satellite navigation in everyday life, fostering the development of market-driven applications and identifying the most outstanding business cases related to GNSS, in line with the EU Space Strategy.

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 Aeroficial Intelligence system leverages Galileo positioning and EGNOS augmentation in data-driven solutions that increase operational efficiency and considerably reduce fuel consumption in the aviation industry. In this way, it addresses a pressing challenge in an industry that is set to see the world’s aircraft fleet more than double in the next 20 years.

Galileo-Copernicus Synergy Challenge

In addition to the overall prize, 26 more prizes were awarded at this year’s Galileo Masters, including the Galileo-Copernicus Synergy Challenge. This award went to Xylene, an app that revolutionises the way timber is supplied to the market. The concept behind the Xylene app is to document every step of the timber supply chain, from the forest to the final product. This unique Source-2-Store process not only enables supply chain tracking, but also validates the origin of the wood as certified or not. 

Read this: uMaze takes Accuracy Matters prize in Galileo Innovation Challenge

By automatically registering GNSS position and consignment volume data, matching this with the individual process steps and generating real-time reports in the event of violations, the app prevents illegal wood from entering the supply chain and reduces fraud. The end customer, in addition to each partner along the supply chain, can visualise the entire supply chain using QR codes. Leveraging Galileo positioning and Copernicus imagery, the app offers the best combination of reliability, feasibility and cost.

Promoting innovation

“Promoting innovation has always been a key goal for the GSA. During our 11 years of partnership with the Galileo Masters, the competition has been an important generator of new market-driven applications and services based on Galileo’s differentiators, and this year has been no different,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “I would like to congratulate all of the participants in this year’s competition and particularly the winners for their innovative use of Galileo,” he said.

Idea of the year

In the ‘Idea of the Year’ category, the winner was CX-GEODRON – a radar-based drone payload for underground detection. The CX-Geodron project is developing a drone payload based on radar equipment and post-processing techniques for geo-referenced data to complement, and sometimes replace, LiDAR laser technologies and take the next step in underground detection applications.

And this: First Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle successfully demonstrated

The use of drones in non-destructive inspection applications has proven feasible and effective, making this a field with very important growth potential. The accuracy, stability, and flight time of drone platforms have significantly improved and the feasibility of using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems in different applications related to terrestrial observation has been demonstrated. What’s more, the detection of buried objects is also continuing to improve with regard to resolution and depth. 

Start-up of the Year

The winner in the ‘Start-up of the Year’ category - PODIS (POst DIstress Signal) - is a client-server IoT solution-as-a-service for automatic crash notification (ACN). The solution’s unique selling point is its patented underlying methodology for filtering out false alarms. Other ACN systems try to filter out false alarms on the client side, which is difficult due to varying vehicle behaviour, while PODIS does this on the server side. 

In this way, PODIS maximises the use of the “golden hour”. This is a trauma term that refers to the first hour from the moment a car accident occurs. The goal of trauma professionals is to get injured people to a hospital within one hour to increase their chances of survival.

The Galileo Masters annually awards the best services, products, and business ideas using satellite navigation in everyday life, fostering the development of market-driven applications and identifying the most outstanding business cases related to GNSS, in line with the EU Space Strategy.

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 Union’s ambitions in space were in focus during a recent visit to the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Prague headquarters by French State Secretary for European Affairs Amélie de Montchalin, who visited the Agency on Friday 29 November.

Madame de de Montchalin was in Prague to visit the GSA and, during her visit, she noted that: “European ambition in space is considerable, as we saw on 28 November in Seville, and the GSA is transforming this ambition into concrete projects that are improving the life of European citizens.”

The EU is a global leader in space and the space sector in Europe employs over 231,000 professionals, with an estimated value of €53-62 billion to the European economy in 2017. What’s more, Europe manufactures one third of all the world's satellites and, according to Eurospace, the space manufacturing industry posted sales worth €8.5 billion in 2018.

Read this: Horizon 2020 key to international cooperation for Galileo & EGNOS

French Space Agency (CNES) President and GSA Administrative Board Chair Jean-Yves Le Gall following his attendance at the European Space Agency ministerial meeting in Seville, Spain on November 27-28 welcomed Madame de Montchalin to the GSA headquarters. “We are very pleased to welcome Madame de Montchalin to the GSA, her visit bears testimony to the importance that France places on ensuring that space serves all Europeans,” he said.

Key contribution

At the meeting, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides highlighted the central role of Europe’s GNSS programmes in the overall contribution of space to the European economy. “According to the latest edition of our GNSS Market Report, European companies account for an estimated 27% of the global GNSS downstream market, which is forecast to increase to EUR 325 billion in 2029,” he said.

“France has been a valued partner for the Galileo programme since the launch of the first operational satellite from the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou in French Guiana in 2011, and the critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) for our Galileo launches is controlled from the CNES Space Centre in Toulouse,” des Dorides said.

‘When the GSA is to taking on new its responsibilities in becoming EUSPA at the beginning of 2021 and with Galileo reaching full capability, this is important that all the Member States continue to support our activities and so we are pleased to take the opportunity of the visit of Mrs Montchalin to explain the evolution of the Galileo services,” he 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).

The European Union’s ambitions in space were in focus during a recent visit to the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Prague headquarters by French State Secretary for European Affairs Amélie de Montchalin, who visited the Agency on Friday 29 November.

Madame de de Montchalin was in Prague to visit the GSA and, during her visit, she noted that: “European ambition in space is considerable, as we saw on 28 November in Seville, and the GSA is transforming this ambition into concrete projects that are improving the life of European citizens.”

The EU is a global leader in space and the space sector in Europe employs over 231,000 professionals, with an estimated value of €53-62 billion to the European economy in 2017. What’s more, Europe manufactures one third of all the world's satellites and, according to Eurospace, the space manufacturing industry posted sales worth €8.5 billion in 2018.

Read this: Horizon 2020 key to international cooperation for Galileo & EGNOS

French Space Agency (CNES) President and GSA Administrative Board Chair Jean-Yves Le Gall following his attendance at the European Space Agency ministerial meeting in Seville, Spain on November 27-28 welcomed Madame de Montchalin to the GSA headquarters. “We are very pleased to welcome Madame de Montchalin to the GSA, her visit bears testimony to the importance that France places on ensuring that space serves all Europeans,” he said.

Key contribution

At the meeting, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides highlighted the central role of Europe’s GNSS programmes in the overall contribution of space to the European economy. “According to the latest edition of our GNSS Market Report, European companies account for an estimated 27% of the global GNSS downstream market, which is forecast to increase to EUR 325 billion in 2029,” he said.

“France has been a valued partner for the Galileo programme since the launch of the first operational satellite from the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou in French Guiana in 2011, and the critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) for our Galileo launches is controlled from the CNES Space Centre in Toulouse,” des Dorides said.

‘When the GSA is taking on new its responsibilities in becoming EUSPA at the beginning of 2021 and with Galileo reaching full capability, it is important that all the Member States continue to support our activities, and so we are pleased to take the opportunity of the visit of Mrs Montchalin to explain the evolution of the Galileo services,” he 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).

The European Union’s ambitions in space were in focus during a recent visit to the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Prague headquarters by French State Secretary for European Affairs Amélie de Montchalin, who visited the Agency on Friday 29 November.

Madame de de Montchalin was in Prague to visit the GSA and, during her visit, she noted that: “European ambition in space is considerable, as we saw on 28 November in Seville, and the GSA is transforming this ambition into concrete projects that are improving the life of European citizens.”

The EU is a global leader in space and the space sector in Europe employs over 231,000 professionals, with an estimated value of €53-62 billion to the European economy in 2017. What’s more, Europe manufactures one third of all the world's satellites and, according to Eurospace, the space manufacturing industry posted sales worth €8.5 billion in 2018.

Read this: Horizon 2020 key to international cooperation for Galileo & EGNOS

French Space Agency (CNES) President and GSA Administrative Board Chair Jean-Yves Le Gall following his attendance at the European Space Agency ministerial meeting in Seville, Spain on November 27-28 welcomed Madame de Montchalin to the GSA headquarters. “We are very pleased to welcome Madame de Montchalin to the GSA, her visit bears testimony to the importance that France places on ensuring that space serves all Europeans,” he said.

Key contribution

At the meeting, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides highlighted the central role of Europe’s GNSS programmes in the overall contribution of space to the European economy. “According to the latest edition of our GNSS Market Report, European companies account for an estimated 27% of the global GNSS downstream market, which is forecast to increase to EUR 325 billion in 2029,” he said.

“France has been a valued partner for the Galileo programme since the launch of the first operational satellite from the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou in French Guiana in 2011, and the critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) for our Galileo launches is controlled from the CNES Space Centre in Toulouse,” des Dorides said.

‘With the GSA taking on new its responsibilities in becoming EUSPA at the beginning of 2021 and with Galileo reaching full capability, it is important that all the Member States continue to support our activities, and so we are pleased to take the opportunity of the visit of Mrs Montchalin to explain the evolution of the Galileo services,” he 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).

The European Union’s ambitions in space were in focus during a recent visit to the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Prague headquarters by French State Secretary for European Affairs Amélie de Montchalin, who visited the Agency on Friday 29 November.

Madame de de Montchalin was in Prague to visit the GSA and, during her visit, she noted that: “European ambition in space is considerable, as we saw on 28 November in Seville, and the GSA is transforming this ambition into concrete projects that are improving the life of European citizens.”

The EU is a global leader in space and the space sector in Europe employs over 231,000 professionals, with an estimated value of €53-62 billion to the European economy in 2017. What’s more, Europe manufactures one third of all the world's satellites and, according to Eurospace, the space manufacturing industry posted sales worth €8.5 billion in 2018.

Read this: Horizon 2020 key to international cooperation for Galileo & EGNOS

French Space Agency (CNES) President and GSA Administrative Board Chair Jean-Yves Le Gall following his attendance at the European Space Agency ministerial meeting in Seville, Spain on November 27-28 welcomed Madame de Montchalin to the GSA headquarters. “We are very pleased to welcome Madame de Montchalin to the GSA, her visit bears testimony to the importance that France places on ensuring that space serves all Europeans,” he said.

Key contribution

At the meeting, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides highlighted the central role of Europe’s GNSS programmes in the overall contribution of space to the European economy. “According to the latest edition of our GNSS Market Report, European companies account for an estimated 27% of the global GNSS downstream market, which is forecast to increase to EUR 325 billion in 2029,” he said.

“France has been a valued partner for the Galileo programme since the launch of the first operational satellite from the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou in French Guiana in 2011, and the critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) for our Galileo launches is controlled from the CNES Space Centre in Toulouse,” des Dorides said.

‘With the GSA taking on new its responsibilities in becoming EUSPA at the beginning of 2021 and with Galileo reaching full capability, it is important that all the Member States continue to support our activities, and so we are pleased to take the opportunity of the visit of Mrs Montchalin to explain the evolution of the Galileo services,” he 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).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is launching the 2019 edition of its Galileo User Satisfaction Survey and its EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey. These surveys aim to gain a better understanding of the needs and requirements of Galileo and EGNOS end users and to ensure that these needs are taken into consideration in future evolutions of the programmes.

Users have always been at the heart of European GNSS (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 user 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). When responding to the survey, select the market segment in which you operate; 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.  

Read this: Latest updates to Reports on User Needs and Requirements released

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 EGNOS service provider’s management of EGNOS User Support Services.

If you are a Galileo or EGNOS user, we strongly encourage you to participate and let your voice be heard. The more users that respond, the better the GSA 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.

Survey results

Based on the 2018 Galileo User Satisfaction Results, we can see that user satisfaction was up compared with the previous year, with 90% of users satisfied with Galileo. In total, 98% of users would recommend Galileo to others. Based on feedback from the community, a number of actions were identified for implementation to strengthen Galileo’s market position. 

These include spreading the message that Galileo is already available and performing well; putting additional communications and training efforts in place in the LBS community; and collecting all user related information on EGNSS in a single website, in order to provide users with an integrated interface to support them with application development.

The 2018 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey also showed a positive trend, with a global user satisfaction score of 8.3 out of 10, up from 8.1 in 2017. User satisfaction was highest in the road segment, which scored 9.4 points. User satisfaction with the accuracy, availability, continuity and coverage of the EGNOS Safety of Life (SoL) and Open Service were all up compared to the previous year. 

The main outcomes and conclusions from the 2018 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey are available, and 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).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is launching the 2019 edition of its Galileo User Satisfaction Survey and its EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey. These surveys aim to gain a better understanding of the needs and requirements of Galileo and EGNOS end users and to ensure that these needs are taken into consideration in future evolutions of the programmes.

Users have always been at the heart of European GNSS (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 user 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). When responding to the survey, select the market segment in which you operate; 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.  

Read this: Latest updates to Reports on User Needs and Requirements released

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 EGNOS service provider’s management of EGNOS User Support Services.

If you are a Galileo or EGNOS user, we strongly encourage you to participate and let your voice be heard. The more users that respond, the better the GSA 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.

Survey results

Based on the 2018 Galileo User Satisfaction Results, we can see that user satisfaction was up compared with the previous year, with 90% of users satisfied with Galileo. In total, 98% of users would recommend Galileo to others. Based on feedback from the community, a number of actions were identified for implementation to strengthen Galileo’s market position. 

These include spreading the message that Galileo is already available and performing well; putting additional communications and training efforts in place in the LBS community; and collecting all user related information on EGNSS in a single website, in order to provide users with an integrated interface to support them with application development.

The 2018 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey also showed a positive trend, with a global user satisfaction score of 8.3 out of 10, up from 8.1 in 2017. User satisfaction was highest in the road segment, which scored 9.4 points. User satisfaction with the accuracy, availability, continuity and coverage of the EGNOS Safety of Life (SoL) and Open Service were all up compared to the previous year. 

The main outcomes and conclusions from the 2018 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey are available, and 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).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is launching the 2019 edition of its Galileo User Satisfaction Survey and its EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey. These surveys aim to gain a better understanding of the needs and requirements of Galileo and EGNOS end users and to ensure that these needs are taken into consideration in future evolutions of the programmes.

Users have always been at the heart of European GNSS (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 user 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). When responding to the survey, select the market segment in which you operate; 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.  

Read this: Latest updates to Reports on User Needs and Requirements released

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 EGNOS service provider’s management of EGNOS User Support Services.

If you are a Galileo or EGNOS user, we strongly encourage you to participate and let your voice be heard. The more users that respond, the better the GSA 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.

Survey results

Based on the 2018 Galileo User Satisfaction Results, we can see that user satisfaction was up compared with the previous year, with 90% of users satisfied with Galileo. In total, 98% of users would recommend Galileo to others. Based on feedback from the community, a number of actions were identified for implementation to strengthen Galileo’s market position. 

These include spreading the message that Galileo is already available and performing well; putting additional communications and training efforts in place in the LBS community; and collecting all user related information on EGNSS in a single website, in order to provide users with an integrated interface to support them with application development.

The 2018 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey also showed a positive trend, with a global user satisfaction score of 8.3 out of 10, up from 8.1 in 2017. User satisfaction was highest in the road segment, which scored 9.4 points. User satisfaction with the accuracy, availability, continuity and coverage of the EGNOS Safety of Life (SoL) and Open Service were all up compared to the previous year. 

The main outcomes and conclusions from the 2018 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey are available, and 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).

The Finnish team uMaze was declared the winner of the GSA’s Accuracy Matters challenge in the Galileo Innovation Challenge, which took place at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The hackathon was organised by Ultrahack, with support from the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week. The European GNSS Agency (GSA) acted as a partner, providing mentors and judges and sponsoring a challenge.

The contenders for the challenge were tasked with designing, developing and demonstrating a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from Galileo’s enhanced accuracy. In total, seven teams of innovators and developers from around the world took up the challenge, and worked over the three days to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases.

The top four

uMaze took the EUR 3000 first prize for their app, which creates mazes in specific outdoor areas in which users can play. The uMaze team also reached the finals of the MyGalileoApp competition. Since then, they have taken their app to the next level, increasing accuracy and including a function that informs users when the phone’s Galileo positioning is working. Given the level of precision required by the mazes, the user experience really depends on whether the phone has Galileo, so it scored highly on the hackathon’s ‘Galileo relevance’ criterion.

Read this: First Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle successfully demonstrated

“For its part, Traficom wants to help Finnish industry and application developers to be at the forefront in introducing new services based on the Galileo system. The objective of the Galileo Innovation Challenge is to raise public awareness about European satellite navigation and support application developers in creating more solutions based on Galileo,” says Senior Specialist Tero Vihavainen from Traficom.

There was a tie for second prize of EUR 2000 between the Heim.tech and Kill it before it Kills You teams. The Heim.tech app monitors and manages wild fires using a drone equipped with a very sensitive thermal sensor to detect even small fires; a mobile app for people on the ground, and a user interface for controlling operations.

At the hackathon they focused only on the mobile app interface for managing assets and resources on the ground, mapping distances to the fire, calculating the human and material resources needed to reach the fire, providing an overview of where the fire is growing, and optimising the speed and efficiency of the response.

The Kill it before it Kills You app, which monitors the spread of contagious diseases, consists of two parts: one for the disease control centre and one for the infected patient. The app creates heat maps for contagious diseases and also tracks infected people, monitoring where the disease might spread.

The idea is that when infected people go to hospital and are diagnosed, they are given free drugs in exchange for using the app to track where they go. The business case is that prevention is cheaper than cure, and that only by having a clear overview of where a disease is spreading will it be possible to put crisis centres in place and organise a targeted response.

And this: MyGalileoApp: the results are in!

Finally, third prize worth EUR 1000, went to the Approach team, for their crowdsourced app for climbers. The app is able to pinpoint arrival and destination marks for a climb and, based on user input, calculate the optimal path for reaching a climbing destination. The app uses the enhanced positioning of Galileo, pinpointing every step of the climb and mapping the continuous decision-making process of climbers as they navigate the most secure paths.

“All of the apps presented at the Galileo Innovation Challenge rely on the positioning provided by GNSS and Galileo, the apps that we supported and evaluated as part of the ‘Accuracy Matters’ stream really took advantage of Galileo and dual frequency, to the point that accuracy really determined the outcome and quality of the user experience,” said Justyna Redelkiewicz Musial, in charge of LBS and IoT market development at the GSA.

“App developers are a great community to work with because they completely understand the ‘user-centric’ ethos which is also at the heart of our work at the GSA,” she said.

Quantum leap progress

All the winning apps made quantum leap progress during the 48 hours of the hackathon and made the most of the support provided by the GSA in terms of strategic guidance, technical mentoring and business development.

Along with the cash prizes the top three teams will be able to take advantage of some one-to-one coaching on preparing an application to the Finnish ESA Business Incubation Centre, where the value of the potential incubation amounts to EUR 75 000 EUR. The winning teams will also get the opportunity to network with a wide selection of potential investors at European Space Week, which is taking place immediately after the Galileo Innovation Challenge, at Helsinki Congress Paasitorni on 3-5 December.

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).

Use of European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS, EGNSS) is not restricted to Europe’s borders, and the compatibility of space systems means that users and businesses around the globe are able to benefit from greater coverage, higher accuracy and more confidence in their position fixes thanks to EGNSS. International users are therefore interested in exploring opportunities for greater cooperation with the European space programmes. Horizon 2020 is a key entry point for this.

Horizon 2020 and its successor framework programme Horizon Europe offer excellent opportunities for organisations around the world to team up with entities in the European Union to conduct research and development in a wide range of areas. European GNSS (EGNSS) is one such area and the EGNSS downstream market, in particular, is an ideal forum for international cooperation, with advantages for both sides in terms of new markets and business opportunities.

In this context, participation in Horizon 2020 Calls is an effective driver of international cooperation that strengthens existing and creates new links with non-EU countries. Any H2020 project can include international partners and international participation in these projects brings multiple benefits, including access to knowledge, markets, talent and investment, better research and exploitation and a higher global profile for the projects. Through previous R&I initiatives GSA has established cooperation with a wide network of international EGNSS players and the objective is to strengthen the existing and upcoming link with more countries.

Applicants from non-EU countries are eligible to take part in Horizon 2020 programmes – even if the calls for proposals or topic texts do not explicitly state this. However, they are not always automatically entitled to funding. For a list of countries eligible for Horizon 2020 funding, click here.

Creating international partnerships

EGNSS-related projects funded under Horizon 2020 have already yielded significant successes. One such project is BELS and its successor BELS+. The BELS+ consortium brings together partners from Europe and Southeast Asia with the aim of developing GNSS markets for EU companies in Southeast Asia and helping EGNSS applications gain a foothold in this rapidly growing market. Towards this goal, the project conducts a range of coordinated activities to raise awareness and build capacities for the exploitation of EGNSS technologies in the region.

Watch this:  Galileo Hackathon Bangalore

Likewise, the European GNSS Agency (GSA)-funded GNSS.asia H2020 project aims to stimulate the creation of partnerships between GNSS industries in Europe and Asia, while supporting institutional cooperation and encouraging Galileo adoption. The project is dedicated to GNSS industrial cooperation between Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on the downstream market. The project offers various services, including industry matchmaking and international cooperation events, and has permanent teams in Europe, India, China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

Another example of successful international EGNSS cooperation is the MAGNIFIC project. The core aim of MAGNIFIC (Multiplying in Africa European Global Navigation Initiatives Fostering Interlaced Cooperation), which was funded in the Horizon 2020 1st Galileo call, was to demonstrate the benefits of EGNSS to African stakeholders. The project focused in particular on six priority markets: road, aviation, maritime, precision, agriculture/environment protection, civil protection and surveillance, and LBS.

Read this: Bavaria rings to the sound of BELS+

Last chance before Horizon Europe

Horizon 2020 will draw to a close in 2020, but there is still time to take advantage of the opportunities for international cooperation in the final EGNSS market uptake 2019-2020 Call. This Call, with a total budget of EUR 21 million, opened on 5 November.

Dealing with the development of new innovative applications fostering digitisation, smart mobility, societal resilience and environmental protection and with a brand new topic tailored to public authorities, this is the last Horizon 2020 Call before the launch of its successor framework programme – Horizon Europe.

For more information on the final EGNSS market uptake call, click here. The deadline for submissions is 5 March 2020.

Do you need support in getting in touch with non-EU partners? We can help, as we have particularly active links with:

• UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia
• Northern African countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt
• South Africa
• ASECNA countries
• Israel, Lebanon, Jordan
• Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldavia
• South America: Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay
• Central America: Mexico, Costar Rica, Panama
• Vietnam, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan.
• Australia, New Zealand.

We would be happy to discuss with you, contact us at RESEARCH@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 University of Technology of Compiègne, France, has hosted a live demonstration of the first autonomous vehicle powered by Galileo. As part of this demonstration, a Renault ZOE electric car has been autonomously driven on tracks and on public roads in a world first for the Galileo programme.

Participants in the event had a unique opportunity to ride in an autonomous vehicle fitted with an innovative positioning engine developed by the ESCAPE project - the ESCAPE GNSS engine (EGE). The EGE leverages Galileo signals and services to provide a core positioning component in autonomous vehicles. It was designed and prototyped by the ESCAPE project, funded under the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Fundamental Elements programme.

GSA and European Commission representatives, the French and Spanish national authorities and the automobile industry took part in the demonstration of the Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle.

“The Declaration of Amsterdam already states that the Galileo and EGNOS differentiators -authentication, high accuracy and integrity - are sine qua non conditions for the uptake of autonomous vehicles. Nevertheless, this technological development should aim to be fair, inclusive and green,” said Alvaro Herrero from the Spanish Ministry of Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

Watch this: Driving with Galileo

“GNSS is a key enabling technology towards fully Connected and Automated Driving. What we are witnessing today with the demonstration of the ESCAPE GNSS engine, which leverages Galileo’s multi-frequency and multi-constellation capability, is actually a glimpse of what ‘driving’ will look like in the near future, and is a key milestone bringing us ever closer to full automation,” GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said.

Live demonstrations

Cars equipped with the EGE were showcased in two demonstrations at the event. During the first demo on a Renault ZOE electric car, participants and journalists had a unique opportunity to get on board the vehicle and take a driverless ride on the University of Technology of Compiègne (UTC) track.

“The information available from the Galileo GNSS constellation should contribute to the deployment of vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities and to enhance our location-dependent driving Assistance Systems (ADAS),” said Patrick Bastard, Research Director at Renault Group. “The results from the ESCAPE project on the integrity associated with the estimated vehicle location are very important; they are an enabler for the deployment of any safety critical vehicle application. It tells us about the ‘quality’ of the estimates, thus its usability.”

In the second demo, a second vehicle was driven on a public road in Compiègne to demonstrate the potential of the system in a peri-urban environment. There were no passengers in this car, but the participants were able to watch a live video of the test broadcast via 4G with the estimated position obtained using the EGE along with RTK.

“Galileo will dramatically improve precision and allows us to deploy these vehicles quicker,” said Rémi Bastien, VP automotive prospective at Renault Group.

Localisation workshop

Information sessions on the ESCAPE project, including use cases for autonomous driving, high accuracy and integrity, localisation standards, and HD maps for localisation followed the demos.

A presentation of the TESEO APP receiver from STMicroelectronics, which combines multiple-frequency and multi-constellation tracking and enables autonomous-driving systems to combine precise positioning with sensor data for enhanced performance, safety and reliability was also delivered.

Read this: GNSS and mobility: innovation in motion at ITS Singapore

Following the presentations, a workshop was held on localisation integrity for autonomous driving, with discussions on relative and absolute localisation and integrity estimation for land-based applications.

The ESCAPE prototype

The EGE prototype design includes several major components, including a novel multi-frequency, multi-constellation automotive-grade GNSS receiver. The main distinguishing feature of the ESCAPE receiver is its ability to precisely and simultaneously process signals from two different GNSS bands and from different satellite constellations. Although this capability is common in high-end professional receivers, it is cutting-edge in the automotive Tier-2 panorama.

The receiver is also a first-of-a-kind device in its segment to support the new Navigation Message Authentication (NMA) service of Galileo - the open E1 signal. Finally, the new GNSS receiver comes with several core signal-processing enhancements: better receiver sensitivity and tracking capability, multipath mitigation, more intermediate frequency (IF) channels and flexibility in routing IF samples, jamming detection and mitigation, and optimisation of the GNSS data flow.

The result is an ESCAPE GNSS sensor that combines a high-end GNSS technology traditionally reserved for professional applications, innovative dual-band Galileo processing, as well as all the hardware and software safety aspects that are needed to certify the component for the automotive market.

“When we fund projects in automation we always involve users, in this case the car maker. By funding ESCAPE, currently at level 4 of high automation, we are following our strategy to develop autonomous driving technology one level after the other to reach full automation with the next Horizon 2020 project which will begin in January 2020,” said GSA Market Development Officer Flavio Sbardellati.

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 University of Technology of Compiègne, France, has hosted a live demonstration of the first autonomous vehicle powered by Galileo. As part of this demonstration, a Renault ZOE electric car has been autonomously driven on tracks and on public roads in a world first for the Galileo programme.

Participants in the event had a unique opportunity to ride in an autonomous vehicle fitted with an innovative positioning engine developed by the ESCAPE project - the ESCAPE GNSS engine (EGE). The EGE leverages Galileo signals and services to provide a core positioning component in autonomous vehicles. It was designed and prototyped by the ESCAPE project, funded under the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Fundamental Elements programme.

GSA and European Commission representatives, the French and Spanish national authorities and the automobile industry took part in the demonstration of the Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle.

“The EU, Member states, industry, and other stakeholders have already recognized, in the Declaration of Amsterdam, that the Galileo and Egnos differentiators (authentication, high accuracy and integrity) are sine qua non conditions for the uptake of the automated driving technology. This technology will allow us to make automated vehicles safer, and will bring us closer to our objectives of achieving an inclusive, accessible, affordable and sustainable mobility to all,” said Alvaro Herrero from the Spanish Ministry of Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

Watch this: Driving with Galileo

“GNSS is a key enabling technology towards fully Connected and Automated Driving. What we are witnessing today with the demonstration of the ESCAPE GNSS engine, which leverages Galileo’s multi-frequency and multi-constellation capability, is actually a glimpse of what ‘driving’ will look like in the near future, and is a key milestone bringing us ever closer to full automation,” GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said.

Live demonstrations

Cars equipped with the EGE were showcased in two demonstrations at the event. During the first demo on a Renault ZOE electric car, participants and journalists had a unique opportunity to get on board the vehicle and take a driverless ride on the University of Technology of Compiègne (UTC) track.

“The information available from the Galileo GNSS constellation should contribute to the deployment of vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities and to enhance our location-dependent driving Assistance Systems (ADAS),” said Patrick Bastard, Research Director at Renault Group. “The results from the ESCAPE project on the integrity associated with the estimated vehicle location are very important; they are an enabler for the deployment of any safety critical vehicle application. It tells us about the ‘quality’ of the estimates, thus its usability.”

In the second demo, a second vehicle was driven on a public road in Compiègne to demonstrate the potential of the system in a peri-urban environment. There were no passengers in this car, but the participants were able to watch a live video of the test broadcast via 4G with the estimated position obtained using the EGE along with RTK.

“Galileo will dramatically improve precision and allows us to deploy these vehicles quicker,” said Rémi Bastien, VP automotive prospective at Renault Group.

Localisation workshop

Information sessions on the ESCAPE project, including use cases for autonomous driving, high accuracy and integrity, localisation standards, and HD maps for localisation followed the demos.

A presentation of the TESEO APP receiver from STMicroelectronics, which combines multiple-frequency and multi-constellation tracking and enables autonomous-driving systems to combine precise positioning with sensor data for enhanced performance, safety and reliability was also delivered.

Read this: GNSS and mobility: innovation in motion at ITS Singapore

Following the presentations, a workshop was held on localisation integrity for autonomous driving, with discussions on relative and absolute localisation and integrity estimation for land-based applications.

The ESCAPE prototype

The EGE prototype design includes several major components, including a novel multi-frequency, multi-constellation automotive-grade GNSS receiver. The main distinguishing feature of the ESCAPE receiver is its ability to precisely and simultaneously process signals from two different GNSS bands and from different satellite constellations. Although this capability is common in high-end professional receivers, it is cutting-edge in the automotive Tier-2 panorama.

The receiver is also a first-of-a-kind device in its segment to support the new Navigation Message Authentication (NMA) service of Galileo - the open E1 signal. Finally, the new GNSS receiver comes with several core signal-processing enhancements: better receiver sensitivity and tracking capability, multipath mitigation, more intermediate frequency (IF) channels and flexibility in routing IF samples, jamming detection and mitigation, and optimisation of the GNSS data flow.

The result is an ESCAPE GNSS sensor that combines a high-end GNSS technology traditionally reserved for professional applications, innovative dual-band Galileo processing, as well as all the hardware and software safety aspects that are needed to certify the component for the automotive market.

“When we fund projects in automation we always involve users, in this case the car maker. By funding ESCAPE, currently at level 4 of high automation, we are following our strategy to develop autonomous driving technology one level after the other to reach full automation with the next Horizon 2020 project which will begin in January 2020,” said GSA Market Development Officer Flavio Sbardellati.

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 Tuesday 19 November 2019, a debate entitled ‘Prague’s Guide to the Galaxy: From GSA to EU Agency for the Space Programme’ was held on the premises of Prague House in Brussels. Organised  by the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU, the debate looked at how space data can transform our economy and businesses.

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 Tuesday 19 November 2019, a debate entitled ‘Prague’s Guide to the Galaxy: From GSA to EU Agency for the Space Programme’ was held on the premises of Prague House in Brussels. Organised by the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU, the debate looked at how space data can transform our economy and businesses.

The panel debate featured GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, MEP and member of the EP Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Martina Dlabajová, Director for EU Satellite Navigation Programmes at the European Commission Matthias Petschke, Director of the Intelligent Transport Systems, Space Activities, R&D and Innovation Department at the Czech Ministry of Transport Václav Kobera, and Director of the Prague Project Management Department Jan Dobrovský.

The debate was moderated by Ambassador Jaroslav Zajicek, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to COREPER I (Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union) and, following a welcoming address by Head of the Prague Delegation to the EU Lucie Čadilová, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides spoke about space’s contribution to the European economy.

Enormous potential

“According to our recent GNSS Market Report, the global downstream market revenue from both GNSS devices and services will grow from EUR 150 billion in 2019 to EUR 325 billion in 2029. These figures show us that space already plays a major role in the EU economy, creating opportunities for business and jobs for European citizens,” des Dorides said, adding that this role is at the centre of the new responsibilities of the Agency, which is to  become the EU Space Programme Agency (EUSPA) by January 2021, taking over responsibilities for Copernicus markets uptake also.

Read this: Europe’s economy is increasingly dependent on space

MEP Dlabajová noted that it had been seven years since the administrative centre of the Galileo Navigation System was relocated from Brussels to Prague – a city with a long tradition of space research and industry. She said that this had been a good decision, while also stressing the need to secure adequate funding for the programme. 

“It offers many opportunities including for small and medium-sized enterprises which are core to the European economy. If the EU wants a space strategy with a real impact on our citizens and businesses and to achieve all the commitments and even further goals, we must secure sufficient funding,” she said. 

Bringing space to Earth

At the event, Ambassador Zajicek also highlighted the importance of funding, and expressed the hope that the event would help spread the word about the benefits that EU space activities bring to our everyday lives. “It is crucial that the GSA, and later the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), is well funded so it can continue its tremendous work in bringing space to Earth," he said.

And this: Space programme in focus at Brussels meetings

Representing the business sector on the panel, Luboš Kučera, Managing Director at GISAT, a Czech company providing geo-information services based on Earth Observation technology, spoke about the synergies to be found between Earth observation and GNSS positioning and presented several applications based on these synergies.

The event was very well attended, with several MEPs present, including MEP Christophe Grudler from the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, along with financial attachés from nearly all the EU Member States.

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 Tuesday 19 November 2019, a debate entitled ‘Prague’s Guide to the Galaxy: From GSA to EU Agency for the Space Programme’ was held on the premises of Prague House in Brussels. Organised  by the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU, the debate looked at how space data can transform our economy and businesses.

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 Union’s space infrastructure and know-how provide the assets needed to guarantee leadership in the area of security and defence policy. At a meeting of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) on 12 November European GNSS Agency (GSA) Chief Operating Officer Pascal Claudel spoke about how the European Union's space programmes contribute to its strategic autonomy in the area of security and defence.

Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus offer the European Union and its Member States the fundamental tools needed for independence in decision-making through the navigation, localisation, Earth observation, communication and surveillance services that they provide.

SEDE Committee Chair Nathalie Loiseau opened the meeting with a comment on the security and defence dimension of space, noting that Europe’s economies, societies, infrastructures and public services policies are becoming more and more dependent on space. “Space has become a critical strategic element for developed societies. This makes us vulnerable, so we need to be aware of this in our security and defence policy,” she said. 

In his speech at the meeting, Claudel noted that the new Regulation on the space programme passed in April further strengthens the link between space, defence and security by creating synergies between the fields of navigation, Earth observation and communication. “These synergies will lead to improved applications for the detection and fight against global natural disasters,” he said.

Essential culture of security

Claudel also noted that the development of space surveillance, the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) programme, is essential for ensuring the protection of the EU's space capabilities. The SSA programme is designed to support Europe's independent access and utilisation of space by providing timely and accurate information on the space environment, and particularly hazards to in-orbit and ground infrastructure.

Read this: Europe’s economy is increasingly dependent on space - ITRE committee hears

“Security is one of the 3 major missions entrusted to the GSA, including the Security Accreditation Board (SAB). Although an independent entity, the SAB is supported by the GSA in its mission, which is to ensure compliance between European GNSS standards and the safety regulations of the European Union,” Claudel said. 

He said that, in order to strengthen the EU's Security and Defence Policy, a security culture at the service of the EU's space programmes is essential. “The experience gained by the GSA through the operations of Galileo in terms of security (including cybersecurity) is fundamental to reinforce synergies and the sharing of space resources in the service of our security and security policy,” he said.

Cornerstone of government space use

Along with security, the GSA COO also touched on the other 2 key areas in which the GSA has acquired solid experience that can be put to the service of all the EU’s space programmes when the Agency’s remit is broadened under the aegis of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). These are the PRS and Critical Infrastructure.

The Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS) is an encrypted navigation service for governmental authorised users and sensitive applications that require high continuity. “The PRS service is the cornerstone for governmental use of the European space programmes. It is delivered through  a security chain adapted to the needs of the EU Member States and of the European Union.” Claudel said.

And this: PRS – the future is bright!

He said that this requires continuity of services, efficient operational procedures and a high level of security to protect the entire infrastructure and its communications to end users. “The experience gained from the PRS will be crucial for the handling of Galileo navigation, GovSatCom telecommunication and SSA space surveillance information,” he said.

Essential for strategic autonomy

Regarding the protection of critical infrastructures and their synchronisation with satellite navigation systems, he noted that this synchronisation is currently mainly provided by GPS. “It is therefore important that legislation establishes Galileo ahead of time as the main provider of services, in order to ensure autonomy,” he said, adding that this is particularly important in the context of internal security, transport, energy and telecommunications.

As space policy is an essential dimension of our strategic autonomy, it is essential to preserve the EU’s sensitive technological and industrial capabilities, which means that it is necessary to be very present on the civilian market because of the difference in terms of budget spending by our competitors, he said.

“This is also why a key goal of the GSA is to promote and stimulate the use of European GNSS in all sectors of the market, thus guaranteeing a work plan for our industry and SMEs, job creation and growth at European level,” he 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).

The European Union’s space infrastructure and know-how provide the assets needed to guarantee leadership in the area of security and defence policy. At a meeting of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) on 12 November European GNSS Agency (GSA) Chief Operating Officer Pascal Claudel spoke about how the European Union's space programmes contribute to its strategic autonomy in the area of security and defence.

Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus offer the European Union and its Member States the fundamental tools needed for independence in decision-making through the navigation, localisation, Earth observation, communication and surveillance services that they provide.

SEDE Committee Chair Nathalie Loiseau opened the meeting with a comment on the security and defence dimension of space, noting that Europe’s economies, societies, infrastructures and public services policies are becoming more and more dependent on space. “Space has become a critical strategic element for developed societies. This makes us vulnerable, so we need to be aware of this in our security and defence policy,” she said. 

In his speech at the meeting, Claudel noted that the new Regulation on the space programme passed in April further strengthens the link between space, defence and security by creating synergies between the fields of navigation, Earth observation and communication. “These synergies will lead to improved applications for the detection and fight against global natural disasters,” he said.

Essential culture of security

Claudel also noted that the development of space surveillance, the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) programme, is essential for ensuring the protection of the EU's space capabilities. The SSA programme is designed to support Europe's independent access and utilisation of space by providing timely and accurate information on the space environment, and particularly hazards to in-orbit and ground infrastructure.

Read this: Europe’s economy is increasingly dependent on space - ITRE committee hears

“Security is one of the 3 major missions entrusted to the GSA, including the Security Accreditation Board (SAB). Although an independent entity, the SAB is supported by the GSA in its mission, which is to ensure compliance between European GNSS standards and the safety regulations of the European Union,” Claudel said. 

He said that, in order to strengthen the EU's Security and Defence Policy, a security culture at the service of the EU's space programmes is essential. “The experience gained by the GSA through the operations of Galileo in terms of security (including cybersecurity) is fundamental to reinforce synergies and the sharing of space resources in the service of our security and security policy,” he said.

Cornerstone of government space use

Along with security, the GSA COO also touched on the other 2 key areas in which the GSA has acquired solid experience that can be put to the service of all the EU’s space programmes when the Agency’s remit is broadened under the aegis of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). These are the PRS and Critical Infrastructure.

The Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS) is an encrypted navigation service for governmental authorised users and sensitive applications that require high continuity. “The PRS service is the cornerstone for governmental use of the European space programmes. It is delivered through  a security chain adapted to the needs of the EU Member States and of the European Union.” Claudel said.

And this: PRS – the future is bright!

He said that this requires continuity of services, efficient operational procedures and a high level of security to protect the entire infrastructure and its communications to end users. “The experience gained from the PRS will be crucial for the handling of Galileo navigation, GovSatCom telecommunication and SSA space surveillance information,” he said.

Essential for strategic autonomy

Regarding the protection of critical infrastructures and their synchronisation with satellite navigation systems, he noted that this synchronisation is currently mainly provided by GPS. “It is therefore important that legislation establishes Galileo ahead of time as the main provider of services, in order to ensure autonomy,” he said, adding that this is particularly important in the context of internal security, transport, energy and telecommunications.

As space policy is an essential dimension of our strategic autonomy, it is essential to preserve the EU’s sensitive technological and industrial capabilities, which means that it is necessary to be very present on the civilian market because of the difference in terms of budget spending by our competitors, he said.

“This is also why a key goal of the GSA is to promote and stimulate the use of European GNSS in all sectors of the market, thus guaranteeing a work plan for our industry and SMEs, job creation and growth at European level,” he 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).

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) has issued an Invitation To Tender (ITT) for a service contract on using satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS) for applications such as road tolling or pay-as-you-drive insurance with the aim of developing an appropriate integrity concept for payment/liability critical applications focused on the road sector.

The main tasks of the study are the identification of user and service requirements, the development of an appropriate integrity concept and the definition of the service provision scheme. As part of the user level integrity concept the contractor shall develop an algorithm to cope with the local environment of the road sector.

When defining the service, the contractor shall consider to which extent evolutions of the EGNOS services, user equipment or of the service provision scheme are needed to provide the required integrity assurance. Integrity in this context refers to the level of confidence that can be put in the navigation solution. The On-Board Unit (OBU) will have to allow all the features necessary to trust the position in situations where enforcement, payments and related claims are involved. Since the E-GNSS sensor may just be one component among other sensors, the project shall address what other technologies or components may be needed on top of the current GNSS signals, and what would be the contribution of each element to the overall integrity assurance.

The study will be fully financed by the European Commission under the H2020 framework programme for research and innovation, within the budget allocated to the evolution of EGNOS mission. The European GNSS Agency (GSA) will be in charge of the technical supervision of the project on behalf of the European Commission.

More information about the Invitation to tender can be found here.

Tailored premiums

Pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) and pay-how-you-drive (PHYD) insurance are emerging applications in the road sector that rely on how much, where, when and how the road user drives. These applications make it possible to tailor the premiums paid by the policyholder.

Read this: European GNSS supports smarter mobility

In the future, other road applications such as reconstruction of accidents, mobility as a service, traffic infraction monitoring and fine management, traffic congestion monitoring, automatic charging in car parks, etc. may also rely on the vehicle’s position and navigation data.

Liability and payment-critical applications are highly sensitive to undetected large navigation errors since significant legal or economic consequences for the service or application provider may occur. In fact, a mismatch of the vehicle’s current speed together with erroneous position data may impact the user charging associated with the driving paths, skills and habits of the road user. Afterwards, it becomes very difficult for end users to claim that they are being overcharged or for service providers to avoid undercharging their customers.

Webinar

On 27 November 2019 at 16:00 CET, a webinar on this invitation to tender will be held to provide applicants with information. To register to the webinar click here.

EGNOS is the European SBAS and augments the GPS L1 C/A civilian signal by providing corrections and integrity information for positioning and navigation applications over Europe. EGNOS Version 3, set to enter in service in the near future, will augment both GPS and Galileo constellations in the L1 and L5 bands and will extend the service area to the entire landmasses of EU Member States.

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 released updates to its Reports on User Needs and Requirements. This series of reports is compiled following a systematic process of consultation with the community of users of position, navigation, and time services and technologies. Thanks to these consultations it is possible to take users’ needs and requirements into account in the short and long-term evolution of European GNSS.

The current round of updates to the reports was compiled based on feedback received from the user community at the latest European GNSS User Consultation Platform, held during EU Space Week in Marseille in December 2018. You can find the updated reports here.*

To make it easier for readers to see what has changed, all the updated information in the reports has been highlighted. What’s more, a detailed change log has been included as an annex to each of the reports and is available for download. The new reports have been designated Version 2.0.

The User Consultation Platform

The User Consultation Platform (UCP) is a biennial 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 UCP will take place in 2020. In the meantime, on 3-5 December 2019, European Space Week will take place in Helsinki. This event will include an “E-GNSS User Assembly” where the latest trends in services and technologies will be discussed.

Join us in the ongoing discussion and ensure that future European space programme evolutions meet your needs and requirements by registering to attend European Space Week here.

*Updates to the Aviation and Maritime reports are still pending at this point.

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 Programme was very much in focus at two meetings in Brussels at the start of November. The first, on 5 November, was a meeting of the European Council’s Space Working Party, dealing with space solutions for a sustainable Arctic, while the second, on 6 November, dealt with European space policy – perspectives for business. At both meetings, the invaluable contribution of EGNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) was underscored.

At the 5 November meeting, the discussion held under the Finnish Presidency of the EU highlighted how EGNSS can support its priorities, such as strengthening the EU’s position as a  global leader in climate action, and making the EU more competitive and socially inclusive.

Speaking at the meeting, European GNSS Agency (GSA) Chief Operating Officer Pascal Claudel highlighted achievements on the GNSS market and how EGNSS can contribute to the goals set by the Finnish Presidency by supporting the transition to a low-carbon and circular economy and underpinning the development of smart mobility and smart cities solutions. “Developing the user market and meeting the needs of all market segments through innovative solutions, applications and receivers is a major mission of the GSA,” he said.

Another priority for the Finnish Presidency is to comprehensively protect the security of European citizens. Here too, EGNSS is making a critical contribution, providing high-precision robust timing and synchronization solutions for critical infrastructure, such as energy and telecoms networks and the banking and finance sector. Galileo and EGNOS also support key services in the area of public safety, such as the E112 and eCall emergency response services.

Read this: Space – underpinning the blue economy

The GSA COO stressed that the Agency is ready to provide skills and know-how for the development of innovative solutions, adding that other stakeholders can also contribute to the development of space-driven solutions. “The downstream sector does not require highly specific knowledge of space technology, so SMEs and the industries of EU Member States without a space heritage can participate,” he said.

Perspectives for business

The second event – a seminar on European Space Policy - perspectives for business, was held in the Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU. This event provided an opportunity to debate European space policy and the benefits of developing the space industry, including supporting European competitiveness.

Participants in the seminar discussed Europe’s strong and innovative space industry, citing examples from successful Polish companies, and heard about possibilities emerging from the new EU Space Programme and from synergies in space topics in the research, investment and defence domains (H2020, Horizon Europe, InvestEU, Defence Fund).

Fostering innovative solutions

At the seminar, Claudel highlighted the economic significance of EGNSS. “About 10% of European GDP relies on satellite navigation services and Europe will receive EUR 60 billion in revenue by 2027 thanks to Galileo and EGNOS,” Claudel said. He said that the GSA was fostering innovative solutions and supporting the competitiveness of European companies through Horizon 2020 and the Fundamental Elements financing mechanism.

And this: Final EGNSS calls open under Horizon 2020

Claudel noted that the economic benefits of space would be magnified even further by the opening up of new markets for non-space SMEs, adding that for European citizens to reap the greatest benefit from EU investment in space, there would need to be strong political leadership and a long-term vision for the EU space programme. He said that this would come with the setting up of the new EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA).

“With the new regulation, it will be possible to exploit the strong synergies that exist between Galileo, Copernicus and Govsatcom, in addition to three-dimensional ‘navigation-imagery-telecom’ synergies, allowing you to know where you are, what is around you and how to connect with everyone,” he said.

He also noted the need to involve all actors at EU level in the creation of market opportunities and to promote the use of Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus data and services. Citing the eCall emergency response system as a precedent, he said that it is necessary to foster the use of EU space data as the reference in Europe.

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 Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) has issued a Prior Information Notice (PIN) for a planned call for a new service contract to assess the feasibility of an EGNSS-based safety service for the rail sector beyond 2022 which would make it possible to rationalise rail signalling infrastructure.

When defining the service, the contractor shall produce the service concept and consolidate it through iteration with a Working Group of experts. The analysis will enable the EC to determine whether an EGNOS service needs to be created specifically for rail safety.

The contract notice will be published in the near future. More information can be found in the Prior Information Notice (PIN).

Tailored premiums

Rail signalling systems are used to safely control railway traffic in order to prevent train collisions. There are currently more than 20 rail signalling systems in Europe since each country has developed its own railway infrastructure, equipment and operational rules. This has led to increased costs and technical and operational complexity. Therefore, the European Rail Industry, supported by the EU Institutions, is working on the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), with an aim to implement a common signalling system for Europe.

Read this: Space4Rail: From innovation to implementation.

The European Commission (EC) is currently specifying the long-term evolution of the EGNSS programme, including new services for Galileo and EGNOS. The use of an EGNSS receiver in combination with other sensors could result in the provision of an accurate and reliable position which would translate into an overall improvement in the rail system.

Galileo is Europe’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), providing a highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning service under civilian control. Galileo is operational since the Initial Service declaration at the end of 2016. Full Operational Capability is expected to be reached in 2020.

EGNOS is the European SBAS and augments GPS L1 C/A civilian signal by providing corrections and integrity information for positioning and navigation applications over Europe. EGNOS Version 3, set to enter in service in the near future, will augment both GPS and Galileo constellations in the L1 and L5 bands and will extend the service area to the entire landmasse of EU Member States.

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) threw open its doors for the 5th year in a row on 8-9 November to welcome visitors to the GSA Open Days 2019. With a wide range of activities targeted at the general public, this year’s event received nearly 2000 visitors from the Czech Republic and across Europe, including families with kids, young adults interested in science and technology, space enthusiasts and young professionals interested in technology and EU affairs.

The GSA Open Days give the public an opportunity to learn about and experience applications based on the EU space programmes Galileo and EGNOS. The theme of this year’s event was Accuracy Matters and the importance of accuracy for a wide range of applications was underlined in a series of seminars, quizzes and workshops in Czech and English held at various times throughout both days.

Landing a plane with EGNOS

Over 350 students from Czech schools and universities registered to attend the event, and this number was augmented by visitors from neighbouring schools who dropped by in the afternoon to take part in the many exciting activities on offer. These included the chance to be a pilot and land an airbus A350 using EGNOS. EGNOS is mainly used in aviation and offers tangible benefits to operators using European skies. By minimising the frequency of aborted landings EGNOS helps in reducing CO2 emissions, delays and noise pollution.

Read this: European Space Week: A taste of what to expect

“End users are at the centre of the European space programme, which was developed with the core aim of benefitting the lives of Europeans. Throwing open the doors of our Prague home to the public gives us at the GSA the opportunity to meet with the beneficiaries of Galileo and EGNOS while giving end users the chance to learn more about the GSA and the benefits of Europe’s investment in space,” GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said.

Galileo to the rescue!

Visitors also had for the first time the opportunity to become initiated in cryptography, decrypt messages, and learn more about Galileo security. This section raised a lot of interest amongst visitors.

Galileo's Search and Rescue feature was also in focus, with visitors able to experience a live rescue in the snow-capped Alps with the help of Galileo and be rescued at sea, thanks to Galileo’s added accuracy.

A new addition to this year’s programme focused on the importance of EGNOS in precision agriculture, which is developing at an unprecedented pace with more than 85% of EU farmers now using EGNOS. A farming game gave visitors the chance to test for themselves how EGNOS is optimising tractor use on farms.

And this: MyGalileoApp: the results are in!

With Galileo expected to reach Full Operational Capability in less than 18 months the GSA is growing and, to help meet this demand the GSA’s HR department featured its very own stand at the Open Days to inform visitors about the Agency’s recruitment processes and future openings.

See you next year

In total, GSA staff delivered more than 15 workshops over the 2 days and answered thousands of questions from visitors. Visitors also met with this year’s special guest - Martin Rota, a Czech YouTuber passionate about science and space.

If you were lucky enough to attend this year’s Open Days, then we hope you had an enjoyable visit. If not – then we hope to see you next year, when we will present more success stories from Galileo and EGNOS. In the meantime remember - when close isn’t good enough…#Use Galileo!

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) threw open its doors for the 5th year in a row on 8-9 November to welcome visitors to the GSA Open Days 2019. With a wide range of activities targeted at young people and adults, this year’s event received over 2000 visitors from the Czech Republic and across Europe, including families with kids, young adults interested in science and technology, space enthusiasts and young professionals interested in technology and EU affairs.

The GSA Open Days give the public an opportunity to learn about and experience applications based on the EU space programmes Galileo and EGNOS. The theme of this year’s event was Accuracy Matters and the importance of Galileo’s additional accuracy for a wide range of applications was underlined in a series of seminars, quizzes and workshops in Czech and English held at various times throughout both days.

Landing a plane with EGNOS

Over 350 students from Czech schools and universities registered to attend the event, and this number was augmented by visitors from neighbouring schools who dropped by in the afternoon to take part in the many exciting activities on offer. These included the chance to be a pilot and land an airbus A350 using EGNOS. EGNOS is mainly used in aviation and offers tangible benefits to operators using European skies. By minimising the frequency of aborted landings EGNOS helps in reducing CO2 emissions, delays and noise pollution.

Read this: European Space Week: A taste of what to expect

“End users are at the centre of the European space programme, which was developed with the core aim of benefitting the lives of Europeans. Throwing open the doors of our Prague home to the public gives us at the GSA the opportunity to meet with the beneficiaries of Galileo and EGNOS while giving end users the chance to learn more about the GSA and the benefits of Europe’s investment in space,” GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said.

Galileo to the rescue!

Visitors also had the opportunity to build their own satellites, become initiated in cryptography and decrypt messages, and learn more about Galileo security. Search and rescue was also in focus, with visitors able to experience a live rescue in the snow-capped Alps with the help of Galileo and be rescued at sea, thanks to Galileo’s added accuracy.

A new addition to this year’s programme focused on the importance of EGNOS in precision agriculture, which is developing at an unprecedented pace with more than 85% of EU farmers now using EGNOS. A farming game gave visitors the chance to test for themselves how EGNOS is optimising tractor use on farms.

And this: MyGalileoApp: the results are in!

With Galileo expected to reach Full Operational Capability in less than 18 months the GSA is growing and, to help meet this demand the GSA’s HR department featured its very own stand at the Open Days to inform visitors about the Agency’s recruitment processes and future openings.

See you next year

In total, GSA staff delivered more than 15 workshops over the 2 days and answered thousands of questions from visitors. Visitors also met with this year’s special guest - Martin Rota, a Czech YouTuber passionate about science and space.

If you were lucky enough to attend this year’s Open Days, then we hope you had an enjoyable visit. If not – then we hope to see you next year, when we will present more success stories from Galileo and EGNOS. In the meantime remember - when close isn’t good enough…#Use Galileo!

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) threw open its doors for the 5th year in a row on 8-9 November to welcome visitors to the GSA Open Days 2019. With a wide range of activities targeted at general public, this year’s event received nearly 2000 visitors from the Czech Republic and across Europe, including families with kids, young adults interested in science and technology, space enthusiasts and young professionals interested in technology and EU affairs.

The GSA Open Days give the public an opportunity to learn about and experience applications based on the EU space programmes Galileo and EGNOS. The theme of this year’s event was Accuracy Matters and the importance of accuracy for a wide range of applications was underlined in a series of seminars, quizzes and workshops in Czech and English held at various times throughout both days.

Landing a plane with EGNOS

Over 350 students from Czech schools and universities registered to attend the event, and this number was augmented by visitors from neighbouring schools who dropped by in the afternoon to take part in the many exciting activities on offer. These included the chance to be a pilot and land an airbus A350 using EGNOS. EGNOS is mainly used in aviation and offers tangible benefits to operators using European skies. By minimising the frequency of aborted landings EGNOS helps in reducing CO2 emissions, delays and noise pollution.

Read this: European Space Week: A taste of what to expect

“End users are at the centre of the European space programme, which was developed with the core aim of benefitting the lives of Europeans. Throwing open the doors of our Prague home to the public gives us at the GSA the opportunity to meet with the beneficiaries of Galileo and EGNOS while giving end users the chance to learn more about the GSA and the benefits of Europe’s investment in space,” GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said.

Galileo to the rescue!

Visitors also had for the first time the opportunity to become initiated in cryptography and decrypt messages, and learn more about Galileo security.It raised a huge interest amongst visitors.

"Search and rescue" feature of Galileo was also in focus, with visitors able to experience a live rescue in the snow-capped Alps with the help of Galileo and be rescued at sea, thanks to Galileo’s added accuracy.

A new addition to this year’s programme focused on the importance of EGNOS in precision agriculture, which is developing at an unprecedented pace with more than 85% of EU farmers now using EGNOS. A farming game gave visitors the chance to test for themselves how EGNOS is optimising tractor use on farms.

And this: MyGalileoApp: the results are in!

With Galileo expected to reach Full Operational Capability in less than 18 months the GSA is growing and, to help meet this demand the GSA’s HR department featured its very own stand at the Open Days to inform visitors about the Agency’s recruitment processes and future openings.

See you next year

In total, GSA staff delivered more than 15 workshops over the 2 days and answered thousands of questions from visitors. Visitors also met with this year’s special guest - Martin Rota, a Czech YouTuber passionate about science and space.

If you were lucky enough to attend this year’s Open Days, then we hope you had an enjoyable visit. If not – then we hope to see you next year, when we will present more success stories from Galileo and EGNOS. In the meantime remember - when close isn’t good enough…#Use Galileo!

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).

New technologies that offer safety and efficiency benefits will define the rail system of the future. GNSS is one such technology and is already being used to track rolling-stock, and in passenger information, traffic management and predictive maintenance systems. In his speech at the ERTMS conference #CCRCC2019 “The Engine for the Digital Future,” European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides outlined how his Agency is working with the rail sector.

Over the last few years, the GSA has been working with its partners in the rail and space domains to introduce GNSS into non-safety relevant applications in the rail sector. This work has paid off, and currently more than 30 000 wagons of German rail freight company DB Cargo are equipped with Galileo-enabled telematics devices. Furthermore, 250 TGV trains in France are already using Galileo-enabled receivers and the rollout of these receivers on non-high speed trains is also in the pipeline.

A game changer

In his address at a conference, organised by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) in Valenciennes on October 15-17, the GSA Executive Director noted, however, that when it comes to the use of GNSS in signalling, progress had been slower. “We are simply not there yet and our main objective - to include European GNSS in the evolution of the ERTMS - is still being discussed,” he said.

To this end, the GSA defined a joint roadmap together with UNIFE, CER, Shift2Rail, the ERTMS Users Group and the European Space Agency (ESA) and, in 2016, GNSS entered the rail innovation landscape as an ERTMS game changer in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2016 to formalise an integrated management process for ERTMS deployment in Europe.

Read this: French railways embrace Galileo

Then, in 2017, together with ERA and International Union of Railways (UIC) the GSA participated in the first demonstration of an E-GNSS based virtual balise concept on board a running train on a pilot line in Sardinia, where work is continuing towards possible certification.

“We have also supported the EU railway industry in conducting a large-scale test campaign to define the achievable GNSS performance in the complex railway environment. Our partners in Shift2Rail are using these results to define the suitable architectures for GNSS inclusion in the ERTMS, hopefully within the next release planned for 2023,” des Dorides said.

Exporting innovation

GNSS is already being used in train positioning for safety relevant applications in the United States and a European manufacturer of GNSS chipsets has been selected to equip more than 30 000 miles of track with an augmentation system, improving GNSS performance in terms of accuracy and integrity. “Their receivers, which are Galileo enabled, will also be mounted on all new freight locomotives of the WABTEC Corporation. This is a clear success for a European company, benefitting from innovation and proving the European capacity to drive innovation,” des Dorides said.

Watch this: EGNOS and Galileo for Rail

Noting that GNSS is already supporting safety-relevant and liability-critical applications in other segments, such as aviation and road, des Dorides noted that in rail too, it was time to progress to the demonstration and certification of the technology “to make sure that Europe does not miss the train.”

“The GSA is committed to providing further support to rail stakeholders in this regard. We are ready to tailor our services, such as in case of EGNOS, based on the operational needs and requirements of railways, with properly defined interoperable interfaces,” he said, adding that this was an important element, as the introduction of GNSS into the ERTMS is not about creating space for any vendor-specific or national solutions.

“What we need is continuation of the commitment and collaboration from rail operators, infrastructure managers and the EU railway industry working with us to overcome the ‘last mile’ towards inclusion of interoperable GNSS-based positioning within the next evolutions of the ERTMS,” he 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).

It’s that time of year again. Preparations are already well underway for European Space Week 2019, which this year will take place at the Helsinki Congress Paasitorni in the Finnish capital on December 3-5. The week will be packed full of exciting events ranging from keynotes, discussions and conference sessions, to the E-GNSS User Assembly, a festive awards ceremony and much more.

As in previous years, European Space Week will address space-related topics targeted at various audiences, from policy-makers and start-ups to public authorities and industry players. With its mix of panel discussions, networking opportunities, business matchmaking sessions and exhibitions, EUSW is an ideal forum for a productive exchange of ideas and discussion of current challenges and future trends in the space sector.

This year’s European Space Week will focus on a number of central themes around sustainability. Participants will investigate how space solutions can help to strengthen the EU’s position as a global leader in climate action. Other themes include the new space economy for sustainable growth; the sustainable space economy - saving space for future generations; and space solutions for a sustainable Arctic. For a full programme of the week’s events, click here.

Read this: Galileo and EGNOS featured at InterGEO 2019

As always, European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) will be at the heart of events during Space Week, with an E-GNSS Service Provision Workshop, the E-GNSS User Assembly and a session at which Investors meet Innovators.

E-GNSS in focus

By bringing together stakeholders from across the space ecosystem, European Space Week is an ideal forum to host the E-GNSS User Assembly, which gathers users of position, navigation and time solutions and the organizations involved in the management, service provision and security of Galileo and EGNOS.

At the User Assembly, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) will present an update on GNSS user needs and requirements along with the results of its User Satisfaction Survey. It will also present highlights from the latest GNSS Market Report 2019.

Moreover, keynote speakers representing each market segment and receiver manufacturers will be invited to share the latest trends and applications on consumer solutions, road, aviation, drones, maritime, emergency response, rail, agriculture, geomatics, critical infrastructure and spacecraft.

The E-GNSS Service Provision Workshop will bring together E-GNSS stakeholders, professional and commercial users and application developers to discuss the current status of the EU satellite navigation programmes, and their vision for a stronger EU presence in the satnav applications landscape. There will also be a discussion on the future of EGNSS and the second generation of the Galileo programme. The aim of this session is to ensure that Galileo and EGNOS continue to deliver high quality services, accessible to all in the most cost-efficient manner, and responding to current and future user needs.

And this: Europe’s economy is increasingly dependent on space - ITRE committee hears

Power of synergy

To fully leverage the benefits of the EU space programmes EGNOS, Galileo and Copernicus we need to take a comprehensive look at these programmes. This allows us to see that there are market segments and applications that profit from synergies between E-GNSS and Copernicus and even the GOVSATCOM programme.

The Investors meet Innovators session will give innovators the chance to learn about various private funding opportunities and best practises on how to access funding and sustain their business. At the session, they will be able to engage in intensive discussions with financial partners from various backgrounds such as business angels, venture capitalists, public investment funds, crowd-funding and acceleration programmes.

EUSW will also host an SME Fair, showcasing SMEs developing Galileo, EGNOS or Copernicus-based applications, products and services.

Don’t miss out

Register here to attend European Space Week - Europe’s no. 1 space event. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to discover cutting-edge Galileo and Copernicus applications and meet award-winning entrepreneurs, start-ups and visionaries. During the week, you will also have the opportunity to expand your network and interact with the Earth observation and satellite navigation community and discuss the latest trends with decision-makers, innovators and industry leaders.

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 winners of this year’s MyGalileoApp competition have been announced at a ceremony held at the European GNSS Agency (GSA) headquarters in Prague on November 7. First prize of EUR 100,000 went to ARGEO, a mobile app based on geolocation, augmented reality and blockchain that allows users to discover content such as prizes, coupons and shopping cards geo-located around the streets of a city.

Second prize, worth EUR 50,000, went to the Tractor Navigator app, which provides guidance for farmers driving tractors, enabling them to visualise their position and trajectory in an open field. Finally, the EUR 30,000 third prize went to Ready Park, an app that makes parking easier by pairing drivers leaving a spot with users looking for one.

The 10 finalists from 8 countries made their pitches to a panel of jurors throughout the afternoon of November 7, after which the jury reached its decision on the winning apps. Welcoming the competitors to the finals, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides noted that the 10 finalists had been selected from a total of 150 competing teams, representing more than 35 nationalities.

First place winners ARGEO accepting their prize.

Using Galileo differentiators

“The MyGalileoApp competition is the largest app development competition ever organised within the Galileo programme. After reaching 1 billion smartphones equipped with Galileo earlier this year, the next big challenge is to develop applications that will make best use of the Galileo differentiators,” des Dorides said.

Read this: Galileo Innovators – take up the challenge!

Following the pitches was an investors’ panel, with presentations by experts from various institutions, including venture capital firms and accelerators, providing information on how apps can bridge the gap between great ideas and viable business opportunities.

“Private and public investors will have an opportunity today to expand their investment portfolio with the Galileo apps generated by the competition, helping to transform the apps into commercial successes,” des Dorides said, adding that the goal of the MyGalileoApp competition was not just to make beautiful apps, but to create jobs and generate economic growth. For a full agenda of the day’s events, click here.

About MyGalileoApp

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.

The applications 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

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 Horizon EGNSS market uptake 2019-2020 Call, with a total budget of EUR 21 million, opened on 5 November. Dealing with the development of new innovative applications fostering digitisation, smart mobility, societal resilience and environmental protection and with a brand new topic tailored to public authorities, these is the last Horizon 2020 Call before the launch of its successor framework programme – Horizon Europe. The deadline for submissions is 5 March 2020.

The specific challenge of the ‘GNSS applications fostering green, safe and smart mobility’ topic (LC-SPACE-EGNSS-1-2019-2020) is to develop innovative EGNSS-based applications that lead to low-emission, safer, more secure, lower cost and higher performance mobility. The topic also targets transport solutions that respond to the increased mobility needs of people and goods while improving the continuity of transport services in aviation, rail, road and maritime.

The ‘EGNSS applications fostering digitisation’ topic (DT-SPACE-EGNSS-2-2019-2020) aims at fostering the adoption of EGNOS and Galileo in mass markets and ensuring that users reap the benefits of these programmes. To achieve this, the topic targets applications that make the best use of innovative EGNSS features such as better multipath resistance and authentication, in addition to applications that contribute to the competitiveness of the EGNSS industry in mobile applications, with special focus on the innovative role of SMEs. 

Read this: GNSS and mobility: innovation in motion at ITS Singapore

The third topic in the new call targets ‘EGNSS applications fostering societal resilience and protecting the environment’ (SU-SPACE-EGNSS-3-2019-2020). It aims to develop innovative EGNSS applications in agriculture, mapping and surveying, timing and synchronisation and not only, which will 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 ensure green growth.

Pre-commercial procurement

Finally,  there is a brand new pilot topic ‘EGNSS applications for public authorities' (SPACE-EGNSS-5-2020) with the objective to launch demand-driven actions by public authorities and customise EGNSS applications to their needs. Proposals should build on the procurement needs of the public authorities, should support EGNSS market uptake across Europe and demonstrate the sustainability of solutions beyond the lifespan of the proposed project.  

And this: Galileo Innovators – take up the challenge!

Possible innovation procurement applications include EGNSS for mobility as a service, cooperative ITS, public transport and smart cities, implementation of Performance Based Navigation procedures, integration of EGNSS into U-Space for drones, and others. The European GNSS Agency (GSA) organised a series of webinars in September to explore the potential for pre-commercial procurement in four market segments: aviation, maritime, rail, and timing and synchronisation.

Horizon 2020 Space Info Days and Brokerage Event

In an effort to inform a wide range of stakeholders about the upcoming funding opportunities, the GSA together with the European Commission and the Horizon 2020 Space NCP Network (COSMOS2020plus) jointly hosted the Horizon 2020 Space Info Days and Brokerage event at the GSA’s headquarters in Prague, in September. The event’s first day aimed at informing about the last H2020 Space Calls and other space business while the second day was devoted to public consultation on the new Framework Programme for Research and Innovation “Horizon Europe”.

Over the two day event, more than 150 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, 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 new Horizon EGNSS market uptake 2019-2020 Call, with a total budget of EUR 21 million, opened on 5 November. Dealing with the development of new innovative applications fostering digitisation, smart mobility, societal resilience and environmental protection and with a brand new topic tailored to public authorities, this is the last Horizon 2020 Call before the launch of its successor framework programme – Horizon Europe. The deadline for submissions is 5 March 2020.

The specific challenge of the ‘GNSS applications fostering green, safe and smart mobility’ topic (LC-SPACE-EGNSS-1-2019-2020) is to develop innovative EGNSS-based applications that lead to low-emission, safer, more secure, lower cost and higher performance mobility. The topic also targets transport solutions that respond to the increased mobility needs of people and goods while improving the continuity of transport services in aviation, rail, road and maritime.

The ‘EGNSS applications fostering digitisation’ topic (DT-SPACE-EGNSS-2-2019-2020) aims at fostering the adoption of EGNOS and Galileo in mass markets and ensuring that users reap the benefits of these programmes. To achieve this, the topic targets applications that make the best use of innovative EGNSS features such as better multipath resistance and authentication, in addition to applications that contribute to the competitiveness of the EGNSS industry in mobile applications, with special focus on the innovative role of SMEs. 

Read this: GNSS and mobility: innovation in motion at ITS Singapore

The third topic in the new call targets ‘EGNSS applications fostering societal resilience and protecting the environment’ (SU-SPACE-EGNSS-3-2019-2020). It aims to develop innovative EGNSS applications in agriculture, mapping and surveying, timing and synchronisation and not only, which will 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 ensure green growth.

Pre-commercial procurement

Finally,  there is a brand new pilot topic ‘EGNSS applications for public authorities' (SPACE-EGNSS-5-2020) with the objective to launch demand-driven actions by public authorities and customise EGNSS applications to their needs. Proposals should build on the procurement needs of the public authorities, should support EGNSS market uptake across Europe and demonstrate the sustainability of solutions beyond the lifespan of the proposed project.  

And this: Galileo Innovators – take up the challenge!

Possible innovation procurement applications include EGNSS for mobility as a service, cooperative ITS, public transport and smart cities, implementation of Performance Based Navigation procedures, integration of EGNSS into U-Space for drones, and others. The European GNSS Agency (GSA) organised a series of webinars in September to explore the potential for pre-commercial procurement in four market segments: aviation, maritime, rail, and timing and synchronisation.

Horizon 2020 Space Info Days and Brokerage Event

In an effort to inform a wide range of stakeholders about the upcoming funding opportunities, the GSA together with the European Commission and the Horizon 2020 Space NCP Network (COSMOS2020plus) jointly hosted the Horizon 2020 Space Info Days and Brokerage event at the GSA’s headquarters in Prague, in September. The event’s first day aimed at informing about the last H2020 Space Calls and other space business while the second day was devoted to public consultation on the new Framework Programme for Research and Innovation “Horizon Europe”.

Over the two day event, more than 150 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, 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).

Four new innovation actions, with a total budget of EUR 21 million, opened under the Horizon 2020 call ‘EGNSS market uptake 2019-2020’ on November 5. Dealing with EGNSS applications for pre-commercial procurement and fostering digitisation, smart mobility, societal resilience and environmental protection, these are the last Horizon 2020 calls before the launch of its successor framework programme – Horizon Europe. The deadline for submissions is 5 March 2020.

Among the four new actions, the ‘EGNSS applications fostering digitisation’ topic (DT-SPACE-EGNSS-2-2019-2020) aims at fostering the adoption of EGNSS (EGNOS and Galileo) in mass markets and ensuring that users reap the benefits of these programmes. To achieve this, the topic targets applications that make the best use of innovative EGNSS features such as better multipath resistance and authentication, in addition to applications that contribute to the competitiveness of the EGNSS industry in mobile applications, with special focus on the innovative role of SMEs.

The specific challenge of the ‘GNSS applications fostering green, safe and smart mobility’ topic (LC-SPACE-EGNSS-1-2019-2020) is to develop innovative EGNSS-based applications that lead to low-emission, safer, more secure, lower cost and higher performance mobility. The topic also targets transport solutions that respond to the increased mobility needs of people and goods while improving the continuity of transport services.

Read this: GNSS and mobility: innovation in motion at ITS Singapore

Pre-commercial procurement

The third topic in the new call targets ‘EGNSS applications for public authorities' (SPACE-EGNSS-5-2020). The objective is to launch demand-driven actions by public authorities aimed at customising EGNSS applications to their needs. Proposals should build on the procurement needs of the participating organisations, should support EGNSS market uptake across Europe and demonstrate the sustainability of solutions beyond the lifespan of the proposed project.

Possible innovation procurement applications include EGNSS for mobility as a service, cooperative ITS, public transport and smart cities, implementation of Performance Based Navigation procedures, integration of EGNSS into U-Space for drones, and others. The European GNSS Agency (GSA) organised a series of webinars in September to explore the potential for pre-commercial procurement in four market segments: aviation, maritime, rail, and timing and synchronisation.

And this: Galileo Innovators – take up the challenge!

Innovative applications

Finally, the ‘EGNSS applications fostering societal resilience and protecting the environment’ topic (SU-SPACE-EGNSS-3-2019-2020) 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 ensure green growth.

In an effort to inform a wide range of stakeholders about the upcoming funding opportunities, the GSA and the Horizon 2020 Space NCP Network (COSMOS2020plus) jointly hosted the Horizon 2020 Space Information Day and Brokerage Event at the GSA’s headquarters in Prague, in September. The event presented funding opportunities in Horizon 2020 Space and provided first-hand information on the final Horizon 2020 Space Calls, with a special focus on the EGNSS/GALILEO Call.

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).

Four new innovation actions, with a total budget of EUR 21 million, opened under the Horizon 2020 call ‘EGNSS market uptake 2019-2020’ on November 5. Dealing with EGNSS applications for pre-commercial procurement and fostering digitisation, smart mobility, societal resilience and environmental protection, these are the last Horizon 2020 calls before the launch of its successor framework programme – Horizon Europe. The deadline for submissions is 5 March 2020.

Among the four new actions, the ‘EGNSS applications fostering digitisation’ topic (DT-SPACE-EGNSS-2-2019-2020) aims at fostering the adoption of EGNSS (EGNOS and Galileo) in mass markets and ensuring that users reap the benefits of these programmes. To achieve this, the topic targets applications that make the best use of innovative EGNSS features such as better multipath resistance and authentication, in addition to applications that contribute to the competitiveness of the EGNSS industry in mobile applications, with special focus on the innovative role of SMEs.

The specific challenge of the ‘GNSS applications fostering green, safe and smart mobility’ topic (LC-SPACE-EGNSS-1-2019-2020) is to develop innovative EGNSS-based applications that lead to low-emission, safer, more secure, lower cost and higher performance mobility. The topic also targets transport solutions that respond to the increased mobility needs of people and goods while improving the continuity of transport services.

Read this: GNSS and mobility: innovation in motion at ITS Singapore

Pre-commercial procurement

The third topic in the new call targets ‘EGNSS applications for public authorities' (SPACE-EGNSS-5-2020). The objective is to launch demand-driven actions by public authorities aimed at customising EGNSS applications to their needs. Proposals should build on the procurement needs of the participating organisations, should support EGNSS market uptake across Europe and demonstrate the sustainability of solutions beyond the lifespan of the proposed project.

Possible innovation procurement applications include EGNSS for mobility as a service, cooperative ITS, public transport and smart cities, implementation of Performance Based Navigation procedures, integration of EGNSS into U-Space for drones, and others. The European GNSS Agency (GSA) organised a series of webinars in September to explore the potential for pre-commercial procurement in four market segments: aviation, maritime, rail, and timing and synchronisation.

And this: Galileo Innovators – take up the challenge!

Innovative applications

Finally, the ‘EGNSS applications fostering societal resilience and protecting the environment’ topic (SU-SPACE-EGNSS-3-2019-2020) 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 ensure green growth.

In an effort to inform a wide range of stakeholders about the upcoming funding opportunities, the GSA and the Horizon 2020 Space NCP Network (COSMOS2020plus) jointly hosted the Horizon 2020 Space Information Day and Brokerage Event at the GSA’s headquarters in Prague, in September. The event presented funding opportunities in Horizon 2020 Space and provided first-hand information on the final Horizon 2020 Space Calls, with a special focus on the EGNSS/GALILEO Call.

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 Horizon EGNSS market uptake 2019-2020 Call, with a total budget of EUR 21 million, opened on 5 November. Dealing with the development of new innovative applications fostering digitisation, smart mobility, societal resilience and environmental protection and with a brand new topic tailored to public authorities, these is the last Horizon 2020 Call before the launch of its successor framework programme – Horizon Europe. The deadline for submissions is 5 March 2020.

The specific challenge of the ‘GNSS applications fostering green, safe and smart mobility’ topic (LC-SPACE-EGNSS-1-2019-2020) is to develop innovative EGNSS-based applications that lead to low-emission, safer, more secure, lower cost and higher performance mobility. The topic also targets transport solutions that respond to the increased mobility needs of people and goods while improving the continuity of transport services in aviation, rail, road and maritime.

The ‘EGNSS applications fostering digitisation’ topic (DT-SPACE-EGNSS-2-2019-2020) aims at fostering the adoption of EGNOS and Galileo in mass markets and ensuring that users reap the benefits of these programmes. To achieve this, the topic targets applications that make the best use of innovative EGNSS features such as better multipath resistance and authentication, in addition to applications that contribute to the competitiveness of the EGNSS industry in mobile applications, with special focus on the innovative role of SMEs. 

The third topic in the new call targets ‘EGNSS applications fostering societal resilience and protecting the environment’ (SU-SPACE-EGNSS-3-2019-2020). It aims to develop innovative EGNSS applications in agriculture, mapping and surveying, timing and synchronisation and not only, which will 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 ensure green growth.

Read this: GNSS and mobility: innovation in motion at ITS Singapore

Pre-commercial procurement

Finally,  there is a brand new pilot topic ‘EGNSS applications for public authorities' (SPACE-EGNSS-5-2020) with the objective to launch demand-driven actions by public authorities and customise EGNSS applications to their needs. Proposals should build on the procurement needs of the public authorities, should support EGNSS market uptake across Europe and demonstrate the sustainability of solutions beyond the lifespan of the proposed project.  

Possible innovation procurement applications include EGNSS for mobility as a service, cooperative ITS, public transport and smart cities, implementation of Performance Based Navigation procedures, integration of EGNSS into U-Space for drones, and others. The European GNSS Agency (GSA) organised a series of webinars in September to explore the potential for pre-commercial procurement in four market segments: aviation, maritime, rail, and timing and synchronisation.

And this: Galileo Innovators – take up the challenge!

Horizon 2020 Space Info Days and Brokerage Event

In an effort to inform a wide range of stakeholders about the upcoming funding opportunities, the GSA together with the European Commission and the Horizon 2020 Space NCP Network (COSMOS2020plus) jointly hosted the Horizon 2020 Space Info Days and Brokerage event at the GSA’s headquarters in Prague, in September. The event’s first day aimed at informing about the last H2020 Space Calls and other space business while the second day was devoted to public consultation on the new Framework Programme for Research and Innovation “Horizon Europe”.

Over the two day event, more than 150 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, 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).

Connected and Automated Mobility is poised to transform the movement of people and goods, vehicle ownership and mobility services. Recent technological leaps are rapidly bringing us closer to this new frontier, making transportation safer, more accessible and sustainable. At the ITS World Congress in Singapore, European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides stressed the central role of GNSS in the Connected and Automated Mobility ecosystem.

Positioning is needed everywhere, but it is the area of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) that presents the highest challenges in term of performance. Speaking at a congress plenary session on Advancing Connected and Automated Mobility Deployment on 22 October, the GSA Executive Director said that, thanks to new powerful GNSS signals, such as those provided by the Galileo High Accuracy Service, the industry would be able to offer decimetre-level absolute positioning at a low cost, functioning seamlessly in challenging environments such as deep urban canyons and in low visibility weather conditions.

Paradigm change

With regard to mobility, he noted that Mobility as a Service, for example, would bring about a paradigm change in transportation, made possible by the simultaneous availability of multiple technologies, including satellite-enabled location based services. “Moreover, autonomous vehicles will soon be a reality and we are already working to demonstrate the great potential of EGNOS and Galileo in this area, together with other on-board sensors,” he said, adding that Galileo is the only constellation that will provide authentication of the satellite navigation signal.

Read this: Save the Date: Live demo of first Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle

“In ITS, Horizon 2020 is helping to showcase the full potential of advanced satellite positioning for autonomous vehicles, based on integrated solutions that need to start from low-level signal processing to high-level data fusion in order to get a continuous and reliable positioning,” he said. He also noted that the GSA´s Fundamental Elements programme was funding the development of an E-GNSS engine to provide precise location to critical applications and to a set of diverse in-vehicle applications that improve passenger comfort and make mobility smarter.

Two pillars

At Galileo Mobility Night, a panel discussion at the ITS World Congress organised by GNSS.asia later the same day, des Dorides told participants that GNSS is currently structured around two pillars - the multi-constellation concept and the multi-frequency concept. “Recent developments in technology mean that our devices and handsets can be compatible with three or ever four constellations, which means that our smartphones can choose the best combination of satellites to compute our positioning,” he said.

And this: European GNSS supports smarter mobility

Stressing that Galileo is the only GNSS constellation in which all satellites have multi-frequency capability, he went on to say that multi-frequency means better accuracy, as using two frequencies makes it easier to correct ionospheric errors and mitigate multipath reflections in urban canyons.

Also speaking at Galileo Mobility Night, Dr Johanna Tzanidaki from ERTICO-ITS Europe outlined some of the areas where Galileo’s accuracy is critical. These include automated driving, urban air mobility (drones), logistics, road pricing and congestion charging. “Galileo is also very important in the development of HD maps, and HD maps are the key to automated and autonomous driving, she 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).

Connected and Automated Mobility is poised to transform the movement of people and goods, vehicle ownership and mobility services. Recent technological leaps are rapidly bringing us closer to this new frontier, making transportation safer, more accessible and sustainable. At the ITS World Congress in Singapore, European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides stressed the central role of GNSS in the Connected and Automated Mobility ecosystem.

Positioning is needed everywhere, but it is the area of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) that presents the highest challenges in term of performance. Speaking at a congress plenary session on Advancing Connected and Automated Mobility Deployment on 22 October, the GSA Executive Director said that, thanks to new powerful GNSS signals, such as those provided by the Galileo High Accuracy Service, the industry would be able to offer decimetre-level absolute positioning at a low cost, functioning seamlessly in challenging environments such as deep urban canyons and in low visibility weather conditions.

Paradigm change

With regard to mobility, he noted that Mobility as a Service, for example, would bring about a paradigm change in transportation, made possible by the simultaneous availability of multiple technologies, including satellite-enabled location based services. “Moreover, autonomous vehicles will soon be a reality and we are already working to demonstrate the great potential of EGNOS and Galileo in this area, together with other on-board sensors,” he said, adding that Galileo is the only constellation that will provide authentication of the satellite navigation signal.

Read this: Save the Date: Live demo of first Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle

“In ITS, Horizon 2020 is helping to showcase the full potential of advanced satellite positioning for autonomous vehicles, based on integrated solutions that need to start from low-level signal processing to high-level data fusion in order to get a continuous and reliable positioning,” he said. He also noted that the GSA´s Fundamental Elements programme was funding the development of an E-GNSS engine to provide precise location to critical applications and to a set of diverse in-vehicle applications that improve passenger comfort and make mobility smarter.

Two pillars

At Galileo Mobility Night, a panel discussion at the ITS World Congress organised by GNSS.asia later the same day, des Dorides told participants that GNSS is currently structured around two pillars - the multi-constellation concept and the multi-frequency concept. “Recent developments in technology mean that our devices and handsets can be compatible with three or ever four constellations, which means that our smartphones can choose the best combination of satellites to compute our positioning,” he said.

And this: European GNSS supports smarter mobility

Stressing that Galileo is the only GNSS constellation in which all satellites have multi-frequency capability, he went on to say that multi-frequency means better accuracy, as using two frequencies makes it easier to correct ionospheric errors and mitigate multipath reflections in urban canyons.

Also speaking at Galileo Mobility Night, Dr Johanna Tzanidaki from ERTICO-ITS Europe outlined some of the areas where Galileo’s accuracy is critical. These include automated driving, urban air mobility (drones), logistics, road pricing and congestion charging. “Galileo is also very important in the development of HD maps, and HD maps are the key to automated and autonomous driving, she 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).

5G will deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity that will open the door to a new generation of applications, according to the GNSS Market Report from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), published earlier this month.

The market reports predicts that several mobile 5G commercial launches will take place over the next three years in North America, Asia-Pacific and Europe, with 1.2 billion 5G connections expected in 2025 according to the GSM Association (GSMA). In anticipation of this 5G growth, receiver manufacturers are developing and launching hardware that can meet the increased requirements of the future networks. One such launch is the new GNM181 receiver module from Meinberg, which hit the market at the start of October this year.

Stringent timing requirements

With nanosecond-level timing accuracy, the new Meinberg GNM181 multi-band GNSS receiver module not only meets the most stringent 5G timing requirements, it provides a differential timing mode for highly accurate local timing and built-in security for highest robustness against malicious attacks.

This robustness is particularly relevant for 5G, as the 5G timing and synchronisation function may require more precision and more robustness than 4G, and will face more deployment challenges, such as a large number of sites in difficult locations. Thanks to its multi-constellation capacity (Galileo, GPS, BeiDou, and GLONASS), the receiver is ideal for global deployments and is unaffected by ionospheric errors, with automatic ionospheric correction.

Read this: Demetra delivers dividends for ELPROMA

The variety of inputs and outputs means that the combined GNSS receiver is suitable for a broad range of applications, including time and frequency synchronisation tasks and the measurement of asynchronous time events.

“The strength of Galileo’s signal and its advanced code modulations mean that Galileo is better at mitigating multipath effects. This will be critical for urban 5G networks. The latest offering from Meinberg shows that the industry understands Galileo’s benefits, such as high accuracy timing, and is eager to pass them on to customers,” said GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani.

Robust dual frequency

According to the GNSS Market Report, the availability of accurate, cost effective and robust, dual-frequency GNSS systems, in particular Galileo, will be critical in providing business opportunities within the 5G market. The GNM181 receiver ticks this box also, offering dual frequency support for GPS (L1, L2), Galileo (E1, E5), GLONASS (L1OF, L2OF) and Beidou (B1l, B2l) with a new multi-band antenna.

And this: NaviSoC: leveraging Galileo’s dual-frequency precision for the mass market

The module is fully compatible with Meinberg’s Intelligent Modular Synchronisation (IMS) product family, which means that the GNM181 clock module can be installed in any clock slot on all IMS systems. Users can easily add the GNM181 as a second, redundant clock module to their already deployed IMS systems or field-replace their current IMS clock modules with the new GNM181 multiband receiver board.

The modular approach of the IMS platform allows field replacement and hot-swap capabilities for modules and power supplies. This concept makes the platforms future-proof and expandable by making it possible to add or replace modules when new technologies or interfaces are required.

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 run up to European Space Week (EUSW), Helsinki will play host to another exciting space-related event. The Galileo Innovation Challenge will be held at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The competition includes an Accuracy Matters challenge from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), so if you have an idea for an app that leverages Galileo’s added accuracy, sign up now to be in the running for some amazing prizes!

The European GNSS Agency is partnering up with Ultrahack, the Finish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week to bring you the Galileo Innovator Challenge, which will include individual specific challenges - the Accuracy Matters challenge from the GSA, "Can you identify interference?" challenge from DA-Group and a high accuracy GNSS in robotics challenge from u-blox.

Accuracy Matters

The Accuracy Matters challenge will see innovators and developers from around the world working to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases. Participants should design, develop, and demonstrate a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from the enhanced accuracy provided by Galileo. 

Read this: MyGalileoApp enters the final stage

The challenge targets applications and solutions in a number of domains, particularly mobility, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart cities and GNSS scientific applications, and the aim is to develop an app for either smartphones or wearables, focusing on outdoor positioning.

Some Key Dates

• Informational webinar: 4 November 2019
• Submission deadline: 23:59 EET on 15 November 2019
• Final selection announcement: 18 November, 2019
• Galileo Innovation Challenge: 29 November – 1 December 2019

What’s in it for you?

A webinar will be organised on 4 November 2019 for anybody interested in taking part in the challenge. Participants in the webinar will learn about GNSS market trends and application areas and get an overview of methods to improve accuracy in an outdoor setting, such as by using GNSS raw measurements. Teams and individuals can use this opportunity to explore how their solution would fit the challenge. For more information and 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).

In the run up to European Space Week (EUSW), Helsinki will play host to another exciting space-related event. The Galileo Innovator Challenge will be held at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The competition includes an Accuracy Matters challenge from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), so if you have an idea for an app that leverages Galileo’s added accuracy, sign up now to be in the running for some amazing prizes!

The European GNSS Agency is partnering up with Ultrahack, the Finish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week to bring you the Galileo Innovator Challenge, which will include individual specific challenges - the Accuracy Matters challenge from the GSA, an interference challenge from DA-Group and a GNSS in robotics challenge from u-blox.

Accuracy Matters

The Accuracy Matters challenge will see innovators and developers from around the world working to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases. Participants should design, develop, and demonstrate a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from the enhanced accuracy provided by Galileo. 

Read this: MyGalileoApp enters the final stage

The challenge targets applications and solutions in a number of domains, particularly mobility, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart cities and GNSS scientific applications, and the aim is to develop an app for either smartphones or wearables, focusing on outdoor positioning.

Some Key Dates

• Informational webinar: 4 November 2019

• Submission deadline: 23:59 on 15 November 2019

• Final selection announcement: 18 November, 2019

• Galileo Innovator Challenge: 29 November – 1 December 2019

What’s in it for you?

A webinar will be organised on 4 November 2019 for anybody interested in taking part in the challenge. Participants in the webinar will learn about GNSS market trends and application areas and get an overview of methods to improve accuracy in an outdoor setting, such as by using GNSS raw measurements. Teams and individuals can use this opportunity to explore how their solution would fit the challenge. For more information and 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).

In the run up to European Space Week (EUSW), Helsinki will play host to another exciting space-related event. The Galileo Innovation Challenge will be held at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The competition includes an Accuracy Matters challenge from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), so if you have an idea for an app that leverages Galileo’s added accuracy, sign up now to be in the running for some amazing prizes!

The European GNSS Agency is partnering up with Ultrahack, the Finish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week to bring you the Galileo Innovator Challenge, which will include individual specific challenges - the Accuracy Matters challenge from the GSA, "Can you identify interference?" challenge from DA-Group and a high accuracy GNSS in robotics challenge from u-blox.

Accuracy Matters

The Accuracy Matters challenge will see innovators and developers from around the world working to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases. Participants should design, develop, and demonstrate a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from the enhanced accuracy provided by Galileo. 

Read this: MyGalileoApp enters the final stage

The challenge targets applications and solutions in a number of domains, particularly mobility, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart cities and GNSS scientific applications, and the aim is to develop an app for either smartphones or wearables, focusing on outdoor positioning.

Some Key Dates

• Informational webinar: 15:15 EET on 4 November 2019
• Submission deadline: 23:59 EET on 15 November 2019
• Final selection announcement: 18 November, 2019
• Galileo Innovation Challenge: 29 November – 1 December 2019

What’s in it for you?

A webinar will be organised on 4 November 2019 for anybody interested in taking part in the challenge. Participants in the webinar will learn about GNSS market trends and application areas and get an overview of methods to improve accuracy in an outdoor setting, such as by using GNSS raw measurements. Teams and individuals can use this opportunity to explore how their solution would fit the challenge. For more information and 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).

In the run up to European Space Week (EUSW), Helsinki will play host to another exciting space-related event. The Galileo Innovation Challenge will be held at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The competition includes an Accuracy Matters challenge from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), so if you have an idea for an app that leverages Galileo’s added accuracy, sign up now to be in the running for some amazing prizes!

The European GNSS Agency is partnering up with Ultrahack, the Finish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week to bring you the Galileo Innovation Challenge, which will include individual specific challenges - the Accuracy Matters challenge from the GSA, "Can you identify interference?" challenge from DA-Group and a high accuracy GNSS in robotics challenge from u-blox.

Accuracy Matters

The Accuracy Matters challenge will see innovators and developers from around the world working to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases. Participants should design, develop, and demonstrate a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from the enhanced accuracy provided by Galileo. 

Read this: MyGalileoApp enters the final stage

The challenge targets applications and solutions in a number of domains, particularly mobility, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart cities and GNSS scientific applications, and the aim is to develop an app for either smartphones or wearables, focusing on outdoor positioning.

Some Key Dates

• Informational webinar: 15:15 EET on 4 November 2019
• Submission deadline: 23:59 EET on 15 November 2019
• Final selection announcement: 18 November, 2019
• Galileo Innovation Challenge: 29 November – 1 December 2019

What’s in it for you?

A webinar will be organised on 4 November 2019 for anybody interested in taking part in the challenge. Participants in the webinar will learn about GNSS market trends and application areas and get an overview of methods to improve accuracy in an outdoor setting, such as by using GNSS raw measurements. Teams and individuals can use this opportunity to explore how their solution would fit the challenge. For more information and 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).

In the run up to European Space Week (EUSW), Helsinki will play host to another exciting space-related event. The Galileo Innovator Challenge will be held at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The competition includes an Accuracy Matters challenge from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), so if you have an idea for an app that leverages Galileo’s added accuracy, sign up now to be in the running for some amazing prizes!

The European GNSS Agency is partnering up with Ultrahack, the Finish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week to bring you the Galileo Innovator Challenge, which will include individual specific challenges - the Accuracy Matters challenge from the GSA, an interference challenge from DA-Group and a GNSS in robotics challenge from u-blox.

Accuracy Matters

The Accuracy Matters challenge will see innovators and developers from around the world working to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases. Participants should design, develop, and demonstrate a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from the enhanced accuracy provided by Galileo. 

Read this: MyGalileoApp enters the final stage

The challenge targets applications and solutions in a number of domains, particularly mobility, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart cities and GNSS scientific applications, and the aim is to develop an app for either smartphones or wearables, focusing on outdoor positioning.

Some Key Dates

• Informational webinar: 4 November 2019

• Submission deadline: 23:59 EET on 15 November 2019

• Final selection announcement: 18 November, 2019

• Galileo Innovator Challenge: 29 November – 1 December 2019

What’s in it for you?

A webinar will be organised on 4 November 2019 for anybody interested in taking part in the challenge. Participants in the webinar will learn about GNSS market trends and application areas and get an overview of methods to improve accuracy in an outdoor setting, such as by using GNSS raw measurements. Teams and individuals can use this opportunity to explore how their solution would fit the challenge. For more information and 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).

In the run up to European Space Week (EUSW), Helsinki will play host to another exciting space-related event. The Galileo Innovation Challenge will be held at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The competition includes an Accuracy Matters challenge from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), so if you have an idea for an app that leverages Galileo’s added accuracy, sign up now to be in the running for some amazing prizes!

The European GNSS Agency is partnering up with Ultrahack, the Finish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week to bring you the Galileo Innovator Challenge, which will include individual specific challenges - the Accuracy Matters challenge from the GSA, an interference challenge from DA-Group and a GNSS in robotics challenge from u-blox.

Accuracy Matters

The Accuracy Matters challenge will see innovators and developers from around the world working to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases. Participants should design, develop, and demonstrate a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from the enhanced accuracy provided by Galileo. 

Read this: MyGalileoApp enters the final stage

The challenge targets applications and solutions in a number of domains, particularly mobility, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart cities and GNSS scientific applications, and the aim is to develop an app for either smartphones or wearables, focusing on outdoor positioning.

Some Key Dates

• Informational webinar: 4 November 2019

• Submission deadline: 23:59 EET on 15 November 2019

• Final selection announcement: 18 November, 2019

• Galileo Innovation Challenge: 29 November – 1 December 2019

What’s in it for you?

A webinar will be organised on 4 November 2019 for anybody interested in taking part in the challenge. Participants in the webinar will learn about GNSS market trends and application areas and get an overview of methods to improve accuracy in an outdoor setting, such as by using GNSS raw measurements. Teams and individuals can use this opportunity to explore how their solution would fit the challenge. For more information and 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).

In the run up to European Space Week (EUSW), Helsinki will play host to another exciting space-related event. The Galileo Innovation Challenge will be held at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The competition includes an Accuracy Matters challenge from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), so if you have an idea for an app that leverages Galileo’s added accuracy, sign up now to be in the running for some amazing prizes!

The European GNSS Agency is partnering up with Ultrahack, the Finish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week to bring you the Galileo Innovator Challenge, which will include individual specific challenges - the Accuracy Matters challenge from the GSA, an interference challenge from DA-Group and a GNSS in robotics challenge from u-blox.

Accuracy Matters

The Accuracy Matters challenge will see innovators and developers from around the world working to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases. Participants should design, develop, and demonstrate a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from the enhanced accuracy provided by Galileo. 

Read this: MyGalileoApp enters the final stage

The challenge targets applications and solutions in a number of domains, particularly mobility, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart cities and GNSS scientific applications, and the aim is to develop an app for either smartphones or wearables, focusing on outdoor positioning.

Some Key Dates

• Informational webinar: 4 November 2019

• Submission deadline: 23:59 EET on 15 November 2019

• Final selection announcement: 18 November, 2019

• Galileo Innovation Challenge: 29 November – 1 December 2019

What’s in it for you?

A webinar will be organised on 4 November 2019 for anybody interested in taking part in the challenge. Participants in the webinar will learn about GNSS market trends and application areas and get an overview of methods to improve accuracy in an outdoor setting, such as by using GNSS raw measurements. Teams and individuals can use this opportunity to explore how their solution would fit the challenge. For more information and 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).

In the run up to European Space Week (EUSW), Helsinki will play host to another exciting space-related event. The Galileo Innovation Challenge will be held at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The competition includes an Accuracy Matters challenge from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), so if you have an idea for an app that leverages Galileo’s added accuracy, sign up now to be in the running for some amazing prizes!

The European GNSS Agency is partnering up with Ultrahack, the Finish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week to bring you the Galileo Innovator Challenge, which will include individual specific challenges - the Accuracy Matters challenge from the GSA, an interference challenge from DA-Group and a GNSS in robotics challenge from u-blox.

Accuracy Matters

The Accuracy Matters challenge will see innovators and developers from around the world working to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases. Participants should design, develop, and demonstrate a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from the enhanced accuracy provided by Galileo. 

Read this: MyGalileoApp enters the final stage

The challenge targets applications and solutions in a number of domains, particularly mobility, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart cities and GNSS scientific applications, and the aim is to develop an app for either smartphones or wearables, focusing on outdoor positioning.

Some Key Dates

• Informational webinar: 4 November 2019

• Submission deadline: 23:59 EET on 15 November 2019

• Final selection announcement: 18 November, 2019

• Galileo Innovation Challenge: 29 November – 1 December 2019

What’s in it for you?

A webinar will be organised on 4 November 2019 for anybody interested in taking part in the challenge. Participants in the webinar will learn about GNSS market trends and application areas and get an overview of methods to improve accuracy in an outdoor setting, such as by using GNSS raw measurements. Teams and individuals can use this opportunity to explore how their solution would fit the challenge. For more information and 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).

In the run up to European Space Week (EUSW), Helsinki will play host to another exciting space-related event. The Galileo Innovation Challenge will be held at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The competition includes an Accuracy Matters challenge from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), so if you have an idea for an app that leverages Galileo’s added accuracy, sign up now to be in the running for some amazing prizes!

The European GNSS Agency is partnering up with Ultrahack, the Finish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week to bring you the Galileo Innovator Challenge, which will include individual specific challenges - the Accuracy Matters challenge from the GSA, an interference challenge from DA-Group and a GNSS in robotics challenge from u-blox.

Accuracy Matters

The Accuracy Matters challenge will see innovators and developers from around the world working to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases. Participants should design, develop, and demonstrate a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from the enhanced accuracy provided by Galileo. 

Read this: MyGalileoApp enters the final stage

The challenge targets applications and solutions in a number of domains, particularly mobility, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart cities and GNSS scientific applications, and the aim is to develop an app for either smartphones or wearables, focusing on outdoor positioning.

Some Key Dates

• Informational webinar: 4 November 2019
• Submission deadline: 23:59 EET on 15 November 2019
• Final selection announcement: 18 November, 2019
• Galileo Innovation Challenge: 29 November – 1 December 2019

What’s in it for you?

A webinar will be organised on 4 November 2019 for anybody interested in taking part in the challenge. Participants in the webinar will learn about GNSS market trends and application areas and get an overview of methods to improve accuracy in an outdoor setting, such as by using GNSS raw measurements. Teams and individuals can use this opportunity to explore how their solution would fit the challenge. For more information and 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).

In the run up to European Space Week (EUSW), Helsinki will play host to another exciting space-related event. The Galileo Innovator Challenge will be held at Traficom Headquarters - Dynamicum, in Helsinki on 29 November – 1 December. The competition includes an Accuracy Matters challenge from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), so if you have an idea for an app that leverages Galileo’s added accuracy, sign up now to be in the running for some amazing prizes!

The European GNSS Agency is partnering up with Ultrahack, the Finish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and European Space Week to bring you the Galileo Innovator Challenge, which will include individual specific challenges - the Accuracy Matters challenge from the GSA, an interference challenge from DA-Group and a GNSS in robotics challenge from u-blox.

Accuracy Matters

The Accuracy Matters challenge will see innovators and developers from around the world working to either create a new app or enhance an existing one to demonstrate how accurate positioning adds value in a variety of use cases. Participants should design, develop, and demonstrate a beta version of an innovative application that benefits from the enhanced accuracy provided by Galileo.

Read this: MyGalileoApp enters the final stage

The challenge targets applications and solutions in a number of domains, particularly mobility, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart cities and GNSS scientific applications, and the aim is to develop an app for either smartphones or wearables, focusing on outdoor positioning.

Some Key Dates

• Pre-challenge date: 29 October 2019.

• Informational webinar: 4 November 2019

• Submission deadline: 23:59 on 15 November 2019

• Final selection announcement: 18 November, 2019

• Galileo Innovator Challenge: 29 November – 1 December 2019

What’s in it for you?

In addition to the admiration of your peers and the glory of winning, the top three teams stand to win cash prizes of EUR 3 000, EUR 2 000 and EUR 1 000 respectively. Also up for grabs is some one-to-one coaching on preparing an application to the Finnish ESA Business Incubation Centre, where the value of the potential incubation amounts to EUR 75 000 EUR.

In addition to cash prizes, the winning teams will also get the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a wide selection of potential investors at European Space Week, which will be held at Helsinki Congress Paasitorni on 3-5 December.

And this: GNSS Market Report downloaded 1,000 times in first 24 hours

A webinar will be organised on 4 November 2019 for anybody interested in taking part in the challenge. Participants in the webinar will learn about GNSS market trends and application areas and get an overview of methods to improve accuracy in an outdoor setting, such as by using GNSS raw measurements. Teams and individuals can use this opportunity to explore how their solution would fit the challenge. For more information and 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).

By providing reliable and accurate positioning for the automotive industry, European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) supports innovative applications that are underpinning the smart mobility solutions of the future. The European GNSS Agency (GSA) showcased a number of cutting-edge automotive projects that leverage Galileo’s added accuracy at its stand at this year’s ITS World Congress in Singapore.

A range of automotive safety and liability functions benefit from the enhanced performance provided by Galileo. These include precise navigation systems, autonomous vehicles and assisted driving, cooperative ITS, and usage-based insurance and road pricing schemes, in addition to automated eCall emergency response and intelligent speed adaptation. All of these functions require secure and robust positioning, and this was the focus of many of the projects showcased at the GSA stand.

Security and robustness

One of the projects showcased was Foster ITS/DracoNav. This project is developing the first highly-secure GNSS receiver for ITS, supporting Galileo OS authentication and providing the highest levels of robustness and security. FOSTER ITS products will be Galileo, EGNOS, GPS and GLONASS-enabled and will offer greater resilience against an increasing range of GNSS threats by detecting attacks, informing users about the reliability of the positioning, and providing proof of the integrity and origin of position, velocity and time data.

Read this: Save the Date: Live demo of first Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle

Also focused on resilience to attack, the GalilEo Authenticated Robust timing System (GEARS) project aims to provide a Galileo-based timing receiver for critical infrastructure. The prototype to be developed and validated will embed relevant new technologies and innovations to reach the required level of security and robustness. The receiver will provide improved robustness against GNSS spoofing and jamming threats with RF interference detection and mitigation techniques.

Focused on security in the more general sense of the word, the TransSec project is developing an intelligent road transport security system in response to the recent rise in vehicular terror attacks across Europe. Using the reliability provided by Galileo, TransSec has 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 that can be used for movement monitoring, critical area alarm, pre-crash object detection and non-defeatable emergency manoeuvres.

New generation applications

In automotive transport, lane-level positioning and map matching are among the biggest challenges for navigation systems. To meet this challenge, the inLane project is proposing a new generation of low-cost, lane-level, precise turn-by-turn navigation applications through the fusion of EGNSS and Computer Vision technology. With the help of crowdsourced real-time updates, inLane will generate local dynamic maps (LDM) that provide advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) with enhanced dynamic scene information.

Watch this: European GNSS for Smart Mobility

The PATROL (Position Authenticated Tachograph foR OSNMA Launch) project is developing the first external GNSS facility for smart tachographs, with Galileo Open Service Authentication (OS-NMA). The project is developing a user terminal that benefits from Galileo authentication, allowing users to verify that the navigation data received from satellites is genuine. The user terminal is compliant with the new tachographs regulation, which entered into force in June 2019. It provides trusted position and time using satellite navigation systems, acting as an external GNSS facility (EGF) for smart tachographs.

Finally, German certification and testing organisation NavCert was present at the GSA booth, where it introduced projects it is assessing in the areas of automated driving, robust timing, railway optimisation, eCall emergency response and unmanned aerial systems.

ITS World Congress

The ITS World Congress is an annual international conference and exhibition focused on Intelligent Transport Systems. The 2019 Congress theme of “Smart Mobility, Empowering Cities” reflects how harnessing technologies and digital innovations will empower cities to overcome transportation challenges and shape the new mobility landscape.

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).

Connected and Automated Driving is transforming the way vehicles are operated and integrated in the connected mobility ecosystem, and Europe’s GNSS programme Galileo is at the heart of this transformation. Join us at the University of Technology of Compiègne, France, on 27 November for a live demonstration of the first Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle made in the EU and see for yourself how Galileo is driving the future of autonomous vehicles.

Participants in the day-long event will have a unique opportunity to ride in an autonomous vehicle fitted with a Galileo-enabled ESCAPE GNSS engine (EGE). The EGE is an innovative positioning engine that leverages the Galileo signals and services to provide a core positioning component in autonomous vehicles. It was designed and prototyped by the ESCAPE project, funded under the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Fundamental Elements programme.

Live demonstrations

Cars equipped with this engine will be showcased in two demonstrations at the event. The first demo will involve two Renault Zoe electric cars being (autonomously) driven at the same time. During the demo, participants and journalists will have a unique opportunity to get on board the vehicles and take a driverless ride on the University of Technology of Compiègne (UTC) track.

Read this: ESCAPE project launches positioning module for autonomous driving

In the second demo, a third vehicle will be driven on a public road in Compiègne to demonstrate its performance in a peri-urban environment. There will be no passengers in this car, but the participants will be able to watch a live video of the test broadcast via 4G with the estimated position obtained using the EGE along with RTK. The demos will be followed by a Q&A session where journalists and other participants will be able to put their questions to the developers of the engine.

“The EGE hardware has been developed based on state-of-the-art practices in the design of automotive electronic control units and is based on the first automotive grade GNSS and Galileo receiver. As a result, all of its interfaces and configurations have been developed to be fully compliant with the most widely recognised trends in the sector,” said GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani.

Participation in the event is free of charge, but places are limited. So if you are interested in the future of mobility and would like to take part in this exciting live demo, sign up now!

Localisation workshop

The demos will be followed by a series of presentations on the ESCAPE project, including use cases for autonomous driving, high accuracy and integrity, localisation standards, and HD maps for localisation. There will also be a presentation of the TESEO APP receiver from STMicroelectronics, which combines multiple-frequency and multi-constellation tracking and enables autonomous-driving systems to combine precise positioning with sensor data for enhanced performance, safety and reliability.

Following the presentations, there will be a workshop on localisation integrity for autonomous driving, with discussions on relative and absolute localisation and integrity estimation for land-based applications. All in all, this is a not-to-be-missed event for anybody interested in intelligent transport systems and autonomous driving.

The ESCAPE prototype

The EGE prototype design includes several major components, including a novel multi-frequency, multi-constellation automotive-grade GNSS receiver. The main distinguishing feature of the ESCAPE receiver is its ability to precisely and simultaneously process signals from two different GNSS bands and from different satellite constellations. Although this capability is common in high-end professional receivers, it is cutting-edge in the automotive Tier-2 panorama.

And this: European GNSS supports smarter mobility

The receiver is also a first-of-a-kind device in its segment to support the new Navigation Message Authentication (NMA) service of Galileo, the additional anti-spoofing service to be offered by Galileo on the open E1 signal. Finally, the new GNSS receiver comes with several core signal-processing enhancements: better receiver sensitivity and tracking capability, multipath mitigation, more intermediate frequency (IF) channels and flexibility in routing IF samples, jamming detection and mitigation, and optimisation of the GNSS data flow.

The result is an ESCAPE GNSS sensor that combines a high-end GNSS technology traditionally reserved for professional applications, innovative dual-band Galileo processing, as well as all the hardware and software safety aspects that are needed to certify the component for the automotive market.

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).

Connected and Automated Driving is transforming the way vehicles are operated and integrated in the connected mobility ecosystem, and Europe’s GNSS programme Galileo is at the heart of this transformation. Join us at the University of Technology of Compiègne, France, on 27 November for a live demonstration of the first Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle made in the EU and see for yourself how Galileo is driving the future of autonomous vehicles.

Participants in the day-long event will have a unique opportunity to ride in an autonomous vehicle fitted with a Galileo-enabled ESCAPE GNSS engine (EGE). The EGE is an innovative positioning engine that leverages the Galileo signals and services to provide a core positioning component in autonomous vehicles. It was designed and prototyped by the ESCAPE project, funded under the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Fundamental Elements programme.

Live demonstrations

Cars equipped with this engine will be showcased in two demonstrations at the event. The first demo will involve two Renault Zoe electric cars being (autonomously) driven at the same time. During the demo, participants and journalists will have a unique opportunity to get on board the vehicles and take a driverless ride on the University of Technology of Compiègne (UTC) track.

Read this: ESCAPE project launches positioning module for autonomous driving

In the second demo, a third vehicle will be driven on a public road in Compiègne to demonstrate its performance in a peri-urban environment. There will be no passengers in this car, but the participants will be able to watch a live video of the test broadcast via 4G with the estimated position obtained using the EGE equipped with the RTK high accuracy technique. The demos will be followed by a Q&A session where journalists and other participants will be able to put their questions to the developers of the engine.

“The EGE hardware has been developed based on state-of-the-art practices in the design of automotive electronic control units and is based on the first automotive grade GNSS and Galileo receiver. As a result, all of its interfaces and configurations have been developed to be fully compliant with the most widely recognised trends in the sector,” said GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani.

Participation in the event is free of charge, but places are limited. So if you are interested in the future of mobility and would like to take part in this exciting live demo, sign up now!

Localisation workshop

The demos will be followed by a series of presentations on the ESCAPE project, including use cases for autonomous driving, high accuracy and integrity, localisation standards, and HD maps for localisation. There will also be a presentation of the TESEO APP receiver from STMicroelectronics, which combines multiple-frequency and multi-constellation tracking and enables autonomous-driving systems to combine precise positioning with sensor data for enhanced performance, safety and reliability.

Following the presentations, there will be a workshop on localisation integrity for autonomous driving, with discussions on relative and absolute localisation and integrity estimation for land-based applications. All in all, this is a not-to-be-missed event for anybody interested in intelligent transport systems and autonomous driving.

The ESCAPE prototype

The EGE prototype design includes several major components, including a novel multi-frequency, multi-constellation automotive-grade GNSS receiver. The main distinguishing feature of the ESCAPE receiver is its ability to precisely and simultaneously process signals from two different GNSS bands and from different satellite constellations. Although this capability is common in high-end professional receivers, it is cutting-edge in the automotive Tier-2 panorama.

And this: European GNSS supports smarter mobility

The receiver is also a first-of-a-kind device in its segment to support the new Navigation Message Authentication (NMA) service of Galileo, the additional anti-spoofing service to be offered by Galileo on the open E1 signal. Finally, the new GNSS receiver comes with several core signal-processing enhancements: better receiver sensitivity and tracking capability, multipath mitigation, more intermediate frequency (IF) channels and flexibility in routing IF samples, jamming detection and mitigation, and optimisation of the GNSS data flow.

The result is an ESCAPE GNSS sensor that combines a high-end GNSS technology traditionally reserved for professional applications, innovative dual-band Galileo processing, as well as all the hardware and software safety aspects that are needed to certify the component for the automotive market.

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).

Connected and Automated Driving is transforming the way vehicles are operated and integrated in the connected mobility ecosystem, and Europe’s GNSS programme Galileo is at the heart of this transformation. Join us at the University of Technology of Compiègne, France, on 27 November for a live demonstration of the first Galileo-enabled autonomous vehicle made in the EU and see for yourself how Galileo is driving the future of autonomous vehicles.

Participants in the day-long event will have a unique opportunity to ride in an autonomous vehicle fitted with a Galileo-enabled ESCAPE GNSS engine (EGE). The EGE is an innovative positioning engine that leverages the Galileo signals and services to provide a core positioning component in autonomous vehicles. It was designed and prototyped by the ESCAPE project, funded under the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Fundamental Elements programme.

Live demonstrations

Cars equipped with this engine will be showcased in two demonstrations at the event. The first demo will involve two Renault Zoe electric cars being (autonomously) driven at the same time. During the demo, participants and journalists will have a unique opportunity to get on board the vehicles and take a driverless ride on the University of Technology of Compiègne (UTC) track.

Read this: ESCAPE project launches positioning module for autonomous driving

In the second demo, a third vehicle will be driven on a public road in Compiègne to demonstrate its performance in a peri-urban environment. There will be no passengers in this car, but the participants will be able to watch a live video of the test broadcast via 4G with the estimated position obtained using the EGE equipped with the RTK high accuracy technique. The demos will be followed by a Q&A session where journalists and other participants will be able to put their questions to the developers of the engine.

“The EGE hardware has been developed based on state-of-the-art practices in the design of automotive electronic control units and is based on the first automotive grade GNSS and Galileo receiver. As a result, all of its interfaces and configurations have been developed to be fully compliant with the most widely recognised trends in the sector,” said GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani.

Participation in the event is free of charge, but places are limited. So if you are interested in the future of mobility and would like to take part in this exciting live demo, sign up now!

Localisation workshop

The demos will be followed by a series of presentations on the ESCAPE project, including use cases for autonomous driving, high accuracy and integrity, localisation standards, and HD maps for localisation. There will also be a presentation of the TESEO APP receiver from STMicroelectronics, which combines multiple-frequency and multi-constellation tracking and enables autonomous-driving systems to combine precise positioning with sensor data for enhanced performance, safety and reliability.

Following the presentations, there will be a workshop on localisation integrity for autonomous driving, with discussions on relative and absolute localisation and integrity estimation for land-based applications. All in all, this is a not-to-be-missed event for anybody interested in intelligent transport systems and autonomous driving.

The ESCAPE prototype

The EGE prototype design includes several major components, including a novel multi-frequency, multi-constellation automotive-grade GNSS receiver. The main distinguishing feature of the ESCAPE receiver is its ability to precisely and simultaneously process signals from two different GNSS bands and from different satellite constellations. Although this capability is common in high-end professional receivers, it is cutting-edge in the automotive Tier-2 panorama.

And this: European GNSS supports smarter mobility

The receiver is also a first-of-a-kind device in its segment to support the new Navigation Message Authentication (NMA) service of Galileo, the additional anti-spoofing service to be offered by Galileo on the open E1 signal. Finally, the new GNSS receiver comes with several core signal-processing enhancements: better receiver sensitivity and tracking capability, multipath mitigation, more intermediate frequency (IF) channels and flexibility in routing IF samples, jamming detection and mitigation, and optimisation of the GNSS data flow.

The result is an ESCAPE GNSS sensor that combines a high-end GNSS technology traditionally reserved for professional applications, innovative dual-band Galileo processing, as well as all the hardware and software safety aspects that are needed to certify the component for the automotive market.

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 Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) has issued a Prior Information Notice (PIN) for a planned call for a new service contract on using satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS) for applications such as road tolling or pay-as-you-drive insurance with the aim of developing an appropriate integrity concept for payment/liability critical applications focused on the road sector.

When defining the service, the contractor shall consider to which extent evolutions of the EGNOS services, user equipment or the service provision scheme are needed to provide the required integrity assurance. Integrity in this context refers to the level of confidence that can be put in the navigation solution. The On-Board Unit (OBU) will have to allow all the features necessary to trust the position in situations where enforcement, payments and related claims are involved.

Since the E-GNSS sensor may just be one component among other sensors, the project shall address what other technologies or components may be needed on top of the current GNSS signals, and what would be the contribution of each element to the overall integrity assurance.

The contract notice will be published in the near future. More information can be found in the Prior Information Notice (PIN).

Tailored premiums

Pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) and pay-how-you-drive (PHYD) insurance are emerging applications in the road sector that rely on how much, where, when and how the road user drives. These applications make it possible to tailor the premiums paid by the policyholder.

Read this: European GNSS supports smarter mobility

In the future, other road applications such as reconstruction of accidents, mobility as a service, traffic infraction monitoring and fine management, traffic congestion monitoring, automatic charging in car parks, etc. may also rely on the vehicle’s position and navigation data.

EGNOS is the European SBAS and augments GPS L1 C/A civilian signal by providing corrections and integrity information for positioning and navigation applications over Europe. EGNOS Version 3, set to enter in service in the near future, will augment both GPS and Galileo constellations in the L1 and L5 bands and will extend the service area to the entire landmasses of EU Member States.

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).

Final preparations are underway as the October 21 deadline approaches for the 10 finalists in this year’s MyGalileoApp competition to deliver a finalised version of their app. All the teams to successfully complete the second development phase will be invited to the award ceremony, to be held at the Prague headquarters of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) on 7 November 2019, where they will present their apps to a GSA evaluation board. To register to attend the event, click here.

The finalists will be welcomed to the awards ceremony by GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and Matthias Petschke, Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes at the European Commission. Then, following an introduction by GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani and a keynote on “How to create a successful app” by Google Geospatial Technologist Ed Parsons, the finalists will make their pitches.

The pitches will be made in two stages, with five teams pitching first, followed by demonstrations of their apps and a speech by a MyGalileoApp mentor. Then the second five teams will pitch and demonstrate their projects. The awards will be decided after these pitches and the awards will be presented at a special ceremony to be held in the evening. Check out the agenda here.

Read this: GSA releases 6th GNSS Market Report

So, who are the finalists?

Of the 10 finalists, four are in the Augmented Reality and Games innovation area: uMaze (Finland) creates mazes in specific outdoor areas in which users can play; while ARGEO (Italy) allows users to discover content such as prizes, coupons and shopping cards geo-located around the streets of a city. The app from STPR (Poland, Australia, Ukraine) combines a virtual environment with game-related physical experiences in the real world, and arstory (Germany) is a complete augmented reality ecosystem based on Galileo location and virtual objects in the real world.

The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area accounts for three of the 10 finalists. The Ready Park app (France) makes parking easier by pairing drivers leaving a spot with users looking for one. GALILEONAUT (France) is a mobile app that helps sailors to navigate inside a port or a marina and provides a link to the harbour master's office, while the Trukatu app (Spain) is a mobile C2C platform that connects people who want to rent or lease items with owners who have items to rent out.

Two of the shortlisted projects fall in the Fitness, Sport and mHealth category. The first of these - PanPan - Possible Assistance Needed (Germany) - serves as backup safety solution for potentially dangerous activities that may leave users in need of assistance, while the second - LetMeAut (Italy) - makes everyday tasks easier for people with autism.

Finally, the Mapping, GIS and Agriculture innovation area accounts for one app among the top 10 shortlisted projects. Tractor Navigator (France) provides guidance for farmers driving tractors, enabling them to visualise their current position and trajectory in an open field.

And this: Galileo and EGNOS featured at InterGEO 2019

Awards ceremony

Following the pitches, there will be an investors’ panel, with presentations by experts from various institutions, from the European Investment Bank to venture capital firms and accelerators, providing information on how apps can bridge the gap between great ideas and viable business opportunities. In general, there will be many business opportunities to explore from among the MyGalileoApp projects, so if you are an investor looking to invest in forward-looking GNSS-based applications register here to take advantage of this unparalleled networking opportunity.

Finally, after careful deliberation of the pitches and presentations made earlier, the GSA evaluation board will be ready to announce the winners and hand out the awards. The first-place winner will receive a EUR 100,000 prize. The runner up and third place winners will receive EUR 50,000 and EUR 30,000 respectively. The award ceremony will also include a speech by motivational speaker and explorer Johan Ernst Nilson.

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).

Final preparations are underway as the October 21 deadline approaches for the 10 finalists in this year’s MyGalileoApp competition to deliver a finalised version of their app. All the teams to successfully complete the second development phase will be invited to the award ceremony, to be held at the Prague headquarters of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) on 7 November 2019, where they will present their apps to a GSA evaluation board. To register to attend the event, click here.

The finalists will be welcomed to the awards ceremony by GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and Matthias Petschke, Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes at the European Commission. Then, following an introduction by GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani and a keynote on “How to create a successful app” by Google Geospatial Technologist Ed Parsons, the finalists will make their pitches.

The pitches will be made in two stages, with five teams pitching first, followed by demonstrations of their apps and a speech by a MyGalileoApp mentor. Then the second five teams will pitch and demonstrate their projects. The awards will be decided after these pitches and the awards will be presented at a special ceremony to be held in the evening. Check out the agenda here.

Read this: GSA releases 6th GNSS Market Report

So, who are the finalists?

Of the 10 finalists, four are in the Augmented Reality and Games innovation area: uMaze (Finland) creates mazes in specific outdoor areas in which users can play; while ARGEO (Italy) allows users to discover content such as prizes, coupons and shopping cards geo-located around the streets of a city. The app from STPR (Poland, Australia, Ukraine) combines a virtual environment with game-related physical experiences in the real world, and arstory (Germany) is a complete augmented reality ecosystem based on Galileo location and virtual objects in the real world.

The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area accounts for three of the 10 finalists. The Ready Park app (France) makes parking easier by pairing drivers leaving a spot with users looking for one. GALILEONAUT (France) is a mobile app that helps sailors to navigate inside a port or a marina and provides a link to the harbour master's office, while the Trukatu app (Spain) is a mobile C2C platform that connects people who want to rent or lease items with owners who have items to rent out.

Two of the shortlisted projects fall in the Fitness, Sport and mHealth category. The first of these - PanPan - Possible Assistance Needed (Germany) - serves as backup safety solution for potentially dangerous activities that may leave users in need of assistance, while the second - LetMeAut (Italy) - makes everyday tasks easier for people with autism.

Finally, the Mapping, GIS and Agriculture innovation area accounts for one app among the top 10 shortlisted projects. Tractor Navigator (France) provides guidance for farmers driving tractors, enabling them to visualise their current position and trajectory in an open field.

And this: Galileo and EGNOS featured at InterGEO 2019

Awards ceremony

Following the pitches, there will be an investors’ panel, with presentations by experts from various institutions, from the European Investment Bank to venture capital firms and accelerators, providing information on how apps can bridge the gap between great ideas and viable business opportunities. In general, there will be many business opportunities to explore from among the MyGalileoApp projects, so if you are an investor looking to invest in forward-looking GNSS-based applications register here to take advantage of this unparalleled networking opportunity.

Finally, after careful deliberation of the pitches and presentations made earlier, the GSA evaluation board will be ready to announce the winners and hand out the awards. The first-place winner will receive a EUR 100,000 prize. The runner up and third place winners will receive EUR 50,000 and EUR 30,000 respectively. The award ceremony will also include a speech by motivational speaker and explorer Johan Ernst Nilson.

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).

Final preparations are underway as the October 21 deadline approaches for the 10 finalists in this year’s MyGalileoApp competition to deliver a finalised version of their app. All the teams to successfully complete the second development phase will be invited to the award ceremony, to be held at the Prague headquarters of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) on 7 November 2019, where they will present their apps to a GSA evaluation board. To register to attend the event, click here.

The finalists will be welcomed to the awards ceremony by GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and Matthias Petschke, Director of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes at the European Commission. Then, following an introduction by GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani and a keynote on “How to create a successful app” by Google Geospatial Technologist Ed Parsons, the finalists will make their pitches.

The pitches will be made in two stages, with five teams pitching first, followed by demonstrations of their apps and a speech by a MyGalileoApp mentor. Then the second five teams will pitch and demonstrate their projects. The awards will be decided after these pitches and the awards will be presented at a special ceremony to be held in the evening. Check out the agenda here.

Read this: GSA releases 6th GNSS Market Report

So, who are the finalists?

Of the 10 finalists, four are in the Augmented Reality and Games innovation area: uMaze (Finland) creates mazes in specific outdoor areas in which users can play; while ARGEO (Italy) allows users to discover content such as prizes, coupons and shopping cards geo-located around the streets of a city. The app from STPR (Poland, Australia, Ukraine) combines a virtual environment with game-related physical experiences in the real world, and arstory (Germany) is a complete augmented reality ecosystem based on Galileo location and virtual objects in the real world.

The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area accounts for three of the 10 finalists. The Ready Park app (France) makes parking easier by pairing drivers leaving a spot with users looking for one. GALILEONAUT (France) is a mobile app that helps sailors to navigate inside a port or a marina and provides a link to the harbour master's office, while the Trukatu app (Spain) is a mobile C2C platform that connects people who want to rent or lease items with owners who have items to rent out.

Two of the shortlisted projects fall in the Fitness, Sport and mHealth category. The first of these - PanPan - Possible Assistance Needed (Germany) - serves as backup safety solution for potentially dangerous activities that may leave users in need of assistance, while the second - LetMeAut (Italy) - makes everyday tasks easier for people with autism.

Finally, the Mapping, GIS and Agriculture innovation area accounts for one app among the top 10 shortlisted projects. Tractor Navigator (France) provides guidance for farmers driving tractors, enabling them to visualise their current position and trajectory in an open field.

And this: Galileo and EGNOS featured at InterGEO 2019

Awards ceremony

Following the pitches, there will be an investors’ panel, with presentations by experts from various institutions, from the European Investment Bank to venture capital firms and accelerators, providing information on how apps can bridge the gap between great ideas and viable business opportunities. In general, there will be many business opportunities to explore from among the MyGalileoApp projects, so if you are an investor looking to invest in forward-looking GNSS-based applications register here to take advantage of this unparalleled networking opportunity.

Finally, after careful deliberation of the pitches and presentations made earlier, the GSA evaluation board will be ready to announce the winners and hand out the awards. The first-place winner will receive a EUR 100,000 prize. The runner up and third place winners will receive EUR 50,000 and EUR 30,000 respectively. The award ceremony will also include a speech by motivational speaker and explorer Johan Ernst Nilson.

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 sixth issue of the GNSS Market Report from the European GNSS Agency (GSA) has been downloaded over 1,000 times since it was published on the GSA website on October 15. With its comprehensive overview of the current status and future trends on the global GNSS market, the report was eagerly awaited by all market players, from global corporations and SMEs to R&D organisations and academia.

Regularly referenced by policy-makers and business leaders around the world, the GNSS Market Report serves as the go-to resource for anybody requiring an in-depth look at GNSS market opportunities and trends across key market segments. The previous issue of the Market Report has been downloaded over 60,000 times since it was published in 2017.

Read this: GSA releases 6th GNSS Market Report

“Given the dynamism of the GNSS market, we anticipated that there would be high demand for the latest issue of the GNSS Market Report with its valuable insights and forecasts. The number of downloads in the first day of publication is a clear indicator of how highly it is valued as a resource by all stakeholders in the GNSS ecosystem,” said GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani.

To read the report in full, download it for free here.

The structure of this year’s report has changed slightly compared to previous years and the number of GNSS market segments reviewed has increased to 10, to better reflect the situation on the market and to enable more specific and accurate findings. The market segments in this year’s report are: Consumer Solutions, Road, Manned Aviation, Drones, Maritime, Emergency Response, Rail, Agriculture, Geomatics and Critical Infrastructure.

GSA Reports

The GNSS Market Report is one of a series of intelligence reports produced by the GSA. It is published every two years. The Market Report alternates with the GNSS User Technology Report, which takes an in-depth look at the state-of-the-art in GNSS receiver technology and provides expert analysis on the evolutionary trends that are set to define the dynamic global GNSS user technology industry.

Other reports produced by the GSA include Reports on User Needs and Requirements for Position, Navigation and Time, which are the outcome of the European GNSS User Consultation Platform – the next meeting of which will take place at European Space Week in December. These reports provide an overview of GNSS trends across a broad range of applications, along with in-depth analysis of user needs and requirements applicable to specific market segments.

For a full list of GSA publications, 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 sixth issue of the GNSS Market Report from the European GNSS Agency (GSA) has been downloaded over 1,000 times since it was published on the GSA website on October 15. With its comprehensive overview of the current status and future trends on the global GNSS market, the report was eagerly awaited by all market players, from global corporations and SMEs to R&D organisations and academia.

Regularly referenced by policy-makers and business leaders around the world, the GNSS Market Report serves as the go-to resource for anybody requiring an in-depth look at GNSS market opportunities and trends across key market segments. The previous issue of the Market Report has been downloaded over 60,000 times since it was published in 2017.

Read this: GSA releases 6th GNSS Market Report

“Given the dynamism of the GNSS market, we anticipated that there would be high demand for the latest issue of the GNSS Market Report with its valuable insights and forecasts. The number of downloads in the first day of publication is a clear indicator of how highly it is valued as a resource by all stakeholders in the GNSS ecosystem,” said GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani.

To read the report in full, download it for free here.

The structure of this year’s report has changed slightly compared to previous years and the number of GNSS market segments reviewed has increased to 10, to better reflect the situation on the market and to enable more specific and accurate findings. The market segments in this year’s report are: Consumer Solutions, Road, Manned Aviation, Drones, Maritime, Emergency Response, Rail, Agriculture, Geomatics and Critical Infrastructure.

GSA Reports

The GNSS Market Report is one of a series of intelligence reports produced by the GSA. It is published every two years. The Market Report alternates with the GNSS User Technology Report, which takes an in-depth look at the state-of-the-art in GNSS receiver technology and provides expert analysis on the evolutionary trends that are set to define the dynamic global GNSS user technology industry.

Other reports produced by the GSA include Reports on User Needs and Requirements for Position, Navigation and Time, which are the outcome of the European GNSS User Consultation Platform – the next meeting of which will take place at European Space Week in December. These reports provide an overview of GNSS trends across a broad range of applications, along with in-depth analysis of user needs and requirements applicable to specific market segments.

For a full list of GSA publications, 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 InterGEO conference and trade show continues to be a positive occasion to highlight Europe's GNSS services in the fields of geodesy, geo-information, land management and related areas.

With over half a million event website users and over 16,000 visitors from 92 countries at the conference and trade show, InterGEO is one of the key platforms for industry dialogue around the world. The event covers a wide variety of fields, ranging from surveying, geo-information, remote sensing and photogrammetry to complementary solutions and technologies. 

Shared space with Copernicus

As such, InterGEO is the ideal platform for highlighting both of Europe's flagship space programmes, Galileo and Copernicus. Speaking at the shared Galileo and Copernicus stand at InterGEO 2019, GSA Market Development Officer Reinhard Blasi said: "This is now the third time that we have shared a common space with Copernicus at this event. The GNSS community of course knows about Galileo, but we really have a lot to gain by looking more closely at Copernicus." Copernicus is Europe's space-based earth observation and monitoring programme. Like Galileo, it delivers data openly and freely in a wide range of application areas, with both operational data and information services.

"The joint use of EGNSS, Galileo and EGNOS, and Earth observation data enables a number of applications of great interest to the mapping and surveying communities. There are a big number of potential value-added applications for the agriculture sector, for smart cities, road transport, maritime navigation, emergency and crisis management, in addition to utilities and many others,” Blasi said.

Read this: EGNSS and EO: A promising convergence for sustainable development

"These synergies exist in many market segments," he said, "for example in biomass monitoring, hydrographical offshore surveying or border surveillance. There are other examples in the area of precision agriculture, where Copernicus can deliver very detailed information about soil humidity and composition, which you can then use to generate metre- and centimetre-level maps of soil parameters." Farmers can then overlay Galileo- and EGNOS-generated location maps to guide targeted irrigation and other operations in their fields. In another vital area, that of environmental management, Copernicus delivers key information on the state of forests, water quality and snow cover, while again Galileo and EGNOS can provide precise guidance to specific areas of interest.

Based on the level of interest shown by the numerous visitors at the Galileo and Copernicus display, the EU space programmes are likely to remain a fixture at the event. The next InterGEO will take place in Berlin, 2020!

CLGE winner

InterGEO was also the scene of the 8th CLGE Students’ Contest award ceremony, including the GSA special prize encouraging innovative ideas leveraging the use of EGNOS, Galileo and Copernicus. This year’s winner of the GSA category was Pablo Pinto Santos, from Universitat Politècnica de València, with his paper titled “GNSS Open Service Case Study: Development of SW Tools for Assessing GPS and GALILEO Positioning Performances by Means of Post-Processing Single-Frequency Pseudorange Observations”.

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 InterGEO conference and trade show continues to be a positive occasion to highlight Europe's GNSS services in the fields of geodesy, geo-information, land management and related areas.

With over half a million event website users and over 16,000 visitors from 92 countries at the conference and trade show, InterGEO is one of the key platforms for industry dialogue around the world. The event covers a wide variety of fields, ranging from surveying, geo-information, remote sensing and photogrammetry to complementary solutions and technologies. 

Shared space with Copernicus

As such, InterGEO is the ideal platform for highlighting both of Europe's flagship space programmes, Galileo and Copernicus. Speaking at the shared Galileo and Copernicus stand at InterGEO 2019, GSA Market Development Officer Reinhard Blasi said: "This is now the third time that we have shared a common space with Copernicus at this event. The GNSS community of course knows about Galileo, but we really have a lot to gain by looking more closely at Copernicus." Copernicus is Europe's space-based earth observation and monitoring programme. Like Galileo, it delivers data openly and freely in a wide range of application areas, with both operational data and information services.

"The joint use of EGNSS, Galileo and EGNOS, and Earth observation data enables a number of applications of great interest to the mapping and surveying communities. There are a big number of potential value-added applications for the agriculture sector, for smart cities, road transport, maritime navigation, emergency and crisis management, in addition to utilities and many others,” Blasi said.

Read this: EGNSS and EO: A promising convergence for sustainable development

"These synergies exist in many market segments," he said, "for example in biomass monitoring, hydrographical offshore surveying or border surveillance. There are other examples in the area of precision agriculture, where Copernicus can deliver very detailed information about soil humidity and composition, which you can then use to generate metre- and centimetre-level maps of soil parameters." Farmers can then overlay Galileo- and EGNOS-generated location maps to guide targeted irrigation and other operations in their fields. In another vital area, that of environmental management, Copernicus delivers key information on the state of forests, water quality and snow cover, while again Galileo and EGNOS can provide precise guidance to specific areas of interest.

Based on the level of interest shown by the numerous visitors at the Galileo and Copernicus display, the EU space programmes are likely to remain a fixture at the event. The next InterGEO will take place in Berlin, 2020!

CLGE winner

InterGEO was also the scene of the 8th CLGE Students’ Contest award ceremony, including the GSA special prize encouraging innovative ideas leveraging the use of EGNOS, Galileo and Copernicus. This year’s winner of the GSA category was Pablo Pinto Santos, from Universitat Politècnica de València, with his paper titled “GNSS Open Service Case Study: Development of SW Tools for Assessing GPS and GALILEO Positioning Performances by Means of Post-Processing Single-Frequency Pseudorange Observations”.

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 market is developing rapidly. Demand for precise location information is also growing and the evolution of GNSS technology is ongoing. In this environment, the 6th issue of the GSA GNSS Market Report, officially launched today, is a valuable tool enabling all stakeholders to skilfully navigate and benefit from the flourishing GNSS market.

The 6th issue of the GSA’s GNSS Market Report provides comprehensive information on the dynamic global GNSS market along with in-depth analysis of the latest global trends and developments.

Key findings from the report:

• Global GNSS downstream market revenue from both devices and services will grow from €150 bln in 2019 to €325 bln in 2029;
• The global installed base of GNSS devices in use will increase from 6.4 bln in 2019 to 9.6 bln in 2029;
• In 2017, European companies accounted for an estimated 27% of the global GNSS market;
• In 2029, revenue from GNSS added value services will amount to €166 bln, accounting for 51% of total global GNSS revenue.

Growth on the GNSS market will be stimulated by global macro trends such as digitalisation, big data, the sharing economy and artificial intelligence, all of which use GNSS for position, navigation and timing. In combination with other technologies, GNSS will also contribute to tackling the climate change challenge by supporting environmentally friendly transport solutions, sustainable agriculture and meteorological monitoring.

To read the report in full, download it for free here.

A valuable resource

“The GNSS market is at a very exciting stage in its development and will expand rapidly in the coming years. By offering a comprehensive overview of the current market situation, along with forecasts of how the market is likely to develop to 2029, the latest issue of the GSA Market Report is a valuable resource for all GNSS market stakeholders,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “This is a real tool that European companies can use to develop their market entry strategies for new products and services.”

Regularly referenced by policy-makers and business leaders around the world, the GNSS Market Report serves as the go-to resource for anybody requiring an in-depth look at GNSS market opportunities and trends across key market segments.

“The analysis and data-based forecasts in the GNSS Market Report are eagerly awaited by all GNSS market stakeholders. The previous issue of the Market Report was downloaded over 60,000 times since it was published in 2017, and the report has served as a key tool for GNSS market players from global corporations and SMEs to R&D organisations and academia,” said GSA Chief Operating Officer Pascal Claudel. “The high number of downloads is a clear indicator of the value that is placed on the unique blend of GNSS market intelligence and expertise that the GSA and its staff has acquired over the years,” he said.

What’s new in issue 6?

In the 2019 edition of the GNSS Market Report, the number of GNSS market segments reviewed has increased to 10: Consumer Solutions, Road, Manned Aviation, Drones, Maritime, Emergency Response, Rail, Agriculture, Geomatics and Critical Infrastructure. 

This allows more specific and accurate findings:

• Road and Consumer Solutions dominate all other market segments in terms of cumulative revenue, and will account for a combined 93.3% in 2019-2029;
• Of the remaining revenue, more than 50% will be generated by Agriculture and Geomatics;
• Drones have become a significant GNSS market segment, exceeding mature segments such as maritime, aviation and agriculture in terms of shipments.

The New Space market is the focus of the Editor’s Special section in this year’s report. This section examines key trends behind the rapid growth in the number of spacecraft in use, with a particular focus on growth in private low Earth orbit (LEO) service providers and on Galileo’s contribution to the Space Service Volume (SSV).

“In the latest version of the GNSS Market Report, we have updated the market segments to better reflect the actual situation on the market. This section of the report provides analysis of key trends and recent developments in each segment, along with predictions on how the market will evolve, allowing readers to keep track of developments as they unfold on this dynamic market,” said Fiammetta Diani, the GSA’s Head of Market Development.

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 and EGNOS were the focus of attention at a special workshop at this year's InterGEO in Stuttgart. InterGEO is the world's leading conference and trade fair for geodesy, geo-information and land management.

InterGEO provided an opportunity to give an update on the status of the Galileo and EGNOS programmes and to present user case studies at a special workshop focusing on the geomatics market. 

In his presentation at the conference, Eduard Escalona, Market Development Innovation Officer at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), stressed the key role of GNSS. “GNSS is a cornerstone in many areas: It is a fundamental element for cadastral surveying, in the construction sector, in mining, land surveying and mapping activities, for all geographic information systems (GIS), for infrastructure monitoring and for marine surveying. For all of you who are working in these and many other areas, Galileo is now helping to provide the GNSS services you need," he said.

Dual frequency boosting market

The European GNSS programmes, Galileo and EGNOS, continue to move forward in terms of adoption by the professional market and among general users, thanks in no small part to the development of dual-frequency capability.

Traditionally, mobile, location-based applications have been powered by single-frequency GNSS receivers operating under stringent battery-power and footprint constraints. With a dual-frequency chipset, these devices now benefit from better accuracy, ionosphere error cancellation, improved tracking and better multipath resistance.

Read this: European GNSS supports smarter mobility

Galileo, as it happens, is 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. Market uptake of Galileo receivers has been impressive; in addition to the geomatics-related areas of particular interest to the InterGEO public, dual-frequency GNSS chipsets are also appearing in the automotive sector, where connected cars and autonomous vehicles present a clear and pressing need for accurate and reliable positioning information.

New services to come

"To date, more than one billion Galileo-enabled devices have been sold," said Escalona, "but Galileo isn't standing still, waiting. We are proposing new services to appear in the coming years." These include the much-anticipated High-Accuracy Service (HAS) and a new Authentication Service. "The HAS will be a free, globally available service providing an accuracy of 20 cm, with PPP [Precise Point Positioning] corrections." Meanwhile, the Authentication Service (OS-NMA) will provide protection against jamming, spoofing and meaconing on the E1B signal and a separate Signal Authentication Service (SAS) will provide an even higher level of protection on the E6 signal.

"EGNOS is currently working with GPS but of course we are looking forward to augmenting Galileo in the near future," said Sergio Cabrera Bona, EGNOS Service Adoption Tools Engineer at the European Satellite Services Provider, whose core activities comprise EGNOS operations and service provision.

And this: GSA GNSS Market Report

"GNSS is critical in all of these fields, whether it is mapping and GIS, farming, forestry, thermal pictures, management of natural terrains," Cabrera said. He went on to list some other areas, including management and inspection of utilities, power networks, water supply, telecoms, drones, inventory, surveying, field campaigns and determination of perimeters in agriculture as other areas where GNSS plays a key role. 

"It is not possible to mention all of the activities where you need reliable positioning. What you have to know is that with EGNOS augmentations you already have a horizontal accuracy below one metre and a vertical accuracy below two metres, so this is a very good accuracy," he said.

There is much more that could potentially be done right now, Cabrera explained. "Most of the professional equipment is already EGNOS-enabled, but in practice users do not always configure their equipment correctly to exploit this capability. EGNOS adoption and support is going ahead full speed, but in the GNSS device market, many users still do not know they can use EGNOS. So the education process remains an ongoing effort,” he said.

Cabrera explained that the EGNOS user support website can be an important part of this educational drive on the top of the help desk. "We have very interesting tools and resources available online. For example, we will have a new EGNOS usability map available very soon on the website. With this tool you will be able to easily see the current availability of EGNOS signals in your location, which will be very useful especially in urban environments, for example. We also have many user support services and there is a new mobile app coming, so please visit our website and take advantage of EGNOS. It is there for you." 

Introducing the GSC

Galileo services improvement expert Pedro Gómez Martínez informed participants about the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), defining both the concept of operations as well as the procedures necessary to provide the services that the GSA offers to Galileo users.

"The European GNSS Service Centre is the single interface between the infrastructure and users of the Galileo open services, commercial service and search and rescue service (SAR)," said Gómez. "So the GSC is a centre that provides experts, know-how, evaluation of capability, distribution of information and support for the provision of value-added services provided by the Galileo system."

Read this: MyGalileoApp – targeting the future of mobility

The GSC website is a core resource for Galileo users, Gómez said, reporting real-time system status and incident notifications, with a bank of key documents and a full-time help desk. "It is very important for us that this is a two-way interactive service that includes your feed-back. We need you to report any incidents that you might experience related to the product, service and data provision. We are very interested in user satisfaction, and we want to know how you respond to improvements. And of course, in general, we are here to promote GNSS in all its forms, in all areas, for all users."

The GSC launched a new version of its website in the run-up to the InterGEO event. "More than ever we are making it easier for you to engage in dialogue with us and to provide your feedback. This is very important to us with new services coming up in the future," Gomez said.

Research fundamentals

"One of the very important responsibilities of the GSA is the management of a number of EGNSS research and development programmes," said Eduard Escalona. "We have Horizon 2020, the European Union's research Framework Programme. There we have a final call for proposals coming up in November, with a deadline in March 2020. The GSA also is overseeing the Fundamental Elements programme, which is funding research specifically targeted at developing Galileo-enabled chipsets, receivers and related technologies."

To illustrate Escalona's point, the presentations featured EU-funded GNSS-related research projects leveraging the accuracy and integrity offered by Galileo. Pere Molina of Geonumerics presented the MapKite project. Funded under Horizon 2020 and now completed, MapKite integrates an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and a Mobile Mapping System (MMS) for simultaneous capture of geo-data from the air and from the ground. Molina showed data from a successful corridor mapping exercise run using the MapKite system.

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 and EGNOS were the focus of attention at a special workshop at this year's InterGEO in Stuttgart. InterGEO is the world's leading conference and trade fair for geodesy, geo-information and land management.

InterGEO provided an opportunity to give an update on the status of the Galileo and EGNOS programmes and to present user case studies at a special workshop focusing on the geomatics market. 

In his presentation at the conference, Eduard Escalona, Market Development Innovation Officer at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), stressed the key role of GNSS. “GNSS is a cornerstone in many areas: It is a fundamental element for cadastral surveying, in the construction sector, in mining, land surveying and mapping activities, for all geographic information systems (GIS), for infrastructure monitoring and for marine surveying. For all of you who are working in these and many other areas, Galileo is now helping to provide the GNSS services you need," he said.

Dual frequency boosting market

The European GNSS programmes, Galileo and EGNOS, continue to move forward in terms of adoption by the professional market and among general users, thanks in no small part to the development of dual-frequency capability.

Traditionally, mobile, location-based applications have been powered by single-frequency GNSS receivers operating under stringent battery-power and footprint constraints. With a dual-frequency chipset, these devices now benefit from better accuracy, ionosphere error cancellation, improved tracking and better multipath resistance.

Read this: European GNSS supports smarter mobility

Galileo, as it happens, is 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. Market uptake of Galileo receivers has been impressive; in addition to the geomatics-related areas of particular interest to the InterGEO public, dual-frequency GNSS chipsets are also appearing in the automotive sector, where connected cars and autonomous vehicles present a clear and pressing need for accurate and reliable positioning information.

New services to come

"To date, more than one billion Galileo-enabled devices have been sold," said Escalona, "but Galileo isn't standing still, waiting. We are proposing new services to appear in the coming years." These include the much-anticipated High-Accuracy Service (HAS) and a new Authentication Service. "The HAS will be a free, globally available service providing an accuracy of 20 cm, with PPP [Precise Point Positioning] corrections." Meanwhile, the Authentication Service (OS-NMA) will provide protection against jamming, spoofing and meaconing on the E1B signal and a separate Signal Authentication Service (SAS) will provide an even higher level of protection on the E6 signal.

"EGNOS is currently working with GPS but of course we are looking forward to augmenting Galileo in the near future," said Sergio Cabrera Bona, EGNOS Service Adoption Tools Engineer at the European Satellite Services Provider, whose core activities comprise EGNOS operations and service provision.

And this: GSA GNSS Market Report

"GNSS is critical in all of these fields, whether it is mapping and GIS, farming, forestry, thermal pictures, management of natural terrains," Cabrera said. He went on to list some other areas, including management and inspection of utilities, power networks, water supply, telecoms, drones, inventory, surveying, field campaigns and determination of perimeters in agriculture as other areas where GNSS plays a key role. 

"It is not possible to mention all of the activities where you need reliable positioning. What you have to know is that with EGNOS augmentations you already have a horizontal accuracy below one metre and a vertical accuracy below two metres, so this is a very good accuracy," he said.

There is much more that could potentially be done right now, Cabrera explained. "Most of the professional equipment is already EGNOS-enabled, but in practice users do not always configure their equipment correctly to exploit this capability. EGNOS adoption and support is going ahead full speed, but in the GNSS device market, many users still do not know they can use EGNOS. So the education process remains an ongoing effort,” he said.

Cabrera explained that the EGNOS user support website can be an important part of this educational drive on the top of the help desk. "We have very interesting tools and resources available online. For example, we will have a new EGNOS usability map available very soon on the website. With this tool you will be able to easily see the current availability of EGNOS signals in your location, which will be very useful especially in urban environments, for example. We also have many user support services and there is a new mobile app coming, so please visit our website and take advantage of EGNOS. It is there for you." 

Introducing the GSC

Galileo services improvement expert Pedro Gómez Martínez informed participants about the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), defining both the concept of operations as well as the procedures necessary to provide the services that the GSA offers to Galileo users.

"The European GNSS Service Centre is the single interface between the infrastructure and users of the Galileo open services, commercial service and search and rescue service (SAR)," said Gómez. "So the GSC is a centre that provides experts, know-how, evaluation of capability, distribution of information and support for the provision of value-added services provided by the Galileo system."

Read this: MyGalileoApp – targeting the future of mobility

The GSC website is a core resource for Galileo users, Gómez said, reporting real-time system status and incident notifications, with a bank of key documents and a full-time help desk. "It is very important for us that this is a two-way interactive service that includes your feed-back. We need you to report any incidents that you might experience related to the product, service and data provision. We are very interested in user satisfaction, and we want to know how you respond to improvements. And of course, in general, we are here to promote GNSS in all its forms, in all areas, for all users."

The GSC launched a new version of its website in the run-up to the InterGEO event. "More than ever we are making it easier for you to engage in dialogue with us and to provide your feedback. This is very important to us with new services coming up in the future," Gomez said.

Research fundamentals

"One of the very important responsibilities of the GSA is the management of a number of EGNSS research and development programmes," said Eduard Escalona. "We have Horizon 2020, the European Union's research Framework Programme. There we have a final call for proposals coming up in November, with a deadline in March 2020. The GSA also is overseeing the Fundamental Elements programme, which is funding research specifically targeted at developing Galileo-enabled chipsets, receivers and related technologies."

To illustrate Escalona's point, the presentations featured EU-funded GNSS-related research projects leveraging the accuracy and integrity offered by Galileo. Pere Molina of Geonumerics presented the MapKite project. Funded under Horizon 2020 and now completed, MapKite integrates an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and a Mobile Mapping System (MMS) for simultaneous capture of geo-data from the air and from the ground. Molina showed data from a successful corridor mapping exercise run using the MapKite system.

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 and EGNOS were the focus of attention at a special workshop at this year's InterGEO in Stuttgart. InterGEO is the world's leading conference and trade fair for geodesy, geo-information and land management.

InterGEO provided an opportunity to give an update on the status of the Galileo and EGNOS programmes and to present user case studies at a special workshop focusing on the geomatics market. 

In his presentation at the conference, Eduard Escalona, Market Development Innovation Officer at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), stressed the key role of GNSS. “GNSS is a cornerstone in many areas: It is a fundamental element for cadastral surveying, in the construction sector, in mining, land surveying and mapping activities, for all geographic information systems (GIS), for infrastructure monitoring and for marine surveying. For all of you who are working in these and many other areas, Galileo is now helping to provide the GNSS services you need," he said.

Dual frequency boosting market

The European GNSS programmes, Galileo and EGNOS, continue to move forward in terms of adoption by the professional market and among general users, thanks in no small part to the development of dual-frequency capability.

Traditionally, mobile, location-based applications have been powered by single-frequency GNSS receivers operating under stringent battery-power and footprint constraints. With a dual-frequency chipset, these devices now benefit from better accuracy, ionosphere error cancellation, improved tracking and better multipath resistance.

Read this: European GNSS supports smarter mobility

Galileo, as it happens, is 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. Market uptake of Galileo receivers has been impressive; in addition to the geomatics-related areas of particular interest to the InterGEO public, dual-frequency GNSS chipsets are also appearing in the automotive sector, where connected cars and autonomous vehicles present a clear and pressing need for accurate and reliable positioning information.

New services to come

"To date, more than one billion Galileo-enabled devices have been sold," said Escalona, "but Galileo isn't standing still, waiting. We are proposing new services to appear in the coming years." These include the much-anticipated High-Accuracy Service (HAS) and a new Authentication Service. "The HAS will be a free, globally available service providing an accuracy of 20 cm, with PPP [Precise Point Positioning] corrections." Meanwhile, the Authentication Service (OS-NMA) will provide protection against jamming, spoofing and meaconing on the E1B signal and a separate Signal Authentication Service (SAS) will provide an even higher level of protection on the E6 signal.

"EGNOS is currently working with GPS but of course we are looking forward to augmenting Galileo in the near future," said Sergio Cabrera Bona, EGNOS Service Adoption Tools Engineer at the European Satellite Services Provider, whose core activities comprise EGNOS operations and service provision.

And this: GSA GNSS Market Report

"GNSS is critical in all of these fields, whether it is mapping and GIS, farming, forestry, thermal pictures, management of natural terrains," Cabrera said. He went on to list some other areas, including management and inspection of utilities, power networks, water supply, telecoms, drones, inventory, surveying, field campaigns and determination of perimeters in agriculture as other areas where GNSS plays a key role. 

"It is not possible to mention all of the activities where you need reliable positioning. What you have to know is that with EGNOS augmentations you already have a horizontal accuracy below one metre and a vertical accuracy below two metres, so this is a very good accuracy," he said.

There is much more that could potentially be done right now, Cabrera explained. "Most of the professional equipment is already EGNOS-enabled, but in practice users do not always configure their equipment correctly to exploit this capability. EGNOS adoption and support is going ahead full speed, but in the GNSS device market, many users still do not know they can use EGNOS. So the education process remains an ongoing effort,” he said.

Cabrera explained that the EGNOS user support website can be an important part of this educational drive on the top of the help desk. "We have very interesting tools and resources available online. For example, we will have a new EGNOS visibility map available very soon on the website. With this tool you will be able to easily see the current availability of EGNOS signals in your location, which will be very useful especially in urban environments, for example. We also have many user support services and there is a new mobile app coming, so please visit our website and take advantage of EGNOS. It is there for you." 

Introducing the GSC

Galileo services improvement expert Pedro Gómez Martínez informed participants about the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), defining both the concept of operations as well as the procedures necessary to provide the services that the GSA offers to Galileo users.

"The European GNSS Service Centre is the single interface between the infrastructure and users of the Galileo open services, commercial service and search and rescue service (SAR)," said Gómez. "So the GSC is a centre that provides experts, know-how, evaluation of capability, distribution of information and support for the provision of value-added services provided by the Galileo system."

Read this: MyGalileoApp – targeting the future of mobility

The GSC website is a core resource for Galileo users, Gómez said, reporting real-time system status and incident notifications, with a bank of key documents and a full-time help desk. "It is very important for us that this is a two-way interactive service that includes your feed-back. We need you to report any incidents that you might experience related to the product, service and data provision. We are very interested in user satisfaction, and we want to know how you respond to improvements. And of course, in general, we are here to promote GNSS in all its forms, in all areas, for all users."

The GSC launched a new version of its website in the run-up to the InterGEO event. "More than ever we are making it easier for you to engage in dialogue with us and to provide your feedback. This is very important to us with new services coming up in the future," Gomez said.

Research fundamentals

"One of the very important responsibilities of the GSA is the management of a number of EGNSS research and development programmes," said Eduard Escalona. "We have Horizon 2020, the European Union's research Framework Programme. There we have a final call for proposals coming up in November, with a deadline in March 2020. The GSA also is overseeing the Fundamental Elements programme, which is funding research specifically targeted at developing Galileo-enabled chipsets, receivers and related technologies."

To illustrate Escalona's point, the presentations featured EU-funded GNSS-related research projects leveraging the accuracy and integrity offered by Galileo. Pere Molina of Geonumerics presented the MapKite project. Funded under Horizon 2020 and now completed, MapKite integrates an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and a Mobile Mapping System (MMS) for simultaneous capture of geo-data from the air and from the ground. Molina showed data from a successful corridor mapping exercise run using the MapKite system.

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) and the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC) have signed a memorandum covering cooperation to promote the combined use of geospatial technology and European satellite navigation systems, to jointly contribute to projects across a wide range of activities, from sustainable development and achieving global development agendas, including the SDGs, to innovative opportunities that benefit citizens and enterprises.

“The benefits of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are everywhere. GNSS plays a critical role in driving innovations for future economic growth, sustainability for businesses as well as public services,” said GSA Chief Operating Officer Pascal Claudel at the signing ceremony, which was held in Stuttgart, Germany on 19 September. 

Instrumental association

Claudel noted that space is a tangible service that addresses the need for apps among growing smartphones user communities, navigation systems for smart transport, accuracy for position, timing for flight landings, and much more. “This association with WGIC will be instrumental in leveraging the collective technical capabilities of geospatial information and space technology across different sectors, professional services and applications,” he said.

Read this: GSA, EIB sign agreement on investment in space

“GNSS and positioning technologies enable positional accuracy, time and precision for strategic insights, using geospatial information for location based services, smart transportation, mapping and surveying, facilitating development of innovative applications across various sectors of the economy,” said WGIC Secretary General and CEO Sanjay Kumar. 

“WGIC, with its member network from the entire ecosystem of the industry, is the single largest industry association worldwide to bring together all the stakeholders and partners to work in tandem towards successfully leveraging the potential of such technology collaborations,” he said.

New dialogue paradigms

This association between the GSA and WGIC will create new paradigms for dialogue on harnessing GNSS and geospatial technical capabilities. Both organisations will work closely to develop joint programmes and facilitate strategic dialogue to encourage the wider adoption of geospatial and GNSS capabilities for commercial as well as public institutions, towards the ultimate goal of achieving greater public good.

 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 EUTELSAT 5 West B satellite was successfully launched on a Proton M/Breeze M launch vehicle from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, at 12.17 CET on Wednesday 9 October. Hosting the GEO-3 payload of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS), the satellite will support EGNOS V3 - the next generation of the EGNOS programme.

The satellite separated from the launch vehicle 15 hours 36 minutes after the launch and testing of the EGNOS GEO-3 payload should start within 2 weeks after separation. 

EGNOS V3 will augment both GPS and Galileo in the L1 and L5 bands. Furthermore, it will provide additional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) service capabilities through a new SBAS channel on L5 and will deliver increased EGNOS service availability within and beyond the EU Member States, supporting a growing number of users. 

“This new EGNOS payload will be key in developing and testing EGNOS V3 - the latest evolution of the system. This launch is also a first decisive step in the implementation of the EGNOS Space Segment roadmap defined by the GSA. Together with the next GEO-4 payload, which is under procurement, it will allow the programme to ensure a smooth transition to EGNOS V3 operations, with swaps between GEOs ensuring that the programme provides adequate service robustness to its increasing user base,” said EGNOS Services Programme Manager Jean-Marc Piéplu.

Read this: Airbus awarded EGNOS V3 contract

Reinforced security

The next generation of the EGNOS programme will also benefit from reinforced security, which will increase the robustness of EGNOS services against potential threats. EGNOS V3 will be made available in 2024 and will augment Galileo signals from 2025.

“This successful launch is an important milestone for the EU space programmes EGNOS and Galileo. It is carrying to orbit the foundation stone of the next generation of EGNOS, which will improve and expand EGNOS service provision and enable the programme to augment signals from Galileo satellites, bringing EGNSS full circle,” European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said.

Supporting economic growth

The current EGNOS generation – EGNOS V2 – is already improving positioning accuracy and supporting applications in a range of sectors – from precision agriculture and shipping to the aviation sector. To learn more about the role of EGNOS in aviation, watch our new EGNOS for Aviation video here.

And this: Europe’s economy is increasingly dependent on space - ITRE committee hears

“Space plays an increasingly important role in the lives of Europeans, with about 10% of Europe’s economy and large numbers of jobs in various sectors dependent on space services. This launch implemented by EUTELSAT through their 5 West B satellite, and the subsequent evolution of EGNOS, will ensure that the European programmes Galileo and EGNOS continue to support economic growth in Europe and deliver services to European citizens,” said GSA Chief Operating Officer Pascal Claudel.

About EGNOS

EGNOS is Europe's regional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS). It is currently used to improve the performance of GPS and will augment Galileo from 2025 onwards. EGNOS was deployed to provide safety of life navigation services to aviation, maritime and land-based users.

EGNOS uses GNSS measurements taken by reference stations deployed mainly across Europe and North Africa. These measurements are transferred to a central computing centre where differential corrections and integrity messages are calculated. These calculations are then broadcast over the covered area using geostationary satellites that serve as an augmentation, or overlay, to the original GNSS message. 

The information provided by EGNOS improves the accuracy and reliability of GNSS positioning information while also providing a crucial integrity message. In addition, EGNOS also transmits an accurate time signal.

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 EUTELSAT 5 West B satellite was successfully launched on a Proton M/Breeze M launch vehicle from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, at 12.17 CET on Wednesday 9 October. Hosting the GEO-3 payload of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS), the satellite will support EGNOS V3 - the next generation of the EGNOS programme.

The satellite separated from the launch vehicle 15 hours 36 minutes after the launch and testing of the EGNOS GEO-3 payload should start within 2 weeks after separation. 

EGNOS V3 will augment both GPS and Galileo in the L1 and L5 bands. Furthermore, it will provide additional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) service capabilities through a new SBAS channel on L5 and will deliver increased EGNOS service availability within and beyond the EU Member States, supporting a growing number of users. 

“This new EGNOS payload will be key in developing and testing EGNOS V3 - the latest evolution of the system. This launch is also a first decisive step in the implementation of the EGNOS Space Segment roadmap defined by the GSA. Together with the next GEO-4 payload, which is under procurement, it will allow the programme to ensure a smooth transition to EGNOS V3 operations, with swaps between GEOs ensuring that the programme provides adequate service robustness to its increasing user base,” said EGNOS Services Programme Manager Jean-Marc Piéplu.

Read this: Airbus awarded EGNOS V3 contract

Reinforced security

The next generation of the EGNOS programme will also benefit from reinforced security, which will increase the robustness of EGNOS services against potential threats. EGNOS V3 will be made available in 2024 and will augment Galileo signals from 2025.

“This successful launch is an important milestone for the EU space programmes EGNOS and Galileo. It is carrying to orbit the foundation stone of the next generation of EGNOS, which will improve and expand EGNOS service provision and enable the programme to augment signals from Galileo satellites, bringing EGNSS full circle,” European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said.

Supporting economic growth

The current EGNOS generation – EGNOS V2 – is already improving positioning accuracy and supporting applications in a range of sectors – from precision agriculture and shipping to the aviation sector. To learn more about the role of EGNOS in aviation, watch our new EGNOS for Aviation video here.

And this: Europe’s economy is increasingly dependent on space - ITRE committee hears

“Space plays an increasingly important role in the lives of Europeans, with about 10% of Europe’s economy and large numbers of jobs in various sectors dependent on space services. This launch implemented by EUTELSAT through their 5 West B satellite, and the subsequent evolution of EGNOS, will ensure that the European programmes Galileo and EGNOS continue to support economic growth in Europe and deliver services to European citizens,” said GSA Chief Operating Officer Pascal Claudel.

About EGNOS

EGNOS is Europe's regional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS). It is currently used to improve the performance of GPS and will augment Galileo from 2025 onwards. EGNOS was deployed to provide safety of life navigation services to aviation, maritime and land-based users.

EGNOS uses GNSS measurements taken by reference stations deployed mainly across Europe and North Africa. These measurements are transferred to a central computing centre where differential corrections and integrity messages are calculated. These calculations are then broadcast over the covered area using geostationary satellites that serve as an augmentation, or overlay, to the original GNSS message. 

The information provided by EGNOS improves the accuracy and reliability of GNSS positioning information while also providing a crucial integrity message. In addition, EGNOS also transmits an accurate time signal.

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) together with Orolia, CNES, Enaire, Spanish Mission Coordination Centre (MCC), Spanish Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) and French MCC, have successfully performed end-to-end test tests with the airlines Iberia and Air France on remote beacon activation using the Galileo Return Link Service (RLS). The tests helped to assess and validate the operational concept for a potential new use of Galileo to support fast response in distress situations.

The goal of the end-to-end test with Iberia and Air France, which was conducted on 16 and 19 September respectively, was to validate the operational concept for remote aviation beacon activation being developed by Eurocae Working Group-98 SG-1 RLS, as well as to test the usability of the end user interfaces. This is relevant for airspace users in specific confirmed distress situations when aircraft are no longer tracked by Air Traffic Service Units (ATSUs) and no contact can be established. This includes the case of non-cooperative crew when other means have failed.

A very positive outcome

The pilot case was performed in the framework of the Horizon 2020 HELIOS project, led by beacon manufacturer Orolia, which provided its ELT-DT prototype, the first Galileo model to hit the market. The pilot case simulated a real aircraft distress scenario: the Operational Control Center at Iberia confirmed the loss of information from a flight in the Atlantic and, following the standard procedures, performed the necessary operations with the Air Traffic Control at Enaire and the responsible Spanish Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC).

Read this: World’s first Galileo-enabled PLB launched

Then, the participants declared a distress situation and agreed to activate the beacon. The interface with the airlines and the beacon activation with the Galileo RLS were implemented by the Galileo Service Centre and the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), which enabled the remote beacon activation by the Return Link Service Provider. 

 “We are extremely happy with the successful tests of the Galileo Return Link Service for this potential new use, which is a very positive outcome and one that bodes well for the future implementation of the service. The Return Link Service, whereby the sender of a distress signal is informed that their message has been received and successfully processed, is a key differentiator of Galileo and one that will result in many more lives saved,” said Pascal Claudel, GSA Chief Operating Officer.

Watch this: Galileo Search and Rescue

Efficient management of distress situations meeting users’ needs

The user interfaces were successfully tested, deriving additional requirements and feedback from the airline as the final user of the service. “This is a new functionality with high value that can support mitigation and efficient management of potential emergency situations,” said Jaime del Moral, Flight Watch & ATFM manager at Iberia.

The beacon was successfully activated within two minutes, enabling the efficient management of the distress situation. Remote deactivation was also tested, following a simulation of recovery of normal flight conditions. “The possibility for remote beacon activation is a positive innovation and would be very useful for all stakeholders involved in distress management, with a positive impact on safety,” said Montserrat Redondo, Air Traffic Control Centre Manager at Enaire. 

From the rescue centre perspective, Lieutenant Colonel Molina, Head of RCC Madrid highlighted “the great benefits of remote activation of ELT-DTs by Galileo to react in aircraft distress situations when it is not possible to locate the aircraft by other means”.

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) together with Orolia, CNES, Enaire, Spanish Mission Coordination Centre (MCC), Spanish Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) and French MCC, have successfully performed end-to-end test tests with the airlines Iberia and Air France on remote beacon activation using the Galileo Return Link Service (RLS). The tests helped to assess and validate the operational concept for a potential new use of Galileo to support fast response in distress situations.

The goal of the end-to-end test with Iberia and Air France, which was conducted on 16 and 19 September respectively, was to validate the operational concept for remote aviation beacon activation being developed by Eurocae Working Group-98 SG-1 RLS, as well as to test the usability of the end user interfaces. This is relevant for airspace users in specific confirmed distress situations when aircraft are no longer tracked by Air Traffic Service Units (ATSUs) and no contact can be established. This includes the case of non-cooperative crew when other means have failed.

A very positive outcome

The pilot case was performed in the framework of the Horizon 2020 HELIOS project, led by beacon manufacturer Orolia, which provided its ELT-DT prototype, the first Galileo model to hit the market. The pilot case simulated a real aircraft distress scenario: the Operational Control Center at Iberia confirmed the loss of information from a flight in the Atlantic and, following the standard procedures, performed the necessary operations with the Air Traffic Control at Enaire and the responsible Spanish Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC).

Read this: World’s first Galileo-enabled PLB launched

Then, the participants declared a distress situation and agreed to activate the beacon. The interface with the airlines and the beacon activation with the Galileo RLS were implemented by the Galileo Service Centre and the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), which enabled the remote beacon activation by the Return Link Service Provider. 

 “We are extremely happy with the successful tests of the Galileo Return Link Service for this potential new use, which is a very positive outcome and one that bodes well for the future implementation of the service. The Return Link Service, whereby the sender of a distress signal is informed that their message has been received and successfully processed, is a key differentiator of Galileo and one that will result in many more lives saved,” said Pascal Claudel, GSA Chief Operating Officer.

Watch this: Galileo Search and Rescue

Efficient management of distress situations meeting users’ needs

The user interfaces were successfully tested, deriving additional requirements and feedback from the airline as the final user of the service. “This is a new functionality with high value that can support mitigation and efficient management of potential emergency situations,” said Jaime del Moral, Flight Watch & ATFM manager at Iberia.

The beacon was successfully activated within two minutes, enabling the efficient management of the distress situation. Remote deactivation was also tested, following a simulation of recovery of normal flight conditions. “The possibility for remote beacon activation is a positive innovation and would be very useful for all stakeholders involved in distress management, with a positive impact on safety,” said Montserrat Redondo, Air Traffic Control Centre Manager at Enaire. 

From the rescue centre perspective, Lieutenant Colonel Molina, Head of RCC Madrid highlighted “the great benefits of remote activation of ELT-DTs by Galileo to react in aircraft distress situations when it is not possible to locate the aircraft by other means”.

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) together with Orolia, CNES, Enaire, Spanish Mission Coordination Centre (MCC), Spanish Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) and French MCC, have successfully performed end-to-end test tests with the airlines Iberia and Air France on remote beacon activation using the Galileo Return Link Service (RLS). The tests helped to assess and validate the operational concept for a potential new use of Galileo to support fast response in distress situations.

The goal of the end-to-end test with Iberia and Air France, which was conducted on 16 and 19 September respectively, was to validate the operational concept for remote aviation beacon activation being developed by Eurocae Working Group-98 SG-1 RLS, as well as to test the usability of the end user interfaces. This is relevant for airspace users in specific confirmed distress situations when aircraft are no longer tracked by Air Traffic Service Units (ATSUs) and no contact can be established. This includes the case of non-cooperative crew when other means have failed.

A very positive outcome

The pilot case was performed in the framework of the Horizon 2020 HELIOS project, led by beacon manufacturer Orolia, which provided its ELT-DT prototype, the first Galileo model to hit the market. The pilot case simulated a real aircraft distress scenario: the Operational Control Center at Iberia confirmed the loss of information from a flight in the Atlantic and, following the standard procedures, performed the necessary operations with the Air Traffic Control at Enaire and the responsible Spanish Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC).

The team that took part in the successful testing of the remote beacon activation with Galileo return link.

Read this: World’s first Galileo-enabled PLB launched

Then, the participants declared a distress situation and agreed to activate the beacon. The interface with the airlines and the beacon activation with the Galileo RLS were implemented by the Galileo Service Centre and the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), which enabled the remote beacon activation by the Return Link Service Provider. 

 “We are extremely happy with the successful tests of the Galileo Return Link Service for this potential new use, which is a very positive outcome and one that bodes well for the future implementation of the service. The Return Link Service, whereby the sender of a distress signal is informed that their message has been received and successfully processed, is a key differentiator of Galileo and one that will result in many more lives saved,” said Pascal Claudel, GSA Chief Operating Officer.

Watch this: Galileo Search and Rescue

Efficient management of distress situations meeting users’ needs

The user interfaces were successfully tested, deriving additional requirements and feedback from the airline as the final user of the service. “This is a new functionality with high value that can support mitigation and efficient management of potential emergency situations,” said Jaime del Moral, Flight Watch & ATFM manager at Iberia.

The beacon was successfully activated within two minutes, enabling the efficient management of the distress situation. Remote deactivation was also tested, following a simulation of recovery of normal flight conditions. “The possibility for remote beacon activation is a positive innovation and would be very useful for all stakeholders involved in distress management, with a positive impact on safety,” said Montserrat Redondo, Air Traffic Control Centre Manager at Enaire. 

From the rescue centre perspective, Lieutenant Colonel Molina, Head of RCC Madrid highlighted “the great benefits of remote activation of ELT-DTs by Galileo to react in aircraft distress situations when it is not possible to locate the aircraft by other means”.

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) together with Orolia, CNES, Enaire, Spanish Mission Coordination Centre (MCC), Spanish Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) and French MCC, have successfully performed end-to-end test tests with the airlines Iberia and Air France on remote beacon activation using the Galileo Return Link Service (RLS). The tests helped to assess and validate the operational concept for a potential new use of Galileo to support fast response in distress situations.

The goal of the end-to-end test with Iberia and Air France, which was conducted on 16 and 19 September respectively, was to validate the operational concept for remote aviation beacon activation being developed by Eurocae Working Group-98 SG-1 RLS, as well as to test the usability of the end user interfaces. This is relevant for airspace users in specific confirmed distress situations when aircraft are no longer tracked by Air Traffic Service Units (ATSUs) and no contact can be established. This includes the case of non-cooperative crew when other means have failed.

A very positive outcome

The pilot case was performed in the framework of the Horizon 2020 HELIOS project, led by beacon manufacturer Orolia, which provided its ELT-DT prototype, the first Galileo model to hit the market. The pilot case simulated a real aircraft distress scenario: the Operational Control Center at Iberia confirmed the loss of information from a flight in the Atlantic and, following the standard procedures, performed the necessary operations with the Air Traffic Control at Enaire and the responsible Spanish Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC).

The team that took part in the successful testing of the remote beacon activation with Galileo return link.

Read this: World’s first Galileo-enabled PLB launched

Then, the participants declared a distress situation and agreed to activate the beacon. The interface with the airlines and the beacon activation with the Galileo RLS were implemented by the Galileo Service Centre and the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), which enabled the remote beacon activation by the Return Link Service Provider. 

 “We are extremely happy with the successful tests of the Galileo Return Link Service for this potential new use, which is a very positive outcome and one that bodes well for the future implementation of the service. The Return Link Service, whereby the sender of a distress signal is informed that their message has been received and successfully processed, is a key differentiator of Galileo and one that will result in many more lives saved,” said Pascal Claudel, GSA Chief Operating Officer.

Watch this: Galileo Search and Rescue

Efficient management of distress situations meeting users’ needs

The user interfaces were successfully tested, deriving additional requirements and feedback from the airline as the final user of the service. “This is a new functionality with high value that can support mitigation and efficient management of potential emergency situations,” said Jaime del Moral, Flight Watch & ATFM manager at Iberia.

The beacon was successfully activated within two minutes, enabling the efficient management of the distress situation. Remote deactivation was also tested, following a simulation of recovery of normal flight conditions. “The possibility for remote beacon activation is a positive innovation and would be very useful for all stakeholders involved in distress management, with a positive impact on safety,” said Montserrat Redondo, Air Traffic Control Centre Manager at Enaire. 

From the rescue centre perspective, Lieutenant Colonel Molina, Head of RCC Madrid highlighted “the great benefits of remote activation of ELT-DTs by Galileo to react in aircraft distress situations when it is not possible to locate the aircraft by other means”.

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) together with Orolia, CNES, Enaire, Spanish Mission Coordination Centre (MCC), Spanish Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) and French MCC, have successfully performed end-to-end test tests with the airlines Iberia and Air France on remote beacon activation using the Galileo Return Link Service (RLS). The tests helped to assess and validate the operational concept for a potential new use of Galileo to support fast response in distress situations.

The goal of the end-to-end test with Iberia and Air France, which was conducted on 16 and 19 September respectively, was to validate the operational concept for remote aviation beacon activation being developed by Eurocae Working Group-98 SG-1 RLS, as well as to test the usability of the end user interfaces. This is relevant for airspace users in specific confirmed distress situations when aircraft are no longer tracked by Air Traffic Service Units (ATSUs) and no contact can be established. This includes the case of non-cooperative crew when other means have failed.

A very positive outcome

The pilot case was performed in the framework of the Horizon 2020 HELIOS project, led by beacon manufacturer Orolia, which provided its ELT-DT prototype, the first Galileo model to hit the market. The pilot case simulated a real aircraft distress scenario: the Operational Control Center at Iberia confirmed the loss of information from a flight in the Atlantic and, following the standard procedures, performed the necessary operations with the Air Traffic Control at Enaire and the responsible Spanish Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC).

Read this: World’s first Galileo-enabled PLB launched

Then, the participants declared a distress situation and agreed to activate the beacon. The interface with the airlines and the beacon activation with the Galileo RLS were implemented by the Galileo Service Centre and the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), which enabled the remote beacon activation by the Return Link Service Provider. 

 “We are extremely happy with the successful tests of the Galileo Return Link Service for this potential new use, which is a very positive outcome and one that bodes well for the future implementation of the service. The Return Link Service, whereby the sender of a distress signal is informed that their message has been received and successfully processed, is a key differentiator of Galileo and one that will result in many more lives saved,” said Pascal Claudel, GSA Chief Operating Officer.

Watch this: Galileo Search and Rescue

Efficient management of distress situations meeting users’ needs

The user interfaces were successfully tested, deriving additional requirements and feedback from the airline as the final user of the service. “This is a new functionality with high value that can support mitigation and efficient management of potential emergency situations,” said Jaime del Moral, Flight Watch & ATFM manager at Iberia.

The beacon was successfully activated within two minutes, enabling the efficient management of the distress situation. Remote deactivation was also tested, following a simulation of recovery of normal flight conditions. “The possibility for remote beacon activation is a positive innovation and would be very useful for all stakeholders involved in distress management, with a positive impact on safety,” said Montserrat Redondo, Air Traffic Control Centre Manager at Enaire. 

From the rescue centre perspective, Lieutenant Colonel Molina, Head of RCC Madrid highlighted “the great benefits of remote activation of ELT-DTs by Galileo to react in aircraft distress situations when it is not possible to locate the aircraft by other means”.

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) together with Orolia, CNES, Enaire, Spanish Mission Coordination Centre (MCC), Spanish Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) and French MCC, have successfully performed end-to-end test tests with the airlines Iberia and Air France on remote beacon activation using the Galileo Return Link Service (RLS). The tests helped to assess and validate the operational concept for a potential new use of Galileo to support fast response in distress situations.

The goal of the end-to-end test with Iberia and Air France, which was conducted on 16 and 19 September respectively, was to validate the operational concept for remote aviation beacon activation being developed by Eurocae Working Group-98 SG-1 RLS, as well as to test the usability of the end user interfaces. This is relevant for airspace users in specific confirmed distress situations when aircraft are no longer tracked by Air Traffic Service Units (ATSUs) and no contact can be established. This includes the case of non-cooperative crew when other means have failed.

The team that took part in the successful testing of the remote beacon activation with Galileo return link.

A very positive outcome

The pilot case was performed in the framework of the Horizon 2020 HELIOS project, led by beacon manufacturer Orolia, which provided its ELT-DT prototype, the first Galileo model to hit the market. The pilot case simulated a real aircraft distress scenario: the Operational Control Center at Iberia confirmed the loss of information from a flight in the Atlantic and, following the standard procedures, performed the necessary operations with the Air Traffic Control at Enaire and the responsible Spanish Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC).

Read this: World’s first Galileo-enabled PLB launched

Then, the participants declared a distress situation and agreed to activate the beacon. The interface with the airlines and the beacon activation with the Galileo RLS were implemented by the Galileo Service Centre and the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), which enabled the remote beacon activation by the Return Link Service Provider. 

 “We are extremely happy with the successful tests of the Galileo Return Link Service for this potential new use, which is a very positive outcome and one that bodes well for the future implementation of the service. The Return Link Service, whereby the sender of a distress signal is informed that their message has been received and successfully processed, is a key differentiator of Galileo and one that will result in many more lives saved,” said Pascal Claudel, GSA Chief Operating Officer.

Watch this: Galileo Search and Rescue

Efficient management of distress situations meeting users’ needs

The user interfaces were successfully tested, deriving additional requirements and feedback from the airline as the final user of the service. “This is a new functionality with high value that can support mitigation and efficient management of potential emergency situations,” said Jaime del Moral, Flight Watch & ATFM manager at Iberia.

The beacon was successfully activated within two minutes, enabling the efficient management of the distress situation. Remote deactivation was also tested, following a simulation of recovery of normal flight conditions. “The possibility for remote beacon activation is a positive innovation and would be very useful for all stakeholders involved in distress management, with a positive impact on safety,” said Montserrat Redondo, Air Traffic Control Centre Manager at Enaire. 

From the rescue centre perspective, Lieutenant Colonel Molina, Head of RCC Madrid highlighted “the great benefits of remote activation of ELT-DTs by Galileo to react in aircraft distress situations when it is not possible to locate the aircraft by other means”.

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 huge value of the Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) service was underlined in a live demonstration off the coast of Belgium on Thursday 26 September. Operation Shark Bait showed how this vital service can quickly trigger a rescue operation and save lives at sea. Despite a grey day and choppy sea conditions, an emergency rescue was initiated in just over three and a half minutes after intrepid “volunteer victim”, Australian broadcaster and explorer Tara Foster, operated her Galileo-enabled SAR beacon from a small life raft buffeted by the waves just offshore from the port of Ostend.

Operation Shark Bait was a specially designed demonstration of the capabilities of the Galileo SAR service that took place around the new state-of-the-art Belgian Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Ostend with an invited audience of VIPs and media. The whole operation was streamed live over YouTube and the Europe By Satellite (EBS) TV service.

The scenario was simple. Tara was left alone at sea in a small life raft, but with a 406MHz Cospas-Sarsat personal locator beacon (PLB). On activating the beacon, the stopwatch started. The time to receive the distress signal, compute her position and alert the relevant rescue authorities was recorded. The Belgian fast rescue boat ORKA R6 then dashed out to sea to pick her up. Subsequently a NH90 Cayman SAR helicopter from the Belgian 40th squadron was also scrambled to help transfer “injured” Tara to hospital. 

Read this: World’s first Galileo-enabled PLB launched

Shark Bait was a great success with just 3 minutes 32 seconds elapsing from Tara activating her Galileo-enabled Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to the moment commanders at MRCC could dispatch the ORKA to her location. The location, with an initial accuracy of 100 metres, is provided by the Galileo receiver inside the PLB to the Galileo satellites in view. The Galileo satellites then forward this information to the Cospas-Sarsat infrastructure, where the position is validated. 

“The PLB used was developed under one of our Horizon 2020 projects and is the first Galileo-enabled beacon on the market,” said Fiammetta Diani, Head of Market Development at the GSA.

Time saver, life saver

The day started at the MRCC in Ostend with a visit to the operations centre, an inspection of the ORKA Fast Rescue Boat and a chance to talk to Tara Foster before she was “castaway” on the waves.

Dries Boodts, Deputy Nautical Director at MRCC, described the role of the centre, which has a single focus on safety at sea. “The globe is divided into Search and Rescue Regions (SRRs), said Boodts. “And the MRCC oversees the Belgian maritime region that extends up to 47 miles off the Belgian coast.”

The region includes major shipping lanes and two large offshore wind energy parks. The MRCC deals with around 450 incidents each year involving a range of craft and issues from collisions at sea to war munitions recovery. It can call on an assortment of assets including its own rescue craft, police and navy vessels and the Belgian air force and the MRCC collaborates extensively with authorities in neighbouring countries.

Galileo is Europe’s contribution to upgrading Cospas-Sarsat – the Global Satellite-based Search and Rescue system. Since its introduction in 1981, Cospas-Sarsat is estimated to have saved some 45 000 lives. The current MEOSAR (Mid Earth Orbit Search and Rescue) upgrade is based on the EU’s Galileo satellite constellation that carries a dedicated Cospas-Sarsat payload for the 406 MHz distress beacons that give users free access to global system.

Watch this: Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) Service

The addition of Galileo (and other GNSS satellites) to the system has already enabled a dramatic increase in performance in terms of better accuracy to locate activated distress beacons and vastly improved global coverage. “With the Galileo system, all parts of the world will be covered at least every 10 minutes – previously this was up to four hours – and guaranteed location accuracy is reduced from 10 to 2 kilometres,” explained Jolanda van Eijndthoven from the European Commission.

As well as the 23 SAR payloads currently provided by Galileo, with more to come, the EU also provides ground infrastructure including MEO Local User Terminals (LUTs) to pick up the signals relayed from the satellites. These LUTs are not just in Europe, and a fourth facility is o be opened soon on La Reunion island to improve coverage across the Indian Ocean.

Return link reassurance

From the end of the year the Galileo system will also provide a Return Link Service (RLS) that will be able to send an acknowledgement to the victim that their distress signal has been received and help is on its way. This new ability to provide reassurance should deliver a valuable psychological lift to victims and further boost survival rates.

“The PLBs developed under our Horizon 2020 projects will be the first ones on the market to have the RLS capability,” said Fiammetta Diani.

Back on dry land, Tara confessed that the simulation had felt very real to her. “The scariest part was the transfer to the helicopter from the rescue boat,” she said. “The winch was like a lift without a floor and very fast! Stepping from the flimsy life raft to the ORKA was also not easy – those waves were high!”

“The operation went just like clockwork,” concluded Paul Flament Head of the Galileo and EGNOS unit at the European Commission’s DG GROW. 

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 huge value of the Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) service was underlined in a live demonstration off the coast of Belgium on Thursday 26 September. Operation Shark Bait showed how this vital service can quickly trigger a rescue operation and save lives at sea. Despite a grey day and choppy sea conditions, an emergency rescue was initiated in just over three and a half minutes after intrepid “volunteer victim”, Australian broadcaster and explorer Tara Foster, operated her Galileo-enabled SAR beacon from a small life raft buffeted by the waves just offshore from the port of Ostend.

Operation Shark Bait was a specially designed demonstration of the capabilities of the Galileo SAR service that took place around the new state-of-the-art Belgian Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Ostend with an invited audience of VIPs and media. The whole operation was streamed live over YouTube and the Europe By Satellite (EBS) TV service.

The scenario was simple. Tara was left alone at sea in a small life raft, but with a 406MHz Cospas-Sarsat personal locator beacon (PLB). On activating the beacon, the stopwatch started. The time to receive the distress signal, compute her position and alert the relevant rescue authorities was recorded. The Belgian fast rescue boat ORKA R6 then dashed out to sea to pick her up. Subsequently a NH90 Cayman SAR helicopter from the Belgian 40th squadron was also scrambled to help transfer “injured” Tara to hospital. 

Read this: World’s first Galileo-enabled PLB launched

Shark Bait was a great success with just 3 minutes 32 seconds elapsing from Tara activating her Galileo-enabled Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to the moment commanders at MRCC could dispatch the ORKA to her location. The location, with an initial accuracy of 100 metres, is provided by the Galileo receiver inside the PLB to the Galileo satellites in view. The Galileo satellites then forward this information to the Cospas-Sarsat infrastructure, where the position is validated. 

“The PLB used was developed under one of our Horizon 2020 projects and is the first Galileo-enabled beacon on the market,” said Fiammetta Diani, Head of Market Development at the GSA.

Time saver, life saver

The day started at the MRCC in Ostend with a visit to the operations centre, an inspection of the ORKA Fast Rescue Boat and a chance to talk to Tara Foster before she was “castaway” on the waves.

Dries Boodts, Deputy Nautical Director at MRCC, described the role of the centre, which has a single focus on safety at sea. “The globe is divided into Search and Rescue Regions (SRRs), said Boodts. “And the MRCC oversees the Belgian maritime region that extends up to 47 miles off the Belgian coast.”

The region includes major shipping lanes and two large offshore wind energy parks. The MRCC deals with around 450 incidents each year involving a range of craft and issues from collisions at sea to war munitions recovery. It can call on an assortment of assets including its own rescue craft, police and navy vessels and the Belgian air force and the MRCC collaborates extensively with authorities in neighbouring countries.

Galileo is Europe’s contribution to upgrading Cospas-Sarsat – the Global Satellite-based Search and Rescue system. Since its introduction in 1981, Cospas-Sarsat is estimated to have saved some 45 000 lives. The current MEOSAR (Mid Earth Orbit Search and Rescue) upgrade is based on the EU’s Galileo satellite constellation that carries a dedicated Cospas-Sarsat payload for the 406 MHz distress beacons that give users free access to global system.

Watch this: Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) Service

The addition of Galileo (and other GNSS satellites) to the system has already enabled a dramatic increase in performance in terms of better accuracy to locate activated distress beacons and vastly improved global coverage. “With the Galileo system, all parts of the world will be covered at least every 10 minutes – previously this was up to four hours – and guaranteed location accuracy is reduced from 10 to 2 kilometres,” explained Jolanda van Eijndthoven from the European Commission.

As well as the 23 SAR payloads currently provided by Galileo, with more to come, the EU also provides ground infrastructure including MEO Local User Terminals (LUTs) to pick up the signals relayed from the satellites. These LUTs are not just in Europe, and a fourth facility is o be opened soon on La Reunion island to improve coverage across the Indian Ocean.

Return link reassurance

From the end of the year the Galileo system will also provide a Return Link Service (RLS) that will be able to send an acknowledgement to the victim that their distress signal has been received and help is on its way. This new ability to provide reassurance should deliver a valuable psychological lift to victims and further boost survival rates.

“The PLBs developed under our Horizon 2020 projects will be the first ones on the market to have the RLS capability,” said Fiammetta Diani.

Back on dry land, Tara confessed that the simulation had felt very real to her. “The scariest part was the transfer to the helicopter from the rescue boat,” she said. “The winch was like a lift without a floor and very fast! Stepping from the flimsy life raft to the ORKA was also not easy – those waves were high!”

“The operation went just like clockwork,” concluded Paul Flament Head of the Galileo and EGNOS unit at the European Commission’s DG GROW. 

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).

Have you ever wondered how pilots can land a plane when it is snowing or foggy? Or how a taxi drives right up to you and not 10 metres away, even when you are standing in the middle of nowhere? Or have you ever thought about how the exact time and position of your morning tram to work are known? The answers lie just five minutes away from downtown Prague.

The European Space Programmes are closer than you think. Satellites might be an invisible infrastructure spinning many thousand kilometres above our heads, but the services they deliver are more than visible. Look around you! Satellite navigation is used in much of our everyday life and, for all of the services that use satellite navigation, accuracy is of the essence.

Planes land smoothly with precision thanks to EGNOS. Trams, trains and buses #UseGalileo for accurate timing information, tractors use EU satellite-based technology for a greener environment. More than 1 billion Galileo-enabled smartphones are now in your pockets.

Still not convinced? 

Join us on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 of November for the #GSAOpenDays 2019 and experience first-hand why #AccuracyMatters

Be a pilot and land an airbus A350 using EGNOS or discover a satellite mock-up. Are you an adrenaline junkie? Experience a live rescue in the snow-capped Alps with the help of Galileo. If you’re afraid of heights you can always decrypt secret messages or take part in our various workshops running throughout the day.

Not sure how to find us? Let Galileo take care of that. Check if your smartphone uses Galileo here and rest assured you’ll make it to the event on time! After all Accuracy Matters, right?

Follow us on twitter @EU_GNSS and Instagram @space4eu for regular updates.

Use the hashtag #GSAOpenDays to share your experience of this year’s Open Days. 

Over two days in August, to kick off Thai Space Week, GNSS.asia and Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) ran a Galileo and Smart RTK Hackathon – challenging participants to think outside the box. With one hackathon already completed this year, this was a good opportunity to introduce Galileo to a new region and to a new group of enthusiastic innovators.

Participating in the hackathon were 50 undergraduates, entrepreneurs, business owners and PhD candidates with backgrounds ranging from engineering, computer science, and GIS, to marketing, geodesy and business management. Their diversity was fantastic also, with a 45 to 55  female to male ratio. There were 10 teams in total, with 9 mentors helping the teams iron out kinks, understand how to use the technology and turn their ideas into incredible projects.

Watch this: Galileo & Smart RTK Hackathon

In order to give the teams a well-rounded understanding of the technological concepts behind Galileo and Smart RTK, the first day opened with interactive training sessions by Dr Anindya Bose, from the University of Bardwan, India, and Ms Darunee Promchot from GISTDA. They both gave the participants the fundamentals behind GNSS, Thailand’s G-PPS (GISTDA Precise Positioning System) RTK network and some hints about how to incorporate them into their applications. Varadarajan Krish, Managing Director, Induct AS, India, took the hackers through the hard and soft skills needed to take ideas from concept to reality.

The teams were challenged to develop a solution to provide one of the following:

• A user-friendly, fast and cost-efficient A-to-Z transport solution for Bangkok;

• Smart agriculture, focusing on high precision or automatization;

• A smart city solution for citizens who are disadvantaged and/or with health issues;

• Other smart solutions for Bangkok, Thailand or globally (travel, sustainability, logistics, food distribution, new services…) using Galileo or G-PPS;

• A smart mobile application platform for GNSS positioning in real-time, retrieved correction data from G-PPS to improve the accuracy of smartphone positioning called “Smart RTK.”

When it came to pitching time, the hackers did a superb job keeping to time and using the 10 slide template made especially for the occasion. There was a wide range of applications: GNSS-enabled ticketing to reduce traffic accidents; drone delivery for food, medical devices and urgent packages; outdoor/indoor 3D mapping for more effective firefighting; automatic ripeness assessment of fruit combining unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs) and GNSS; farming automation to mitigate rural depopulation to sustain farming into the future generations; driverless tractors with low cost GNSS receivers; and, identification of plant diseases using UAVs.

And the winners were…

The judges were impressed with the professionalism of all the pitches. Deliberations to award the prizes were passionate and almost heated, but a consensus was reached.

Smart RTK Prize: Team FarmFellow.

Solution: Digital platform for agricultural farmers for farm mapping, crop selection and farm monitoring.

Galileo Prize: Team Fling RTK.

Solution: Fling is using drones to deliver urgently-needed goods to city residents using multi-constellation GNSS and RTK to prevent jamming and position and land its drones safely and accurately.

Best Prize: Team – Second Eyes

Solution: EmergMap – Reducing costs due to fire damage for complex buildings, using 3D mapping, sensors and G-PPS technology to extinguish the fire efficiently and safely.

Congratulations to the winners and to all the teams involved. The event would not have been the success it was without the energy that they brought, the ideas that they had and the dedication to pitching such well researched and brilliantly delivered solutions using Galileo and the Thai GPPS network.

Read this: GNSS.asia highlights Europe-India cooperation

GNSS.asia

GNSS.asia is a Horizon 2020 project of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) that aims to stimulate the creation of partnerships between GNSS industries in Europe and Asia, while supporting institutional cooperation and encouraging Galileo adoption. It offers several services, including industry matchmaking and international cooperation events. GNSS.asia has permanent teams in Europe, India, China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

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).

Over two days in August, to kick off Thai Space Week, GNSS.asia and Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) ran a Galileo and Smart RTK Hackathon – challenging participants to think outside the box. With one hackathon already completed this year, this was a good opportunity to introduce Galileo to a new region and to a new group of enthusiastic innovators.

Participating in the hackathon were 50 undergraduates, entrepreneurs, business owners and PhD candidates with backgrounds ranging from engineering, computer science, and GIS, to marketing, geodesy and business management. Their diversity was fantastic also, with a 45 to 55  female to male ratio. There were 10 teams in total, with 9 mentors helping the teams iron out kinks, understand how to use the technology and turn their ideas into incredible projects.

Watch this: Galileo & Smart RTK Hackathon

In order to give the teams a well-rounded understanding of the technological concepts behind Galileo and Smart RTK, the first day opened with interactive training sessions by Dr Anindya Bose, from the University of Bardwan, India, and Ms Darunee Promchot from GISTDA. They both gave the participants the fundamentals behind GNSS, Thailand’s G-PPS (GISTDA Precise Positioning System) RTK network and some hints about how to incorporate them into their applications. Varadarajan Krish, Managing Director, Induct AS, India, took the hackers through the hard and soft skills needed to take ideas from concept to reality.

The teams were challenged to develop a solution to provide one of the following:

• A user-friendly, fast and cost-efficient A-to-Z transport solution for Bangkok;

• Smart agriculture, focusing on high precision or automatization;

• A smart city solution for citizens who are disadvantaged and/or with health issues;

• Other smart solutions for Bangkok, Thailand or globally (travel, sustainability, logistics, food distribution, new services…) using Galileo or G-PPS;

• A smart mobile application platform for GNSS positioning in real-time, retrieved correction data from G-PPS to improve the accuracy of smartphone positioning called “Smart RTK.”

When it came to pitching time, the hackers did a superb job keeping to time and using the 10 slide template made especially for the occasion. There was a wide range of applications: GNSS-enabled ticketing to reduce traffic accidents; drone delivery for food, medical devices and urgent packages; outdoor/indoor 3D mapping for more effective firefighting; automatic ripeness assessment of fruit combining unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs) and GNSS; farming automation to mitigate rural depopulation to sustain farming into the future generations; driverless tractors with low cost GNSS receivers; and, identification of plant diseases using UAVs.

And the winners were…

The judges were impressed with the professionalism of all the pitches. Deliberations to award the prizes were passionate and almost heated, but a consensus was reached.

Smart RTK Prize: Team FarmFellow.

Solution: Digital platform for agricultural farmers for farm mapping, crop selection and farm monitoring.

Galileo Prize: Team Fling RTK.

Solution: Fling is using drones to deliver urgently-needed goods to city residents using multi-constellation GNSS and RTK to prevent jamming and position and land its drones safely and accurately.

Best Prize: Team – Second Eyes

Solution: EmergMap – Reducing costs due to fire damage for complex buildings, using 3D mapping, sensors and G-PPS technology to extinguish the fire efficiently and safely.

Congratulations to the winners and to all the teams involved. The event would not have been the success it was without the energy that they brought, the ideas that they had and the dedication to pitching such well researched and brilliantly delivered solutions using Galileo and the Thai GPPS network.

Read this: GNSS.asia highlights Europe-India cooperation

GNSS.asia

GNSS.asia is a Horizon 2020 project of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) that aims to stimulate the creation of partnerships between GNSS industries in Europe and Asia, while supporting institutional cooperation and encouraging Galileo adoption. It offers several services, including industry matchmaking and international cooperation events. GNSS.asia has permanent teams in Europe, India, China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

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).

Over two days in August, to kick off Thai Space Week, GNSS.asia and Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) ran a Galileo and Smart RTK Hackathon – challenging participants to think outside the box. With one hackathon already completed this year, this was a good opportunity to introduce Galileo to a new region and to a new group of enthusiastic innovators.

Participating in the hackathon were 50 undergraduates, entrepreneurs, business owners and PhD candidates with backgrounds ranging from engineering, computer science, and GIS, to marketing, geodesy and business management. Their diversity was fantastic also, with a 45 to 55  female to male ratio. There were 10 teams in total, with 9 mentors helping the teams iron out kinks, understand how to use the technology and turn their ideas into incredible projects.

Watch this: Galileo & Smart RTK Hackathon

In order to give the teams a well-rounded understanding of the technological concepts behind Galileo and Smart RTK, the first day opened with interactive training sessions by Dr Anindya Bose, from the University of Bardwan, India, and Ms Darunee Promchot from GISTDA. They both gave the participants the fundamentals behind GNSS, Thailand’s G-PPS (GISTDA Precise Positioning System) RTK network and some hints about how to incorporate them into their applications. Varadarajan Krish, Managing Director, Induct AS, India, took the hackers through the hard and soft skills needed to take ideas from concept to reality.

The teams were challenged to develop a solution to provide one of the following:

• A user-friendly, fast and cost-efficient A-to-Z transport solution for Bangkok;

• Smart agriculture, focusing on high precision or automatization;

• A smart city solution for citizens who are disadvantaged and/or with health issues;

• Other smart solutions for Bangkok, Thailand or globally (travel, sustainability, logistics, food distribution, new services…) using Galileo or G-PPS;

• A smart mobile application platform for GNSS positioning in real-time, retrieved correction data from G-PPS to improve the accuracy of smartphone positioning called “Smart RTK.”

When it came to pitching time, the hackers did a superb job keeping to time and using the 10 slide template made especially for the occasion. There was a wide range of applications: GNSS-enabled ticketing to reduce traffic accidents; drone delivery for food, medical devices and urgent packages; outdoor/indoor 3D mapping for more effective firefighting; automatic ripeness assessment of fruit combining unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs) and GNSS; farming automation to mitigate rural depopulation to sustain farming into the future generations; driverless tractors with low cost GNSS receivers; and, identification of plant diseases using UAVs.

And the winners were…

The judges were impressed with the professionalism of all the pitches. Deliberations to award the prizes were passionate and almost heated, but a consensus was reached.

Smart RTK Prize: Team FarmFellow.

Solution: Digital platform for agricultural farmers for farm mapping, crop selection and farm monitoring.

Galileo Prize: Team Fling RTK.

Solution: Fling is using drones to deliver urgently-needed goods to city residents using multi-constellation GNSS and RTK to prevent jamming and position and land its drones safely and accurately.

Best Prize: Team – Second Eyes

Solution: EmergMap – Reducing costs due to fire damage for complex buildings, using 3D mapping, sensors and G-PPS technology to extinguish the fire efficiently and safely.

Congratulations to the winners and to all the teams involved. The event would not have been the success it was without the energy that they brought, the ideas that they had and the dedication to pitching such well researched and brilliantly delivered solutions using Galileo and the Thai GPPS network.

Read this: GNSS.asia highlights Europe-India cooperation

GNSS.asia

GNSS.asia is a Horizon 2020 project of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) that aims to stimulate the creation of partnerships between GNSS industries in Europe and Asia, while supporting institutional cooperation and encouraging Galileo adoption. It offers several services, including industry matchmaking and international cooperation events. GNSS.asia has permanent teams in Europe, India, China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

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).

During a presentation on the EU Space Programmes as enablers for policies requested by the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) on 25 September 2019, attendees heard how the European economy is increasingly dependent on space-based services.

Introducing the speakers at the meeting, European Parliament’s ITRE Committee Chair Adina-Ioana Valean noted that Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus support many of the activities and services that fall within the sphere of interest of the ITRE Committee.

First to speak at the presentation was Deputy Director General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW, European Commission) Pierre Delsaux. He said that the European Parliament had always been supportive of Europe’s space ambitions, and that the EU Space Programmes would need this continued support going forward, including in the upcoming long-term budget negotiations under the future multiannual financial framework.

Regarding the new Regulation on the EU Space Programme, he underlined that it was important to have one single instrument to cover all the components of the Programme. “In the future it will be important to bring synergies in applications and services between Copernicus and Galileo and to ensure that for digital services, for environmental monitoring and for transport, and so on, we have a combination of data from Copernicus and Galileo,” he said, adding that this would open up new horizons.

Instrumental role of GSA

European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides spoke about his Agency’s market development efforts and success stories, beginning with EGNOS, Europe’s satellite-based augmentation service. EGNOS was the first pan-European navigation system designed specifically for the civil aviation sector and launched in 2011. It has come a long way since then.

 “Currently, we have 40,000  flights a month that use EGNOS, more than 350 airports equipped with EGNOS, more than 50% of instrumental runways in Europe equipped with EGNOS approach procedures,” he said, adding that the GSA had been instrumental in making this happen, by bringing all of the different actors together.

He noted the same dynamic with respect to Galileo. “We have recently celebrated 1 billion Galileo-enabled receivers sold globally, this is thanks to the decision to launch initial services at the end of 2016, and to the unique integrated approach of GSA in linking space to the needs of all stakeholders.”

Read this: GSA celebrates 1 billion Galileo smartphone users

Looking to the future, he said that with the new Regulation, the perimeter of the GSA’s responsibilities would be enlarged. He said that the new Regulation would come into effect at the right time when Galileo reaches full operating capability.

“We need to be ready for this new phase, where the focus will be on service provision,” he said, adding that it would be necessary to change the speed and volume of investment to ensure sufficient market uptake of Galileo services.

Delivering innovative solutions

GSA Chief Operating Officer Pascal Claudel also noted that the GSA’s user-centric focus, and that the GSA was focused on using signals from space to meet the needs of all market segments through innovative solutions. These solutions are aimed at stimulating European industry, from start-ups to SMEs and traditional industries and the signals from space are currently at the heart of a technological revolution and represent an essential catalyst for the European economy, he said. “This is why all Member States of the EU should be involved in the development of the downstream activities. This brings the GSA at the centre of the New Space made in Europe”

About 10% of Europe’s economy depends on space services, European companies account for 25% of the space downstream market, large numbers of jobs have been created and billions of euros will be generated by Galileo and EGNOS by 2027, Claudel said, adding that the new Regulation would open tremendous possibilities for the EU’s industrial fabric, particularly when it comes to synergies between Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus and Govsatcom. 

And this: GSA, EIB sign agreement on investment in space

Matthias Petschke, Director of European GNSS Programmes at DG GROW, underlined the strategic dimension of the space programmes and highlighted the three-fold role of the Commission in supporting the EU Space Programme. This role includes creating a regulatory framework when required, especially for safety and security reasons; secondly, there is standardisation, especially where this will drive market uptake; and finally – the Commission is active in the area of entrepreneurship, fostering start-ups and their use of space services and technologies.

Impressive results

Marta Krywanis-Brzostowska, Head of Downstream R&D in Market Development and Horizon 2020 Coordinator at the GSA highlighted this market uptake in her presentation. She noted that there are already over 600 EGNOS-based approach procedures in over 350 airports in 23 EU countries and that 85% of new tractors sold in the EU are EGNSS-enabled. 

What’s more, 17 car brands are currently commercialising EGNOS and Galileo eCall and, thanks to efficiency gains in transport, 3.5 billion litres of fuel and 15 tonnes of CO2 have been saved, she said, adding that all of these figures translate into concrete benefits for EU citizens. 

“These impressive results have only been possible thanks to the integrated approach adopted by the GSA towards users and industry,” she said.

And this: GSA GNSS Market Report 6 – coming soon!

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).

During a presentation on the EU Space Programmes as enablers for policies requested by the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) on 25 September 2019, attendees heard how the European economy is increasingly dependent on space-based services.

Introducing the speakers at the meeting, European Parliament’s ITRE Committee Chair Adina-Ioana Valean noted that Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus support many of the activities and services that fall within the sphere of interest of the ITRE Committee.

First to speak at the presentation was Deputy Director General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW, European Commission) Pierre Delsaux. He said that the European Parliament had always been supportive of Europe’s space ambitions, and that the EU Space Programmes would need this continued support going forward, including in the upcoming long-term budget negotiations under the future multiannual financial framework.

Regarding the new Regulation on the EU Space Programme, he underlined that it was important to have one single instrument to cover all the components of the Programme. “In the future it will be important to bring synergies in applications and services between Copernicus and Galileo and to ensure that for digital services, for environmental monitoring and for transport, and so on, we have a combination of data from Copernicus and Galileo,” he said, adding that this would open up new horizons.

Instrumental role of GSA

European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides spoke about his Agency’s market development efforts and success stories, beginning with EGNOS, Europe’s satellite-based augmentation service. EGNOS was the first pan-European navigation system designed specifically for the civil aviation sector and launched in 2011. It has come a long way since then.

 “Currently, we have 40,000  flights a month that use EGNOS, more than 350 airports equipped with EGNOS, more than 50% of instrumental runways in Europe equipped with EGNOS approach procedures,” he said, adding that the GSA had been instrumental in making this happen, by bringing all of the different actors together.

He noted the same dynamic with respect to Galileo. “We have recently celebrated 1 billion Galileo-enabled receivers sold globally, this is thanks to the decision to launch initial services at the end of 2016, and to the unique integrated approach of GSA in linking space to the needs of all stakeholders.”

Read this: GSA celebrates 1 billion Galileo smartphone users

Looking to the future, he said that with the new Regulation, the perimeter of the GSA’s responsibilities would be enlarged. He said that the new Regulation would come into effect at the right time when Galileo reaches full operating capability.

“We need to be ready for this new phase, where the focus will be on service provision,” he said, adding that it would be necessary to change the speed and volume of investment to ensure sufficient market uptake of Galileo services.

Delivering innovative solutions

GSA Chief Operating Officer Pascal Claudel also noted that the GSA’s user-centric focus, and that the GSA was focused on using signals from space to meet the needs of all market segments through innovative solutions. These solutions are aimed at stimulating European industry, from start-ups to SMEs and traditional industries and the signals from space are currently at the heart of a technological revolution and represent an essential catalyst for the European economy, he said. “This is why all Member States of the EU should be involved in the development of the downstream activities. This brings the GSA at the centre of the New Space made in Europe”

About 10% of Europe’s economy depends on space services, European companies account for 25% of the space downstream market, large numbers of jobs have been created and billions of euros will be generated by Galileo and EGNOS by 2027, Claudel said, adding that the new Regulation would open tremendous possibilities for the EU’s industrial fabric, particularly when it comes to synergies between Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus and Govsatcom. 

And this: GSA, EIB sign agreement on investment in space

Matthias Petschke, Director of European GNSS Programmes at DG GROW, underlined the strategic dimension of the space programmes and highlighted the three-fold role of the Commission in supporting the EU Space Programme. This role includes creating a regulatory framework when required, especially for safety and security reasons; secondly, there is standardisation, especially where this will drive market uptake; and finally – the Commission is active in the area of entrepreneurship, fostering start-ups and their use of space services and technologies.

Impressive results

Marta Krywanis-Brzostowska, Head of Downstream R&D in Market Development and Horizon 2020 Coordinator at the GSA highlighted this market uptake in her presentation. She noted that there are already over 600 EGNOS-based approach procedures in over 350 airports in 23 EU countries and that 85% of new tractors sold in the EU are EGNSS-enabled. 

What’s more, 17 car brands are currently commercialising EGNOS and Galileo eCall and, thanks to efficiency gains in transport, 3.5 billion litres of fuel and 15 tonnes of CO2 have been saved, she said, adding that all of these figures translate into concrete benefits for EU citizens. 

“These impressive results have only been possible thanks to the integrated approach adopted by the GSA towards users and industry,” she said.

And this: GSA GNSS Market Report 6 – coming soon!

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).

During a presentation on the EU Space Programmes as enablers for policies requested by the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) on 25 September 2019, attendees heard how the European economy is increasingly dependent on space-based services.

Introducing the speakers at the meeting, European Parliament’s ITRE Committee Chair Adina-Ioana Valean noted that Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus support many of the activities and services that fall within the sphere of interest of the ITRE Committee.

First to speak at the presentation was Deputy Director General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW, European Commission) Pierre Delsaux. He said that the European Parliament had always been supportive of Europe’s space ambitions, and that the EU Space Programmes would need this continued support going forward, including in the upcoming long-term budget negotiations under the future multiannual financial framework.

Regarding the new Regulation on the EU Space Programme, he underlined that it was important to have one single instrument to cover all the components of the Programme. “In the future it will be important to bring synergies in applications and services between Copernicus and Galileo and to ensure that for digital services, for environmental monitoring and for transport, and so on, we have a combination of data from Copernicus and Galileo,” he said, adding that this would open up new horizons.

Instrumental role of GSA

European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides spoke about his Agency’s market development efforts and success stories, beginning with EGNOS, Europe’s satellite-based augmentation service. EGNOS was the first pan-European navigation system designed specifically for the civil aviation sector and launched in 2011. It has come a long way since then.

 “Currently, we have 40,000  flights a month that use EGNOS, more than 350 airports equipped with EGNOS, more than 50% of instrumental runways in Europe equipped with EGNOS approach procedures,” he said, adding that the GSA had been instrumental in making this happen, by bringing all of the different actors together.

He noted the same dynamic with respect to Galileo. “We have recently celebrated 1 billion Galileo-enabled receivers sold globally, this is thanks to the decision to launch initial services at the end of 2016, and to the unique integrated approach of GSA in linking space to the needs of all stakeholders.”

Read this: GSA celebrates 1 billion Galileo smartphone users

Looking to the future, he said that with the new Regulation, the perimeter of the GSA’s responsibilities would be enlarged. He said that the new Regulation would come into effect at the right time when Galileo reaches full operating capability.

“We need to be ready for this new phase, where the focus will be on service provision,” he said, adding that it would be necessary to change the speed and volume of investment to ensure sufficient market uptake of Galileo services.

Delivering innovative solutions

GSA Chief Operating Officer Pascal Claudel also noted that the GSA’s user-centric focus, and that the GSA was focused on using signals from space to meet the needs of all market segments through innovative solutions. These solutions are aimed at stimulating European industry, from start-ups to SMEs and traditional industries and the signals from space are currently at the heart of a technological revolution and represent an essential catalyst for the European economy, he said. “This is why all Member States of the EU should be involved in the development of the downstream activities. This brings the GSA at the centre of the New Space made in Europe”

About 10% of Europe’s economy depends on space services, European companies account for 25% of the space downstream market, large numbers of jobs have been created and billions of euros will be generated by Galileo and EGNOS by 2027, Claudel said, adding that the new Regulation would open tremendous possibilities for the EU’s industrial fabric, particularly when it comes to synergies between Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus and Govsatcom. 

And this: GSA, EIB sign agreement on investment in space

Matthias Petschke, Director of European GNSS Programmes at DG GROW, underlined the strategic dimension of the space programmes and highlighted the three-fold role of the Commission in supporting the EU Space Programme. This role includes creating a regulatory framework when required, especially for safety and security reasons; secondly, there is standardisation, especially where this will drive market uptake; and finally – the Commission is active in the area of entrepreneurship, fostering start-ups and their use of space services and technologies.

Impressive results

Marta Krywanis-Brzostowska, Head of Downstream R&D in Market Development and Horizon 2020 Coordinator at the GSA highlighted this market uptake in her presentation. She noted that there are already over 600 EGNOS-based approach procedures in over 350 airports in 23 EU countries and that 85% of new tractors sold in the EU are EGNSS-enabled. 

What’s more, 17 car brands are currently commercialising EGNOS and Galileo eCall and, thanks to efficiency gains in transport, 3.5 billion litres of fuel and 15 tonnes of CO2 have been saved, she said, adding that all of these figures translate into concrete benefits for EU citizens. 

“These impressive results have only been possible thanks to the integrated approach adopted by the GSA towards users and industry,” she said.

And this: GSA GNSS Market Report 6 – coming soon!

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 Union's blue economy is thriving - economic activities related to oceans, seas and coastal areas recorded gross profit of EUR 74.3 billion in 2017. By providing the tools needed to streamline marine navigation and port operations, support fast and effective search and rescue, and monitor the health of the marine environment, Europe’s GNSS and Earth Observation programmes offer crucial services for this vital segment of the European economy.

The maritime sector is critical for Europe’s economic well-being - almost 90% of the EU’s external freight trade is seaborne. For World Maritime Day, which falls on 26 September, we take a look at some of the ways that satellite technology is supporting effective maritime operations and the sustainable use of Europe’s marine resources.

Speaking at the ‘International Space Forum 2019 - The Mediterranean Chapter’ earlier this month, European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides noted that the core contribution of GNSS to the maritime world and the blue economy – the provision of accurate position, velocity and time – is already well known. 

Key contributions

Consequently, in his address at the event, des Dorides highlighted some lesser-known ways in which GNSS supports the blue economy. In particular, GNSS enables the generation of Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) position reports for maritime traffic management and situational awareness.

Watch this: EGNOS for Waterborne Transport

What’s more, GNSS supports position reporting in Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS). In the EU, all vessels above 15 metres are fitted with a VMS, and a “blue box” installed on the vessel transmits the GNSS-derived vessel position to the Fisheries Monitoring Centre (FMC) in the flag state, which then communicates this information to the state or regional fisheries body in whose waters the vessel is fishing.

Galileo SAR

Another key service offered by Galileo is its search and rescue (SAR) service. Galileo is the first GNSS constellation offering global SAR capability. The Galileo SAR service is also a fundamental European contribution to the Cospas-Sarsat International Programme, thanks to the SAR/Galileo repeaters and ground segment equipment that relay Cospas-Sarsat distress alerts to national authorities through the Cospas-Sarsat ground network.

And this: Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) Service

Timed to coincide with World Maritime Day, Shark Bait - a live demonstration of how quickly the Galileo SAR service can help in triggering a rescue operation - will be held on 26 September in Oostende, Belgium. 

As part of the event, a ‘victim’ will be left on a life raft at sea with a 406MHz Cospas-Sarsat distress beacon. When the beacon is activated, a chronometer will be launched to calculate the time taken to receive the distress signal, to compute the raft’s position and to send the alert to the relevant authorities. The event will be broadcast live on YouTube and on EuropeBySatellite (EBS).

Europe’s eyes on Earth

But it’s not just European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) that offers services to support efficient maritime operations. The European Union's Earth Observation Programme – Copernicus, “Europe’s eyes on Earth,” also provides some crucial services to the maritime sector, offering information services based on satellite Earth Observation and in situ (non-space) data.

In particular, the Copernicus marine environment monitoring service provides regular and systematic core reference information on the state of the oceans and seas in support of all marine applications, including those related to marine safety, marine resources, the coastal and marine environment, and weather forecasting and climate action.

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 Union's blue economy is thriving - economic activities related to oceans, seas and coastal areas recorded gross profit of EUR 74.3 billion in 2017. By providing the tools needed to streamline marine navigation and port operations, support fast and effective search and rescue, and monitor the health of the marine environment, Europe’s GNSS and Earth Observation programmes offer crucial services for this vital segment of the European economy.

The maritime sector is critical for Europe’s economic well-being - almost 90% of the EU’s external freight trade is seaborne. For World Maritime Day, which falls on 26 September, we take a look at some of the ways that satellite technology is supporting effective maritime operations and the sustainable use of Europe’s marine resources.

Speaking at the ‘International Space Forum 2019 - The Mediterranean Chapter’ earlier this month, European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides noted that the core contribution of GNSS to the maritime world and the blue economy – the provision of accurate position, velocity and time – is already well known. 

Key contributions

Consequently, in his address at the event, des Dorides highlighted some lesser-known ways in which GNSS supports the blue economy. In particular, GNSS enables the generation of Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) position reports for maritime traffic management and situational awareness.

Watch this: EGNOS for Waterborne Transport

What’s more, GNSS supports position reporting in Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS). In the EU, all vessels above 15 metres are fitted with a VMS, and a “blue box” installed on the vessel transmits the GNSS-derived vessel position to the Fisheries Monitoring Centre (FMC) in the flag state, which then communicates this information to the state or regional fisheries body in whose waters the vessel is fishing.

Galileo SAR

Another key service offered by Galileo is its search and rescue (SAR) service. Galileo is the first GNSS constellation offering global SAR capability. The Galileo SAR service is also a fundamental European contribution to the Cospas-Sarsat International Programme, thanks to the SAR/Galileo repeaters and ground segment equipment that relay Cospas-Sarsat distress alerts to national authorities through the Cospas-Sarsat ground network.

And this: Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) Service

Timed to coincide with World Maritime Day, Shark Bait - a live demonstration of how quickly the Galileo SAR service can help in triggering a rescue operation - will be held on 26 September in Oostende, Belgium. 

As part of the event, a ‘victim’ will be left on a life raft at sea with a 406MHz Cospas-Sarsat distress beacon. When the beacon is activated, a chronometer will be launched to calculate the time taken to receive the distress signal, to compute the raft’s position and to send the alert to the relevant authorities. The event will be broadcast live on YouTube and on EuropeBySatellite (EBS).

Europe’s eyes on Earth

But it’s not just European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) that offers services to support efficient maritime operations. The European Union's Earth Observation Programme – Copernicus, “Europe’s eyes on Earth,” also provides some crucial services to the maritime sector, offering information services based on satellite Earth Observation and in situ (non-space) data.

In particular, the Copernicus marine environment monitoring service provides regular and systematic core reference information on the state of the oceans and seas in support of all marine applications, including those related to marine safety, marine resources, the coastal and marine environment, and weather forecasting and climate action.

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 Galileo – Accuracy Matters campaign was a worthy runner-up in the ‘Campaign of the Year - Associations & Institutions’ category at this year’s Digital Communication Awards. The first place prize in the category went to Finland’s Capital of Metal campaign, which set out to determine which Finnish city deserves to be known internationally as the Capital of Metal. 

The Accuracy Matters team presented the campaign to the Awards jury in a pitch made at the Quadriga University of Applied Sciences Berlin in Berlin on Friday, 20 September, and the awards were presented at a ceremony held at the Kino International in Berlin later on the same day.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA), with the support of the European Commission, launched the Accuracy Matters #UseGalileo campaign last December to raise awareness about how Galileo, a component of the European Union's Space Programme, is making a real difference in the lives of the billion users who have Galileo’s added accuracy in their smart phones.

Making a real difference

The campaign began with a series of light-hearted videos showcasing everyday situations where ‘Accuracy Matters’ to anyone using location data on their smartphones. The campaign later took a more serious tone – highlighting how Galileo’s added accuracy makes a real difference in an emergency. Coinciding with the European elections, the campaign ran on Social Media and was advertised in metro stations, buses and airports across Europe, generating over 65 million impressions.

Read this: GSA celebrates 1 billion Galileo smartphone users

“We launched the Accuracy Matters campaign to increase public awareness of the benefits of Galileo. With this campaign, for the first time ever we engaged with European citizens, the final users and beneficiaries of the European Global Navigation Satellite System,” said GSA Head of Communications Donna Reay. “Thanks to this campaign, European citizens now know more about Galileo and we know more about their communication needs, which is an invaluable asset for the European GNSS Agency,” she continued. “Participation in the Digital Communication Awards has been a rewarding experience. It has increased the visibility of our campaign and will contribute to its ongoing success,” she said.

Honouring outstanding projects

The Digital Communication Awards honour outstanding projects, campaigns and innovations in the sphere of online communications. Launched and hosted by the Quadriga University of Applied Sciences since 2011, the DCA help to lift up industry-leading online communications campaigns. The Awards provide innovative online projects with the visibility and reputation they deserve. 

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 Galileo – Accuracy Matters campaign was a worthy runner-up in the ‘Campaign of the Year - Associations & Institutions’ category at this year’s Digital Communication Awards. The first place prize in the category went to Finland’s Capital of Metal campaign, which set out to determine which Finnish city deserves to be known internationally as the Capital of Metal. 

The Accuracy Matters team presented the campaign to the Awards jury in a pitch made at the Quadriga University of Applied Sciences Berlin in Berlin on Friday, 20 September, and the awards were presented at a ceremony held at the Kino International in Berlin later on the same day.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA), with the support of the European Commission, launched the Accuracy Matters #UseGalileo campaign last December to raise awareness about how Galileo, a component of the European Union's Space Programme, is making a real difference in the lives of the billion users who have Galileo’s added accuracy in their smart phones.

Making a real difference

The campaign began with a series of light-hearted videos showcasing everyday situations where ‘Accuracy Matters’ to anyone using location data on their smartphones. The campaign later took a more serious tone – highlighting how Galileo’s added accuracy makes a real difference in an emergency. Coinciding with the European elections, the campaign ran on Social Media and was advertised in metro stations, buses and airports across Europe, generating over 65 million impressions.

Read this: GSA celebrates 1 billion Galileo smartphone users

“We launched the Accuracy Matters campaign to increase public awareness of the benefits of Galileo. With this campaign, for the first time ever we engaged with European citizens, the final users and beneficiaries of the European Global Navigation Satellite System,” said GSA Head of Communications Donna Reay. “Thanks to this campaign, European citizens now know more about Galileo and we know more about their communication needs, which is an invaluable asset for the European GNSS Agency,” she continued. “Participation in the Digital Communication Awards has been a rewarding experience. It has increased the visibility of our campaign and will contribute to its ongoing success,” she said.

Honouring outstanding projects

The Digital Communication Awards honour outstanding projects, campaigns and innovations in the sphere of online communications. Launched and hosted by the Quadriga University of Applied Sciences since 2011, the DCA help to lift up industry-leading online communications campaigns. The Awards provide innovative online projects with the visibility and reputation they deserve. 

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 Galileo – Accuracy Matters campaign was a worthy runner-up in the ‘Campaign of the Year - Associations & Institutions’ category at this year’s Digital Communication Awards. The first place prize in the category went to Finland’s Capital of Metal campaign, which set out to determine which Finnish city deserves to be known internationally as the Capital of Metal. 

The Accuracy Matters team presented the campaign to the Awards jury in a pitch made at the Quadriga University of Applied Sciences Berlin in Berlin on Friday, 20 September, and the awards were presented at a ceremony held at the Kino International in Berlin later on the same day.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA), with the support of the European Commission, launched the Accuracy Matters #UseGalileo campaign last December to raise awareness about how Galileo, a component of the European Union's Space Programme, is making a real difference in the lives of the billion users who have Galileo’s added accuracy in their smart phones.

Making a real difference

The campaign began with a series of light-hearted videos showcasing everyday situations where ‘Accuracy Matters’ to anyone using location data on their smartphones. The campaign later took a more serious tone – highlighting how Galileo’s added accuracy makes a real difference in an emergency. Coinciding with the European elections, the campaign ran on Social Media and was advertised in metro stations, buses and airports across Europe, generating over 65 million impressions.

Read this: GSA celebrates 1 billion Galileo smartphone users

“We launched the Accuracy Matters campaign to increase public awareness of the benefits of Galileo. With this campaign, for the first time ever we engaged with European citizens, the final users and beneficiaries of the European Global Navigation Satellite System,” said GSA Head of Communications Donna Reay. “Thanks to this campaign, European citizens now know more about Galileo and we know more about their communication needs, which is an invaluable asset for the European GNSS Agency,” she continued. “Participation in the Digital Communication Awards has been a rewarding experience. It has increased the visibility of our campaign and will contribute to its ongoing success,” she said.

Honouring outstanding projects

The Digital Communication Awards honour outstanding projects, campaigns and innovations in the sphere of online communications. Launched and hosted by the Quadriga University of Applied Sciences since 2011, the DCA help to lift up industry-leading online communications campaigns. The Awards provide innovative online projects with the visibility and reputation they deserve. 

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).

Submissions in the MyGalileoApp competitions target applications in 11 innovation areas. European Mobility Week, which is taking place this week, is a good opportunity to take a look at some of the applications addressing mobility-related issues that were shortlisted in the Top 30 in this year’s edition of the competition.

The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area was a popular choice in this year’s MyGalileoApp competition, with a total of six submissions. Of these, five target applications that aim to improve users’ mobility experience. For example, the Mob(ility) app aims to help different communities of pedestrians living in urban areas that need to have real-time accurate information of their environment to improve everyday mobility. The app will display the best route between two different points of the city depending on users’ preferences.

Streamlining urban traffic

Two applications in this year’s competition aim to streamline urban traffic flows. Firstly, the ReadyPark app makes it possible to exchange parking spots in real-time, by pairing users leaving a spot with users looking for one, which will improve the urban driving experience. Secondly, the Mylights application displays the remaining time of a red or green signal at a traffic light controlled junction and provides optimal speed recommendation (within the applicable speed limit) for drivers to arrive at the junction just in time for a green signal.

Read this: GSA, EIB sign agreement on investment in space

Another mobile application - Lycie - notifies drivers whenever a dangerous situation is detected, by monitoring both the driver and the road. Potential Lycie users include all drivers exposed to road traffic risks: employees or individuals in a car, bus, train or even on a motorbike.

However, it’s not only road transport solutions that were developed in this year’s competition – maritime transport was also targeted. Specifically, the GALILEONAUT application helps sailors to find their way inside a port or a marina. The solution provides a link between the harbour master's office and sailors and allows the harbour master to assign a docking place to a boat entering the harbour, and the sailor to be guided without requiring any assistance from the harbour master’s office.

Mapping, GIS and Agriculture

The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area was not the only one to receive mobility-related submissions. In the Mapping, GIS and Agriculture areas too, some of the applications address specific mobility-related needs. For example, the RoadEO project makes use of a smartphone’s accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone, camera and of course GNSS module to record its environment while driving in a car, truck, bike or other mode of transport, and combines this with Earth observation data in a predictive analytics solution that advises road authorities about where and when road segments need to be maintained.

And this: GSA celebrates 1 billion Galileo smartphone users

In the agriculture segment, Tractor Navigator provides guidance for farmers driving tractors. It is a navigation app (like a car GPS) that enables users to visualise their current position and trajectory on an open field (no road). Using the app, farmers can also accurately follow a predefined trajectory with live feedback to correct deviations and record and load saved trajectories to pick up work from where they left off, thereby avoiding covering the same area twice.

Moving forward

Of the seven mobility related submissions reviewed here, three – Tractor Navigator, Ready Park and GALILEONAUT – have made it through to the final 10 projects selected for the second development phase of the competition. So stay tuned to see how they do!

Along with the other projects in the final 10, these three projects have until October 21 to deliver a finalised version of their app with 100% functionality. All teams that will successfully complete the second development phase will be invited to the finals, to be held in November 2019, where they will present their application to the GSA evaluation board. The awards will be decided after these presentations, with the first-place winner receiving a EUR 100,000 prize. The runner up and third place winners will receive EUR 50,000 and EUR 30,000 respectively.

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).

Submissions in the MyGalileoApp competitions target applications in 11 innovation areas. European Mobility Week, which is taking place this week, is a good opportunity to take a look at some of the applications addressing mobility-related issues that were shortlisted in the Top 30 in this year’s edition of the competition.

The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area was a popular choice in this year’s MyGalileoApp competition, with a total of six submissions. Of these, five target applications that aim to improve users’ mobility experience. For example, the Mob(ility) app aims to help different communities of pedestrians living in urban areas that need to have real-time accurate information of their environment to improve everyday mobility. The app will display the best route between two different points of the city depending on users’ preferences.

Streamlining urban traffic

Two applications in this year’s competition aim to streamline urban traffic flows. Firstly, the ReadyPark app makes it possible to exchange parking spots in real-time, by pairing users leaving a spot with users looking for one, which will improve the urban driving experience. Secondly, the Mylights application displays the remaining time of a red or green signal at a traffic light controlled junction and provides optimal speed recommendation (within the applicable speed limit) for drivers to arrive at the junction just in time for a green signal.

Read this: GSA, EIB sign agreement on investment in space

Another mobile application - Lycie - notifies drivers whenever a dangerous situation is detected, by monitoring both the driver and the road. Potential Lycie users include all drivers exposed to road traffic risks: employees or individuals in a car, bus, train or even on a motorbike.

However, it’s not only road transport solutions that were developed in this year’s competition – maritime transport was also targeted. Specifically, the GALILEONAUT application helps sailors to find their way inside a port or a marina. The solution provides a link between the harbour master's office and sailors and allows the harbour master to assign a docking place to a boat entering the harbour, and the sailor to be guided without requiring any assistance from the harbour master’s office.

Mapping, GIS and Agriculture

The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area was not the only one to receive mobility-related submissions. In the Mapping, GIS and Agriculture areas too, some of the applications address specific mobility-related needs. For example, the RoadEO project makes use of a smartphone’s accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone, camera and of course GNSS module to record its environment while driving in a car, truck, bike or other mode of transport, and combines this with Earth observation data in a predictive analytics solution that advises road authorities about where and when road segments need to be maintained.

And this: GSA celebrates 1 billion Galileo smartphone users

In the agriculture segment, Tractor Navigator provides guidance for farmers driving tractors. It is a navigation app (like a car GPS) that enables users to visualise their current position and trajectory on an open field (no road). Using the app, farmers can also accurately follow a predefined trajectory with live feedback to correct deviations and record and load saved trajectories to pick up work from where they left off, thereby avoiding covering the same area twice.

Moving forward

Of the seven mobility related submissions reviewed here, three – Tractor Navigator, Ready Park and GALILEONAUT – have made it through to the final 10 projects selected for the second development phase of the competition. So stay tuned to see how they do!

Along with the other projects in the final 10, these three projects have until October 21 to deliver a finalised version of their app with 100% functionality. All teams that will successfully complete the second development phase will be invited to the finals, to be held in November 2019, where they will present their application to the GSA evaluation board. The awards will be decided after these presentations, with the first-place winner receiving a EUR 100,000 prize. The runner up and third place winners will receive EUR 50,000 and EUR 30,000 respectively.

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 implementation of OS-NMA and/or I/NAV features in close-to-market receivers and/or GNSS user terminals. The deadline for submissions is 31 October 2019.

This Call for Proposals aims to implement OS-NMA and/or I/NAV improvements capability in close-to-market (i.e. min TRL 7) receivers and/or GNSS user terminals suitable for target application domains other than the Smart Tachograph.

The applicants are requested to propose a solution to reach this objective in such a way that:

1. The receiver and/or terminal shall be able to receive and process OS-NMA and/or be fully compliant with and make optimal use of the new Galileo E1-OS I/NAV features introduced with the Galileo Open Service Interface Control Document (OS ICD).
2. In case of OS-NMA implementation, the enhanced receiver and/or GNSS user terminal shall aim at optimising the level of protection at least against those spoofing attacks that are specific to the target application.
3. The developed receiver and/or GNSS user terminal shall be cost efficient and compliant with the specific application constraints.

For more details, please see the call documentation package.

EGNSS differentiators: OS-NMA and I/NAV improvements

As part of its service portfolio, Galileo plans to provide a navigation message authentication feature over its Open Service (OS). From the Galileo standpoint, Navigation Message Authentication (NMA) is defined as the ability of the system to guarantee to users that they are utilising navigation data from the Galileo satellites and not from any other, potentially malicious, source.

In addition, with the same objective of enhancing the Galileo services portfolio, three new features will soon be provided free of charge to all Open Service users. These features will be gradually implemented from 2020 and will be openly accessible through the I/NAV message carried by the E1-B signal.

The OS-NMA feature is considered an important asset for the Galileo programme, being a strong technical differentiator with respect to the other GNSS. This capability will allow Galileo user terminals to assess the authenticity of the data provided through the Signal in Space transmitted by Galileo satellites against attempts to spoof it. It will also help improve the overall robustness of GNSS for various applications, particularly those for which security and trustworthiness are a priority. Furthermore, the OS-NMA will also offer a certain level of anti-replay capability. This capability will strictly depend on the measures implemented by the actual receiver and therefore cannot be considered a Galileo service.

The three new features, whilst ensuring full backward compatibility with existing Galileo receivers, will further improve the robustness of Galileo OS when retrieving the navigation data, particularly in challenging environments, and will enhance the Galileo OS capability to resolve users’ clock uncertainty. In this respect, a key performance metric (especially when GNSS operates in unassisted mode) is the time to receive Clock and Ephemeris Data (CED). Two of the newly introduced features contribute in different ways to improving the Time-To-CED, and therefore the overall Time to First Fix (TTFF).

Fundamental Elements call: at a glance

• Market segment: Transversal
• Deadline for submission of proposals: 31 October 2019
• Expected signature of contract: April to June 2020
• Maximum budget allocated: EUR 3 000 000
• Maximum number of projects: 2
• EU financing amount of each of the two projects: up to EUR 3 000 000 (70% co-funding)
• Webinar date: 9 October 2019 15:00

Webinar

On 9 October 2019 at 15:00, a webinar on the Fundamental Elements Call “Enhanced GNSS Receiver/User Terminal” will be held to provide applicants with information on how to prepare a proposal. To connect to 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).

In September 2019, public authorities will have the opportunity to attend and participate in several informative webinars on Pre-Commercial Procurement and learn about the available funding opportunities on this topic.

In September 2019 public authorities and research institutions will have the opportunity to attend and participate in a number of informative webinars on PCP: Pre-Commercial Procurement. Pre-Commercial Procurement is the new innovative procurement tool for Galileo applications R&D tailored to public authorities.

Participants in these webinars will have the opportunity to:

• Discuss innovation areas in EGNSS downstream applications from which public authorities can benefit;
• Learn about the general Pre-Commercial Procurement concept, along with its participation rules and conditions;
• Find out about the upcoming funding opportunities on this topic.

The specific webinars are as follows:

• 23 September at 10.30-11.30 am CEST: Maritime
• 26 September at 15:00-16:00 pm CEST: Rail
• 27 September at 10:00-11:00 am CEST: Aviation
• 30 September at 15:00-16:00 pm CEST: Timing & Synchronisation

You can also find information on workshops held earlier this year on ‘EGNSS Innovation procurement opportunities within Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe’ here and 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 September 2019, public authorities will have the opportunity to attend and participate in several informative webinars on Pre-Commercial Procurement and learn about the available funding opportunities on this topic.

In September 2019 public authorities and research institutions will have the opportunity to attend and participate in a number of informative webinars on PCP: Pre-Commercial Procurement. Pre-Commercial Procurement is the new innovative procurement tool for Galileo applications R&D tailored to public authorities.

Participants in these webinars will have the opportunity to:

• Discuss innovation areas in EGNSS downstream applications from which public authorities can benefit;
• Learn about the general Pre-Commercial Procurement concept, along with its participation rules and conditions;
• Find out about the upcoming funding opportunities on this topic.

The specific webinars are as follows:

• 23 September at 10.30-11.30 am CEST: Maritime. Link to webinar. 
• 26 September at 15:00-16:00 pm CEST: Rail. Link to webinar.
• 27 September at 10:00-11:00 am CEST: Aviation. Link to webinar.
• 30 September at 15:00-16:00 pm CEST: Timing & Synchronisation. Link to webinar.

You can also find information on workshops held earlier this year on ‘EGNSS Innovation procurement opportunities within Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe’ here and 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 implementation of OS-NMA and/or I/NAV features in close-to-market receivers and/or GNSS user terminals. The deadline for submissions is 31 October 2019.

This Call for Proposals aims to implement OS-NMA and/or I/NAV improvements capability in close-to-market (i.e. min TRL 7) receivers and/or GNSS user terminals suitable for target application domains other than the Smart Tachograph.

The applicants are requested to propose a solution to reach this objective in such a way that:

1. The receiver and/or terminal shall be able to receive and process OS-NMA and/or be fully compliant with and make optimal use of the new Galileo E1-OS I/NAV features introduced with the Galileo Open Service Interface Control Document (OS ICD) issue 1.4.
2. In case of OS-NMA implementation, the enhanced receiver and/or GNSS user terminal shall aim at optimising the level of protection at least against those spoofing attacks that are specific to the target application.
3. The developed receiver and/or GNSS user terminal shall be cost efficient and compliant with the specific application constraints.

For more details, please see the call documentation package.

EGNSS differentiators: OS-NMA and I/NAV improvements

As part of its service portfolio, Galileo plans to provide a navigation message authentication feature over its Open Service (OS). From the Galileo standpoint, Navigation Message Authentication (NMA) is defined as the ability of the system to guarantee to users that they are utilising navigation data from the Galileo satellites and not from any other, potentially malicious, source.

In addition, with the same objective of enhancing the Galileo services portfolio, three new features will soon be provided free of charge to all Open Service users. These features will be gradually implemented from 2020 and will be openly accessible through the I/NAV message carried by the E1-B signal.

The OS-NMA feature is considered an important asset for the Galileo programme, being a strong technical differentiator with respect to the other GNSS. This capability will allow Galileo user terminals to assess the authenticity of the data provided through the Signal in Space transmitted by Galileo satellites against attempts to spoof it. It will also help improve the overall robustness of GNSS for various applications, particularly those for which security and trustworthiness are a priority. Furthermore, the OS-NMA will also offer a certain level of anti-replay capability. This capability will strictly depend on the measures implemented by the actual receiver and therefore cannot be considered a Galileo service.

The three new features, whilst ensuring full backward compatibility with existing Galileo receivers, will further improve the robustness of Galileo OS when retrieving the navigation data, particularly in challenging environments, and will enhance the Galileo OS capability to resolve users’ clock uncertainty. In this respect, a key performance metric (especially when GNSS operates in unassisted mode) is the time to receive Clock and Ephemeris Data (CED). Two of the newly introduced features contribute in different ways to improving the Time-To-CED, and therefore the overall Time to First Fix (TTFF).

Fundamental Elements call: at a glance

• Market segment: Transversal
• Deadline for submission of proposals: 31 October 2019
• Expected signature of contract: April to June 2020
• Maximum budget allocated: EUR 3 000 000
• Maximum number of projects: 2
• EU financing amount of each of the two projects: up to EUR 3 000 000 (70% co-funding)
• Webinar date: 9 October 2019 15:00

Webinar

On 9 October 2019 at 15:00, a webinar on the Fundamental Elements Call “Enhanced GNSS Receiver/User Terminal” will be held to provide applicants with information on how to prepare a proposal. To connect to 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).

Over the past few months, we have published a number of articles highlighting how GNSS is contributing to technological advancements in various transport sectors. Mobility Week is a good opportunity to look back at these and summarise how Galileo and EGNOS are enabling the intelligent transport applications that underpin the mobility solutions of the future.

Following the first Space for Innovation in Rail conference, held in Vienna back in March, we had a number of articles on the contribution of space to the modernisation of the rail sector. One of these featured leading Italian rail infrastructure manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), an early adopter of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and a company that has been quick to appreciate the benefits of using satellite positioning in the rail sector.

GNSS and the ERTMS are perfect complementary assets that can together considerably reduce rail operational costs. However, with new technologies such as GNSS, obstacles still remain to ensuring interoperability and open standards, and these obstacles require solutions to be developed by all stakeholders involved. This is something that the ERSAT (ERTMS on Satellite) project, co-funded by the GSA, aims to address.

Watch this: EGNOS and Galileo for Rail

This project targets the integration of GNSS positioning and public telecommunications over the ERTMS platform and is making an effective roadmap to allow others to follow a step-wise operational deployment. The ERSAT project has field-tested and demonstrated the capability of satellite-based positioning embedded within the ERTMS ecosystem. This has caught the eye of many train operators in Europe and beyond.

Boosting customer services

Once such operator is French national rail company SNCF, which is taking the lead in adopting Galileo technology to boost customer services, in particular in its high-speed TGV network. The company is already embracing GNSS-based systems, especially for passenger information, and fleet and traffic management. “At the beginning of 2019, some 250 high-speed trains were already equipped with Galileo-ready receivers. This represents nearly 50% of SNCF’s TGV fleet. Some 320 trains are expected to be Galileo-ready by the end of 2019,” said Antoine Barre, head of train localisation projects at SNCF. SNCF aims to equip its entire train fleet with Galileo receivers to assist non-safety relevant train localisation, and also plans to further investigate the future contribution of European GNSS within the ERTMS.

And this: Driving with Galileo

Supporting Mobility as a Service

The benefits of EGNSS stretch beyond the rail sector, however. New urban mobility schemes are rapidly evolving due to social, economic and technological changes and, against this backdrop, Galileo can deliver new accuracy and reliability for location-dependent services that get people where they need to go. This is supported by the omnipresence of smart mobile devices, which is allowing new business models to emerge based on the sharing of goods and services - the so-called sharing economy.

The Galileo 4 Mobility project is working to promote the introduction of Galileo technology within the MaaS context by analysing the geolocation needs of the different stakeholders involved and demonstrating the benefits of Galileo through pilot demonstrators of shared mobility services. GALILEO 4 MOBILITY encompasses a number of MaaS-oriented pilots, including a ride-sharing service in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Changing the way we fly

It is not just land-based transport that is benefiting from space-based solutions. In aviation too, EGNSS is also helping make transport cleaner, safer and more accessible, EGNOS and Galileo contribute to landing, surveillance and Search and Rescue operations, and actions targeting every aviation user. These benefits of EGNOS were in focus at the AERO International General Aviation Fair at Friedrichshafen, Germany, back in May.

And this: EGNOS for Aviation

At the event, Julian Scarfe, deputy chairman of PPL/IR – Europe, the leading group for private pilots across Europe interested in instrument flying, spoke about easier access to instrument flight rules for general aviation through the use of EGNOS and localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV). "Today we have EGNOS that can enable vertical approaches to non-instrument runways. The GSA is running a project to enable this. This will change the way we fly," he said.

Likewise, in an interview with GSA, AirBaltic’s Senior Vice President for Flight Operations Pauls Cālītis spoke about how EGNOS is enabling the E-GEN project and the ’green flying’ concept, helping the airline to improve its efficiency  and reduce its environmental footprint and the level of emissions and noise that it produces.

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) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed an agreement to cooperate on supporting investment in the European space-based service economy. The agreement was signed as part of celebrations at GSA headquarters in Prague on September 10 to mark the Agency’s 15th anniversary.

With the new agreement, the GSA and EIB are bringing together their expertise and experience to explore new investment support for the European space-based economy. The common objective is to create high-skilled jobs in the EU and improve the day-to-day lives of Europeans by supporting innovative companies and accelerating the development of new applications that use European global navigation satellite systems and earth observation data.

Read this: GSA celebrates 15 years

European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elżbieta Bieńkowska has noted several times the critical importance of adequate funding for the future of the European space industry. "Access to finance remains a significant hurdle to unleashing the potential of European space entrepreneurship within and outside Europe,” the Commissioner said. This new agreement between the GSA and the EIB will help to overcome this hurdle.

Keeping Europe in the game

“Our expertise in market intelligence for satellite navigation and in supporting new business opportunities – thanks to EGNOS and Galileo – is the basis of our agreement with the EIB,” said Carlo des Dorides, GSA Executive Director. “We are confident that our cooperation will bring the extra added value required by entrepreneurs to transform their application businesses into globally successful companies.”

“We need to make sure that Europe stays in the game. That is why we are particularly enthusiastic about this agreement with GSA. It is an important step to develop further support for European space entrepreneurs and businesses to eventually give them and the EU a competitive edge in this new space race,” said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle, responsible for innovation.

A changing space sector

The global space economy has been evolving rapidly in recent years, with average annual growth of 6.7% over the past 10 years, which is almost twice the 3.5% average yearly growth of the global economy. The main driver of this growth has been the “New Space” phenomenon: a number of technological and business model innovations that have introduced new products and services and reduced the cost of accessing and using space.

And this: GSA celebrates 1 billion Galileo smartphone users

The transformation of the space economy has seen new space companies investing over EUR 14.8 billion since 2000, with a fast accelerating trend: total investment in space companies grew by a factor of 3.5 in 2012–2017 compared with the previous six-year period.

Historically, Europe has always been at the forefront of publicly-funded space exploration, investing massively in space infrastructures such as the Copernicus and Galileo satellite programmes. Europe still boasts academic and scientific excellence but risks missing the next wave of space innovation unless it seizes the opportunity to stimulate more private investment in the new space sector. This is something that the new agreement between the GSA and the EIB aims to address.

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 hosting a special event on September 10 to mark the 15th anniversary of its creation. The Agency was set up as the European GNSS Supervisory Authority in 2004 to oversee the development of the European space programmes EGNOS and Galileo.

GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides welcomed special guests to the GSA’s Prague headquarters to celebrate the event, including European Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Czech Transport Minister Vladimir Kremlik, French Space Agency (CNES) President and GSA Administrative Board Chair Jean-Yves Le Gall and European Space Agency Director General Jan Woerner, in addition to other EGNOS and Galileo stakeholders.

“Over the last 15 years, the GSA has become one of the key players in building Europe’s independent capacity in satellite navigation,” said Commissioner Bieńkowska, responsible for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. While participating in the celebrations, the Commissioner also presided over another historic milestone for both the Galileo programme and the GSA – the countdown to the 1 billionth Galileo-enabled smartphone sold.

Read this: GSA celebrates 1 billion Galileo smartphone users

Linking space to user needs

GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said: “It is an honour and a great pleasure to celebrate this important milestone with representatives from all our stakeholders - the Commission, users, industry and other institutional bodies. Their presence here clearly shows that the GSA is delivering on its mission– linking space to user needs”.

“15 years ago, no one imagined how far the GSA and the EU satellite navigation systems EGNOS and Galileo would go. Now, no one can imagine Europe without Galileo and EGNOS, or Galileo and EGNOS without Europe. The GSA has been at the heart of these two programmes, accelerating progress in service provision, market uptake and guaranteeing operation security over the past 15 years. All that has been accomplished has been made possible thanks to the unique blend of expertise, dedication and commitment of the GSA’s staff,” des Dorides said.

Speaking at the event, GSA Administrative Board Chair Jean-Yves Le Gall said: “Today thanks to the European Union’s impressive investment, the European Space Agency’s technical expertise and the GSA’s outstanding commitment, Galileo is offering the best localisation available worldwide. The range of applications is vast. This is structuring our economy and the implementation of the public policies to ensure that European companies are taking full advantage of these fantastic services.”

Czech Transport Minister Vladimir Kremlik noted the importance to the Czech capital of hosting the EU agency. “It has been fifteen years of hard work and continual development. By chance it is also seven years since the seat of GSA has been relocated from Brussels to Prague. I am very proud, that the Czech Republic is the hosting country of the seat of such an important European agency with real global reach,” the minister said.

And this: GSA GNSS Market Report 6 – coming soon!

Looking to the future

Galileo will soon reach its Full Operational Capability, a phase that will require new governance to comply with benchmarked standards for the management of operational satellite services. It was with this in mind that the European Parliament and the Council agreed on a new EU Space Programme Regulation establishing the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) as the successor to the GSA.

“In the new governance the Commission will continue to be responsible for managing the overall programme. The GSA, to be renamed the 'EU Agency for the Space Programme', will increasingly support the exploitation and market uptake of EU space activities and play an increased role in ensuring the security of all programme components. The intergovernmental European Space Agency (ESA), given its expertise, will remain a major partner in the technical implementation of the EU space programme,” des Dorides 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).

The estimated number of Galileo-enabled smartphones in use has reached one billion. This significant milestone has been achieved in the week when the European GNSS Agency (GSA), responsible for operation of the Galileo programme, celebrates its 15th anniversary, making this a memorable week for the Agency.

This is a truly historic moment for the Galileo programme. BQ pioneered Galileo use in smartphones with its Aquaris X5 Plus back in July 2016. Since then, market uptake of Galileo-enabled smartphones has been rapid as other manufacturers were quick to embrace the opportunities that Galileo offers, and there are currently 156 Galileo-enabled smartphone models available on the market. The ‘1 billion users’ milestone is based on the number of smartphones using Galileo sold across the world. The actual number of Galileo users around the world is much larger. You can track which devices, including smartphones, are Galileo-enabled on the UseGalileo.eu site.

Read this: GSA GNSS Market Report 6 – coming soon!

Today 95% of companies that produce smartphone chips for satellite navigation make chips that enable Galileo. According to figures in the latest GSA GNSS Market Report, which is to be published soon, global annual GNSS receiver shipments are forecast to grow continuously across the next decade, from 1.8 bln units in 2019 to 2.7 bln units in 2029. Most of these shipments are for receivers costing less than €5, and 90% of receivers in this price segment are used in smartphones and wearables.

Truly European effort

Ahead of a special event to mark the occasion, to be held at the GSA’s headquarters in Prague on September 10, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, said: “Galileo is now providing high quality timing and navigation services to 1 billion smartphone users globally. This has been made possible by a truly European effort to build the most accurate navigation system in the world, with the support and dedication of the GSA. I am confident that our space industry will continue to thrive with more work, ideas and investment under the new EU Space Programme.”

And this: French railways embrace Galileo

GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said: “One billion smartphone users is a significant milestone and a major achievement for the Galileo programme and for the GSA. The GSA has worked tirelessly to build bridges with research and industry and create a strong community of service providers who trust Galileo and understand the technological innovation opportunities it brings. Chipset and receiver manufacturers in particular have been quick to leverage Galileo’s outstanding performance. These manufacturers believed in Galileo from the beginning, when Galileo was still an idea, and invested in the technology. It is thanks to them and the unique blend of expertise and knowledge of the GSA team that we are now celebrating 1 billion Galileo-enabled smartphones.”

Prague celebrations

The 1-billionth smartphone milestone is being celebrated at a special event to mark the GSA’s 15th anniversary at the Agency’s Prague headquarters on September 10. The event is being attended by European Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Czech Transport Minister Vladimir Kremlik, French Space Agency (CNES) President and GSA Administrative Board Chair Jean-Yves Le Gall and European Space Agency Director General Jan Woerner, in addition to stakeholders from industry, the user community and research institutions.

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 estimated number of Galileo-enabled smartphones in use has reached one billion. This significant milestone has been achieved in the week when the European GNSS Agency (GSA), responsible for operation of the Galileo programme, celebrates its 15th anniversary, making this a memorable week for the Agency.

This is a truly historic moment for the Galileo programme. BQ pioneered Galileo use in smartphones with its Aquaris X5 Plus back in July 2016. Since then, market uptake of Galileo-enabled smartphones has been rapid as other manufacturers were quick to embrace the opportunities that Galileo offers, and there are currently 156 Galileo-enabled smartphone models available on the market. The ‘1 billion users’ milestone is based on the number of smartphones using Galileo sold across the world. The actual number of Galileo users around the world is much larger. You can track which devices, including smartphones, are Galileo-enabled on the UseGalileo.eu site.

Read this: GSA GNSS Market Report 6 – coming soon!

Today 95% of companies that produce smartphone chips for satellite navigation make chips that enable Galileo. According to figures in the latest GSA GNSS Market Report, which is to be published soon, global annual GNSS receiver shipments are forecast to grow continuously across the next decade, from 1.8 bln units in 2019 to 2.7 bln units in 2029. Most of these shipments are for receivers costing less than €5, and 90% of receivers in this price segment are used in smartphones and wearables.

Truly European effort

Ahead of a special event to mark the occasion, to be held at the GSA’s headquarters in Prague on September 10, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, said: “Galileo is now providing high quality timing and navigation services to 1 billion smartphone users globally. This has been made possible by a truly European effort to build the most accurate navigation system in the world, with the support and dedication of the GSA. I am confident that our space industry will continue to thrive with more work, ideas and investment under the new EU Space Programme.”

And this: French railways embrace Galileo

GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said: “One billion smartphone users is a significant milestone and a major achievement for the Galileo programme and for the GSA. The GSA has worked tirelessly to build bridges with research and industry and create a strong community of service providers who trust Galileo and understand the technological innovation opportunities it brings. Chipset and receiver manufacturers in particular have been quick to leverage Galileo’s outstanding performance. These manufacturers believed in Galileo from the beginning, when Galileo was still an idea, and invested in the technology. It is thanks to them and the unique blend of expertise and knowledge of the GSA team that we are now celebrating 1 billion Galileo-enabled smartphones.”

Prague celebrations

The 1-billionth smartphone milestone is being celebrated at a special event to mark the GSA’s 15th anniversary at the Agency’s Prague headquarters on September 10. The event is being attended by European Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Czech Transport Minister Vladimir Kremlik, French Space Agency (CNES) President and GSA Administrative Board Chair Jean-Yves Le Gall and European Space Agency Director General Jan Woerner, in addition to stakeholders from industry, the user community and research institutions.

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 Galileo-Copernicus Synergy Challenge, which seeks solutions that help to make our world safer and more sustainable using Earth observation combined with Galileo/EGNOS geo-referencing, received the most submissions in this year’s Galileo Masters, with a total of 54 completed ideas submitted.

In total, 203 completed ideas were submitted by the August 5 deadline. After the Galileo-Copernicus Synergy Challenge, the second most targeted challenge was the Galileo 5G Challenge with 49 completed ideas submitted. This challenge aims to identify innovative applications, services and business cases for the 5G IoT market that leverage Galileo’s added accuracy.

Solution generator

The next most targeted challenges were the University Challenge (35 completed ideas), followed by the DLR Artificial Intelligence Navigation Challenge (28 completed ideas), which is looking for solutions that enable automation and autonomy with reliable positioning, navigation, and timing.

Read this: Fundamental Elements: Call for experts

There was a good regional spread in this year’s competition, with submissions coming from across Europe. The most represented country is Germany, with 47 completed ideas, followed by Spain with 45 ideas and the United Kingdom with 24 ideas submitted. Other ideas came from Greece, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Austria, Estonia, Italy, France and Ireland.

“The Galileo Masters has established itself as a key generator of exciting applications and solutions that leverage Galileo’s precision to meet challenges facing business and society. There are a record number of submissions in this year’s competition, and we are very much looking forward to reviewing the exciting ideas that have been put forward,” said GSA Market Development Officer Marta Krywanis-Brzostowska.

Next steps

The submitted ideas will now be reviewed by a panel of experts and all the Special Prize finalists will be announced in November. The competition awards will be handed out during European Space Week, which will take place in Helsinki at the start of December.

And this: GSA to host Horizon 2020 Space Information Day

The winning solutions will share more than EUR 1 million worth of cash prizes. The winners will also be able to take advantage of business development opportunities, tailored E-GNSS Accelerator business support packages worth EUR 62,000, a crowd funding campaign worth EUR 35,000, and much more.

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 2019 edition of the GSA’s GNSS Market Report will be launched in the autumn. As in previous years, the latest issue of the report will provide comprehensive information on the dynamic global GNSS market along with in-depth analysis of the latest global GNSS trends and developments. To be among the first to receive the Market Report straight into your inbox , register here.

With more than 60,000 downloads since it was published online in May 2017, the previous edition of the GNSS Market Report has proved to be an essential tool for all market players, from research institutions and industry to the various user communities, providing them with a comprehensive overview of the current status and future trends on the GNSS market.

Regularly referenced by policy-makers and business leaders around the world, the publication has established itself as the most authoritative reference document for information on the global GNSS market.

A sneak peek

The 2019 edition of the report will continue this tradition and build on the success of the previous reports. The structure of this year’s report is similar to previous years and will include:

• A general overview of the GNSS market, including user requirements, forecasts for future shipments, revenues and the GNSS installed base, a global industry overview, and synergies between EGNSS and Copernicus;
• Analysis of macro-trends affecting GNSS, including climate change and the circular economy, big data, artificial intelligence, the silver economy, cyber security and the sharing economy, that impact the adoption of GNSS solutions;
• A review of the main GNSS market segments, which have increased to 10 in this year’s report: Consumer Solutions, Road, Manned Aviation, Drones, Maritime, Emergency Response, Rail, Agriculture, Geomatics and Critical Infrastructure.

The GNSS market segment review forms the core of the report and provides a summary of GNSS applications in each segment with an overview of user needs and requirements, value chain and relevant European GNSS differentiators for each specific segment. Also included in this section is analysis of key trends and recent developments in each segment and predictions on how the market will evolve, with forecasts for shipments and revenues over the next decade.

Editor’s Special – GNSS for New Space

Though originally conceived for terrestrial use, GNSS has also proven its worth as a valuable tool for in-space applications, and it is these in-space applications that are the focus of the Editor’s Special section in this year’s market report.

Formerly used mainly by governmental space entities, GNSS now also serves an increasing number of commercial stakeholders within the ‘New Space’ paradigm, providing the following in-space applications: real-time on-board autonomous navigation, attitude determination, Earth science applications and timing and synchronisation for satellites.

The Editor’s Special section examines key trends behind the rapid growth in the number of spacecraft with a particular focus on growth in private LEO service providers and on Galileo’s contribution to the Space Service Volume (SSV).

Don’t miss out!

The 2019 GNSS Market Report will be available to download for free. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to tap into the latest trends and developments on the GNSS market. To receive an e-mail notification when the Market Report will be available, register 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 French national rail company SNCF is taking a lead in adopting Galileo technology to boost customer services, in particular in its high-speed TGV network. With almost 50% of TGV trains already equipped with Galileo receivers, European GNSS is enabling improved customer information and traffic management. GNSS is a crucial technology for the digitalisation of infrastructure and autonomous train developments thanks to accurate and safe localisation of trains. Solutions are currently developed through partnerships between space and railway sectors.

Satellite positioning and geolocation technologies, like Galileo, are among the main technology building blocks that can precisely and safely locate trains and contribute to the future evolution of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). Implementation of the ERTMS aims to harmonise signalling systems across Europe and European GNSS can help to reduce its costs.

French national rail company SNCF is already embracing GNSS-based systems, in particular for passenger information, and fleet and traffic management. “At the beginning of 2019, some 250 high-speed trains were already equipped with Galileo-ready receivers. This represents nearly 50% of SNCF’s TGV fleet. Some 320 trains are expected to be Galileo-ready by the end of 2019” said Antoine Barre, Head of Train localisation projects from SNCF.

70 million passengers to benefit

The aim is to deliver Galileo-enabled services along the entire train journey and customer experience. During 2019, more than 70 million passengers will benefit from the improved accuracy and positioning availability delivered to French TGV trains by Galileo. SNCF aims to equip its entire train fleet with Galileo receivers to assist non-safety relevant train localisation and also plans to further investigate the future contribution of European GNSS within ERTMS. “Having Galileo on the iconic TGV trains is a major milestone for us, confirming that European GNSS is delivering a clear value added to one of the main EU Railway undertakings. It is also good to see that SNCF is further progressing towards GNSS adoption on the regional fleet on the basis of the GSA position paper delivered earlier to the Community of European Railways (CER), explaining the benefits of Galileo for such applications“ comments Daniel Lopour, Market Development officer from GSA.

Read this: EGNSS key to increasing capacity, efficiency and sustainability in rail networks

Currently, signalling is enabled by equipment installed along rail tracks that requires regular inspection and maintenance. Accurate and reliable geolocation using GNSS will enable rail networks to reduce the cost related to the infrastructure. Receivers installed in the train and connected via wireless networks should considerably reduce the costs of operation, maintenance and renewal of the network.
SNCF has identified three main themes of work for future rail technologies: geolocation, telecommunication and the use of satellite images for infrastructure monitoring.

Technology forward

Speaking at the recent Space for Innovation in Rail event in Vienna Corinne Talotte, Director of Innovative Technologies at SNCF, described SNCF’s Technology Forward programme that is looking to build the ‘Railway for the Future’ – a railway that is “autonomous, connected, and zero emission”.

This spirit of innovation at SNCF aims to accelerate the implementation of new technologies. “First, this involves keeping an open mind on innovation and learning from other transport sectors,” says Talotte. “And our second important principle is to move to demonstrate innovative technologies as soon as possible in real operational situations to prepare the future deployment of innovations.”

Highly precise geolocation is a key element to enable autonomy in all modes of transport and future mobility systems. For trains, autonomous operation can increase the density of trains operating in the network while at the same time improving safety and reliability of customer services.

And this: Space4Rail - From innovation to implementation

“We need to know accurately the position, velocity and attitude in real time to enable autonomous train systems,” explains Talotte. “We are developing a multi-sensor system for localisation based on GNSS but combined with other inertial sensors. This hybrid approach is inspired by the approach already adopted in the aviation sector. SNCF is undertaking a number of demonstrations with several partners, including the ERTMS user group and the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking.”

Hybrid architecture

At the Space for Innovation in Rail event Corinne Talotte said that SNCF was working on the remote operation of trains for use cases like shunting yards and the development of fully autonomous train prototypes.

The hybrid architecture makes it possible to take advantage of the benefits offered by both technologies: the GNSS corrects the natural drift of the inertial unit, and when the GNSS is not available, for example in tunnels or in dense urban environments, the inertial unit can take over to ensure continuity of location data. The inertial unit also protects the system from any possible disturbances in the GNSS signal, such as jamming or spoofing, as well as environmental factors.

The use of autonomous trains with innovative network control systems should enable SNCF to increase throughput on its lines. The objective is to carry more people and more goods, with greater regularity, improved energy efficiency and better economic performance, while ensuring continuing high levels of safety.

SNCF believes that the autonomous train is no longer science fiction, but the immediate future. A first prototype remote-controlled freight train should be tested during 2019, and the first prototypes of freight and passenger trains with autonomous driving capability are predicted from 2023, with gradual implementation.

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).

We can now reveal the ten projects in the MyGalileoApp competition judged to be the most exciting in terms of their level of innovation, market potential and technical feasibility. Selected from 30 projects shortlisted for the competition’s first development phase, these 10 projects will now advance to the second development phase, at the end of which they should deliver a fully functioning app.

Four of the 10 shortlisted projects are in the Augmented Reality and Games innovation area. In no particular order, these are: uMaze (Finland), ARGEO (Italy), STPR (Poland, Australia, Ukraine) and arstory (Germany). uMaze creates mazes in specific outdoor areas in which users can play, while ARGEO allows users to discover content such as prizes, coupons and shopping cards geo-located around the streets of a city. The STPR app combines a virtual environment with game-related physical experiences in the real world, and arstory is a complete augmented reality ecosystem based on four main components: Galileo location, virtual objects in the real world, clustering of objects and a wide array of content options.

The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area accounts for three of the 10 finalists. The Ready Park app (France) makes parking easier by pairing drivers leaving a spot with users looking for one. GALILEONAUT (France) is a mobile app that helps sailors to navigate inside a port or a marina and provides a link to the harbour master's office, while the Trukatu app (Spain) is a mobile C2C platform that connects people who want to rent or lease items with owners who have items to rent out.

Read this: Galileo Demo Centre Hanoi – only a few spaces left!

Two of the shortlisted projects fall in the Fitness, Sport and mHealth category. The first of these - PanPan - Possible Assistance Needed (Germany) - serves as backup safety solution for potentially dangerous activities that may leave users in need of assistance, while the second - LetMeAut (Italy) - makes everyday tasks easier for people with autism.

Finally, the Mapping, GIS and Agriculture innovation area accounts for one app among the top ten shortlisted projects. Tractor Navigator (France) provides guidance for farmers driving tractors, enabling them to visualise their current position and trajectory in an open field.

“The standard of entry in this year’s competition was very high, which made the judges’ task a difficult one. However, the final 10 projects stood out in terms of their innovative approach and uptake potential and we are looking forward to seeing the final working apps in October,” said Justyna Redelkiewicz Musial, in charge of LBS and IoT market development at the European GNSS Agency (GSA). “We hope that the 20 projects that didn’t make it into the second development phase will continue to develop their apps because, at the finals, they will also have the opportunity to demonstrate the progress that they have made,” she said.

What comes next?

The 10 projects selected for the second development phase will have until October 21 to deliver a finalised version of their app with 100% functionality. During this phase the teams can receive technical support from the competition’s technical and business advisory team. At the end of the phase, the application should be already available for download on the Google Play and Apple platforms.

All teams that will successfully complete the second development phase will be invited to the finals, to be held in November 2019, where they will present their application to the GSA evaluation board. The awards will be decided after these presentations, with the first-place winner receiving a EUR 100,000 prize. The runner up and third place winners will receive EUR 50,000 and EUR 30,000 respectively.

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).

We can now reveal the ten projects in the MyGalileoApp competition judged to be the most exciting in terms of their level of innovation, market potential and technical feasibility. Selected from 30 projects shortlisted for the competition’s first development phase, these 10 projects will now advance to the second development phase, at the end of which they should deliver a fully functioning app.

Four of the 10 shortlisted projects are in the Augmented Reality and Games innovation area. In no particular order, these are: uMaze (Finland), ARGEO (Italy), STPR (Poland, Australia, Ukraine) and arstory (Germany). uMaze creates mazes in specific outdoor areas in which users can play, while ARGEO allows users to discover content such as prizes, coupons and shopping cards geo-located around the streets of a city. The STPR app combines a virtual environment with game-related physical experiences in the real world, and arstory is a complete augmented reality ecosystem based on four main components: Galileo location, virtual objects in the real world, clustering of objects and a wide array of content options.

The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area accounts for three of the 10 finalists. The Ready Park app (France) makes parking easier by pairing drivers leaving a spot with users looking for one. GALILEONAUT (France) is a mobile app that helps sailors to navigate inside a port or a marina and provides a link to the harbour master's office, while the Trukatu app (Spain) is a mobile C2C platform that connects people who want to rent or lease items with owners who have items to rent out.

Read this: Galileo Demo Centre Hanoi – only a few spaces left!

Two of the shortlisted projects fall in the Fitness, Sport and mHealth category. The first of these - PanPan - Possible Assistance Needed (Germany) - serves as backup safety solution for potentially dangerous activities that may leave users in need of assistance, while the second - LetMeAut (Italy) - makes everyday tasks easier for people with autism.

Finally, the Mapping, GIS and Agriculture innovation area accounts for one app among the top ten shortlisted projects. Tractor Navigator (France) provides guidance for farmers driving tractors, enabling them to visualise their current position and trajectory in an open field.

“The standard of entry in this year’s competition was very high, which made the judges’ task a difficult one. However, the final 10 projects stood out in terms of their innovative approach and uptake potential and we are looking forward to seeing the final working apps in October,” said Justyna Redelkiewicz Musial, in charge of LBS and IoT market development at the European GNSS Agency (GSA). “We hope that the 20 projects that didn’t make it into the second development phase will continue to develop their apps because, at the finals, they will also have the opportunity to demonstrate the progress that they have made,” she said.

What comes next?

The 10 projects selected for the second development phase will have until October 21 to deliver a finalised version of their app with 100% functionality. During this phase the teams can receive technical support from the competition’s technical and business advisory team. At the end of the phase, the application should be already available for download on the Google Play and Apple platforms.

All teams that will successfully complete the second development phase will be invited to the finals, to be held in November 2019, where they will present their application to the GSA evaluation board. The awards will be decided after these presentations, with the first-place winner receiving a EUR 100,000 prize. The runner up and third place winners will receive EUR 50,000 and EUR 30,000 respectively.

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 looking for experts with a high level of expertise and professional experience in navigation satellite systems to assist it with tasks related to the implementation of the Fundamental Elements funding mechanism.

The Agency is interested in experts with professional experience in specific market segments such as aviation, location-based services, agriculture, surveying, rail, road, maritime, and timing and synchronisation and/or with hi-tech business building skills.
Specifically, the GSA would like to involve business and technical experts with proven experience in one or more of the following areas:

• E-GNSS signal processing;
• Development (hardware, software/firmware algorithms etc.) of E-GNSS receivers and antennas;
• Applications, services and products in the area of E-GNSS;
• E-GNSS technologies state of the art boosting, particularly E-GNSS differentiators.

No deadline, but apply early

The call for expression of interest is permanently open, so there is no application deadline. However, early application is encouraged since the first experts should be appointed in the third quarter of 2019. If you are interested in this opportunity, you can register here.

Experts who have already registered in the Participant Portal expert database are invited to log-on here to declare their interest in Fundamental Elements assignments and to update their area(s) of expertise.

For more information and to download the call click here.

About Fundamental Elements

Fundamental Elements is an EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of EGNSS-enabled chipsets, receivers and antennas. Fundamental Elements projects are part of the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake, led by the GSA. The objectives of the programme can be summarised as follows:

• Facilitate the adoption of EGNSS, building on innovative services and differentiators;
• Improve the competitiveness of EU industry ;
• Address user needs in priority market segments ;
• Maximise benefits to European citizens.

The total budget for projects to be carried out in 2015-2020 is EUR 111.5 million.

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).

Austrian air navigation services provider Austro Control is in charge of implementing EGNOS-based procedures at the country’s airports. So far, EGNOS-based approach procedures, including rotorcraft procedures, have been implemented at seven airports/heliports and there are plans to make this implementation more widespread in the future.

The Austrian ANSP was an early adopter of Europe’s SBAS system EGNOS. The first LPV approach procedures for Linz and Graz airports were published in 2014, as part of the GSA-funded FP7 ACCEPTA project, providing Austro Control’s Instrument Flight Procedures team with some valuable early experience. A key pre-requisite for successful implementation was the involvement of all stakeholders from the very beginning of the process.

Buchmann noted that a big advantage for Austria is the fact that the country is located inside the core EGNOS coverage area. Following the initial successful implementation at Linz and Graz, Austro Control has continued to roll-out LPV approaches throughout the country, with a view to increasing operational safety and all-weather accessibility of airports.

Read this: EGNOS Service Provider call is now open

“We will finish EGNOS implementation at the main airports in Austria by the end of this year or next year, but then we will extend it to rotorcraft operations, serving Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) bases or hospitals. The first of these approach procedures were implemented in February this year as part of the GSA co-funded project PIONEERS 2 within the Aviation Grant Programme,” Buchmann said. “In the future we will also look into low-level routes for helicopters as well as serving smaller airfields,” he said. In total, three helicopter approaches were designed and validated under the PIONEERS 2 project in Austria - at Oberwart, Bad Vöslay and Allentsteig.

Positive response

When it comes to rotorcraft operators, the Austro Control representative noted that the best way forward is a coordinated approach at European level. He said that in Austria some operational issues had to be resolved at the national level, but overall the process had been straightforward and the feedback from operators had been extremely positive.

Florian Buchmann, Head of Instrument Flight Procedures at Austro Control

And this: Flying green with airBaltic

“The response from general aviation and business aircraft operators has been positive, thanks to the increased accessibility and the high-quality vertical guidance provided by EGNOS. In particular, for HEMS rotorcraft the main benefit is the safe flight operation in adverse weather conditions. If you can keep operations open regardless of the weather, this has a major positive impact in terms of service delivery and medical assistance,” Buchmann 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).

Austrian air navigation services provider Austro Control is in charge of implementing EGNOS-based procedures at the country’s airports. So far, EGNOS-based approach procedures, including rotorcraft procedures, have been implemented at seven airports/heliports and there are plans to make this implementation more widespread in the future.

The Austrian ANSP was an early adopter of Europe’s SBAS system EGNOS. The first LPV approach procedures for Linz and Graz airports were published in 2014, as part of the GSA-funded FP7 ACCEPTA project, providing Austro Control’s Instrument Flight Procedures team with some valuable early experience. A key pre-requisite for successful implementation was the involvement of all stakeholders from the very beginning of the process.

Stakeholder involvement

“We organized a workshop a couple of years ago with the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP) in which we involved all stakeholders, including representatives from the state and from operators, in order to assist us in defining the implementation process and setting our final goals. This was key to ensuring successful implementation, and as a result the process went quite smoothly,” said Florian Buchmann, Head of Instrument Flight Procedures at Austro Control.

Read this: EGNOS Service Provider call is now open

Buchmann noted that a big advantage for Austria is the fact that the country is located inside the core EGNOS coverage area. Following the initial successful implementation at Linz and Graz, Austro Control has continued to roll-out LPV approaches throughout the country, with a view to increasing operational safety and all-weather accessibility of airports.

Florian Buchmann, Head of Instrument Flight Procedures at Austro Control

“We will finish EGNOS implementation at the main airports in Austria by the end of this year or next year, but then we will extend it to rotorcraft operations, serving Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) bases or hospitals. The first of these approach procedures were implemented in February this year as part of the GSA co-funded project PIONEERS 2 within the Aviation Grant Programme,” Buchmann said. “In the future we will also look into low-level routes for helicopters as well as serving smaller airfields,” he said.

Positive response

When it comes to rotorcraft operators, the Austro Control representative noted that the best way forward is a coordinated approach at European level. He said that in Austria some operational issues had to be resolved at the national level, but overall the process had been straightforward and the feedback from operators had been extremely positive.

And this: Flying green with airBaltic

“The response from general aviation and business aircraft operators has been positive, thanks to the increased accessibility and the high-quality vertical guidance provided by EGNOS. In particular, for HEMS rotorcraft the main benefit is the safe flight operation in adverse weather conditions. If you can keep operations open regardless of the weather, this has a major positive impact in terms of service delivery and medical assistance,” Buchmann 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).

Austrian air navigation services provider Austro Control is in charge of implementing EGNOS-based procedures at the country’s airports. So far, EGNOS-based approach procedures, including rotorcraft procedures, have been implemented at seven airports/heliports and there are plans to make this implementation more widespread in the future.

The Austrian ANSP was an early adopter of Europe’s SBAS system EGNOS. The first LPV approach procedures for Linz and Graz airports were published in 2014, as part of the GSA-funded FP7 ACCEPTA project, providing Austro Control’s Instrument Flight Procedures team with some valuable early experience. A key pre-requisite for successful implementation was the involvement of all stakeholders from the very beginning of the process.

Stakeholder involvement

“We organized a workshop a couple of years ago with the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP) in which we involved all stakeholders, including representatives from the state and from operators, in order to assist us in defining the implementation process and setting our final goals. This was key to ensuring successful implementation, and as a result the process went quite smoothly,” said Florian Buchmann, Head of Instrument Flight Procedures at Austro Control.

Read this: EGNOS Service Provider call is now open

Buchmann noted that a big advantage for Austria is the fact that the country is located inside the core EGNOS coverage area. Following the initial successful implementation at Linz and Graz, Austro Control has continued to roll-out LPV approaches throughout the country, with a view to increasing operational safety and all-weather accessibility of airports.

Florian Buchmann, Head of Instrument Flight Procedures at Austro Control

“We will finish EGNOS implementation at the main airports in Austria by the end of this year or next year, but then we will extend it to rotorcraft operations, serving Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) bases or hospitals. The first of these approach procedures were implemented in February this year as part of the GSA co-funded project PIONEERS 2 within the Aviation Grant Programme,” Buchmann said. “In the future we will also look into low-level routes for helicopters as well as serving smaller airfields,” he said.

Positive response

When it comes to rotorcraft operators, the Austro Control representative noted that the best way forward is a coordinated approach at European level. He said that in Austria some operational issues had to be resolved at the national level, but overall the process had been straightforward and the feedback from operators had been extremely positive.

And this: Flying green with airBaltic

“The response from general aviation and business aircraft operators has been positive, thanks to the increased accessibility and the high-quality vertical guidance provided by EGNOS. In particular, for HEMS rotorcraft the main benefit is the safe flight operation in adverse weather conditions. If you can keep operations open regardless of the weather, this has a major positive impact in terms of service delivery and medical assistance,” Buchmann 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).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) and the Horizon 2020 Space NCP Network (COSMOS2020plus) are jointly organising the Horizon 2020 Space Information Day and Brokerage Event at the GSA’s headquarters in Prague, Czech Republic, on 12-13 September 2019.

The aim of the event is to present funding opportunities in Horizon 2020 Space and to provide first-hand information on the last Horizon 2020 Space Calls, with a special focus on the EGNSS/GALILEO Call. Since development of the next EU Framework Programme - Horizon Europe - is already underway, some early information on the new Framework Programme will be also provided.

Targeting public authorities, universities and research institutes, companies and other organisations, the Information Day will provide a “deep dive” on the 5th Horizon 2020 EGNSS downstream applications Call, and will also cover the EGNSS upstream – including mission, services, technology and infrastructure. What’s more, participants in the workshop will be able to talk with the authors of the Space Work Programme 2020 and get advice on Horizon 2020 proposal writing.

Read this: GSA presents EGNSS opportunities in aviation, hosts EGNOS awards

Why participate

Participants in the Information Day will have a unique opportunity to learn about a brand new topic on EGNSS applications for public authorities: the Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) Workshop will examine the added value of PCP and also inform about the rules for participation and the applicable conditions.

In addition to learning about space opportunities in the last Horizon 2020 call, participants will be able to network and meet potential partners for the final Horizon 2020 Space Calls and receive an overview of the Galileo Programme and its state of play.

To participate in the event and 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).

As the number of Galileo-enabled smartphones in use rapidly approaches 1 billion, now is a good time to take a look at the other devices and applications where Galileo is adding accuracy – in the air, on the farm and in the world all around us. Over the past two years, the UseGalileo.eu portal has tracked Galileo’s market development – and the figures from the site are very encouraging!

The first and most visible statistic from the site is the fact that the number of Galileo-enabled smartphones in use is rapidly approaching the 1-billion mark. This milestone should be reached later in the autumn and we will be sure to keep you informed when we get there!

But it’s not all about smartphones; there are many other devices on the market where Galileo initial services are already contributing additional accuracy, resilience and robustness in a range of sectors – from road, maritime, rail and air transport to mapping and surveying, timing and synchronisation and location-based services. Two new areas have been added to this list recently, with new devices providing solutions for Space Applications and the Internet of Things.

Some exciting new developments

Some of the exciting recent additions to the growing list of Galileo-enabled devices include the Aceinna INS1000 high performance integrated navigation system. This system offers dual frequency RTK and tight coupling between its built-in GNSS and inertial sensors, to provide cm-level accuracy, enhanced reliability, and superior performance.

Another addition is the Furuno GT-88 Single-band Multi-Constellation GNSS receiver, which is targeted at users requiring UTC time-synchronised signals to meet new 5G requirements. The receiver only requires the L1/E1 GNSS signal to obtain extremely high stability of 4.5 ns (1 sigma), which is better than that of even a rubidium atomic clock. What’s more, with its new Dynamic Satellite Selection algorithm, the GT/GF-88 series provides outstanding multipath mitigation, especially in urban canyons.

The Tersus Oscar GNSS receiver is a new generation multi-constellation and multi-frequency GNSS RTK system that can provide high accuracy and stable signal detection. The receiver supports Galileo E1 and E5b bands and targets a variety of applications including surveying and mapping, construction engineering, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs), and precision agriculture.

Also targeting precision agriculture, among other applications, the Allystar TAU1303-0707 comes with built-in support for standard RTCM Protocol (MSM), supporting multi-band multi-system high-precision raw data output, including pseudo range, phase range, Doppler, SNR for third party integration and application. The tiny multi-constellation, multi-frequency module is compatible with the Galileo E1 and E5a bands.

.eu Web Awards

While tracking Galileo’s rapid and successful market uptake, the UseGalileo.eu site has also been noticed for its own success in closing the gap between space technology and users and raising public awareness of the benefits of Galileo.

We are happy to announce that the portal is a candidate for this year’s .eu Web Awards, which aim to acknowledge the best websites using the .eu or .ею extensions. Of course we think UseGalilo.eu is a great tool (but we may be a little impartial) – but if you agree with us, why not lend us your support by voting for us here. It only takes one click!

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 the number of Galileo-enabled smartphones in use rapidly approaches 1 billion, now is a good time to take a look at the other devices and applications where Galileo is adding accuracy – in the air, on the farm and in the world all around us. Over the past two years, the UseGalileo.eu portal has tracked Galileo’s market development – and the figures from the site are very encouraging!

The first and most visible statistic from the site is the fact that the number of Galileo-enabled smartphones in use is rapidly approaching the 1-billion mark. This milestone should be reached later in the autumn and we will be sure to keep you informed when we get there!

But it’s not all about smartphones; there are many other devices on the market where Galileo initial services are already contributing additional accuracy, resilience and robustness in a range of sectors – from road, maritime, rail and air transport to mapping and surveying, timing and synchronisation and location-based services. Two new areas have been added to this list recently, with new devices providing solutions for Space Applications and the Internet of Things.

Some exciting new developments

Some of the exciting recent additions to the growing list of Galileo-enabled devices include the Aceinna INS1000 high performance integrated navigation system. This system offers dual frequency RTK and tight coupling between its built-in GNSS and inertial sensors, to provide cm-level accuracy, enhanced reliability, and superior performance.

Another addition is the Furuno GT-88 Single-band Multi-Constellation GNSS receiver, which is targeted at users requiring UTC time-synchronised signals to meet new 5G requirements. The receiver only requires the L1/E1 GNSS signal to obtain extremely high stability of 4.5 ns (1 sigma), which is better than that of even a rubidium atomic clock. What’s more, with its new Dynamic Satellite Selection algorithm, the GT/GF-88 series provides outstanding multipath mitigation, especially in urban canyons.

The Tersus Oscar GNSS receiver is a new generation multi-constellation and multi-frequency GNSS RTK system that can provide high accuracy and stable signal detection. The receiver supports Galileo E1 and E5b bands and targets a variety of applications including surveying and mapping, construction engineering, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs), and precision agriculture.

Also targeting precision agriculture, among other applications, the Allystar TAU1303-0707 comes with built-in support for standard RTCM Protocol (MSM), supporting multi-band multi-system high-precision raw data output, including pseudo range, phase range, Doppler, SNR for third party integration and application. The tiny multi-constellation, multi-frequency module is compatible with the Galileo E1 and E5a bands.

.eu Web Awards

While tracking Galileo’s rapid and successful market uptake, the UseGalileo.eu site has also been noticed for its own success in closing the gap between space technology and users and raising public awareness of the benefits of Galileo.

We are happy to announce that the portal is a candidate for this year’s .eu Web Awards, which aim to acknowledge the best websites using the .eu or .ею extensions. Of course we think UseGalilo.eu is a great tool (but we may be a little impartial) – but if you agree with us, why not lend us your support by voting for us here. It only takes one click!

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 Skyopener project, which is co-financed by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), aims to pave the way towards increased use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) in civil applications. The project has tested the benefits of multi-frequency GNSS and EGNOS in RPAS, revealing gains in terms of availability, accuracy and robustness.

There is increasing demand to operate RPAS over long distances due to their potential for a wide range of civil applications. However, regulation regarding RPAS use in civil airspace does not yet allow Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, and remotely piloted aircraft are currently not allowed to fly in non-segregated civil airspace and are not yet widely used for civil and commercial applications.

RPAS for civil applications

This is something that Skyopener aims to change. The project is developing operational processes that will reduce all categories of risks associated with RPAS and allow an Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) to manage very low level RPAS operations. Thanks to the benefits it offers in terms of improved integrity and positioning accuracy, EGNSS (GALILEO and EGNOS) will play a central role in these processes.

Read this: GSA highlights added value of EGNSS for drones at WATM 2019

Through these operational processes, Skyopener will contribute to the roadmap for the integration of civil RPAS into non-segregated airspace, which will have a huge impact on the service applications that can be offered by these aircraft.
“Systems that enable RPAS to fly safely, in compliance with regulations, will enable market access and significantly reduce the cost of insurance premiums for RPAS operators, making a wide range of RPAS applications more commercially attractive and widely used,” said Marc Pollina, CEO of Skyopener consortium member M3 Systems.

Excellent results

A test conducted by the project into the benefits of multi-frequency GNSS and EGNOS has delivered excellent results. The test found that the use of GPS and Galileo in L1/E1 and L5/E5 multi-frequency combinations provides improved availability, better accuracy and greater robustness against interference, as interference with one frequency band has no effect on the second.

What’s more, EGNOS helps meet increasingly stringent requirements for robust navigation, continuity, accuracy and availability, which is further complemented by Galileo’s multi-constellation capacity and integration with other sensors such as inertial or vision sensors, for example.

And this: KAUST wins GSA Special Prize at ERL Emergency Local Tournament 2019

The Boreal drone used in the project is a fixed wing system that operates over a long range (over 100 km) in BVLOS, with EGNOS and GALILEO enhancing navigation by improving positioning integrity and accuracy. In addition the RPAS is equipped with a newly developed Communication and Navigation Surveillance (CNS), which combines use of GNSS, SatCom and special security measures.

Essential GNSS

GNSS technologies are essential for RPAS. The primary need is obviously for navigation, since the RPAS use GNSS waypoints to follow the trajectory defined in their mission. However, GNSS also addresses other key needs, such as ‘geofencing’ to ensure that the RPAS keep within the mission parameters (‘fences’), and surveillance to enable adequate tracking by the operator and civil aviation authority.

GNSS also enables high-accuracy and, ultimately, automated landing and the geo-referencing of collected data. These benefits will increase in the future, with the Galileo authentication service reducing the risk of threats, and PPP data correction on E6 providing better geo-referencing.

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).

Space is in high demand in the Galileo Demo Centre, opened at the NAVIS Centre in Hanoi by the BELS+ project. The Demo Centre provides European companies with a venue to showcase their GNSS-based solutions to stakeholders from South East Asia, and BELS+ is offering vouchers to interested companies to support the installation of their products in the Centre. The call to apply is closing soon, so don’t miss out!

BELS+ aims to develop GNSS markets for EU companies and help EU GNSS applications gain a foothold in South East Asia. With this aim in mind, the project opened the Galileo Demo Centre at the NAVIS Centre in Hanoi, Vietnam, as a venue where European companies can showcase their GNSS-based solutions.

The Demo Centre offers companies the opportunity to establish business relations in the SEA region and provides a venue to promote their GNSS-based products and services as well as to find the right business partners and potential customers in the South East Asia region.

Read this: BELS Builds Bridges to Southeast Asia

Given these benefits, it is no surprise that demand for space in the Centre is high, and several European companies are already showcasing or preparing the presentation of their products and solutions in the Demo Centre. These include: Septentrio (Belgium), NSL and Spirent (UK), SpacEarth and SpaceExe (Italy), ANavS, navXperience, TeleOrbit and IFEN (Germany), marXact (the Netherlands), and Bluecover and TeroMovigo (Portugal).

What’s on offer?

BELS+ has opened a call for companies interested in space in the Galileo Demo Centre. The project is offering interested companies vouchers to support the installation of their products. Successful applicants will receive up to EUR 2,500 to cover travel and accommodation expenses in Hanoi and up to EUR 3,000 to cover expenses connected with setting up their demos, such as shipping costs and import duties.

The call to apply for a voucher is closing soon, so don’t miss out! For more information and to apply, click here.

About BELS+

BELS - Building European Links towards Southeast Asia - was set up in 2015 and extended, as BELS+, in 2018 to facilitate the breakthrough of EGNSS technology in the South East Asian (SEA) market. Funded under Horizon 2020, BELS+ conducts a range of coordinated activities to raise awareness and build capacities for the exploitation of EGNSS technologies in South East Asia.

And this: Exporting Galileo – developing EGNSS markets outside Europe

The BELS+ consortium brings together partners from Europe and South East Asia, including European companies with a presence in the region, as well as leading universities. Together, these partners concentrate on three core objectives:

• Opening new markets to EU companies;
• Increasing awareness of EGNSS technology through workshops;
• Increasing the technical expertise of people in the region.

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).

As members of the GNSS community, you are all undoubtedly aware of the recent technical incident that resulted in the temporary interruption of Galileo navigation and timing services.

The technical incident originated in the Galileo ground infrastructure equipment, affecting the calculation of time and orbit predictions which are used to compute the navigation message. The technical incident affected different elements of the ground facilities.

A team composed of GSA experts, industry, ESA and the Commission worked together 24/7 to address the incident, and Galileo Initial Services have now been restored. In particular, the dedication and work of our industrial partners has helped to achieve this result. Commercial users can already see signs of recovery of the Galileo navigation and timing services, although some fluctuations may be experienced until further notice.

The team is monitoring the quality of Galileo services to restore the Galileo timing and navigation services to their nominal levels. As soon as we gather all the technical elements and implement all necessary actions, we will provide more detailed information through our NAGU (Notice Advisory to Galileo Users) notifications to users.

All partners worked together to remedy the situation as soon as possible. We will set up an Independent Inquiry Board to identify the root causes of the incident. This will allow us to draw lessons for the management of a global operational system with several millions of users worldwide.

The Galileo system has grown stronger as a result of this experience, and we will continue to deliver Initial Services until full operational capability is declared. These challenging days have shown us how much you, the GNSS user community and stakeholders, rely on Galileo and how much you trust the Galileo system to deliver the services to support growth, business and sustainability. Europe and the world need a strong civil global satellite navigation system today more than ever.

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 members of the GNSS community, you are all undoubtedly aware of the recent technical incident that resulted in the temporary interruption of Galileo navigation and timing services.

The technical incident originated in the Galileo ground segment, affecting the calculation of time and orbit predictions which are used to compute the navigation message. The technical incident affected different elements of the ground facilities.

A team composed of GSA experts, industry, ESA and the Commission worked together 24/7 to address the incident, and Galileo Initial Services have now been restored. In particular, the dedication and work of our industrial partners has helped to achieve this result. Commercial users can already see signs of recovery of the Galileo navigation and timing services, although some fluctuations may be experienced until further notice.

The team is monitoring the quality of Galileo services to restore the Galileo timing and navigation services to their nominal levels. As soon as we gather all the technical elements and implement all necessary actions, we will provide more detailed information through our NAGU (Notice Advisory to Galileo Users) notifications to users.

All partners worked together to remedy the situation as soon as possible. We will set up an Independent Inquiry Board to identify the root causes of the incident. This will allow us to draw lessons for the management of a global operational system with several millions of users worldwide.

The Galileo system has grown stronger as a result of this experience, and we will continue to deliver Initial Services until full operational capability is declared. These challenging days have shown us how much you, the GNSS user community and stakeholders, rely on Galileo and how much you trust the Galileo system to deliver the services to support growth, business and sustainability. Europe and the world need a strong civil global satellite navigation system today more than ever.

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 members of the GNSS community, you are all undoubtedly aware of the recent technical incident that resulted in the temporary interruption of Galileo navigation and timing services.

The technical incident originated by an equipment malfunction in the Galileo ground infrastructure, affecting the calculation of time and orbit predictions which are used to compute the navigation message. The technical incident affected different elements of the ground facilities.

A team composed of GSA experts, industry, ESA and the Commission worked together 24/7 to address the incident, and Galileo Initial Services have now been restored. In particular, the dedication and work of our industrial partners has helped to achieve this result. Commercial users can already see signs of recovery of the Galileo navigation and timing services, although some fluctuations may be experienced until further notice.

The team is monitoring the quality of Galileo services to restore the Galileo timing and navigation services to their nominal levels. As soon as we gather all the technical elements and implement all necessary actions, we will provide more detailed information through our NAGU (Notice Advisory to Galileo Users) notifications to users.

All partners worked together to remedy the situation as soon as possible. We will set up an Independent Inquiry Board to identify the root causes of the incident. This will allow us to draw lessons for the management of a global operational system with several millions of users worldwide.

The Galileo system has grown stronger as a result of this experience, and we will continue to deliver Initial Services until full operational capability is declared. These challenging days have shown us how much you, the GNSS user community and stakeholders, rely on Galileo and how much you trust the Galileo system to deliver the services to support growth, business and sustainability. Europe and the world need a strong civil global satellite navigation system today more than ever.

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 Initial Services have now been restored. Commercial users can already see signs of recovery of the Galileo navigation and timing services, although some fluctuations may be experienced until further notice.

The technical incident originated by an equipment malfunction in the Galileo control centres that calculate time and orbit predictions, and which are used to compute the navigation message. The malfunction affected different elements on both centres.

A team composed of GSA experts, industry, ESA and Commission, worked together 24/7 to address the incident. The team is monitoring the quality of Galileo services to restore Galileo timing and navigation services at their nominal levels. 

We will set an Independent Inquiry Board to identify the root causes of the major incident. This will allow the Commission, as the programme manager, together with the EU Agency GSA to draw lessons for the management of an operational system with several millions of users worldwide. 

Galileo provides ‘initial services’ since December 2016. During this initial ‘pilot’ phase preceding the ‘full operational services’ phase, Galileo signals are used in combination with other satellite navigation systems, which allows for the detection of technical issues before the system becomes fully operational. In the full operational phase, Galileo should function independently of other satellite navigation systems.

Dedicated Notice Advisory to Galileo Users (NAGUs) have been published at the European GNSS Service Centre to inform users on the service impact: 

• NAGU number 2019025 on 2019-07-11 14:45 on the potential service degradation;

• NAGU number 2019026 on 2019-07-13 20:15 on the service outage;

• NAGU number 2019027 on 2019-07-18 08:20 on the service recovery;

as well as a news item on the GSA website on 14 July and 17 July .

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 Initial Services have now been restored. Commercial users can already see signs of recovery of the Galileo navigation and timing services, although some fluctuations may be experienced until further notice.

The technical incident originated by an equipment malfunction in the Galileo ground infrastructure, affecting the calculation of time and orbit predictions, and which are used to compute the navigation message. The malfunction affected different elements on the ground facilities.

A team composed of GSA experts, industry, ESA and Commission, worked together 24/7 to address the incident. The team is monitoring the quality of Galileo services to restore Galileo timing and navigation services at their nominal levels. 

We will set an Independent Inquiry Board to identify the root causes of the major incident. This will allow the Commission, as the programme manager, together with the EU Agency GSA to draw lessons for the management of an operational system with several millions of users worldwide. 

Galileo provides ‘initial services’ since December 2016. During this initial ‘pilot’ phase preceding the ‘full operational services’ phase, Galileo signals are used in combination with other satellite navigation systems, which allows for the detection of technical issues before the system becomes fully operational. In the full operational phase, Galileo should function independently of other satellite navigation systems.

Dedicated Notice Advisory to Galileo Users (NAGUs) have been published at the European GNSS Service Centre to inform users on the service impact: 

• NAGU number 2019025 on 2019-07-11 14:45 on the potential service degradation;

• NAGU number 2019026 on 2019-07-13 20:15 on the service outage;

• NAGU number 2019027 on 2019-07-18 08:20 on the service recovery;

as well as a news item on the GSA website on 14 July and 17 July .

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 Initial Services have now been restored. Commercial users can already see signs of recovery of the Galileo navigation and timing services, although some fluctuations may be experienced until further notice.

The technical incident originated by a malfunction in the ground segment, affecting the calculation of time and orbit predictions, and which are used to compute the navigation message. The malfunction affected different elements on the ground facilities.

A team composed of GSA experts, industry, ESA and Commission, worked together 24/7 to address the incident. The team is monitoring the quality of Galileo services to restore Galileo timing and navigation services at their nominal levels. 

We will set an Independent Inquiry Board to identify the root causes of the major incident. This will allow the Commission, as the programme manager, together with the EU Agency GSA to draw lessons for the management of an operational system with several millions of users worldwide. 

Galileo provides ‘initial services’ since December 2016. During this initial ‘pilot’ phase preceding the ‘full operational services’ phase, Galileo signals are used in combination with other satellite navigation systems, which allows for the detection of technical issues before the system becomes fully operational. In the full operational phase, Galileo should function independently of other satellite navigation systems.

Dedicated Notice Advisory to Galileo Users (NAGUs) have been published at the European GNSS Service Centre to inform users on the service impact: 

• NAGU number 2019025 on 2019-07-11 14:45 on the potential service degradation;

• NAGU number 2019026 on 2019-07-13 20:15 on the service outage;

• NAGU number 2019027 on 2019-07-18 08:20 on the service recovery;

as well as a news item on the GSA website on 14 July and 17 July .

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).