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Space solutions for feeding a growing population: 1-day workshop

13.4.2016 14:13  
13/04/2016

How can agriculture-focused organisations benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information? You can get the answer to this and more on 1 June at a 1-day workshop on space solutions for feeding a growing population during the European Space Solutions conference.

By 2050, the world’s population is predicted to have increased by 2 billion, Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are well positioned to play an important role in creating a more efficient and precise agriculture industryreaching a total population of 9 billion people. To cope with this reality, the agriculture industry must maximise the use of available resources. Precision agriculture, which uses satellite navigation to help increase crop yields and improve efficiency, will play an important role in this effort. In fact, the role of geospatial data, Earth observation and positioning as applied to agriculture has been brought to the forefront by the 2015 United Nations Millennium Development Goals Report.

According to the report, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), along with Earth observation programmes like Copernicus, are not only helpful in boosting agribusiness productivity, but are also key to achieving the kind of food production necessary to sustain the planet’s growing population. Furthermore, these programmes support the implementation of various EU agricultural policies – particularly with regards to market transparency, control and evaluation of direct payments, and the establishment of an improved common agricultural policy (CAP). 

An array of applications

As European and worldwide farmers’ needs have become increasingly sophisticated, they were early adopters of precision agriculture as a solution for higher productivity and farm profitability. While the technology has a variety of uses, the main application for precision agriculture is tractor guidance, where positioning applications can be used to guide a tractor around a field and minimise the effort exerted by a farmer. More so, Earth observation satellites provide imagery of agricultural fields, along with radar, topographical and altimetry information. The results are an increase in efficiency and a decrease in labour costs. EGNOS especially can be used to help farmers enhance crop management and improve position-based tasks like spraying insecticides and pesticides and harvesting crops. In turn, this increases yields and helps provide the world with a much-needed food supply.

    Read more: EGNOS for agriculture

The crop insurance industry can also benefit from positioning and earth observation tools, as the technology creates better models to predict weather patterns and determine crop yields. With this information, crop insurance companies can set predictable rates and mange profits.

As precision agriculture technology becomes more widely available, farmers are demanding advanced applications of satellite technology and are looking for entire farm management solutions. In other words, farmers want technology that allows them to make better decisions and secure more predictable outcomes. To meet this demand, an array of European GNSS Agency (GSA)-supported applications and services are already being developed, enabling business opportunities for companies. For example, the H2020 project GeoPal provides an advanced logistics system for the harvesting and distribution functions of bio-related supply chains. The CLAAS Group has developed GeoPal into a field-route optimisation system that optimises working passes for every field and accurately forecasts the required processing time – resulting in an average cost reduction of 6%.  Another example comes from the Mistrale project, which seeks to provide soil moisture maps using GNSS reflectometry, helping farmers maximise water efficiency.

Another company benefiting from GNSS technology is AGCO, which currently uses EGNOS – and soon Galileo – for precision mapping for harvest yield. Farmnet 365 also uses EGNOS in its food traceability technology, which currently saves 5 % of working time for farmers and EUR 10-15 per hectare.

Ample opportunities

This cutting-edge technology has grabbed the attention of businesses, industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs around Europe and beyond, looking to secure a share of this growing market. According to the latest edition of the GSA GNSS market report, from 2013 to 2023, annual shipments of GNSS devices are expected to increase fivefold – up to almost 1.2 million units worldwide. Overall, GNSS penetration is foreseen to experience a steady increase over the next decade, reaching 50 % by 2023. Specifically, variable rate technologies will progressively gain momentum, with revenues increasing from EUR 135 million in 2013 to EUR 723 million in 2023. Likewise, revenues from asset management will grow from EUR 11 million in 2013 to EUR 102 million by 2023. Of the total revenue associated with the agriculture sector, automatic steering will generate the largest share and remain the most expansive application in terms of average price per device. 

In summary, the GNSS market as it applies to agriculture represents a massive opportunity for European businesses, SMEs and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the GSA, under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and agriculture as part of the European Space Solutions Conference.

Register today!

The Agriculture and Food Focus Session will address a wide range of applications for agriculture companies, including crop and soil monitoring, production forecasting, and land and irrigation management. The session will cover both state-of-the-art solutions and the latest research and development (R&D) innovations, with the objective of further promoting dialogue between the agribusiness and space sectors, with a focus on highlighting the many opportunities available for European businesses.

Users from both the public and private domains will be present, including speakers from the European Commission, European agriculture associations, the GSA, European and non-European agri-businesses and equipment manufacturers, including the CLAAS Group, Ariespace s.r.l. and Copa Cogeca, among others. The workshop will discuss the use of Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus in such arenas as crop classification, CAP, logistics and land monitoring – among others. A round table discussion is an integrative part of the day, addressing the needs of agriculture businesses and how they can benefit from the EU space solutions.

The all-day workshop will take place on 1 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to agriculture and food production, secure your place by registering today.

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 solutions for health and safety workshop

11.4.2016 11:20  
11/04/2016

On 2 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a workshop on how the health and safety sectors can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

Space solutions can play a significant role in addressing a number of key health andFrom emergency caller localisation to the monitoring of elderly patients, European GNSS is having a substantial impact on our health and safety   safety-related challenges currently facing society. From emergency caller location to the monitoring of elderly patients, European global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and Earth observation programmes, including Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus, are already having a substantial impact on our health and safety – and their role will only increase in the near future.  

An array of applications

In the field of health and safety, space technology has the potential to usher in paradigm shifts in prevention and independence, improving the management of health conditions, meeting the needs of an ageing population and improving environmental conditions for the well-being of society. Examples of space-derived applications for this sector include emergency-caller location, search and rescue operations, disaster management, telemedicine, guidance for the visually and physically impaired, and patient monitoring and management.

The H&S session foresees an opening keynote speaker from ARM, the multinational semiconductor and software design company listed in top 10 innovation companies in the world, to set the tone of the session and present a vision of the future solutions of geolocation in healthcare. The first part of the session will feature consumer applications for sports, fitness, ageing well and healthcare. The silver economy and solutions for location-aware assisted living will be some of the topics covered. Top level experts from STMicro representing the chipset industry, leading IT solution provider Comarch and device supplier Tom Tom as well as other innovative SMEs will share their perspective on this promising and dynamic industry.

In the second part the focus will be put on emergency response and disaster management applications. The important role of Galileo in the e112 initiative, EGNOS in emergency operations and Copernicus as part of solutions for emergency management services will be showcased. This part will serve as a prelude to the afternoon workshop on Galileo Search and Rescue which will bring together beacon manufacturers and other industrial and research players involved in SAR operations.

Register today!

The dynamic market of healthcare and safety is opening a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs, thanks also to Space solutions. To help European industry better understand – and access – this fast growing market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and health and safety as part of the European Space Solutions Conference.

The workshop will take place on 2 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to the health and safety sector, secure your place by registering today.

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).

Take your IoT idea to the next level

8.4.2016 10:00  
08/04/2016

To raise awareness of the integral role that Galileo plays in the Internet of Things, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) announces its IoT solutions empowered by GNSS award. Apply today!

The Internet of Things (IoT) is everywhere. It’s connecting your personal cell To promote the integral role that Galileo plays in the Internet of Things, the GSA is launching the IoT solutions empowered by GNSS award. Deadline for submissions is 5 May.phone, tablet computer and PC, and it’s making roads, signage and appliances smarter. In every sector of the economy, IoT is enabling objects to exchange data with manufacturers, operators and other devices – creating a vast integrated network of connected things and services that is expected to surpass 50 billion by 2020.

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), including Galileo, play a key role in the Internet of Things, providing the positioning, velocity and timing information required by an increasing number of context-aware applications. However, despite this important contribution to IoT, the role of GNSS is often downplayed as an element within smart applications. 

Innovation wanted

To raise awareness of the integral role that GNSS plays in IoT and to ensure that European GNSS programmes are considered important players in this potentially massive global market, the GSA is sponsoring the IoT Solutions empowered by GNSS award – part of the 2016 Geo IoT Awards.  

“Galileo brings IoT better accuracy and availability due to its signal strength in such difficult environments as in the city, as well as an authenticated open signal,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “With this award, the GSA is looking for the most innovative IoT applications that rely on GNSS and leverage the enhanced possibilities offered by Galileo.”

Whether you operate in the automotive sector, or in consumer electronics, smart cities, public transport, manufacturing, supply chain logistics, retail, leisure or healthcare, submit your innovative idea today.

The tailored support you need

The IoT Solutions empowered by GNSS award is specifically designed to take your innovative IoT idea to the next level. The award consists of an incubation period tailored around the needs and maturity of the winning idea. The award winner can expect:

  • Tailored support such as: market analysis, business strategy and business plan development, resource mobilisation strategy and international positioning.
  • Networking opportunities with industry and investors, investor relations and investor scouting.
  • Access to a dedicated team of GSA-accredited consultants and coaches, along with an extensive network of industry and institutions, all specialised in the GEO IoT market.
  • Promotion and visibility opportunities, including during the 25 May award ceremony.

Actual support provided depends on actual needs, with the ultimate objective of taking the project to market.

The details

The GSA’s IoT solutions empowered by GNSS award is part of the Geo IoT World Awards, which are open to all participants and celebrate innovation and innovators in geo-aware technologies. The objective of the award is to promote the development of applications that both create demand for Galileo and provide direct economic and social benefits to European society. As such, the GSA is looking for innovative ideas for IoT applications aligned with the evolving needs of the end-users. More information on the evaluation criteria can be found here.

All submissions must be received by 14 May 2016.

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).

Take your IoT idea to the next level

8.4.2016 10:00  
08/04/2016

To raise awareness of the integral role that Galileo plays in the Internet of Things, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) announces its IoT solutions empowered by GNSS award. Apply today!

The Internet of Things (IoT) is everywhere. It’s connecting your personal cell To promote the integral role that Galileo plays in the Internet of Things, the GSA is launching the IoT solutions empowered by GNSS award. Deadline for submissions is 5 May.phone, tablet computer and PC, and it’s making roads, signage and appliances smarter. In every sector of the economy, IoT is enabling objects to exchange data with manufacturers, operators and other devices – creating a vast integrated network of connected things and services that is expected to surpass 50 billion by 2020.

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), including Galileo, play a key role in the Internet of Things, providing the positioning, velocity and timing information required by an increasing number of context-aware applications. However, despite this important contribution to IoT, the role of GNSS is often downplayed as an element within smart applications. 

Innovation wanted

To raise awareness of the integral role that GNSS plays in IoT and to ensure that European GNSS programmes are considered important players in this potentially massive global market, the GSA is sponsoring the IoT Solutions empowered by GNSS award – part of the 2016 Geo IoT Awards.  

“Galileo brings IoT better accuracy and availability due to its signal strength in such difficult environments as in the city, as well as an authenticated open signal,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “With this award, the GSA is looking for the most innovative IoT applications that rely on GNSS and leverage the enhanced possibilities offered by Galileo.”

Whether you operate in the automotive sector, or in consumer electronics, smart cities, public transport, manufacturing, supply chain logistics, retail, leisure or healthcare, submit your innovative idea today.

The tailored support you need

The IoT Solutions empowered by GNSS award is specifically designed to take your innovative IoT idea to the next level. The award consists of an incubation period tailored around the needs and maturity of the winning idea. The award winner can expect:

  • Tailored support such as: market analysis, business strategy and business plan development, resource mobilisation strategy and international positioning.
  • Networking opportunities with industry and investors, investor relations and investor scouting.
  • Access to a dedicated team of GSA-accredited consultants and coaches, along with an extensive network of industry and institutions, all specialised in the GEO IoT market.
  • Promotion and visibility opportunities, including during the 25 May award ceremony.

Actual support provided depends on actual needs, with the ultimate objective of taking the project to market.

The details

The GSA’s IoT solutions empowered by GNSS award is part of the Geo IoT World Awards, which are open to all participants and celebrate innovation and innovators in geo-aware technologies. The objective of the award is to promote the development of applications that both create demand for Galileo and provide direct economic and social benefits to European society. As such, the GSA is looking for innovative ideas for IoT applications aligned with the evolving needs of the end-users. More information on the evaluation criteria can be found here.

All submissions must be received by 5 May 2016.

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 all about the timing

7.4.2016 9:14  
07/04/2016

At the 13th Munich Satellite Navigation Summit, the European GNSS Agency (GSA joined in to debate three of the hottest issues: GNSS timing services, Galileo’s unique Public Regulated Service (PRS) and GNSS for autonomous vehicles.

The timing services supplied by GNSS are an increasingly important, but oftenThe accurate and reliable positioning information provided by GNSS is a clear enabler for autonomous vehicles unrecognised, part of today’s modern infrastructure. This is because the vital role of space-based timing is only exposed when it fails. To shed some light on just how important these services are, this year the Munich Satellite Summit’s legal session focused on the timing aspects of GNSS.

“Many sophisticated timing applications rely on GNSS signals,” said BHO legal partner Dr Oliver Heinrich. “However, they tend to be taken for granted and are only noticed when things go wrong, such as what happened on 26 January when a software upload to GPS satellites induced a 13 millisecond misalignment – a small difference that had a big global impact.”

         Also read: EGNOS protects GNSS timing

According to Meinberg Funkuhren GmbH & Co.’s managing director Heiko Gerstung, this glitch caused Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to exhibit different and unwanted behaviour that led to a loss of synchronisation across a number of systems, including power grids and financial markets. Although the issue was quickly detected and resolved in a few hours, it nonetheless had a real global impact, with numerous digital TV and radio networks failing and some financial customers reporting issues. “Trust is good, reality checks and consistency checks are better,” said Gerstung. “Back-up reference sources are important for [these] highly critical systems.”

The Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG Growth) Deputy Head of Unit, Galileo and EGNOS – Applications and Security, Christoph Kautz, noted a number of other events that demonstrate the critical nature of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) timing. “Reliance on GNSS timing will only increase as smarter power grids are developed and more sophisticated mobile communication networks, such as 5G, are deployed in support of the Internet of Things and other sensor networks,” he said. “All of these will require more and better synchronisation.”

As part of the new Space Strategy for Europe, a Galileo roadmap will identify possible measures to support market uptake by the EU economy in all areas, including timing. “This will be a strategic approach based on a set of technical, sector-based initiatives that are selected for maximum impact,” said Kautz. 

Diamond service?

Another area where Galileo is likely to have maximum impact is the Public Regulated Service (PRS). The PRS will provide a robust and encrypted positioning and timing capability restricted to governmental authorised users. Speaking at the event, DG Growth Head of Unit, Galileo Directorate Philippe Jean described the service and the access control mechanisms that will minimise interfering threats and so offer continuity of service in times of crisis. “The PRS signal structure has better resilience to jamming and interference,” he said. Jean also said that the Member States and the Commission are considering how to allow secure access to PRS by third-party countries.

         Read also: 2016 – the Year of Galileo

“Active contributions from all the different stakeholders involved in PRS is required to ensure delivery of service to authorised users,” added GSA PRS Officer Marco Detratti. “Competent PRS authorities (CPAs) are being established at the national level, but to build trust, the system and equipment must deliver a truly robust service that grants unlimited and uninterrupted access worldwide.”

Every Member State that uses PRS must establish a CPA. According to French Competent PRS Authority Colonel Philippe Bertrand, the French CPA is part of an inter-ministerial department for defence and security. The legal decree to regulate PRS in France is in development, and he believes there is no doubt that the PRS community will come when PRS is available. “PRS is a diamond – a beautiful object – when it meets performances continuously and worldwide,” he concluded.

The German perspective came from Kai Herrmann from the German CPA, who agreed that PRS is a key technology for the digital society. He noted that Germany was collaborating with Sweden to prepare an area to demonstrate PRS. Salvatore Viviano of the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana added that Italy is committed to providing PRS users with effective access control and a high level of service continuity. He also promised manufacturers support for production and export of receivers and other equipment.

Perhaps the most enthusiastic promoter of PRS at the Summit was UK Space Agency Head of Galileo Policy Imogen Ormerod. “PRS is unique: the ability to have confidence in the signal is ground breaking,” she said. “If done right, PRS has unique and unchallenged potential and the opportunity to be the jewel in Galileo’s crown.” She further noted that although the future market will be extensive as there is no real competition, the provision of timely initial services will be key.

GNSS driving autonomy?

Speaking at a session completely dedicated to autonomous vehicles, GSA Head of Market Development Gian-Gherardo Calini said that accurate and reliable positioning information is a clear enabler for autonomous vehicles. “With its dual frequencies, better reliability and ability to cope with multi-path characteristics in urban environments, Galileo could be a big differentiator in this potentially huge market,” he said.

However, implementing the technologies is challenging. For example, according to Centro Ricerche Fiat Programme Manager Luisa Andreone, the higher you moved up the automation levels in vehicles, the more accurate the positioning requirements are. Other key elements are signal availability, integrity, affordability and regulations. Furthermore, complementary techniques for positioning are also important. According to the ISMB Head of Research Area, Multi-Layer Wireless Solutions, Dr Riccardo Scopigno, more precise, absolute and authenticated position data is needed at higher levels of automation. He is confident, however, that this can be obtained using Galileo signals in an intelligent data fusion with information from other sensor systems.

BASELABS GmbH project specialist and GNSS researcher Marcus Obst agreed, saying that integration of data reduced ambiguities and allowed the definition of robust and safe autonomous processes. Magneti Marelli S.p.A. professional expert Evaldo Bruci added that precise positioning must work hand-in-hand with image processing and also with accurate maps. He estimated that to achieve reliable and safe autonomous driving, a minimum of 20-centimetre position accuracy was needed. In addition, technical solutions for mass-market implementation must not significantly add to the current cost of a vehicle.

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 solutions for energy workshop

4.4.2016 13:58  
04/04/2016

On 3 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a workshop on how the energy sector can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

Energy – and in particular sustainable energy – is one of the most challenging topics of our time. From providing data and better understanding regional and global conditions to influencing smart grids, transmitting electricity and protecting critical infrastructure, space solutions are playing a significant role in addressing a number of energy-related challenges Questions such as ‘how can we realise a sustainable energy system within the constraints of climate change and increasing resource scarcity?’ and ‘how can we accomplish the transition to a low-carbon economy?’ have no easy answers. Furthermore, the ongoing transition to sustainable energy involves a large number of stakeholders, users and providers, all coming to the table from a variety of disciplines, which makes finding an agreeable solution all the more challenging.

Space solutions can play a significant role in addressing a number of these energy-related challenges. From providing data and better understanding regional and global conditions to influencing smart grids, transmitting electricity and protecting critical infrastructure, the European global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and Earth observation programmes, including Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigational Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus, are already having a substantial impact on energy production, transportation and conservation.

An array of applications

In the field of energy, space technology has the potential to have a substantial impact. Already Earth observation and satellite navigation applications are aiding energy supply and management professionals and users in consumer-orientated markets in promoting products and services. For example, the Horizon 2020-funded EASY PV project is using GNSS to address the growing need for photovoltaic (PV) field owners to enhance the energy production of their plants. The project is building an automatic system for acquiring, geo-referencing and processing both visible and thermal images captured by a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) equipped with a Galileo/EGNOS high-accuracy receiver flying over a PV field – making it possible to easily detect and replace defective modules.

Likewise, the LARA project is using state-of-the-art GNSS technologies and interactive computer graphics to allow utility workers to ‘see’ 3D models of underground water, gas and electric grids – with no random digging required. With such precise information available from a mobile, hand-held device, maintenance costs are reduced, as well as the economic, social and environmental implications of lengthy service.

Register today!

As a significant share of the energy market involves GNSS applications and services such as the ones highlighted here, there is a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and energy as part of the European Space Solutions Conference

The Energy Focus Session is a unique opportunity to hear first-hand about the role of GNSS within this dynamic sector. Topics include renewable energy technologies, early-warning systems and risk management, tools for impact assessment and monitoring, using Earth observation to maintain offshore wind farms, satellite-based plant monitoring and GNSS-based timing for power grids – among others.

Users from both public and private sectors will be present, including speakers from the European Union, national energy agencies and organisations, the GSA, and a range of various research institutions and related businesses. The workshop will take place on 3 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to the energy sector, secure your place by registering today.

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 solutions for energy workshop

4.4.2016 13:58  
04/04/2016

On 3 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a workshop on how the energy sector can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

Energy – and in particular sustainable energy – is one of the most challenging topics of our time. From providing data and better understanding regional and global conditions to influencing smart grids, transmitting electricity and protecting critical infrastructure, space solutions are playing a significant role in addressing a number of energy-related challenges Questions such as ‘how can we realise a sustainable energy system within the constraints of climate change and increasing resource scarcity?’ and ‘how can we accomplish the transition to a low-carbon economy?’ have no easy answers. Furthermore, the ongoing transition to sustainable energy involves a large number of stakeholders, users and providers, all coming to the table from a variety of disciplines, which makes finding an agreeable solution all the more challenging.

Space solutions can play a significant role in addressing a number of these energy-related challenges. From providing data and better understanding regional and global conditions to influencing smart grids, transmitting electricity and protecting critical infrastructure, the European global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and Earth observation programmes, including Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigational Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus, are already having a substantial impact on energy production, transportation and conservation.

An array of applications

In the field of energy, space technology has the potential to have a substantial impact. Already Earth observation and satellite navigation applications are aiding energy supply and management professionals and users in consumer-orientated markets in promoting products and services. For example, the Horizon 2020-funded EASY PV project is using GNSS to address the growing need for photovoltaic (PV) field owners to enhance the energy production of their plants. The project is building an automatic system for acquiring, geo-referencing and processing both visible and thermal images captured by a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) equipped with a Galileo/EGNOS high-accuracy receiver flying over a PV field – making it possible to easily detect and replace defective modules.

Likewise, the LARA project is using state-of-the-art GNSS technologies and interactive computer graphics to allow utility workers to ‘see’ 3D models of underground water, gas and electric grids – with no random digging required. With such precise information available from a mobile, hand-held device, maintenance costs are reduced, as well as the economic, social and environmental implications of lengthy service.

Register today!

As a significant share of the energy market involves GNSS applications and services such as the ones highlighted here, there is a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and energy as part of the European Space Solutions Conference

The Energy Focus Session is a unique opportunity to hear first-hand about the role of GNSS within this dynamic sector. Topics include renewable energy technologies, early-warning systems and risk management, tools for impact assessment and monitoring, using Earth observation to maintain offshore wind farms, satellite-based plant monitoring and GNSS-based timing for power grids – among others.

Users from both public and private sectors will be present, including speakers from the European Union, national energy agencies and organisations, the GSA, and a range of various research institutions and related businesses. The workshop will take place on 3 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to the energy sector, secure your place by registering today.

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 solutions for river deltas workshop

1.4.2016 13:15  
01/04/2016

On 3 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a workshop on how river deltas and related areas can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

European GNSS is having a substantial impact on the development and management of Europe’s river deltas: it provides interoperability and positioning, monitors land erosion and pollution, detects illegal discharge and tracks environmental emergencies.

There’s a lot happening at the world’s busy river deltas. On the one hand, these areas are hotspots for trade, industry, agriculture and urbanisation. On the other hand, they often exhibit both a high level of biodiversity and a fragile ecosystem. As the sea and waterways continue to serve as a popular mode of transporting goods around the world, to accommodate this traffic river deltas are often characterised by rapid development that, because of their fragile ecosystems, leads to flooding, land subsidence and environmental degradation. Trying to balance the need to protect the environment while maintaining the utility of river deltas is an ongoing challenge.

Space solutions can play a significant role in addressing a number of these specific river delta challenges. From providing interoperability across navigational areas and corresponding positioning, to monitoring land erosion and pollution, detecting illegal discharge and tracking environmental emergencies such as floods or oil spills, European global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and Earth observation programmes, including Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigational Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus, are already having a substantial impact on the development and management of Europe’s river deltas.

An array of applications

When it comes to river deltas, space technology has the potential to have a substantial impact. Already, Earth observation and satellite navigation applications are aiding an array of activities happening in these unique areas. For example, the Horizon 2020-funded spyGLASS project is developing a Passive Bistatic Radar (PBR) based on Galileo transmissions for maritime surveillance.  The use of existing transmissions for PBR applications is already becoming increasingly popular due to their low costs, covert operation and minimal level of pollution – benefits that will all be enhanced with the addition of Galileo. 

Likewise, the Mobile Underwater Positioning System (MUPS), winner of the DLR Special Prize at the 2015 European Satellite Navigation Competition, is using GNSS to explore the bottoms of lakes, seas and oceans. The system aids in discovering what is hidden in the depths of water reservoirs by supporting navigation and positioning. Based on GNSS signals and pseudolites with transmitters of modulated acoustic signals, MUPS makes it possible to determine the position of submerged objects. More so, unlike existing systems, MUPS is completely mobile, thus enabling users to change areas without any problem – an ideal feature for divers, environmentalists, archaeologists, marine engineers, researchers, submarines and anyone else working at the bottom of water reservoirs.

Register today!

As a significant share of the business and activities happening around Europe’s river deltas involves GNSS applications and services, such as the ones highlighted here, there is a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and river deltas as part of the European Space Solutions Conference

The River Deltas Focus Session is a unique opportunity to hear first-hand about the role of GNSS within this dynamic sector. Topics include river observation, the latest in international waterway policy, using Earth observation to maintain large river deltas, case studies from the Netherlands and Venice, underwater positioning, river traffic surveillance and soil moisture observations – among others.

Users from both the public and private sectors will be present, including speakers from the European Union, national river and waterway agencies and organisations, the GSA, and a range of various research institutions and related businesses. The workshop will take place on 3 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to river deltas, secure your place by registering today.

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 solutions for river deltas workshop

1.4.2016 13:15  
01/04/2016

On 3 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a workshop on how river deltas and related areas can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

European GNSS is having a substantial impact on the development and management of Europe’s river deltas: it provides interoperability and positioning, monitors land erosion and pollution, detects illegal discharge and tracks environmental emergencies.

There’s a lot happening at the world’s busy river deltas. On the one hand, these areas are hotspots for trade, industry, agriculture and urbanisation. On the other hand, they often exhibit both a high level of biodiversity and a fragile ecosystem. As the sea and waterways continue to serve as a popular mode of transporting goods around the world, to accommodate this traffic river deltas are often characterised by rapid development that, because of their fragile ecosystems, leads to flooding, land subsidence and environmental degradation. Trying to balance the need to protect the environment while maintaining the utility of river deltas is an ongoing challenge.

Space solutions can play a significant role in addressing a number of these specific river delta challenges. From providing interoperability across navigational areas and corresponding positioning, to monitoring land erosion and pollution, detecting illegal discharge and tracking environmental emergencies such as floods or oil spills, European global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and Earth observation programmes, including Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigational Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus, are already having a substantial impact on the development and management of Europe’s river deltas.

An array of applications

When it comes to river deltas, space technology has the potential to have a substantial impact. Already, Earth observation and satellite navigation applications are aiding an array of activities happening in these unique areas. For example, the Horizon 2020-funded spyGLASS project is developing a Passive Bistatic Radar (PBR) based on Galileo transmissions for maritime surveillance.  The use of existing transmissions for PBR applications is already becoming increasingly popular due to their low costs, covert operation and minimal level of pollution – benefits that will all be enhanced with the addition of Galileo. 

Likewise, the Mobile Underwater Positioning System (MUPS), winner of the DLR Special Prize at the 2015 European Satellite Navigation Competition, is using GNSS to explore the bottoms of lakes, seas and oceans. The system aids in discovering what is hidden in the depths of water reservoirs by supporting navigation and positioning. Based on GNSS signals and pseudolites with transmitters of modulated acoustic signals, MUPS makes it possible to determine the position of submerged objects. More so, unlike existing systems, MUPS is completely mobile, thus enabling users to change areas without any problem – an ideal feature for divers, environmentalists, archaeologists, marine engineers, researchers, submarines and anyone else working at the bottom of water reservoirs.

Register today!

As a significant share of the business and activities happening around Europe’s river deltas involves GNSS applications and services, such as the ones highlighted here, there is a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and river deltas as part of the European Space Solutions Conference

The River Deltas Focus Session is a unique opportunity to hear first-hand about the role of GNSS within this dynamic sector. Topics include river observation, the latest in international waterway policy, using Earth observation to maintain large river deltas, case studies from the Netherlands and Venice, underwater positioning, river traffic surveillance and soil moisture observations – among others.

Users from both the public and private sectors will be present, including speakers from the European Union, national river and waterway agencies and organisations, the GSA, and a range of various research institutions and related businesses. The workshop will take place on 3 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to river deltas, secure your place by registering today.

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 solutions for river deltas workshop

1.4.2016 13:15  
01/04/2016

European GNSS is having a substantial impact on the development and management of Europe’s river deltas: it provides interoperability and positioning, monitors land erosion and pollution, detects illegal discharge and tracks environmental emergencies.There’s a lot happening at the world’s busy river deltas. On the one hand, these areas are hotspots for trade, industry, agriculture and urbanisation. On the other hand, they often exhibit both a high level of biodiversity and a fragile ecosystem. As the sea and waterways continue to serve as a popular mode of transporting goods around the world, to accommodate this traffic river deltas are often characterised by rapid development that, because of their fragile ecosystems, leads to flooding, land subsidence and environmental degradation. Trying to balance the need to protect the environment while maintaining the utility of river deltas is an ongoing challenge.

Space solutions can play a significant role in addressing a number of these specific river delta challenges. From providing interoperability across navigational areas and corresponding positioning, to monitoring land erosion and pollution, detecting illegal discharge and tracking environmental emergencies such as floods or oil spills, European global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and Earth observation programmes, including Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigational Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus, are already having a substantial impact on the development and management of Europe’s river deltas.

An array of applications

When it comes to river deltas, space technology has the potential to have a substantial impact. Already, Earth observation and satellite navigation applications are aiding an array of activities happening in these unique areas. For example, the Horizon 2020-funded spyGLASS project is developing a Passive Bistatic Radar (PBR) based on Galileo transmissions for maritime surveillance.  The use of existing transmissions for PBR applications is already becoming increasingly popular due to their low costs, covert operation and minimal level of pollution – benefits that will all be enhanced with the addition of Galileo. 

Likewise, the Mobile Underwater Positioning System (MUPS), winner of the DLR Special Prize at the 2015 European Satellite Navigation Competition, is using GNSS to explore the bottoms of lakes, seas and oceans. The system aids in discovering what is hidden in the depths of water reservoirs by supporting navigation and positioning. Based on GNSS signals and pseudolites with transmitters of modulated acoustic signals, MUPS makes it possible to determine the position of submerged objects. More so, unlike existing systems, MUPS is completely mobile, thus enabling users to change areas without any problem – an ideal feature for divers, environmentalists, archaeologists, marine engineers, researchers, submarines and anyone else working at the bottom of water reservoirs.

Register today!

As a significant share of the business and activities happening around Europe’s river deltas involves GNSS applications and services, such as the ones highlighted here, there is a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and river deltas as part of the European Space Solutions Conference

The River Deltas Focus Session is a unique opportunity to hear first-hand about the role of GNSS within this dynamic sector. Topics include river observation, the latest in international waterway policy, using Earth observation to maintain large river deltas, case studies from the Netherlands and Venice, underwater positioning, river traffic surveillance and soil moisture observations – among others.

Users from both the public and private sectors will be present, including speakers from the European Union, national river and waterway agencies and organisations, the GSA, and a range of various research institutions and related businesses. The workshop will take place on 3 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to river deltas, secure your place by registering today.

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 the article back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Space solutions for river deltas workshop

1.4.2016 13:15  
01/04/2016

On 3 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a workshop on how river deltas and related areas can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

European GNSS is having a substantial impact on the development and management of Europe’s river deltas: it provides interoperability and positioning, monitors land erosion and pollution, detects illegal discharge and tracks environmental emergencies.

There’s a lot happening at the world’s busy river deltas. On the one hand, these areas are hotspots for trade, industry, agriculture and urbanisation. On the other hand, they often exhibit both a high level of biodiversity and a fragile ecosystem. As the sea and waterways continue to serve as a popular mode of transporting goods around the world, to accommodate this traffic river deltas are often characterised by rapid development that, because of their fragile ecosystems, leads to flooding, land subsidence and environmental degradation. Trying to balance the need to protect the environment while maintaining the utility of river deltas is an ongoing challenge.

Space solutions can play a significant role in addressing a number of these specific river delta challenges. From providing interoperability across navigational areas and corresponding positioning, to monitoring land erosion and pollution, detecting illegal discharge and tracking environmental emergencies such as floods or oil spills, European global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and Earth observation programmes, including Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigational Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus, are already having a substantial impact on the development and management of Europe’s river deltas.

An array of applications

When it comes to river deltas, space technology has the potential to have a substantial impact. Already, Earth observation and satellite navigation applications are aiding an array of activities happening in these unique areas. For example, the Horizon 2020-funded spyGLASS project is developing a Passive Bistatic Radar (PBR) based on Galileo transmissions for maritime surveillance.  The use of existing transmissions for PBR applications is already becoming increasingly popular due to their low costs, covert operation and minimal level of pollution – benefits that will all be enhanced with the addition of Galileo. 

Likewise, the Mobile Underwater Positioning System (MUPS), winner of the DLR Special Prize at the 2015 European Satellite Navigation Competition, is using GNSS to explore the bottoms of lakes, seas and oceans. The system aids in discovering what is hidden in the depths of water reservoirs by supporting navigation and positioning. Based on GNSS signals and pseudolites with transmitters of modulated acoustic signals, MUPS makes it possible to determine the position of submerged objects. More so, unlike existing systems, MUPS is completely mobile, thus enabling users to change areas without any problem – an ideal feature for divers, environmentalists, archaeologists, marine engineers, researchers, submarines and anyone else working at the bottom of water reservoirs.

Register today!

As a significant share of the business and activities happening around Europe’s river deltas involves GNSS applications and services, such as the ones highlighted here, there is a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and river deltas as part of the European Space Solutions Conference

The River Deltas Focus Session is a unique opportunity to hear first-hand about the role of GNSS within this dynamic sector. Topics include river observation, the latest in international waterway policy, using Earth observation to maintain large river deltas, case studies from the Netherlands and Venice, underwater positioning, river traffic surveillance and soil moisture observations – among others.

Users from both the public and private sectors will be present, including speakers from the European Union, national river and waterway agencies and organisations, the GSA, and a range of various research institutions and related businesses. The workshop will take place on 3 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to river deltas, secure your place by registering today.

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 the article back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Space Solutions for climate change and the environment 1-day workshop

23.3.2016 9:31  
23/03/2016

On 2 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a 1-day workshop on how environment-focused businesses and organisations can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

One of the most pressing issues impacting every aspect of our livesGalileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are all well positioned to play an important role in creating sustainable solutions to climate change is climate change and the environment. From individuals to businesses, public policy to academia, climate change is a multi-faceted challenge that demands global solutions.

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Earth observation technology, including Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus, are poised to play a key role in creating sustainable solutions to climate change. For example, both Galileo and Copernicus use satellite signals and data to help develop a better understanding of climate change and environmental issues via the accurate observation and measurement of, for instance, the state of the oceans or the chemical composition of the atmosphere.

Ample opportunities

Many European businesses operating in fields of climate change and the environment are looking to secure a share of the massive GNSS global market. According to the latest edition of the GSA GNSS market report, in 2014 there were 3.6 billion GNSS devices in use around the world. By 2019, this is forecasted to increase to over 7 billion. Furthermore, the global core GNSS downstream market is forecasted to increase by 8.3 % annually between 2013 and 2019. In other words, this downstream market is expected to grow, on average, much faster than the forecasted global gross domestic product (GDP) during the same period.

The downstream industry is characterised by a few very large companies and a plethora of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with European companies accounting for one quarter of the global GNSS market.

A significant share of this market involves GNSS applications and services, addressing issues relating to climate change and the environment – thus presenting a huge opportunity for European businesses, SMEs and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the GSA, under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency are organising a special session on ‘Space Solutions for climate change and the environment’ as part of the European Space Solutions Conference.

Register today!

The Climate Change and Environment Focus Session will address satellite data, information products and services related to the environment, climate change and air quality, with a focus on the impact these programmes will have on end-users and the opportunities available for European businesses.

Users from both the public and private domains will be present, including speakers from the European Commission, national environmental agencies, the GSA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Environmental Agency (EEA), and a range of research institutions and related businesses. The workshop will discuss the use of Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus in such arenas as the marine environment, atmospheric monitoring, air quality control and climate change, with a focus on the integration of space-based programmes with traditional ground-based measurements.

The all-day workshop will take place on 2 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to climate change and the environment, secure your place by registering today.

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 Solutions for climate change and the environment 1-day workshop

23.3.2016 9:31  
23/03/2016

On 2 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a 1-day workshop on how environment-focused businesses and organisations can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

One of the most pressing issues impacting every aspect of our livesGalileo, EGNOS and Copernicus are all well positioned to play an important role in creating sustainable solutions to climate change is climate change and the environment. From individuals to businesses, public policy to academia, climate change is a multi-faceted challenge that demands global solutions.

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Earth observation technology, including Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus, are poised to play a key role in creating sustainable solutions to climate change. For example, both Galileo and Copernicus use satellite signals and data to help develop a better understanding of climate change and environmental issues via the accurate observation and measurement of, for instance, the state of the oceans or the chemical composition of the atmosphere.

Ample opportunities

Many European businesses operating in fields of climate change and the environment are looking to secure a share of the massive GNSS global market. According to the latest edition of the GSA GNSS market report, in 2014 there were 3.6 billion GNSS devices in use around the world. By 2019, this is forecasted to increase to over 7 billion. Furthermore, the global core GNSS downstream market is forecasted to increase by 8.3 % annually between 2013 and 2019. In other words, this downstream market is expected to grow, on average, much faster than the forecasted global gross domestic product (GDP) during the same period.

The downstream industry is characterised by a few very large companies and a plethora of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with European companies accounting for one quarter of the global GNSS market.

A significant share of this market involves GNSS applications and services, addressing issues relating to climate change and the environment – thus presenting a huge opportunity for European businesses, SMEs and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the GSA, under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency are organising a special session on ‘Space Solutions for climate change and the environment’ as part of the European Space Solutions Conference.

Register today!

The Climate Change and Environment Focus Session will address satellite data, information products and services related to the environment, climate change and air quality, with a focus on the impact these programmes will have on end-users and the opportunities available for European businesses.

Users from both the public and private domains will be present, including speakers from the European Commission, national environmental agencies, the GSA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Environmental Agency (EEA), and a range of research institutions and related businesses. The workshop will discuss the use of Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus in such arenas as the marine environment, atmospheric monitoring, air quality control and climate change, with a focus on the integration of space-based programmes with traditional ground-based measurements.

The all-day workshop will take place on 2 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to climate change and the environment, secure your place by registering today.

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 solutions for smarter mobility – 1-day workshop

22.3.2016 9:36  
22/03/2016

On 1 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a 1-day workshop on how the road and traffic management sectors can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

Space and satellite navigation are key enablers for the delivery of the next generation of mobilityEuropean GNSS offers the precision, robustness and reliability needed for autonomous and connected vehicles, fleet management and payment-related applications – and European Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) offers the precision, robustness and reliability needed for autonomous and connected vehicles, fleet management and payment-related applications.

In fact, navigation is one of the most common ways that GNSS programmes such as Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus can be used in smart mobility applications. For example, satellites help provide turn-by-turn information to drivers, cyclists and even pedestrians. They can be used in fleet management on-board units and road traffic monitoring services. GNSS also plays a critical role in providing smart emergency services, with Europe’s eCall system using GNSS to automatically communicate a vehicle’s exact location to emergency services whenever an accident occurs.

    Also read: GNSS applications in the road sector

Furthermore, the positioning data provided by liability applications are linked to legal and economic liabilities, including Road User Charging (RUC) and insurance telematics. Thanks to its flexibility, satellite navigation has become the preferred solution for electronic tolling, with countries like Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland and Hungary having already successfully implemented GNSS-based tolling schemes.

An array of applications

Many companies and projects are already developing GNSS-based applications to serve the growing demands for smart mobility solutions. For instance, the Horizon 2020-funded Saturn project  has demonstrated how the open basis availability of Earth observation (EO) data, combined with public or crowd-sourced GNSS-based transport data, can help urban and regional authorities implement more efficient transportation and urban planning. Also in the public transport domain, Kordis JMK, the operator of public transport in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, uses GNSS surveillance to guarantee passenger connections for those changing between different modes of transport.  Other innovative examples come from entrepreneurs like Geoimagine, whose network optimiser solution for fleet management uses mobile sensors to optimise itineraries to drive taxis towards areas with a higher potential number of clients depending on the time of day.   

As a relatively new phenomenon, autonomous and connected vehicles are positioning themselves as the way of the future. Major vehicle manufactures are already delivering autonomous cars with such connected driver services as weather reports, and accident and traffic warnings. As the sophistication of these applications increases, GNSS will play a substantial role in providing accurate information for these vehicles. For example, Galileo is set to provide an even stronger service that is more resistant to multipath interference in urban canyons and will provide an authenticated signal capable of detecting spoofing attacks.

Ample opportunities

With growing cities and increased public transport, it is clear that GNSS services will become more and more important, and applications such as these are looking to secure a share of the massive GNSS global market. According to the latest edition of the GSA GNSS market report, GNSS receivers and services will have an estimated core revenue of EUR 36 billion by 2018, showing that EGNOS and Galileo-related road applications are in demand and will assist in optimising mobility for years to come.

A significant share of this market involves GNSS applications and services addressing issues relating to smart mobility – thus presenting a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and smart mobility as part of the European Space Solutions Conference.

Register today!

The Smart Mobility Focus Session will address a wide range of applications for road and traffic management companies, including liability-critical applications, public transportation, smart cities and the driverless car. The session will highlight both state-of-the-art solutions and innovation, where the latest research and development (R&D) will demonstrate exciting ways in which space applications can influence the next generation of transport systems.  

Users from both the public and private domains will be present, including speakers from the European Commission, national transportation agencies, the GSA, and a range of various research institutions and related businesses, including Fiat automaker. The all-day workshop will take place on 1 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to road and traffic management, secure your place by registering today.

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 solutions for smarter mobility: 1-day workshop

22.3.2016 9:36  
22/03/2016

On 1 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a 1-day workshop on how the road and traffic management sectors can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

Space and satellite navigation are key enablers for the delivery of the next generation of mobilityEuropean GNSS offers the precision, robustness and reliability needed for autonomous and connected vehicles, fleet management and payment-related applications – and European Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) offers the precision, robustness and reliability needed for autonomous and connected vehicles, fleet management and payment-related applications.

In fact, navigation is one of the most common ways that GNSS programmes such as Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus can be used in smart mobility applications. For example, satellites help provide turn-by-turn information to drivers, cyclists and even pedestrians. They can be used in fleet management on-board units and road traffic monitoring services. GNSS also plays a critical role in providing smart emergency services, with Europe’s eCall system using GNSS to automatically communicate a vehicle’s exact location to emergency services whenever an accident occurs.

    Also read: GNSS applications in the road sector

Furthermore, the positioning data provided by liability applications are linked to legal and economic liabilities, including Road User Charging (RUC) and insurance telematics. Thanks to its flexibility, satellite navigation has become the preferred solution for electronic tolling, with countries like Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland and Hungary having already successfully implemented GNSS-based tolling schemes.

An array of applications

Many companies and projects are already developing GNSS-based applications to serve the growing demands for smart mobility solutions. For instance, the Horizon 2020-funded Saturn project  has demonstrated how the open basis availability of Earth observation (EO) data, combined with public or crowd-sourced GNSS-based transport data, can help urban and regional authorities implement more efficient transportation and urban planning. Also in the public transport domain, Kordis JMK, the operator of public transport in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, uses GNSS surveillance to guarantee passenger connections for those changing between different modes of transport.  Other innovative examples come from entrepreneurs like Geoimagine, whose network optimiser solution for fleet management uses mobile sensors to optimise itineraries to drive taxis towards areas with a higher potential number of clients depending on the time of day.   

As a relatively new phenomenon, autonomous and connected vehicles are positioning themselves as the way of the future. Major vehicle manufactures are already delivering autonomous cars with such connected driver services as weather reports, and accident and traffic warnings. As the sophistication of these applications increases, GNSS will play a substantial role in providing accurate information for these vehicles. For example, Galileo is set to provide an even stronger service that is more resistant to multipath interference in urban canyons and will provide an authenticated signal capable of detecting spoofing attacks.

Ample opportunities

With growing cities and increased public transport, it is clear that GNSS services will become more and more important, and applications such as these are looking to secure a share of the massive GNSS global market. According to the latest edition of the GSA GNSS market report, GNSS receivers and services will have an estimated core revenue of EUR 36 billion by 2018, showing that EGNOS and Galileo-related road applications are in demand and will assist in optimising mobility for years to come.

A significant share of this market involves GNSS applications and services addressing issues relating to smart mobility – thus presenting a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and smart mobility as part of the European Space Solutions Conference.

Register today!

The Smart Mobility Focus Session will address a wide range of applications for road and traffic management companies, including liability-critical applications, public transportation, smart cities and the driverless car. The session will highlight both state-of-the-art solutions and innovation, where the latest research and development (R&D) will demonstrate exciting ways in which space applications can influence the next generation of transport systems.  

Users from both the public and private domains will be present, including speakers from the European Commission, national transportation agencies, the GSA, and a range of various research institutions and related businesses, including Fiat automaker. The all-day workshop will take place on 1 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to road and traffic management, secure your place by registering today.

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 solutions for smarter mobility: 1-day workshop

22.3.2016 9:36  
22/03/2016

On 1 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a 1-day workshop on how the road and traffic management sectors can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

Space and satellite navigation are key enablers for the delivery of the next generation of mobilityEuropean GNSS offers the precision, robustness and reliability needed for autonomous and connected vehicles, fleet management and payment-related applications – and European Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) offers the precision, robustness and reliability needed for autonomous and connected vehicles, fleet management and payment-related applications.

In fact, navigation is one of the most common ways that GNSS programmes such as Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus can be used in smart mobility applications. For example, satellites help provide turn-by-turn information to drivers, cyclists and even pedestrians. They can be used in fleet management on-board units and road traffic monitoring services. GNSS also plays a critical role in providing smart emergency services, with Europe’s eCall system using GNSS to automatically communicate a vehicle’s exact location to emergency services whenever an accident occurs.

    Also read: GNSS applications in the road sector

Furthermore, the positioning data provided by liability applications are linked to legal and economic liabilities, including Road User Charging (RUC) and insurance telematics. Thanks to its flexibility, satellite navigation has become the preferred solution for electronic tolling, with countries like Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland and Hungary having already successfully implemented GNSS-based tolling schemes.

An array of applications

Many companies and projects are already developing GNSS-based applications to serve the growing demands for smart mobility solutions. For instance, the Horizon 2020-funded Saturn project  has demonstrated how the open basis availability of Earth observation (EO) data, combined with public or crowd-sourced GNSS-based transport data, can help urban and regional authorities implement more efficient transportation and urban planning. Also in the public transport domain, Kordis JMK, the operator of public transport in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, uses GNSS surveillance to guarantee passenger connections for those changing between different modes of transport.  Other innovative examples come from entrepreneurs like Geoimagine, whose network optimiser solution for fleet management uses mobile sensors to optimise itineraries to drive taxis towards areas with a higher potential number of clients depending on the time of day.   

As a relatively new phenomenon, autonomous and connected vehicles are positioning themselves as the way of the future. Major vehicle manufactures are already delivering autonomous cars with such connected driver services as weather reports, and accident and traffic warnings. As the sophistication of these applications increases, GNSS will play a substantial role in providing accurate information for these vehicles. For example, Galileo is set to provide an even stronger service that is more resistant to multipath interference in urban canyons and will provide an authenticated signal capable of detecting spoofing attacks.

Ample opportunities

With growing cities and increased public transport, it is clear that GNSS services will become more and more important, and applications such as these are looking to secure a share of the massive GNSS global market. According to the latest edition of the GSA GNSS market report, GNSS receivers and services will have an estimated core revenue of EUR 36 billion by 2018, showing that EGNOS and Galileo-related road applications are in demand and will assist in optimising mobility for years to come.

A significant share of this market involves GNSS applications and services addressing issues relating to smart mobility – thus presenting a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and smart mobility as part of the European Space Solutions Conference.

Register today!

The Smart Mobility Focus Session will address a wide range of applications for road and traffic management companies, including liability-critical applications, public transportation, smart cities and the driverless car. The session will highlight both state-of-the-art solutions and innovation, where the latest research and development (R&D) will demonstrate exciting ways in which space applications can influence the next generation of transport systems.  

Users from both the public and private domains will be present, including speakers from the European Commission, national transportation agencies, the GSA, and a range of various research institutions and related businesses, including Fiat automaker. The all-day workshop will take place on 1 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to road and traffic management, secure your place by registering today.

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 solutions for smarter mobility: 1-day workshop

22.3.2016 9:36  
22/03/2016

On 1 June, the 2016 European Space Solutions event features a 1-day workshop on how the road and traffic management sectors can benefit from European satellite navigation and Earth observation information.

Space and satellite navigation are key enablers for the delivery of the next generation of mobilityEuropean GNSS offers the precision, robustness and reliability needed for autonomous and connected vehicles, fleet management and payment-related applications – and European Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) offers the precision, robustness and reliability needed for autonomous and connected vehicles, fleet management and payment-related applications.

In fact, navigation is one of the most common ways that GNSS programmes such as Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Copernicus can be used in smart mobility applications. For example, satellites help provide turn-by-turn information to drivers, cyclists and even pedestrians. They can be used in fleet management on-board units and road traffic monitoring services. GNSS also plays a critical role in providing smart emergency services, with Europe’s eCall system using GNSS to automatically communicate a vehicle’s exact location to emergency services whenever an accident occurs.

    Also read: GNSS applications in the road sector

Furthermore, the positioning data provided by liability applications are linked to legal and economic liabilities, including Road User Charging (RUC) and insurance telematics. Thanks to its flexibility, satellite navigation has become the preferred solution for electronic tolling, with countries like Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland and Hungary having already successfully implemented GNSS-based tolling schemes.

An array of applications

Many companies and projects are already developing GNSS-based applications to serve the growing demands for smart mobility solutions. For instance, the Horizon 2020-funded Saturn project  has demonstrated how the open basis availability of Earth observation (EO) data, combined with public or crowd-sourced GNSS-based transport data, can help urban and regional authorities implement more efficient transportation and urban planning. Also in the public transport domain, Kordis JMK, the operator of public transport in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, uses GNSS surveillance to guarantee passenger connections for those changing between different modes of transport.  Other innovative examples come from entrepreneurs like Geoimagine, whose network optimiser solution for fleet management uses mobile sensors to optimise itineraries to drive taxis towards areas with a higher potential number of clients depending on the time of day.   

As a relatively new phenomenon, autonomous and connected vehicles are positioning themselves as the way of the future. Major vehicle manufactures are already delivering autonomous cars with such connected driver services as weather reports, and accident and traffic warnings. As the sophistication of these applications increases, GNSS will play a substantial role in providing accurate information for these vehicles. For example, Galileo is set to provide an even stronger service that is more resistant to multipath interference in urban canyons and will provide an authenticated signal capable of detecting spoofing attacks.

Ample opportunities

With growing cities and increased public transport, it is clear that GNSS services will become more and more important, and applications such as these are looking to secure a share of the massive GNSS global market. According to the latest edition of the GSA GNSS market report, GNSS receivers and services will have an estimated core revenue of EUR 36 billion by 2018, showing that EGNOS and Galileo-related road applications are in demand and will assist in optimising mobility for years to come.

A significant share of this market involves GNSS applications and services addressing issues relating to smart mobility – thus presenting a huge opportunity for European businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. To help European industry better understand – and access – this lucrative market, the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), under the auspices of the Dutch Council Presidency, are organising a special session on GNSS and smart mobility as part of the European Space Solutions Conference.

Register today!

The Smart Mobility Focus Session will address a wide range of applications for road and traffic management companies, including liability-critical applications, public transportation, smart cities and the driverless car. The session will highlight both state-of-the-art solutions and innovation, where the latest research and development (R&D) will demonstrate exciting ways in which space applications can influence the next generation of transport systems.  

Users from both the public and private domains will be present, including speakers from the European Commission, national transportation agencies, the GSA, and a range of various research institutions and related businesses, including Fiat automaker. The all-day workshop will take place on 1 June 2016 as part of the European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague, The Netherlands. To ensure your business doesn’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get first-hand insights into how space offers real solutions to road and traffic management, secure your place by registering today.

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).

EGNOS expanding to more European airports

18.3.2016 11:00  
18/03/2016

At the World ATM Congress in Madrid, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) recognised the latest ANSPs to implement EGNOS-based approaches, along with highlighting how the programme drives European aviation.

European airports and aircraft operators are reaping the rewards of EGNOS, the EuropeanConsidering the safety and cost benefits of EGNOS implementation, it is no wonder that so many European airports are looking to publish EGNOS-enabled LPV approaches. Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service. This is particularly true of small and regional airports, and the operators of business and general aviation aircraft. Speaking at a GSA-sponsored event on EGNOS and aviation during this week’s World Air Traffic Management (ATM) Congress in Madrid, GSA Market Development Officer Carmen Aguilera highlighted how the increasing number of airports with localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPVs) procedures in place continues to increase. “But procedures aren’t very useful if nobody is using them,” she says, noting that many common new aircraft and rotorcraft coming onto the market are satellite-based augmentation systems- (SBAS) ready. This includes the likes of such manufacturers as ATR, Airbus, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault Falcon Jets, Hawker, Beechcraft and Pilatus. “In addition to the new aircraft models being manufactured, we are also seeing more and more retrofit solutions that allow legacy aircraft to add EGNOS capabilities– another positive sign that operators of all types of aircraft models understand the many benefits of the programme,” she adds.

Eager airports and ANSPs

Considering the safety and cost benefits of EGNOS implementation, it is no wonder that so many European airports and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) are looking to publish EGNOS-enabled LPV approaches.

Many of Europe’s small and regional airports simply cannot afford the high costs of installing and maintaining ground-based Instrument Landing Systems (ILS). As an alternative to ground-based ILS navigational aids, technology such as EGNOS utilises geostationary satellites and a network of ground stations to receive, analyse and augment Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and, soon, Galileo signals. With EGNOS, these satellite signals become suitable for such safety-critical applications as aircraft landing. Thus, EGNOS-enabled LPV-200 supports lateral and angular vertical guidance with a decision height of 200 feet. This is a capability similar to what is provided by ground-based navigational aids, but without the same financial burden of installing, maintaining and calibrating ground equipment. In fact, the LPV-200 service uses EGNOS signals that are free and do not require additional upgrades to existing airport infrastructure or EGNOS-certified receivers.

“The implementation of these approaches are most important in places that do not have ground-based navigation equipment, such as small and regional airports,” says Eurocontrol’s Deputy Head of the Navigation and CNS Research, Rick Farnworth. “At these airports, these procedures mean increased safety and better situational awareness for the pilot.”

In addition to supporting precision landings, the fact that EGNOS is not tied to ground-based guidance equipment means that different categories of aircraft could potentially use different approaches on the same runway end.

The GSA used the opportunity of the World ATM Congress to recognise the latest airports to publish EGNOS-based LPV procedures and those signing their first EGNOS Working Agreement (EWA). Those recognised included the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) (first EWA and LPV publication), Croatia Control (first EWA and LPV publication), AgustaWestland (first EWA) and BelgoControl (first LPV publication).

“This accomplishment is a direct result of the IAA’s close relationship with the GSA,” says the IAA’s Cathal Mac Criostail. “With the publication of these procedures we have opened up Dublin International Airport. This will serve as a springboard to bringing all of Ireland’s airports on-board in the near future, which will be of immense help for small civil operators and the airports that serve them.”

“Croatian airports, and Dubrovnik in particular, become very busy and congested in the summer months with the arrival of private aircraft,” says Croatia Control’s Josip Josipović. “But with the publishing of these LPV procedures here, in place of ILS, the airport is better-positioned to serve this growing demand.” Josipović adds that Croatia Control next plans to roll out the procedures across the country’s 8 international airports.

Speaking on the process of implementation, European Satellite Service Provider (ESSP) CEO Thierry Racaud commented on the growing number of EWAs being signed: “Forty EWAs are already signed, including 12 in 2015 and another 10 planned for 2016 – tripling the number over the last 2 years,” he says. “In addition to our objective of having 340 LPV procedures published by the end of this year, we are also working to extend the EGNOS coverage area, particularly to the southeast Mediterranean region.”

Expanding into the Blue

As to this later objective, the Horizon 2020 co-funded BLUEGNSS Project is working to bring EGNOS to this very challenging region. “Today the southeast Mediterranean region lacks full EGNOS coverage,” explains GNSS Expert Patrizio Vanni of Ente Nazionale Di Assistenza Al Volo (ENAV, the Air Navigation Service Provider in Italy). “To make things even more challenging, each airport involved in the project presents a very different operational environment.”

Recognising the safety, operational and economic benefits of EGNOS implementation, the project is working not only to implement EGNOS-based approaches at airports where no precision approaches are currently available, but also to provide the necessary GNSS training to use these procedures once published. “This process isn’t only about implementing procedures, but also about ensuring that individual countries can do the procedures independently by providing the training material and methods via our ENAV training academy,” adds Vanni.

Funding implementation 

To continue to encourage the implementation of LPV procedures, the GSA has several funding opportunities available. For example, under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, the GSA is supporting projects aimed at implementing GNSS-related applications, including in aviation. Over the past 2 years 40 projects have been funded. A new call will be opened in November 2016, with EUR 33 million available in funding.

In order to facilitate the adoption of European GNSS in the area of receivers and, in doing so, increase the competitiveness of EU industry, the GSA launched the Fundamental Elements funding scheme. The programme has EUR 111.5 million available until 2020 and, in the aviation segment, is looking to fund projects working to develop dual-frequency, multi-constellation SBAS receivers. Two grants will be made available this year.

Of specific interest to the aviation segment are the GSA’s Aviation Grants . Launched in 2014, these grants aim to accelerate EGNOS adoption in civil aviation. Two calls have so far been issued, with EUR 6 million awarded for the funding of EGNOS procedures at 36 airports, 8 point-in-space (PinS) procedures at 7 helipads, the retrofitting of 65 aircraft by 4 operators and 3 rotorcraft upgrades. A third grant will be opened later this year.

Read more: EGNOS and Galileo for Aviation

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).

EGNOS expanding to more European airports

18.3.2016 11:00  
18/03/2016

At the World ATM Congress in Madrid, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) recognised the latest ANSPs to implement EGNOS-based approaches, along with highlighting how the programme drives European aviation.

European airports and aircraft operators are reaping the rewards of EGNOS, the EuropeanConsidering the safety and cost benefits of EGNOS implementation, it is no wonder that so many European airports are looking to publish EGNOS-enabled LPV approaches. Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service. This is particularly true of small and regional airports, and the operators of business and general aviation aircraft. Speaking at a GSA-sponsored event on EGNOS and aviation during this week’s World Air Traffic Management (ATM) Congress in Madrid, GSA Market Development Officer Carmen Aguilera highlighted how the increasing number of airports with localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPVs) procedures in place continues to increase. “But procedures aren’t very useful if nobody is using them,” she says, noting that many common new aircraft and rotorcraft coming onto the market are satellite-based augmentation systems- (SBAS) ready. This includes the likes of such manufacturers as ATR, Airbus, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault Falcon Jets, Hawker, Beechcraft and Pilatus. “In addition to the new aircraft models being manufactured, we are also seeing more and more retrofit solutions that allow legacy aircraft to add EGNOS capabilities– another positive sign that operators of all types of aircraft models understand the many benefits of the programme,” she adds.

Eager airports and ANSPs

Considering the safety and cost benefits of EGNOS implementation, it is no wonder that so many European airports and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) are looking to publish EGNOS-enabled LPV approaches.

Many of Europe’s small and regional airports simply cannot afford the high costs of installing and maintaining ground-based Instrument Landing Systems (ILS). As an alternative to ground-based ILS navigational aids, technology such as EGNOS utilises geostationary satellites and a network of ground stations to receive, analyse and augment Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and, soon, Galileo signals. With EGNOS, these satellite signals become suitable for such safety-critical applications as aircraft landing. Thus, EGNOS-enabled LPV-200 supports lateral and angular vertical guidance with a decision height of 200 feet. This is a capability similar to what is provided by ground-based navigational aids, but without the same financial burden of installing, maintaining and calibrating ground equipment. In fact, the LPV-200 service uses EGNOS signals that are free and do not require additional upgrades to existing airport infrastructure or EGNOS-certified receivers.

“The implementation of these approaches are most important in places that do not have ground-based navigation equipment, such as small and regional airports,” says Eurocontrol’s Deputy Head of the Navigation and CNS Research, Rick Farnworth. “At these airports, these procedures mean increased safety and better situational awareness for the pilot.”

In addition to supporting precision landings, the fact that EGNOS is not tied to ground-based guidance equipment means that different categories of aircraft could potentially use different approaches on the same runway end.

The GSA used the opportunity of the World ATM Congress to recognise the latest airports to publish EGNOS-based LPV procedures and those signing their first EGNOS Working Agreement (EWA). Those recognised included the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) (first EWA and LPV publication), Croatia Control (first EWA and LPV publication), AgustaWestland (first EWA) and BelgoControl (first LPV publication).

“This accomplishment is a direct result of the IAA’s close relationship with the GSA,” says the IAA’s Cathal Mac Criostail. “With the publication of these procedures we have opened up Dublin International Airport. This will serve as a springboard to bringing all of Ireland’s airports on-board in the near future, which will be of immense help for small civil operators and the airports that serve them.”

“Croatian airports, and Dubrovnik in particular, become very busy and congested in the summer months with the arrival of private aircraft,” says Croatia Control’s Josip Josipović. “But with the publishing of these LPV procedures here, in place of ILS, the airport is better-positioned to serve this growing demand.” Josipović adds that Croatia Control next plans to roll out the procedures across the country’s 8 international airports.

Speaking on the process of implementation, European Satellite Service Provider (ESSP) CEO Thierry Racaud commented on the growing number of EWAs being signed: “Forty EWAs are already signed, including 12 in 2015 and another 10 planned for 2016 – tripling the number over the last 2 years,” he says. “In addition to our objective of having 340 LPV procedures published by the end of this year, we are also working to extend the EGNOS coverage area, particularly to the southeast Mediterranean region.”

Expanding into the Blue

As to this later objective, the Horizon 2020 co-funded BLUEGNSS Project is working to bring EGNOS to this very challenging region. “Today the southeast Mediterranean region lacks full EGNOS coverage,” explains GNSS Expert Patrizio Vanni of Ente Nazionale Di Assistenza Al Volo (ENAV, the Air Navigation Service Provider in Italy). “To make things even more challenging, each airport involved in the project presents a very different operational environment.”

Recognising the safety, operational and economic benefits of EGNOS implementation, the project is working not only to implement EGNOS-based approaches at airports where no precision approaches are currently available, but also to provide the necessary GNSS training to use these procedures once published. “This process isn’t only about implementing procedures, but also about ensuring that individual countries can do the procedures independently by providing the training material and methods via our ENAV training academy,” adds Vanni.

Funding implementation 

To continue to encourage the implementation of LPV procedures, the GSA has several funding opportunities available. For example, under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, the GSA is supporting projects aimed at implementing GNSS-related applications, including in aviation. Over the past 2 years 40 projects have been funded. A new call will be opened in November 2016, with EUR 33 million available in funding.

In order to facilitate the adoption of European GNSS in the area of receivers and, in doing so, increase the competitiveness of EU industry, the GSA launched the Fundamental Elements funding scheme. The programme has EUR 111.5 million available until 2020 and, in the aviation segment, is looking to fund projects working to develop dual-frequency, multi-constellation SBAS receivers.

Of specific interest to the aviation segment are the GSA’s Aviation Grants . Launched in 2014, these grants aim to accelerate EGNOS adoption in civil aviation. Two calls have so far been issued, with EUR 6 million awarded for the funding of EGNOS procedures at 36 airports, 8 point-in-space (PinS) procedures at 7 helipads, the retrofitting of 65 aircraft by 4 operators and 3 rotorcraft upgrades. A third grant will be opened later this year.

Read more: EGNOS and Galileo for Aviation

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

GNSS updates from Munich

16.3.2016 10:13  
16/03/2016

The 13th Satellite Navigation Summit’s systems update sessions were once again an opportunity for GNSS stakeholders to review the world’s systems, with the GSA providing updates on Galileo and EGNOS.

Speaking at a recent system update session during the Munich Satellite Navigation Summit,Galileo will soon be joining several other national and regional systems, including GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou, creating a truly multi-constellation environment the Head of Galileo and EGNOS Programme Management at the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROWTH), Paul Flament, noted his excitement about the major progress Galileo will show this year. According to Flament, the ground segment for Galileo is in place and working well, and all satellite launches are now ensured, with an anticipated six satellites joining the constellation of 12 during the course of the year.

Furthermore, 2016 will see the first quadruple satellite launch using the new Ariane 5 launcher. He says all currently contracted satellites will be launched by the end of 2018, creating a constellation of 26. A tender for the provision of an additional eight satellites by the end of 2020 is currently under way.

The two Galileo satellites that had been launched into incorrect orbits have been moved into more useful positions and can now be used for the search and rescue (SAR) functions, and perhaps also the Open Service. Flament said some testing with receiver manufacturers has shown that their signals are compatible with the service.

Flament further noted that a Galileo Service Definition document is under development, with a public version being released when Galileo Initial Services are launched later in the year. “Initial Services will be launched using the 12 satellites currently in orbit, following a thorough characterisation and observation of the system over the next 4 to 6 months,” he said.

A multi-constellation world

Galileo will soon be joining several other national and regional systems, including GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou, creating a truly multi-constellation environment. Providing an update on the status and modernisation of Global Positioning Systems (GPSs), Harold ‘Stormy’ Martin, Director of the National Coordination Office for Space-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), noted there are now 31 operational satellites in orbit – the most there has ever been. He also praised the engineering team who successfully extended satellite battery life by up to 2 years, and noted that the system is gradually decreasing range errors and increasing accuracy year-on-year.

Looking to the future, the GPS III, currently in development, recently saw its first satellite complete thermal vacuum testing. Various upgrades to the ground segment are also planned to enhance cyber security and prepare for the next generation of satellites. Martin concluded by reiterating the USA’s commitment to the free access of civil GNSS signals as a critical element of the global information infrastructure and, in support of this objective, that GPS will show continuous improvement with reliable and predictable performance.

For the Russian point of view, the GLONASS update was provided by Tatiana Mirgorodskaya of the Roscosmos Space Agency. According to her, the 2012 Russian federal budget had secured funding for the programme for 9 years. As a result, performance is improving in terms of accuracy and integrity, and in difficult signal conditions. She also highlighted that the GLONASS-based state emergency system for automobile transport (ERA-GLONASS) is now in service and has proved very effective.

The status of the Chinese BeiDou system (BDS) was outlined by Jun Shen from the China Satellite Navigation Office in Beijing. According to his report, stable operation is being maintained, with accuracy better than 10 metres in some areas. Furthermore, new BDS satellites have an updated signal structure and more accurate clocks. The performance of the system is also gradually improving, and compatibility with other GNSSs is also better. He noted that China is currently working on a BDS SBAS augmentation for aviation, along with a ground-based augmentation system for centimetre-level accuracy.

SBAS too

Space-based Augmentation Systems (SBASs) such as EGNOS were the subject of their own session. The status of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) was presented by GSA EGNOS Operations and Maintenance Manager, Vincent Brison. According to Brison, EGNOS now offers complete European coverage for the safety of life (SoL) service. He also noted that EGNOS has maintained an accurate service for users during the recent GPS timing glitch of 26 January. “More so, new LPV-200 procedures at European airports are now running at one per week and increasing,” he concluded.

From the US side, according to Jason Burns of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the next satellite launch for the USA’s Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) had been delayed by the SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher failures. However, the FAA has a schedule for future releases of WAAS up to 2020.

Dr Takeyasu Sakai from Japan’s Electronic Navigation Research Institute in Tokyo talked about the status of the Japanese QZSS SBAS. He anticipates four satellite operations in 2018, and a seven-satellite configuration by 2023. QZSS SBAS will take over from other systems for sub-metre augmentation in 2020.

EGNOS in Africa?

An insight into the possible expansion of EGNOS over Africa was given by Julien Lapie from the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA). “ASECNA is looking to facilitate the cooperative management of a single African sky of 16.1 million square miles,” he said. “This is important because 87 % of Africa is 250 kilometres from a main or regional airport.”

A roadmap for achieving this pan-African SBAS envisions early EGNOS-based services by 2019 or 2020, with provision of full services from 2023 onwards. Although there is a need for more information on ionospheric studies to characterise and optimise the EGNOS model over Africa, results are encouraging. Lapie said he hopes for an ASECNA-EU international agreement in the near future.

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).

2016: The Year of Galileo

14.3.2016 10:01  
14/03/2016

For the GNSS community, the place to be in early March is Munich. From March 1 to 3, the Bavarian capital hosted its 13th Satellite Navigation Summit. The theme of this year’s showcase event was ‘GNSS – creating a Global Village’ and, of course, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) was there in this important year for Galileo.

Speaking at the Opening Plenary session of the 2016 Munich Satellite Navigation Summit, “Galileo Initial Services, which will launch later this year, will provide more secure positioning data, meaning the information is more trustworthy,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides.GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides noted that GNSS, and in particular Galileo, will play a vital and increasingly important part in the global digital infrastructure better known as the Internet of Things (IoT). To highlight just how important a role GNSS plays, according to the GSA’s latest GNSS Market Report, some 50 billion connected ‘smart objects’ will be on the market by 2020, with GNSS playing a vital enabling role.

“What can Galileo bring to the Internet of Things?” des Dorides asked. “Better accuracy and availability due to its signal strength in such difficult environments as in the city, as well as an authenticated open signal.”

During the roundtable session, des Dorides further outlined the GSA’s important role in promoting European GNSS technologies to enable the IoT. “Many devices will need to securely communicate their location,” he said. “Galileo Initial Services, which will launch later this year, will provide more secure positioning data, meaning the information is more trustworthy.”

He further highlighted the wide range of signal authentication and security that Galileo will soon be able to provide. “For mass market applications, the answer might be Open Signal authentication involving ‘light’ encryption of the data, but not the signal itself, while the Commercial Service will offer encryption of the signal and data,” he said. “At the highest level, the Public Regulated Service (PRS) will provide a very secure service for public authorities that covers the entire service provision chain including enabled receivers.”

Galileo Takes the Spotlight

Galileo was a main focus throughout the opening – and rightfully so. 2016 promises to be a year of great importance for European GNSS. Speaking during the opening, Pierre Delsaux from the European Commission’s DG GROWTH looked forward to the launch of Galileo Initial Services towards the end of year, in addition to six more satellites being launched into orbit, both of which will lead towards full coverage by 2020. Later in the debate, he noted that Initial Services would be achieved with the 12 satellites already in orbit. “The Initial Service provision should not depend on further successful launches in 2016,” he said.

ESA Director General Johann-Dietrich Woerner, confirmed that collaboration between ESA, the European Commission and the GSA was going well and this – together with Europe’s great heritage and culture as pioneers, explorers and scientists – made him very optimistic.

Meanwhile, US National Coordination Office for Space-based PNT Director Harold ‘Stormy’ Martin also wished every success to Galileo in 2016. “All global systems must work together to ensure interoperability and full access, and I look forward to a robust and reliable Galileo constellation,” he said.

Looking towards the launch of Initial Services, des Dorides rounded out the session by noting that he anticipated Initial Services to be available in October. “The Initial Service provision is important for market uptake and stimulating greater Galileo compatibility with receiver manufacturers in terms of both hardware and software,” he concluded. “I fully anticipate 100% compatibility by 2020.”

Participants were invited to learn more about the business potential that the European Space Programmes, Galileo and Copernicus, will offer at the upcoming edition of ‘European Space Solutions’ to be held in The Netherlands 30 May – 3 June 2016. To learn more and register: http://european-space-solutions.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).

Aviation Powered by EGNOS

7.3.2016 16:11  
07/03/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) will highlight how EGNOS is benefiting airports across Europe during a presentation at the World ATM Congress in Madrid.

The numbers don’t lie: EGNOS is a success. The number of LPV procedures publishedAviation Powered by #EGNOS is scheduled for 8 March from 14:00 – 15:00 in the Honeywell Tower Theatre. in Europe has tripled over the past two years – now exceeding 250. Considering upcoming EASA regulatory mandates, this pace of uptake is only expected to continue. More so, over 40 ANSPs have already introduced EGNOS at their airports – and with the recently declared LPV200 service many more are moving towards introduction.

To highlight how EGNOS is benefiting airports across Europe, the GSA is hosting a free educational conference during the World ATM Congress, March 8 – 10 in Madrid. The conference, entitled Aviation Powered by #EGNOS, will take place on 8 March from 14:00 – 15:00 in the Honeywell Tower Theatre. The GSA will be joined by representatives form Eurocontrol and ESSP, among others, to discuss such topics as:

  • EGNOS implementation status
  • The EGNOS Safety of Life (SoL) service
  • EU regulatory instruments encouraging PBN approach implementation
  • Current EASA mandates
  • Existing European support programmes
  • First-hand accounts from recent LPV implementations in Croatia and Belgium

In addition to the conference, the GSA invites you to a special welcome drink and award ceremony on 8 March at 12:30 at the EGNOS booth (stand 242). The event will recognise the EWA signatures and LPV procedures published in 2015.

For more information and to confirm your attendance, please contact us at EGNOS-adoption@essp-sas.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).

GSA Talks GNSS and Rail at ERSAT EAV Workshop

3.3.2016 11:00  
03/03/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) says European rail is standing at the edge of a technological breakthrough, where GNSS will work in tandem with current technologies for a safer and more reliable European railway system.

Since the GSA began intensifying its work within the rail segment, interestThe GSA believes rail transport has the potential to become one of the largest downstream markets for EGNSS in terms of volume, public utility and contribution to safety. in the role of GNSS within this important segment continues to grow – a fact made clear by the many stakeholders in attendance at a recent workshop hosted by the ERTMS on Satellite – Enabling Application Validation (ERSAT EAV) project. Attendees included representatives from the European Railway Agency, FS Italia, RFI, ANSF, Deutsche Bahn and Ansaldo, among others. Together with interested receiver manufacturers and a variety of system integrators, the representatives of the entire Rail/GNSS value chain were present at the meeting.

“Your attendance clearly confirms that, step-by-step, we are empowering railways with the possibility to benefit from European GNSS (EGNSS),” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides during his opening remarks at the workshop. “Thanks to such projects as ERSAT, I am convinced that European rail is standing at the edge of a technological breakthrough where GNSS will work in tandem with current technologies, resulting in a safer and more reliable railway signalling and positioning system.”

Also Read: EGNOS – Making European Rail more Efficient and Safer

The GSA firmly believes that rail transport – and in particular local and regional lines – has the potential to become one of the largest downstream markets for EGNSS in terms of volume, public utility and contribution to safety. According to the most recent edition of the GSA’s GNSS Market Report, among GNSS components and receivers for the rail segment, European companies have a market share of 38%. On the other hand, among system integrators, European companies enjoy a dominant 72% of the market, and also have significant exports to North America and Asia. The report further states that by 2020 the installed base of GNSS receivers in the segment is expected to surpass 150,000 units.  

“Outside of Europe, the demand for GNSS-based rail signalling systems is growing, and we are convinced that ERTMS, as a state-of-the-art signalling technology, would be better positioned within the global market if it was GNSS enabled in the future,” says des Dorides. “More so, outside of signalling, there are additional applications for GNSS, including, for example, Driver Advisory Systems, which can help rail become more energy and logistically efficient.”

Great Potential

“The potential of GNSS as an innovative solution capable of decreasing costs for ERTMS deployment and operation has been discussed for some time,” explains des Dorides. “Today, the key instruments for turning these discussions into reality are in place, including such Horizon 2020 projects as ERSAT, and aim to provide a final demonstration of the applicability of GNSS to low density lines.”

In parallel to the ERTMS work, the GSA has also supported the Shift2Rail initiative – the first European Joint Undertaking for railways – since its early beginnings.  The initiative is set to launch projects geared towards accelerating the integration of such technologies as GNSS into rail solutions next year.

The belief in the essential role of EGNSS within European rail is one widely shared by many of the workshop’s speakers and attendees. For example, European Railway Agency Executive Director Josef Doppelbauer confirmed that the long-term evolution of ERTMS will involve EGNSS technology not only in signalling, but in driver advisory systems and logistics-related applications too. Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) Head of Train Control and Command System and Telecommunication Fabio Senesi, speaking as an infrastructure manager, stressed the need to reduce investment and operating expenses while maintaining safety – and that GNSS is well-positioned to deliver both. In addition, Trenitalia Technical Director Marco Caposciutti, who has been involved in the preliminary integration of ERSAT GNSS-based train positioning on a Sardinian railway line, reports that initial results are positive.

In other words, from the GSA to rail infrastructure managers and operators the consensus is clear: GNSS – and in particular Galileo and EGNOS – is the technology of the future, set to deliver safe signalling at a lower costs for Europe’s rail network. “We are confident that both in the GSA-supported Horizon 2020 projects and in Shift2Rail, the rail industry will manage to overcome the last technological barriers for GNSS adoption, paving the way for more cost efficient train control solutions that will ultimately bring benefits to European citizens,” concludes des Dorides. 

About ERSAT EAV

The Horizon 2020 funded ERSAT EAV project aims to verify the suitability of such EGNSS services as EGNOS and Galileo for the rail sector – and in particular within regional lines. The project is defining and developing the safe localisation of train positioning based on satellite technology and ensuring such a system is in harmony with the European ERTM standard. In the current phase, it is measuring and evaluating gaps between technology and railway requirements, performing measurements in real operating conditions, building models, using simulation for analysis purposes and validating the solution using a pilot line as a reference for the future standardisation and certification process.  

The ERSAT EAV project is a key part of the strategy to prioritise the uptake of EGNSS within the rail sector and fostering innovation within the European space and rail industry. The project plays a critical role in demonstrating the enormous opportunity that EGNSS offers to the ERTMS, especially as it applies to local and regional lines, which currently represent nearly 50% of Europe’s total railway length.

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).

GSA Talks GNSS and Rail at ERSAT EAV Workshop

3.3.2016 11:00  
03/03/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) says European rail is standing at the edge of a technological breakthrough, where GNSS will work in tandem with current technologies for a safer and more reliable European railway system.

Since the GSA began intensifying its work within the rail segment, interestThe GSA believes rail transport has the potential to become one of the largest downstream markets for EGNSS in terms of volume, public utility and contribution to safety. in the role of GNSS within this important segment continues to grow – a fact made clear by the many stakeholders in attendance at a recent workshop hosted by the ERTMS on Satellite – Enabling Application Validation (ERSAT EAV) project. Attendees included representatives from the European Railway Agency, FS Italia, RFI, ANSF, Deutsche Bahn and Ansaldo, among others. Together with interested receiver manufacturers and a variety of system integrators, the representatives of the entire Rail/GNSS value chain were present at the meeting.

“Your attendance clearly confirms that, step-by-step, we are empowering railways with the possibility to benefit from European GNSS (EGNSS),” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides during his opening remarks at the workshop. “Thanks to such projects as ERSAT, I am convinced that European rail is standing at the edge of a technological breakthrough where GNSS will work in tandem with current technologies, resulting in a safer and more reliable railway signalling and positioning system.”

Also Read: EGNOS – Making European Rail more Efficient and Safer

The GSA firmly believes that rail transport – and in particular local and regional lines – has the potential to become one of the largest downstream markets for EGNSS in terms of volume, public utility and contribution to safety. According to the most recent edition of the GSA’s GNSS Market Report, among GNSS components and receivers for the rail segment, European companies have a market share of 38%. On the other hand, among system integrators, European companies enjoy a dominant 72% of the market, and also have significant exports to North America and Asia. The report further states that by 2020 the installed base of GNSS receivers in the segment is expected to surpass 150,000 units.  

“Outside of Europe, the demand for GNSS-based rail signalling systems is growing, and we are convinced that ERTMS, as a state-of-the-art signalling technology, would be better positioned within the global market if it was GNSS enabled in the future,” says des Dorides. “More so, outside of signalling, there are additional applications for GNSS, including, for example, Driver Advisory Systems, which can help rail become more energy and logistically efficient.”

Great Potential

“The potential of GNSS as an innovative solution capable of decreasing costs for ERTMS deployment and operation has been discussed for some time,” explains des Dorides. “Today, the key instruments for turning these discussions into reality are in place, including such Horizon 2020 projects as ERSAT, and aim to provide a final demonstration of the applicability of GNSS to low density lines.”

In parallel to the ERTMS work, the GSA has also supported the Shift2Rail initiative – the first European Joint Undertaking for railways – since its early beginnings.  The initiative is set to launch projects geared towards accelerating the integration of such technologies as GNSS into rail solutions next year.

The belief in the essential role of EGNSS within European rail is one widely shared by many of the workshop’s speakers and attendees. For example, European Railway Agency Executive Director Josef Doppelbauer confirmed that the long-term evolution of ERTMS will involve EGNSS technology not only in signalling, but in driver advisory systems and logistics-related applications too. Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) Head of Train Control and Command System and Telecommunication Fabio Senesi, speaking as an infrastructure manager, stressed the need to reduce investment and operating expenses while maintaining safety – and that GNSS is well-positioned to deliver both. In addition, Trenitalia Technical Director Marco Caposciutti, who has been involved in the preliminary integration of ERSAT GNSS-based train positioning on a Sardinian railway line, reports that initial results are positive.

In other words, from the GSA to rail infrastructure managers and operators the consensus is clear: GNSS – and in particular Galileo and EGNOS – is the technology of the future, set to deliver safe signalling at a lower costs for Europe’s rail network. “We are confident that both in the GSA-supported Horizon 2020 projects and in Shift2Rail, the rail industry will manage to overcome the last technological barriers for GNSS adoption, paving the way for more cost efficient train control solutions that will ultimately bring benefits to European citizens,” concludes des Dorides. 

About ERSAT EAV

The Horizon 2020 funded ERSAT EAV project aims to verify the suitability of such EGNSS services as EGNOS and Galileo for the rail sector – and in particular within regional lines. The project is defining and developing the safe localisation of train positioning based on satellite technology and ensuring such a system is in harmony with the European ERTM standard. In the current phase, it is measuring and evaluating gaps between technology and railway requirements, performing measurements in real operating conditions, building models, using simulation for analysis purposes and validating the solution using a pilot line as a reference for the future standardisation and certification process.  

The ERSAT EAV project is a key part of the strategy to prioritise the uptake of EGNSS within the rail sector and fostering innovation within the European space and rail industry. The project plays a critical role in demonstrating the enormous opportunity that EGNSS offers to the ERTMS, especially as it applies to local and regional lines, which currently represent nearly 50% of Europe’s total railway length.

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 Publication Highlights the Role of EGNSS in Road User Charging

2.3.2016 10:14  
02/03/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) releases its “GNSS Adoption for Road User Charging in Europe” report, highlighting the benefits of European GNSS (EGNSS) in RUC, providing an in-depth look at how it works and sharing success stories of its implementation across the EU.

Thanks to its flexibility, EGNSS is becoming the preferred solution for electronicThe GSA will officially launch GNSS Adoption for Road User Charging in Europe at the 2016 Road User Charging Conference, taking place in Brussels from 2 – 3 March. toll collection in the EU. With EGNSS-based tolling, users can be charged based on different criteria, such as type of road and vehicle, time, distance and level of emissions – all of which can be easily adapted to the rapidly evolving needs of the sector and in a cost-effective manner. Other benefits of GNSS technology in complex networks include low transaction costs, a minimal environmental impact and the possibility of generating additional revenue from the provision of value added services.

To highlight the benefits of EGNSS in Road User Charging (RUC) – along with providing an in-depth look at how it works and at the many success stories of its implementation in various EU Member States – the GSA has published a new booklet on the topic. GNSS Adoption for Road User Charging in Europe provides readers with an accessible, visually-appealing tour through the various aspects of GNSS as they apply to RUC, with a specific focus on the role of EGNOS and Galileo. 
According to the booklet, EGNSS provides substantial advantages over other systems. For example, the Galileo programme offers improved location accuracy and reduced positioning time as a result of its being part of a multi-constellation scheme. In addition, Galileo's unique authentication and data encryption services increase signal reliability and thwarts attempts to spoof the signal.

The booklet is free of charge and can be downloaded here.

Covering More European Roads

While the RUC booklet looks to the future of GNSS in Road User Charging, Europe is already reaping the benefits of the Galileo and EGNOS programmes. As highlighted in the publication, three European Member States (Germany, Hungary and Slovakia) are already utilising EGNSS for electronic tolling of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV), while Belgium’s system is about to start operations in April 2016. More so, other countries (e.g. Bulgaria) are currently evaluating how to modernise their road taxation schemes – and EGNSS seems to be the most viable solution.

As a result of all these programmes, by April 2016, 58% of all the currently EETS-compliant tolled kilometres in the EU 28 will utilise a GNSS scheme.

2016 Road User Charging Conference

The GSA will officially launch GNSS Adoption for Road User Charging in Europe at the 2016 Road User Charging Conference, taking place in Brussels on 2 – 3 March. Here, the GSA will join leading European and international experts and authorities from the field of RUC to share global perspectives and highlight the importance of an international conversation on RUC applications and challenges. The GSA will be hosting a session on EGNSS Based Tolling Services starting at 10:50 am on 3 March.

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).

STARS project kicks off on 23 February, in Prague

26.2.2016 11:10  
26/02/2016

The STARS (Satellite Technology for Advanced Railway Signalling) project kicks off on Tuesday, 23 February, in Prague. The event gathered around 40 participants, including project consortium members, universities, stakeholders from the rail sector as well as from the aerospace industry.

Philippe Citroën, UNIFE Director General, welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of the program for the rail satellite positioning research: “STARS needs to be seen as the lighthouse project of the SHIFT2RAIL for which it will bring the key inputs. “
 
Carlo des Dorides,  the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA) Executive Director, stressed the important role of the project: “the GSA is dedicated to make sure ensuring that the rail segment sector is taking on board the added value of the European GNSS technology and STARS is the project that will provide this essential input, enabling the future European Train Control System to benefit from the European satellite positioning”

After a first session open for all stakeholders, the consortium members met to officially start the preparation of this major project.
 
The STARS project, funded by the European GNSS Agency under the Horizon 2020 program, aims to bridge the gap between ERTMS needs for safety critical applications and GNSS services through a characterisation of the railway environment and of the GNSS performance assessment in that environment. The key objectives of the project are to develop a universal approach to predict the achievable GNSS performances for railway applications and to quantify the economic benefits through reduction of cost, which will increase market appeal of ERTMS.

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).

STARS project kicked off on 23 February, in Prague

26.2.2016 11:10  
26/02/2016

The STARS (Satellite Technology for Advanced Railway Signalling) project kicked off on Tuesday, 23 February, in Prague. The event gathered around 40 participants, including project consortium members, universities, stakeholders from the rail sector as well as from the aerospace industry.

Philippe Citroën, UNIFE Director General, welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of the program for the rail satellite positioning research: “STARS needs to be seen as the lighthouse project of the SHIFT2RAIL for which it will bring the key inputs. “
 
Carlo des Dorides,  the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA) Executive Director, stressed the important role of the project: “the GSA is dedicated to make sure ensuring that the rail segment sector is taking on board the added value of the European GNSS technology and STARS is the project that will provide this essential input, enabling the future European Train Control System to benefit from the European satellite positioning”

After a first session open for all stakeholders, the consortium members met to officially start the preparation of this major project.
 
The STARS project, funded by the European GNSS Agency under the Horizon 2020 program, aims to bridge the gap between ERTMS needs for safety critical applications and GNSS services through a characterisation of the railway environment and of the GNSS performance assessment in that environment. The key objectives of the project are to develop a universal approach to predict the achievable GNSS performances for railway applications and to quantify the economic benefits through reduction of cost, which will increase market appeal of ERTMS.

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).

Register Today for e-KnoT Professional Training Programme

19.2.2016 9:14  
19/02/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) announces that registration is now open for the 2016 e-KnoT Professional Training Programme – an opportunity for industry, research centres and institutions to take part in free-of-charge tutorials led by recognised GNSS experts.

Registration is now open for the 2016 e-KnoT Professional Training Programme, an opportunity for industry, research Registration is free-of-charge, but places are limited and are filling up quickly.© E-KnoT Projectcentres and institutions to expand their GNSS knowledge base and develop new skills via specialised courses designed and delivered by leading GNSS experts.

The programme, which is supported by the European Commission and the GSA through Horizon 2020, aims to provide direct benefits to industry by implementing measures to strengthen GNSS knowledge and foster cooperation between academia, research and business to boost innovation.

The e-KnoT professional training programme instructors include GNSS experts from the Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (France), Politecnico di Torino (Italy), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Spain), and Astri Polska (Poland).

The 2016 training programme schedule is as follows:

  • T1: Fundamentals of GNSS, 30 March - 01 April 2016, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
  • T2: GNSS Receiver Signal Processing, 23-25 May 2016, Astri Polska, Warsaw, Poland
  • T3: GNSS Positioning: Theory and Practice, 07-09 June 2016, GSA Headquarters, Prague, Czech Republic
  • T4: Vulnerabilities of GNSS, 18-20 October 2016, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy
  • T5: Integrity Monitoring for Safety-Critical Applications, 22-24 November 2016, Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile, Toulouse, France

An In-depth Curriculum

In Fundamentals of GNSS, participants will receive a beginners’ guide to GNSS. Current and future systems, the concepts behind global positioning, how a signal is used to determine location by a receiver – and more – will all be discussed. As the course progresses, discussions will cover the sources of GNSS errors and available augmentation systems for service enhancement, along with a talk on the future of GNSS and the European Galileo system.

In GNSS Receiver Signal Processing, intermediate level students with some knowledge of signal processing will delve deeper into the topic. The course starts by looking at the specific case of GPS L1 C/A and its basic processing in a GPS receiver, before investigating the effect of multipath and interference on such processing. The second part of the course introduces the numerous innovations present in the new GNSS signals and their implications on the structure and performance of GNSS receiver signal processing.

GNSS Positioning: Theory and Practice is an entry level course that examines the study of the concepts and techniques used in GNSS positioning. The theoretical foundations are presented and the processing algorithms are implemented through guided exercises performed right in the laboratory. The practical sessions will consist of programmes specifically about implementing the different processing modules.

In the expert level Vulnerabilities of GNSS course, participants will look at the fundamentals relating to GNSS signal processing and GNSS position and time computation. The course will also provide a description of the origin, effect and means of mitigating various sources of vulnerabilities to a GNSS receiver.

Finally, in Integrity Monitoring for Safety-Critical Applications, intermediate level participants will learn about the Integrity Monitoring techniques used in civil aviation and the latest advances in the field.

Register Today

Registration is free-of-charge, but places are limited and are filling up quickly. The registration deadline is one month before the start of each tutorial, and confirmation of registration will be required three weeks before the tutorials begins.

You can submit your application 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).

Mark Your Calendars for 24 May: E-GNSS Workshop at Geospatial World Forum

9.2.2016 11:17  
09/02/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is organising a workshop on the benefits and key features that European Global Navigation Satellite Systems (E-GNSS) offer geospatial users during the annual Geospatial World Forum.

The GSA will host an E-GNSS workshop during this year’sThe GSA is hosting a workshop on the benefits and key features of E-GNSS to geospatial users on 26 May at the Geospatial World Forum Geospatial World Forum in Rotterdam. The workshop, entitled E-GNSS: Benefits and Key Features for Geospatial Users, will take place during the Impact of Geospatial Information on Society and Economy session, scheduled for 24 May 2016 from 13:30 – 18:00.

Topics include:

The workshop aims to highlight the status, services and key features of E-GNSS as it applies to the geospatial community. The objective is to stimulate dialogue on the benefits of Galileo in geospatial applications and the advantages of Galileo adoption at the equipment level. Additionally, the ‘big picture’ role of GNSS, in particular synergies between Galileo and Copernicus, will also be highlighted.

More information about the Geospatial World Forum is available 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).

Mark Your Calendars for 24 May: E-GNSS Workshop at Geospatial World Forum

9.2.2016 11:17  
09/02/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is organising a workshop on the benefits and key features that European Global Navigation Satellite Systems (E-GNSS) offer geospatial users during the annual Geospatial World Forum.

The GSA will host an E-GNSS workshop during this year’sThe GSA is hosting a workshop on the benefits and key features of E-GNSS to geospatial users on 26 May at the Geospatial World Forum Geospatial World Forum in Rotterdam. The workshop, entitled E-GNSS: Benefits and Key Features for Geospatial Users, will take place during the Impact of Geospatial Information on Society and Economy session, scheduled for 24 May 2016 from 13:30 – 18:00.

Topics include:

The workshop aims to highlight the status, services and key features of E-GNSS as it applies to the geospatial community. The objective is to stimulate dialogue on the benefits of Galileo in geospatial applications and the advantages of Galileo adoption at the equipment level. Additionally, the ‘big picture’ role of GNSS, in particular synergies between Galileo and Copernicus, will also be highlighted.

More information about the Geospatial World Forum is available 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).

Mark Your Calendars for 26 May: E-GNSS Workshop at Geospatial World Forum

9.2.2016 11:17  
09/02/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is organising a workshop on the benefits and key features that European Global Navigation Satellite Systems (E-GNSS) offer geospatial users during the annual Geospatial World Forum.

The GSA will host an E-GNSS workshop during this year’sThe GSA is hosting a workshop on the benefits and key features of E-GNSS to geospatial users on 26 May at the Geospatial World Forum Geospatial World Forum in Rotterdam. The workshop, entitled E-GNSS: Benefits and Key Features for Geospatial Users, will take place during the Impact of Geospatial Information on Society and Economy session, scheduled for 26 May 2016 from 13:30 – 18:00.

Topics include:

The workshop aims to highlight the status, services and key features of E-GNSS as it applies to the geospatial community. The objective is to stimulate dialogue on the benefits of Galileo in geospatial applications and the advantages of Galileo adoption at the equipment level. Additionally, the ‘big picture’ role of GNSS, in particular synergies between Galileo and Copernicus, will also be highlighted.

More information about the Geospatial World Forum is available 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).

New Parliament Study Supports GSA Market Development Efforts

8.2.2016 8:57  
08/02/2016

In an effort to assess the development of Europe’s downstream space market, as well as identify public and private uses for space-based applications and services, the European Parliament recently conducted an in-depth study that included interviews with over 30 policy makers, public authorities, and industry representatives – along with the GSA.

According to the report, entitled Space Market Update in Europe, the EU Recommendations from a recent European Parliament study on Europe’s downstream space market reinforce the key messages and findings of the GSA’s ongoing work.has already allocated EUR 6 billion towards the Galileo and Copernicus programmes, with an additional EUR 11 billion earmarked for 2014-2020. The report suggests that key rationales for EU intervention in the space sector include the development of an independent satellite infrastructure, the benefits of gathering knowledge and resources from ESA and Member States, and the potential contributions of satellite-based services and applications to Europe’s 2020 objectives.

In regard to market-specific findings, the study found rapid growth in the downstream GNSS market, with great potential for future growth. The report specifically recognises the GSA’s work in achieving this. “After seven years of combined activities of the European Commission and the GSA, the penetration rate of Galileo in all GNSS equipment models sold worldwide stems at 40%,” states the report. “This shows that industry is investing significantly in developing Galileo solutions well ahead of the programme’s full availability.”

The report also finds that demand originates primarily from the private sector. For example, the signal currently in use is provided by the US Global Positioning System (GPS). However, the report makes the case that the added Galileo signal, which will launch initial services this year, will greatly improve both service precision and reliability.

Overcoming Barriers

That being said, the study’s market-specific findings for the European downstream space market raised numerous challenges. For example, the report describes a highly-fragmented market comprised of limited large players and many specialised micro, small and medium enterprises working primarily with local suppliers. The most dominant players in the market are US IT giants like Google, who have handled, processed and distributed Earth Observation (EO) data to large audiences of users.

The report also identified several barriers to the achievement of the Europe 2020 objectives, including policy, market fragmentation, governance issues, technical concerns and a lack of skills/awareness. With regard to policy, for example, a focus on institutional and scientific needs leaves the commercial sector deficient, and a lack of an appropriate space industry policy means an absence of a proper regulatory framework for the market.

Also Read: Towards a More Competitive Space Policy

Market fragmentation, according to the study, has been caused by an excess of stakeholders and the implementation of several different space related policies. In addition, funding of European R&D is low, at less than half of what the US provides (albeit with Europe representing a smaller market).

More so, governance of EU space programmes is still unclear, with the roles of the public and private sector remaining somewhat vague. Conflicting policies and issues of EU Member States have also played a role in governance concerns. On the other hand, such technical issues as delays in the Galileo launch schedule and in overall system and service availability were found to have negatively affected public perception of the programme.

In addition, some EU official documents suggest that Europe faces a challenge in securing sufficient human resources to support the EU's space industry. It is important to note, however, that the present study's interviews did not consider skill shortages as a major constraint.

The GSA Perspective

In order to promote the market uptake of the EU’s space programmes, the report suggests that the EU needs to provide stronger assistance to market development, supporting enterprise-appropriate timing, funding to non-academic, non-institutional players and increased commercialisation.

Additional recommendations include developing an EU space industrial policy, raising market awareness, avoiding further programme delays, providing equal access to EO data across EU member states, improving regulations and expanding dissemination activities.

All of these recommendations reinforces the key messages and findings of the GSA, including those of its own GNSS Market Report. In particular, the GSA is in agreement with the study's assertions that the GNSS downstream market has grown significantly, and that it is poised for further growth.

“Only a strong market uptake of European satellite-based services and applications can guarantee a return on investment sufficient to support Europe’s objectives,” says GSA Chief Executive Carlo des Dorides. “Clearly, these findings validate our commitment to market development and the need that our many successful activities not only be continued, but potentially intensified, to address the issues of market fragmentation and immaturity.”

Furthermore, the GSA strongly agrees that additional infrastructure-related programme delays must be avoided to ensure proper market uptake for Galileo. As a result of previous delays, some actions have not yet been taken with regard to targeting certain types of users and bolstering Galileo’s market adoption. “Achieving a fully-functioning infrastructure will be key to achieving proper market uptake, as it provides the ability to fully showcase Galileo’s capabilities to stakeholders,” says des Dorides. “Certainly, a stakeholder cannot assess innovation solely on future expectations.”

As to the report's suggestion that EU support for the downstream sector has been insufficient, it points to its own focus on user needs as a solution. The Agency has long sought to establish direct relationships through such means as the GNSS Service Centre Nucleus, periodic EGNOS surveys and the European GNSS User Consultation Group, to name only a few examples.

“This isn’t just talk,” notes des Dorides. “The GSA has already achieved relevant results in terms of E-GNSS market adoption, well ahead of Galileo readiness.” For example, the top 14 global chipset and receiver manufacturers all are currently working with the GSA to include Galileo in their products, and EGNOS is integrated in more than 70% of off-the-shelf receivers. More so, 86 FP7 projects have been effectively managed, and projects funded by the Horizon 2020 framework programme for R&D and innovation and new the Fundamental Elements funding mechanism are sure to add to this list of successes. In addition, the GSA has seen results in the most important market segments, with strong steps forward being taken in aviation, road tolling and rail.

Next Steps

In light of the European Parliament’s findings, and in combination with its experience and knowledge, the GSA is now ready to discuss the means to increasing market development with EU stakeholders.

“Increasing the appeal of R&D programmes to private companies, intensifying relationships with other institutions, developing an integrated space policy, reviewing existing EU regulations and increasing dissemination activities are all potentially valuable methods of increasing uptake,” says des Dorides. “By combining these solutions with previous and current GSA activities, the EU can build a strong private sector, drive demand for commercial services in Europe and become a major player on a global scale.”

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).

EGNOS protects GNSS timing

5.2.2016 9:32  
05/02/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) announces that the EGNOS time service remained stable and properly synchronised to UTC time during a recent GPS timing anomaly on January 26th.

On the 26th of January, users of United States GPS system experienced timing issuesDuring a GPS anomaly EGNOS remained stable and properly synchronised – proving just how important having such a backup system is. after a number of GPS satellites broadcast incorrect UTC correction parameters. According to the US Air Force, the coordinated universal time message that was transmitted was off by 13 microseconds. During this anomaly EGNOS, which serves as an augmentation to the GPS, remained stable and properly synchronised to UTC.

European EGNOS has been providing its own time service since March 2011. The system generates its own time scale known as ENT (EGNOS Network Time), which obtains its information from atomic clocks across RIMS sites. EGNOS time is compared with UTC through the UTC time realisation of l’Observatoire de Paris, and the difference is transmitted in the EGNOS navigation message (MT12). EGNOS time information can be received via broadcast GEO satellite signals or via the EDAS service, which allows users to access EGNOS data online in real time.

EGNOS offers such a protection of their GNSS timing service to all SBAS users, across all application domains, including aviation, rail, maritime, surveying, agriculture, location based services and 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).

Register Today for European Space Solutions Conference

3.2.2016 9:24  
03/02/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) announces that registration for the fourth edition of the European Space Solutions conference is now open. Hosted by the 2016 Dutch Council Presidency  and co-organised with the European Commission, the conference takes place in The Hague from 30 May to 3 June 2016.

How can we use space to tackle things like energy, health care, mobility and the environment? Register for today for the European Space Solutions Conference and join more than 2,000 entrepreneurs, industry leaders, space stakeholders, investors, researchers, and policy makers from across Europe and beyond. Can space-based applications help agricultural production? What are innovative, effective and efficient space solutions for today’s most pressing issues?

Get the answer to these questions and more by registering for the fourth edition of the European Space Solutions conference! With the theme of ‘Bringing Space to Earth’, the conference will showcase how innovative, space-based solutions are the answer to some of Europe’s toughest challenges while fuelling new business-building innovation

Hosted by the 2016 Dutch Presidency of the European Council, the conference takes place in The Hague from 30 May to 3 June 2016.

Sector Specific Sessions

The conference agenda is geared towards European businesses, industry and SMEs and is packed with discussions and talks by European policy makers and global leaders in industry, research and academia. In addition to the opening address, various policy plenaries and an array of side events, the agenda includes six focus sessions set to offer attendees tailored insight on how their business can leverage Europe’s space infrastructure for growth. View the full agenda here.

Each focus session tackles a specific space-based service or technology solution, showing how Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus, as well as the EU’s Horizon 2020 research programme, are creating a range of opportunities for European businesses to build applications and services from.

For example: In the Agriculture & Food session, you’ll see real-world examples of European businesses helping farmers via cutting-edge space applications that increase efficiency and lower costs.

  • In Climate Change & Environment, explore the opportunities available at the crossroads of space-based observations and traditional ground-based measurements.
  • River Deltas of the World delves more specifically into opportunities for space applications and best practices in delta environments.
  • In the Health & Safety sessions, hear about how European companies are using space innovations to meet the growing needs of an ageing population.
  • In a session area that can help everyone in daily life, Smart Mobility will feature new, state-of-the-art solutions for road traffic management, among other things.
  • The Energy session highlights the latest trends and challenges in environmental, sociological, and economic matters.

Register Today

This year’s conference also features a showcase of the latest space-based applications in Earth Observation, European space research, and satellite navigation. Through these showcases, you’ll gain unique insights into game changing developments across multiple industries, and an inside look at what the future holds. In addition, the popular European Space Expo will be held in parallel to the conference, touching down in The Hague’s Old City Centre.

The conference is a chance to learn and network with entrepreneurs, industry leaders, space stakeholders, investors, researchers, and policy makers from across Europe and beyond. Register Today!

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).

Register Today for European Space Solutions Conference

3.2.2016 9:24  
03/02/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) announces that registration for the fourth edition of the European Space Solutions conference is now open. Hosted by the 2016 Dutch Council Presidency  and co-organised with the European Commission, the conference takes place in The Hague from 30 May to 3 June 2016.

How can we use space to tackle things like energy, health care, mobility and the environment? Register for today for the European Space Solutions Conference and join more than 2,000 entrepreneurs, industry leaders, space stakeholders, investors, researchers, and policy makers from across Europe and beyond. Can space-based applications help agricultural production? What are innovative, effective and efficient space solutions for today’s most pressing issues?

Get the answer to these questions and more by registering for the fourth edition of the European Space Solutions conference! With the theme of ‘Bringing Space to Earth’, the conference will showcase how innovative, space-based solutions are the answer to some of Europe’s toughest challenges while fuelling new business-building innovation

Hosted by the 2016 Dutch Presidency of the European Council, the conference takes place in The Hague from 30 May to 3 June 2016.

Sector Specific Sessions

The conference agenda is geared towards European businesses, industry and SMEs and is packed with discussions and talks by European policy makers and global leaders in industry, research and academia. In addition to the opening address, various policy plenaries and an array of side events, the agenda includes six focus sessions set to offer attendees tailored insight on how their business can leverage Europe’s space infrastructure for growth. View the full agenda here.

Each focus session tackles a specific space-based service or technology solution, showing how Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus, as well as the EU’s Horizon 2020 research programme, are creating a range of opportunities for European businesses to build applications and services from.

For example: In the Agriculture & Food session, you’ll see real-world examples of European businesses helping farmers via cutting-edge space applications that increase efficiency and lower costs.

  • In Climate Change & Environment, explore the opportunities available at the crossroads of space-based observations and traditional ground-based measurements.
  • River Deltas of the World delves more specifically into opportunities for space applications and best practices in delta environments.
  • In the Health & Safety sessions, hear about how European companies are using space innovations to meet the growing needs of an ageing population.
  • In a session area that can help everyone in daily life, Smart Mobility will feature new, state-of-the-art solutions for road traffic management, among other things.
  • The Energy session highlights the latest trends and challenges in environmental, sociological, and economic matters.

Register Today

This year’s conference also features a showcase of the latest space-based applications in Earth Observation, European space research, and satellite navigation. Through these showcases, you’ll gain unique insights into game changing developments across multiple industries, and an inside look at what the future holds. In addition, the popular European Space Expo will be held in parallel to the conference, touching down in The Hague’s Old City Centre.

The conference is a chance to learn and network with entrepreneurs, industry leaders, space stakeholders, investors, researchers, and policy makers from across Europe and beyond.

Register Today!

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).

Register Today for European Space Solutions Conference Hosted by the 2016 Dutch Presidency of the Council of the EU

3.2.2016 9:24  
03/02/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) announces that registration for the fourth edition of the European Space Solutions conference is now open. Hosted by the 2016 Dutch Council Presidency  and co-organised with the European Commission, the conference takes place in The Hague from 30 May to 3 June 2016.

How can we use space to tackle things like energy, health care, mobility and the environment? Register for today for the European Space Solutions Conference and join more than 2,000 entrepreneurs, industry leaders, space stakeholders, investors, researchers, and policy makers from across Europe and beyond. Can space-based applications help agricultural production? What are innovative, effective and efficient space solutions for today’s most pressing issues?

Get the answer to these questions and more by registering for the fourth edition of the European Space Solutions conference! With the theme of ‘Bringing Space to Earth’, the conference will showcase how innovative, space-based solutions are the answer to some of Europe’s toughest challenges while fuelling new business-building innovation

Hosted by the 2016 Dutch Presidency of the European Council, the conference takes place in The Hague from 30 May to 3 June 2016.

Sector Specific Sessions

The conference agenda is geared towards European businesses, industry and SMEs and is packed with discussions and talks by European policy makers and global leaders in industry, research and academia. In addition to the opening address, various policy plenaries and an array of side events, the agenda includes six focus sessions set to offer attendees tailored insight on how their business can leverage Europe’s space infrastructure for growth. View the full agenda here.

Each focus session tackles a specific space-based service or technology solution, showing how Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus, as well as the EU’s Horizon 2020 research programme, are creating a range of opportunities for European businesses to build applications and services from.

For example: In the Agriculture & Food session, you’ll see real-world examples of European businesses helping farmers via cutting-edge space applications that increase efficiency and lower costs.

  • In Climate Change & Environment, explore the opportunities available at the crossroads of space-based observations and traditional ground-based measurements.
  • River Deltas of the World delves more specifically into opportunities for space applications and best practices in delta environments.
  • In the Health & Safety sessions, hear about how European companies are using space innovations to meet the growing needs of an ageing population.
  • In a session area that can help everyone in daily life, Smart Mobility will feature new, state-of-the-art solutions for road traffic management, among other things.
  • The Energy session highlights the latest trends and challenges in environmental, sociological, and economic matters.

Register Today

This year’s conference also features a showcase of the latest space-based applications in Earth Observation, European space research, and satellite navigation. Through these showcases, you’ll gain unique insights into game changing developments across multiple industries, and an inside look at what the future holds. In addition, the popular European Space Expo will be held in parallel to the conference, touching down in The Hague’s Old City Centre.

The conference is a chance to learn and network with entrepreneurs, industry leaders, space stakeholders, investors, researchers, and policy makers from across Europe and beyond.

Register Today!

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).

GSA and Commissioner Moedas Talk GNSS Innovation

29.1.2016 15:19  
29/01/2016

European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas met in Brussels to discuss the potential of GNSS technology and the role that Galileo will play as an innovation enabler for economic growth.

When GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and European Commissioner forGSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas met to discuss the potential of GNSS technology and Galileo’s role as an innovation enabler.   Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas met to discuss the potential of GNSS technology, the conversation quickly turned to Galileo. With Initial Services set to launch this year, the two emphasised how Galileo will play an important role as an innovation enabler and, as such, a driver of economic growth.  

The conversation included an overview of the many successes already achieved by EGNOS, which the Commissioner said represents a good success story for Europe. In particular, the GSA focused on how it plans to leverage its experience with overseeing the EGNOS service provision and the development of the downstream market as it takes on a similar role with Galileo.

Naturally, the conversation also included an in-depth discussion on R&D and related funding. Here the GSA highlighted the Horizon 2020 and Fundamental Elements funding schemes. According to des Dorides, the two programmes are complimentary and support innovation at different levels of the value chain.

For example, Fundamental Elements supports the overall strategy of market uptake by providing funding for the development of chipset and receivers. On this point, des Dorides and Moedas agreed that Galileo Initial Services was key to triggering investments by chipset and receiver manufacturers and, in general, for growing public awareness of the programme.

Fundamental Elements Info Day: register now !

Horizon 2020, on the other hand, looks towards the downstream market. The programme has already awarded nearly EUR 25M in funding to 13 projects covering transport, surveying, location-based services, agriculture and emergency services, among others.

GNSS Innovation Catalyst

However, des Dorides stressed that if Europe intends to maintain its position as a global leader in space technology, more needs to be done to foster E-GNSS innovation. In this sense, he sees the GSA as being well-positioned to act as the catalyst at the centre of the EU’s GNSS innovation network, working across and with EU institutions, market segments and Member States. In fact, the GSA is already doing this with its Funding Guide, which monitors the available funding mechanisms for GNSS applications .

        Also Read: Towards a More Competitive Space Policy

Yet des Dorides pointed out that this is just one solution. “We must also encourage venture capital,” said des Dorides. “With Galileo launching initial services this year, we have the public infrastructure, but now we need the applications and services that capitalise on this infrastructure. This is where venture capital could be a solution.”

Fast Track Forward

Other concepts discussed included the use of incubators, centres of excellence and Fast Track to Innovation programmes. As to the latter, des Dorides noted that an ongoing challenge for EU funded projects is that they tend to take between three and four years to reach market. On the other hand, innovation happening elsewhere in the world moves much faster, leaving European-supported projects at risk of already being obsolete by the time they reach market.

A solution to this, which already exists as a pilot programme within Horizon 2020, is adopting a Fast Track to Innovation approach. The pilot programme supports innovative projects from the demonstration stage to market uptake, including such stages as piloting, test-beds, systems validation in real-world conditions, validation of business models, pre-normative research, and standard-setting.

Partners in Innovation

Overall, the des Dorides and Commissioner Moedas agreed to continue to work together to strengthen European support for GNSS R&D and innovation. “R&D and innovation are an essential element of Galileo’s success and I welcome an increased exchange and partnership with DG RTD,” said des Dorides. The two plan to continue the conversation in the near future at GSA headquarters in Prague.

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).

GSA and Commissioner Moedas Talk GNSS Innovation

29.1.2016 15:19  
29/01/2016

European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas met in Brussels to discuss the potential of GNSS technology and the role that Galileo will play as an innovation enabler for economic growth.

When GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and European Commissioner forGSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas met to discuss the potential of GNSS technology and Galileo’s role as an innovation enabler.   Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas met to discuss the potential of GNSS technology, the conversation quickly turned to Galileo. With Initial Services set to launch this year, the two emphasised how Galileo will play an important role as an innovation enabler and, as such, a driver of economic growth.  

The conversation included an overview of the many successes already achieved by EGNOS, which the Commissioner said represents a good success story for Europe. In particular, the GSA focused on how it plans to leverage its experience with overseeing the EGNOS service provision and the development of the downstream market as it takes on a similar role with Galileo.

Naturally, the conversation also included an in-depth discussion on R&D and related funding. Here the GSA highlighted the Horizon 2020 and Fundamental Elements funding schemes. According to des Dorides, the two programmes are complimentary and support innovation at different levels of the value chain.

For example, Fundamental Elements supports the overall strategy of market uptake by providing funding for the development of chipset and receivers. On this point, des Dorides and Moedas agreed that Galileo Initial Services was key to triggering investments by chipset and receiver manufacturers and, in general, for growing public awareness of the programme.

Fundamental Elements Info Day: register now !

Horizon 2020, on the other hand, looks towards the downstream market. The programme has already awarded nearly EUR 25M in funding to 13 projects covering transport, surveying, location-based services, agriculture and emergency services, among others.

GNSS Innovation Catalyst

However, des Dorides stressed that if Europe intends to maintain its position as a global leader in space technology, more needs to be done to foster E-GNSS innovation. In this sense, he sees the GSA as being well-positioned to act as the catalyst at the centre of the EU’s GNSS innovation network, working across and with EU institutions, market segments and Member States. In fact, the GSA is already doing this with its Funding Guide, which monitors the available funding mechanisms for GNSS applications.

        Also Read: Towards a More Competitive Space Policy

Yet des Dorides pointed out that this is just one solution. “We must also encourage venture capital,” said des Dorides. “With Galileo launching initial services this year, we have the public infrastructure, but now we need the applications and services that capitalise on this infrastructure. This is where venture capital could be a solution.”

Fast Track Forward

Other concepts discussed included the use of incubators, centres of excellence and Fast Track to Innovation programmes. As to the latter, des Dorides noted that an ongoing challenge for EU funded projects is that they tend to take between three and four years to reach market. On the other hand, innovation happening elsewhere in the world moves much faster, leaving European-supported projects at risk of already being obsolete by the time they reach market.

A solution to this, which already exists as a pilot programme within Horizon 2020, is adopting a Fast Track to Innovation approach. The pilot programme supports innovative projects from the demonstration stage to market uptake, including such stages as piloting, test-beds, systems validation in real-world conditions, validation of business models, pre-normative research, and standard-setting.

Partners in Innovation

Overall, the des Dorides and Commissioner Moedas agreed to continue to work together to strengthen European support for GNSS R&D and innovation. “R&D and innovation are an essential element of Galileo’s success and I welcome an increased exchange and partnership with DG RTD,” said des Dorides. The two plan to continue the conversation in the near future at GSA headquarters in Prague.

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).

Registration for the Fundamental Elements Info Day

22.1.2016 13:28  
22/01/2016

Registration for the Fundamental Elements Info Day on 8, March, Prague, GSA Headquarters is now open.

Register here

Deadline for registration is 4 March.

The agenda of the Info Day is available here.

Read more:

First “Fundamental Elements” Info Day
The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies


Registration for the Fundamental Elements Info Day

22.1.2016 13:28  
22/01/2016

Registration for the Fundamental Elements Info Day on 8, March, Prague, GSA Headquarters is now closed. For any further information please contact market@gsa.europa.eu.

The agenda of the Info Day is available here.

Read more:

First “Fundamental Elements” Info Day
The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies


Registration for the Fundamental Elements Info Day

22.1.2016 13:28  
22/01/2016

Registration for the Fundamental Elements Info Day on 8, March, Prague, GSA Headquarters is now open.

Register here

Deadline for registration is 4 March.

The agenda of the Info Day is available here.

Read more:

First “Fundamental Elements” Info Day
The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies


Registration for the Fundamental Elements Info Day

22.1.2016 13:28  
22/01/2016

Registration for the Fundamental Elements Info Day on 8, March, Prague, GSA Headquarters is now closed. For any further information please contact market@gsa.europa.eu.

The agenda of the Info Day is available here.

Read more:

First “Fundamental Elements” Info Day
The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies


Promoting European Interest in the Asian GNSS Market

20.1.2016 14:10  
20/01/2016

With Asia emerging as an important market for GNSS, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) actively promoted Galileo in the region and helped foster opportunities for European companies looking to do business in Asia.

At a handful of events happening in Taiwan, South Korea and Vietnam, At a handful of events happening in Taiwan, South Korea and Vietnam, the GSA promoted trans-regional cooperation towards the adoption of European GNSS in Asia.the Agency joined business and policy leaders from both continents to promote trans-regional cooperation towards the adoption of European GNSS in Asia.

According to the most recent edition of the GSA’s GNSS Market Report, Asia is the ‘hot spot’ for GNSS. In fact, it is currently the primary region of global market growth in terms of in-use GNSS devices. The region is forecasted to grow 11% per year, from 1.7 billion in 2014 to 4.1 billion devices in 2023 – more than the EU and North America combined.  More so, the GSA notes the region is becoming increasingly active in chipset manufacturing, along with building their own constellations.

In other words, Asia is an important market for GNSS, and the GSA is dedicated to ensuring European businesses are in a position to benefit from it.

Promoting Brand Europe

As part of this effort, the GSA is actively engaged with two projects geared towards supporting European interests within the Asian GNSS market. GNSS.asia is dedicated to developing and implementing GNSS industrial cooperation between European and Asia-Pacific GNSS industries, with a focus on the downstream sector.

“Industrial collaboration within the international context of the GNSS downstream sector is becoming increasingly important,” says project coordinator Rainer Horn. “This is particularly important now as Galileo moves towards operational readiness.”

GNSS.asia is offering country-specific market analysis (available on their online platform), networking, and speaking opportunities at Asian events and overall support to companies interested in doing business in or with Asia. The services are free of charge to European companies and are funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 framework program for research and development. The project is also set to hold a special session on EU-Asia collaboration at the upcoming European Space Solutions Conference.

Similarly, the BELS Project, also funded under Horizon 2020, is committed to bringing European GNSS companies to South-East Asia. The main objective of BELS is to facilitate the breakthrough of E-GNSS technology by conducting a set of coordinated activities for raising awareness and capacity building. The BELS consortium is gathering the top GNSS universities and research institutes together to offer PhD partnering programmes, training opportunities and placement of students at EU and Asian companies.

For companies seeking to collaborate on GNSS R&D, BELS operates NAVIS, a dedicated GNSS R&D centre located in Hanoi, Vietnam. The facility is available for both testing and research activities, and as a hub for establishing new links with regional GNSS stakeholders. A motivated young team of researchers, having regular exchanges with European universities, complete the picture. Several EU receiver manufacturers have used the opportunity to co-locate their receivers at NAVIS, as the location is particularly suitable to test the multi-constellation function.

Tour de Asia

In support of these projects and the overall mission of promoting European GNSS interests in Asia, the GSA recently participated in some key events across the region.

In Taiwan, the GSA participated in the 2015 GNSS.asia Seminar. Entitled “Smart X: When GNSS Meets the Internet of Things”, the event welcomed 70 key players from both the industrial and institutional sides of GNSS. Of particular interest to the GSA’s work was a seminar on the current opportunities for downstream cooperation across various market domains and a networking event that brought together key stakeholders from Taiwan and Europe.

The GSA also participated in the Telematics Taiwan 2015 International Summit, an event focused on the fast growing area of smart connected telematics services and 4G. As an event sponsor, the GSA, along with GNSS.asia, hosted a special session on Galileo and its benefits to the Asian market. The session was one of the best attended, with around 200 attendees. 

In Vietnam, the GSA met with the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) Department of Science and Technology, who is responsible for the use of GNSS in Vietnam. The Agency shared the latest edition of the GNSS Market Report and learned about MIC’s recently completed report on GNSS use in Vietnam. Discussions focused on how the GSA can further support and advise MIC on standardising GNSS systems and services in Vietnam, and the role and benefits of Galileo for the many emerging GNSS applications in Vietnam (such as a telematics box placed in public transport vehicles to increase road safety and provide new services to users). 

“We believe that European technologies can further support the Vietnamese authorities as they continue to increase their use of GNSS and, in particular, such European GNSS programmes as Galileo,” says GSA Deputy Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani.

In Seoul, Korea, the GSA promoted the eCall system, briefing Korean auto manufacturers on European regulations that require the installation of Galileo in all cars to be sold within the European Union. “E-Call is becoming an important topic for vehicle manufacturers and mobile network providers in Korea as the Korean government is considering the adoption of an initiative similar to what we have in Europe,” says Diani.

Representatives from Hyundai, SsangYong, GM Korea, BMW, Mercedes, Renault, Samsung, ST Microelectronics, LG Electronics, Korea Telecom and LG Telecom, along with government officials, participated in the briefing.

The Agency also participated in the Multi-GNSS Asia (MGA) Conference. MGA is an international organisation, endorsed by the UN’s International Committee on GNSS (ICG), with the goal of promoting the development of multi-GNSS applications in the Asia-Pacific region. MGA leads the Asia-Oceania Multi-GNSS Demonstration Campaign, which looks to create a forum for GNSS stakeholders and facilitate the sharing of innovative technologies for multi-GNSS utilisation.

“MGA is of particular interest to the GSA and projects like GNSS.asia and BELS as it focuses on multi-constellation services,” notes GSA Market Development Officer Justyna Redelkiewicz. “The event was an excellent opportunity for us to update the MGA community on the status of Galileo and its potential to deliver enhanced performance in Asia.”

Mission Accomplished

The GSA’s mission to Asia was a resounding success, with many important contacts made and numerous follow up actions already in motion. “The mission was very successful, giving the GSA a unique opportunity to promote Galileo to the Asian automotive and telematics industries – both of which demonstrated a deep interest in adopting the system,” says Diani. “Having the chance to network with national and scientific authorities will create further opportunities for European GNSS industry in Asia in the near future.”

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).

Towards a More Competitive Space Policy

15.1.2016 11:40  
15/01/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) joined the European space community to discuss how to better fund and support innovative space applications at the 8th Annual European Space Policy Conference in Brussels.

The word of choice at the 8th Annual European Space Policy Conference was ‘competitive’.According to Carlo des Dorides, the role of the GSA is to maximise the ROI of Galileo and EGNOS and make it a market success for the EU. From policy makers to representatives of space industry and space entrepreneurs, the message was clear: if Europe wants to keep its place as a global leader in space, it must make itself more competitive.

Held just days after the passing of David Bowie, the singer was a common reference and timely metaphor during the conference’s presentations. As one speaker pointed out, in order to be competitive Europe needs to take inspiration from Ziggy Stardust – Europe’s most famous space ambassador – and think outside the box.

In other words, to be competitive, Europe needs to be innovative.

Looking Downstream

“We all know that space policy matters, not only for its scientific benefits, but for the implications it has on the single market and the European economy as a whole,” said Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elżbieta Bieńkowska. “Its cutting edge innovation has many spill over effects on other sectors, offering enormous opportunities for both European citizens and European companies.”

This being said, conference speakers continually stressed that Europe cannot afford to rest on past success. As noted by the Commissioner and numerous other speakers, the global market is quickly changing and, in turn, becoming increasingly competitive. Although the US market remains the largest, competition is now also coming from such emerging markets as China, Russia and India.

“If Europe is to maintain its competitive edge it must create conditions that give businesses the confidence they need to invest in European space,” said the Commissioner. “This requires us to shift our focus from the deployment phase to a focus on building a competitive downstream market, using our space policy to support the development of innovative applications and services that utilise the Europe’s space infrastructure.”

A New Approach to Funding

Joining a panel discussion on European R&D funding, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides emphasised the importance of increasing the level of investment in space and the GSA’s role in doing so. “The role of the GSA is to maximise the return on investment of Galileo and EGNOS and make it a market success for the EU,” he said.

According to des Dorides, the development of new, downstream market applications is key to strengthening European industry and its ability to compete. In line with this, the GSA has been actively involved in the funding process via the successful FP7 and Horizon 2020 framework programmes for research and innovation, among others. These programmes, which aim to ensure that space remains accessible to Europe and safe to operate in the long run, have already produced tangible results. For example, FP7 saw the launch of 45 commercial products and 80 prototypes, and Horizon 2020 is expected to only increase these numbers. 

Despite the many success stories coming out of these initiatives, des Dorides stressed the need to go further. In comparison to the funding for space-related R&D in the US, as an example, he noted that the US has a clear advantage over Europe in its large internal market that was created via government spending on space. “When it comes to investment in civil space R&D, the US invests twice as much as Europe,” he said. “If Europe is to achieve a leadership position in space related activities, it simply must invest more in the downstream market.”

As an example of how to achieve this, des Dorides noted that European space public R&D would benefit from a more focused and coordinated funding process. Currently, funding comes from multiple sources, from Member States to the ESA, GSA, REA and EASME. “Some industrial actors worry that R&D funding may be too disparate, making it difficult to establish clear returns on investment,” he said. “Therefore, it is very important that we coordinate the activities among all involved players.” To assist with this, the GSA published a Funding Guide, a centralised database listing all available funding initiatives for space. 

But it’s not just better coordination that is needed, it’s also about building a more focused and efficient funding mechanism, in particular for the downstream market. “We need to take into account the overarching problem of time to market,” said des Dorides. “We need to maximise the use of existing tools to ensure funded projects achieve a shorter time to market and look for new financial mechanisms geared towards more mature space solutions.”

Read Also: Shaping the Future of European GNSS

Traditionally, projects funded by FP7 or Horizon 2020 take between three to four years to reach the market. This can be a problem as when innovation happening elsewhere moves faster, it risks leaving the European project obsolete by the time it is read to market. To tighten this timeline and swing the advantage back to European industry, various funding tools have been proposed, including the establishment of Centres of Excellence and fast track to innovation programmes that aim to bring a product to market within around one year. Des Dorides also noted the need for new financial tools that respond to the growing maturity of space technology, most specifically the use of incubators and venture capital. 

“As to venture capital, we are starting to see some small steps from the private sector, but the public sector needs to do more to further this and promote commercial projects,” he concluded. “With Galileo, which will see the launch of initial services this year, we have the public infrastructure. Now we need the applications and services that capitalise on this infrastructure, and here is where venture capital could be an answer.”

Rebel Rebel

In the US the catchphrase for innovation is ‘disruption’. Such innovation giants as Google and SpaceX are thinking outside the box and using innovation to disrupt the space sector. In order to maintain its leadership position against such competition, Europe needs to build on its strengths and better coordinate funding, encourage risk taking and promote the benefits of space to the European public. 

“We may not be able to counter the US giants, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do anything,” says ESA Head of Programme Planning and Coordination, Earth Observation Programmes Josef Aschbacher. “We need to organise ourselves better, intensify our commitment to funding, work to get the topic of space further into policy discussions and issue legislation that promotes and protects companies that are working in the space sector.”

In summary, whereas the US has embraced disruption, perhaps Europe needs to take embrace its own unique approach to space innovation and, as one presenter suggested, be more ‘rebel rebel’ in its space policies.

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).

Towards a More Competitive Space Policy

15.1.2016 11:40  
15/01/2016

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) joined the European space community to discuss how to better fund and support innovative space applications at the 8th Annual European Space Policy Conference in Brussels.

The word of choice at the 8th Annual European Space Policy Conference was ‘competitive’. From policy makers to representatives of space industry and space entrepreneurs, the message was clear: if Europe wants to keep its place as a global leader in space, it must make itself more competitive.

Held just days after the passing of David Bowie, the singer was a common reference and timely metaphor during the conference’s presentations. As one speaker pointed out, in order to be competitive Europe needs to take inspiration from Ziggy Stardust – Europe’s most famous space ambassador – and think outside the box.

In other words, to be competitive, Europe needs to be innovative.

Looking Downstream

“We all know that space policy matters, not only for its scientific benefits, but for the implications it has on the single market and the European economy as a whole,” said Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elżbieta Bieńkowska. “Its cutting edge innovation has many spill over effects on other sectors, offering enormous opportunities for both European citizens and European companies.”

This being said, conference speakers continually stressed that Europe cannot afford to rest on past success. As noted by the Commissioner and numerous other speakers, the global market is quickly changing and, in turn, becoming increasingly competitive. Although the US market remains the largest, competition is now also coming from such emerging markets as China, Russia and India.

“If Europe is to maintain its competitive edge it must create conditions that give businesses the confidence they need to invest in European space,” said the Commissioner. “This requires us to shift our focus from the deployment phase to a focus on building a competitive downstream market, using our space policy to support the development of innovative applications and services that utilise the Europe’s space infrastructure.”

A New Approach to Funding

Joining a panel discussion on European R&D funding, GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides emphasised the importance of increasing the level of investment in space and the GSA’s role in doing so. “The role of the GSA is to maximise the return on investment of Galileo and EGNOS and make it a market success for the EU,” he said.

According to des Dorides, the development of new, downstream market applications is key to strengthening European industry and its ability to compete. In line with this, the GSA has been actively involved in the funding process via the successful FP7 and Horizon 2020 framework programmes for research and innovation, among others. These programmes, which aim to ensure that space remains accessible to Europe and safe to operate in the long run, have already produced tangible results. For example, FP7 saw the launch of 45 commercial products and 80 prototypes, and Horizon 2020 is expected to only increase these numbers. 

Despite the many success stories coming out of these initiatives, des Dorides stressed the need to go further. In comparison to the funding for space-related R&D in the US, as an example, he noted that the US has a clear advantage over Europe in its large internal market that was created via government spending on space. “When it comes to investment in civil space R&D, the US invests twice as much as Europe,” he said. “If Europe is to achieve a leadership position in space related activities, it simply must invest more in the downstream market.”

As an example of how to achieve this, des Dorides noted that European space public R&D would benefit from a more focused and coordinated funding process. Currently, funding comes from multiple sources, from Member States to the ESA, GSA, REA and EASME. “Some industrial actors worry that R&D funding may be too disparate, making it difficult to establish clear returns on investment,” he said. “Therefore, it is very important that we coordinate the activities among all involved players.” To assist with this, the GSA published a Funding Guide, a centralised database listing all available funding initiatives for space. 

But it’s not just better coordination that is needed, it’s also about building a more focused and efficient funding mechanism, in particular for the downstream market. “We need to take into account the overarching problem of time to market,” said des Dorides. “We need to maximise the use of existing tools to ensure funded projects achieve a shorter time to market and look for new financial mechanisms geared towards more mature space solutions.”

Traditionally, projects funded by FP7 or Horizon 2020 take between three to four years to reach the market. This can be a problem as when innovation happening elsewhere moves faster, it risks leaving the European project obsolete by the time it is read to market. To tighten this timeline and swing the advantage back to European industry, various funding tools have been proposed, including the establishment of Centres of Excellence and fast track to innovation programmes that aim to bring a product to market within around one year. Des Dorides also noted the need for new financial tools that respond to the growing maturity of space technology, most specifically the use of incubators and venture capital. 

“As to venture capital, we are starting to see some small steps from the private sector, but the public sector needs to do more to further this and promote commercial projects,” he concluded. “With Galileo, which will see the launch of initial services this year, we have the public infrastructure. Now we need the applications and services that capitalise on this infrastructure, and here is where venture capital could be an answer.”

Rebel Rebel

In the US the catchphrase for innovation is ‘disruption’. Such innovation giants as Google and SpaceX are thinking outside the box and using innovation to disrupt the space sector. In order to maintain its leadership position against such competition, Europe needs to build on its strengths and better coordinate funding, encourage risk taking and promote the benefits of space to the European public. 

“We may not be able to counter the US giants, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do anything,” says ESA Head of Programme Planning and Coordination, Earth Observation Programmes Josef Aschbacher. “We need to organise ourselves better, intensify our commitment to funding, work to get the topic of space further into policy discussions and issue legislation that promotes and protects companies that are working in the space sector.”

In summary, whereas the US has embraced disruption, perhaps Europe needs to take embrace its own unique approach to space innovation and, as one presenter suggested, be more ‘rebel rebel’ in its space policies.

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).

EGNOS: Making European Rail more Efficient and Safer

14.1.2016 9:04  
14/01/2016

When it comes to railway signalling in Europe, the integrity delivered by EGNOS can be the enabler for safe train localisation provided by E-GNSS. EGNOS offers improved precision of positioning for free, which further contributes to the efficiency of train localisation in the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS).

For now, mainly due to a difficult rail environment, safety-relevant GNSS-based When it comes to railway signalling in Europe, the integrity delivered by EGNOS can be the enabler for safe train localisation provided by E-GNSS. solutions don’t meet the positioning requirements specified by the ERTMS standard. In the future, however, with the currently under development EGNOS V3 multi-frequency/multi-constellation, augmentation will improve accuracy and reliability of the positioning information. By 2020, Galileo will be fully deployed and will deliver an independent civilian infrastructure with robust positioning and timing services and a high degree of performance.

According to a presentation from Peter Gurnik, Technical Affairs Manager for UNIFE, an industry association representing the European Rail Supply Industry, GNSS reduces costs when used with the European Train Control System (ETCS): The ultimate objective is to reduce the cost of ETCS trackside by reducing the number of bailises in the track, which would also increase availability and reduce exposure to theft and vandalism. More so, according to the presentation, in order to minimise the impact on ETCS, the concept of ‘virtual balises’ was developed, in which a GNSS-based positioning system confirms a train’s position at defined reference points.

Adapting to Rail

Since EGNOS was designed to answer aviation requirements, some features are not applicable unless specifically adapted for railways. To assist in this adaptation and improve GNSS services for rail, there is ongoing support through the Horizon 2020 funding programme and, previously, via the FP7 programme.

For example, the GSA is working with Next Generation Train Control, a three-year FP7 research project in coordination with UNIFE, to analyse the commonalities and differences of current major train control systems. The common functions of these systems are then used as the basis for Next Generation Train Control system specifications. Through this project, satellite positioning was identified as an emerging technology to be integrated into future train controls.

Satellite Technology for Advanced Railway Signalling (STARS), a Horizon 2020 project under the 2nd Galileo call, has been favourably evaluated and is another example of how GNSS services can assist in rail applications. This project aims to fill the gap between the need for safety critical applications and E-GNSS services through a characterisation of the railway environment and of GNSS performance assessments in that environment. Through the project, a universal approach to predict the achievable GNSS performance in a railway environment will be developed, especially for safety critical applications.

“Though there is work to be done to adapt EGNOS to railways, the future is promising,” says GSA Market Development Officer Daniel Lopour. “With the help of partners like UNIFE, and research through new, innovative projects, GNSS services are on the way to making rail more affordable and efficient for cities, and more accurate and safer for everyone.”

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).

European GNSS in Action: Skyguide

12.1.2016 10:50  
12/01/2016

Swiss company Skyguide provides safe and reliable air navigation services to clients, and is increasingly reliant on European GNSS.

According to Dr. Marc Troller of the CNS expert group for Skyguide, satellite navigation enablesSkyguide launched CHIPS, a Swiss-wide programme to implement new technologies such as GNSS-based operations, which is a huge innovation for Swiss aviation. instrument-based flying independent of ground-based navigation installations. “The intention is to change from conventional navigation to GNSS,” says Dr. Troller. He further notes that this switch to GNSS is also be useful for helicopter operators, who will be able to operate irrespective of the weather as long as their helicopters are appropriately equipped and certified and their pilots have the necessary training.

Skyguide launched CHIPS, a Swiss-wide programme to implement new technologies such as GNSS-based operations, which is a huge innovation for Swiss aviation. “We are proceeding very well,” says Troller. “We have implemented all of the possible applications and technologies of GNSS/PBN by at least one procedure at most of the airports in Switzerland.” He notes that new helicopter procedures have also been implemented.

Also Read: Flexibility, Expansion and Business – GSA Talks EGNOS and Aviation at Annual Service Provision Workshop

To this end, Skyguide launched the GNSS Low Flight Network project in close collaboration with the Swiss Air Force and Rega, the Swiss helicopter emergency medical service. The GNSS Low Flight Network links aerodromes with IFR procedures and hospitals and heliports with point-in-space procedures. The route sits in ECHO class airspace, which is below the existing airway system. These low flight altitudes minimise the risk of helicopter rotors icing.

“Skyguide pushes GNSS in order to optimally exploit the limited airspace resource and consequently increase flexibility and capacity while reducing the costs,” explains Dr. Troller. “The signal is more accurate, meaning more sophisticated flight operations are possible, especially in mountainous terrain.”

Reliability and innovation are cornerstones of Skyguide’s work. The company provides accurate, safe and reliable air navigation to customers and partners, and forces value-adding solutions and the use of innovative technologies to continuously improve its services. At the same time, it aims to be cost effective and sustainable. Through implementing GNSS, Skyguide can offer an affordable, accurate, innovative service to client – from the military to aircraft or helicopter operators.

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

GNSS.asia Challenge Promotes Galileo in Asia-Pacific

6.1.2016 8:58  

Winners of the GNSS.asia Challenge, an award supported by the European GNSS Agency, recognized innovative applications that use European GNSS to provide global benefits.

GNSS.asia, a project supported by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), and the  The winners demonstrate how GNSS services can help create a safer, more efficient region. (Pictured: Mr. Sakurai from SPAC, Ms. Redelkiewicz from GSA, Mr. Horn from GNSS.asia, Mr. Varadarajan from EBG and the GeoKey winner)European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) recently awarded the GNSS.asia Challenge 2015. The Challenge offered participants an opportunity to share their innovative GNSS-based services, products and business ideas for the Asia-Pacific market.

Fifty GNSS innovations from 15 different countries were completed for the competition, and a winner and two runners-up presented during the award ceremony, held on December 9th in Brunei Darussalam.

Also Read: And the 2015 Winners is…

GeoKey, a locking system that incorporates geographic location as an additional security measure, was chosen as the overall winner by an international jury of GNSS experts, including GSA Market Development Officer Justyna Redelkiewicz, Mr. Sakurai from the Space Application Centre of Japan and Mr. Vadarajaran from European Business Group India. The lock uses a dual security mechanism so it can only be unlocked in a predefined location with a set security code. Using Galileo’s OS Authentication function and a user-friendly mobile configuration application, the lock offers a reliable and affordable solution for cargo theft, which is a widespread issue across India and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. 

A solution to avoid queuing, another issue in several Asia-Pacific economies, won first runner-up. HappyQ uses a combination of GNSS services and live data to calculate the estimated waiting time and propose alternate activities for users, such as visiting nearby shops or suggesting exercise opportunities. Based on customer statistics, it targets potential customers with personalised advertising and suggestions.

“If you implement HappyQ in an administrative place, people can go, apply to get in the line and instead of just waiting there for say, 45 minutes, go somewhere else,” says HappyQ co-founder Jordan Vannitsen. “It is very easy to just put a simple generic tablet with the system in place, and if the premises already have a queue ticket system, the application can interface with the existing system.”

Also Read: Life-saving Drone Wins 2015 European Satellite Navigation Competition

Rapid Emergency Medical System (REMS) took home the prize for second runner-up for its GNSS-based emergency management system that integrates tracking and tracing capability with comprehensive emergency medical care for registered patients. REMS provides an emergency notification to the EMS using a personal locator, mobile device, or fixed line, as well as a precise incident location of the patient using GNSS. It also offers advanced patient information for paramedics and an emergency vehicle tracking system for navigation guidance.

The three winners, as well as the other innovative solutions presented, clearly demonstrate how GNSS services – and in particular Galileo – can help create a safer, more efficient region. Next year the GSA is funding a similar award via the GSA-supported BELS project. The award will focus on EU cooperation with South-East Asia.

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

GNSS.asia Challenge Promotes Galileo in Asia-Pacific

6.1.2016 8:58  
06/01/2016

Winners of the GNSS.asia Challenge, an award supported by the European GNSS Agency, recognized innovative applications that use European GNSS to provide global benefits.

GNSS.asia, a project supported by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), and the  The winners demonstrate how GNSS services can help create a safer, more efficient region. (Pictured: Mr. Sakurai from SPAC, Ms. Redelkiewicz from GSA, Mr. Horn from GNSS.asia, Mr. Varadarajan from EBG and the GeoKey winner)European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) recently awarded the GNSS.asia Challenge 2015. The Challenge offered participants an opportunity to share their innovative GNSS-based services, products and business ideas for the Asia-Pacific market.

Fifty GNSS innovations from 15 different countries were completed for the competition, and a winner and two runners-up presented during the award ceremony, held on December 9th in Brunei Darussalam.

Also Read: And the 2015 Winners is…

GeoKey, a locking system that incorporates geographic location as an additional security measure, was chosen as the overall winner by an international jury of GNSS experts, including GSA Market Development Officer Justyna Redelkiewicz, Mr. Sakurai from the Space Application Centre of Japan and Mr. Vadarajaran from European Business Group India. The lock uses a dual security mechanism so it can only be unlocked in a predefined location with a set security code. Using Galileo’s OS Authentication function and a user-friendly mobile configuration application, the lock offers a reliable and affordable solution for cargo theft, which is a widespread issue across India and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. 

A solution to avoid queuing, another issue in several Asia-Pacific economies, won first runner-up. HappyQ uses a combination of GNSS services and live data to calculate the estimated waiting time and propose alternate activities for users, such as visiting nearby shops or suggesting exercise opportunities. Based on customer statistics, it targets potential customers with personalised advertising and suggestions.

“If you implement HappyQ in an administrative place, people can go, apply to get in the line and instead of just waiting there for say, 45 minutes, go somewhere else,” says HappyQ co-founder Jordan Vannitsen. “It is very easy to just put a simple generic tablet with the system in place, and if the premises already have a queue ticket system, the application can interface with the existing system.”

Also Read: Life-saving Drone Wins 2015 European Satellite Navigation Competition

Rapid Emergency Medical System (REMS) took home the prize for second runner-up for its GNSS-based emergency management system that integrates tracking and tracing capability with comprehensive emergency medical care for registered patients. REMS provides an emergency notification to the EMS using a personal locator, mobile device, or fixed line, as well as a precise incident location of the patient using GNSS. It also offers advanced patient information for paramedics and an emergency vehicle tracking system for navigation guidance.

The three winners, as well as the other innovative solutions presented, clearly demonstrate how GNSS services – and in particular Galileo – can help create a safer, more efficient region. Next year the GSA is funding a similar award via the GSA-supported BELS project. The award will focus on EU cooperation with South-East Asia.

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 future EGNOS is on its way

21.12.2015 13:19  
21/12/2015

The Tender Information Package (TIP) regarding the replenishment of EGNOS Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) payloads has been issued by the GSA.

The TIP complements the information contained in the Contract Notice to prepare for the EGNOS Geostationary (GEO) SBAS payload service (GEO-3) procurement process to ensure continuous EGNOS Signal In Space availability and to support the future transition from EGNOS V2 to EGNOS V3.

The EGNOS operational message is currently broadcast to  users through navigation payloads on board two GEO satellites (Inmarsat-3F2 and SES-5). These payloads relay the SBAS signals generated on the ground, allowing the users to benefit from the augmented positioning accuracy and integrity. A third EGNOS GEO satellite SBAS payload embarked on ASTRA-5B is currently under integration and should be deployed by mid-2016. Finally, a fourth GEO satellite SBAS payload on-board Inmarsat-4F2 is available for EGNOS, but only for test purposes.

According to the approaching end of life of Inmarsat 3F2 currently embarking an EGNOS payload, the need to ensure continuous EGNOS Signal In Space (SIS) availability - for which two GEO satellites are required to broadcast EGNOS message - and in view of the future transition to the second EGNOS generation (EGNOS V3) to support Dual-Frequency Multi-Constellation (DFMC) services, the GSA is planning for the replenishment of EGNOS SBAS payloads with the procurement of the GEO-3 services to be delivered from 2019.

The GEO-3 service provider will have the responsibility of relaying  the EGNOS message, to users.

For this purpose, the GEO-3 service provider will have to develop an EGNOS SBAS payload, integrate it on-board a GEO satellite, and organise the launch and positioning of the GEO on its final orbital arc allowing an EGNOS message to be broadcast over the EGNOS service area (i.e., the European Union Member States (EU-MS), Norway and Switzerland Flight Information Regions (FIR).) In parallel, the GEO-3 service provider will also have to develop two redundant RF ground stations necessary to uplink EGNOS message to the payload and to host the EGNOS Navigation Land Earth Station (NLES) equipment which will be collocated and connected to these RF ground stations.

The indicative duration of the contract is expected to be 18 years in total, which will comprise two phases: three years for the service preparation phase and fifteen years for the service provision phase. Initially the contract will be signed until the end of 2021 due to the fact that EU funds are only currently allocated for this period.  An amount corresponding to €22,000,000 (twenty two million euro) is set aside for this period.  Renewal of the contract for the full duration shall be contingent upon the allocation of EU funds to GEO-3.

Any requests for additional information must be sent to tenders@gsa.europa.eu.

Any additional information will be published in the form of "Clarification" on the freely accessible http://www.gsa.europa.eu/egnos-geostationary-sbas-payload-service-geo-3h in Phase I or, in Phase II and III sent directly to Candidates respecting equal treatment principle;
GSA expects to receive the Requests to Participate by 22/01/2016 as the first step of the procurement process.

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 future EGNOS is on its way

21.12.2015 13:19  
21/12/2015

The Tender Information Package (TIP) regarding the replenishment of EGNOS Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) payloads has been issued by the GSA.

The TIP complements the information contained in the Contract Notice to prepare for the EGNOS Geostationary (GEO) SBAS payload service (GEO-3) procurement process to ensure continuous EGNOS Signal In Space availability and to support the future transition from EGNOS V2 to EGNOS V3.

The EGNOS operational message is currently broadcast to  users through navigation payloads on board two GEO satellites (Inmarsat-3F2 and SES-5). These payloads relay the SBAS signals generated on the ground, allowing the users to benefit from the augmented positioning accuracy and integrity. A third EGNOS GEO satellite SBAS payload embarked on ASTRA-5B is currently under integration and should be deployed by mid-2016. Finally, a fourth GEO satellite SBAS payload on-board Inmarsat-4F2 is available for EGNOS, but only for test purposes.

According to the approaching end of life of Inmarsat 3F2 currently embarking an EGNOS payload, the need to ensure continuous EGNOS Signal In Space (SIS) availability - for which two GEO satellites are required to broadcast EGNOS message - and in view of the future transition to the second EGNOS generation (EGNOS V3) to support Dual-Frequency Multi-Constellation (DFMC) services, the GSA is planning for the replenishment of EGNOS SBAS payloads with the procurement of the GEO-3 services to be delivered from 2019.

The GEO-3 service provider will have the responsibility of relaying  the EGNOS message, to users.

For this purpose, the GEO-3 service provider will have to develop an EGNOS SBAS payload, integrate it on-board a GEO satellite, and organise the launch and positioning of the GEO on its final orbital arc allowing an EGNOS message to be broadcast over the EGNOS service area (i.e., the European Union Member States (EU-MS), Norway and Switzerland Flight Information Regions (FIR).) In parallel, the GEO-3 service provider will also have to develop two redundant RF ground stations necessary to uplink EGNOS message to the payload and to host the EGNOS Navigation Land Earth Station (NLES) equipment which will be collocated and connected to these RF ground stations.

The indicative duration of the contract is expected to be 18 years in total, which will comprise two phases: three years for the service preparation phase and fifteen years for the service provision phase. Initially the contract will be signed until the end of 2021 due to the fact that EU funds are only currently allocated for this period.  An amount corresponding to €22,000,000 (twenty two million euro) is set aside for this period.  Renewal of the contract for the full duration shall be contingent upon the allocation of EU funds to GEO-3.

Any requests for additional information must be sent to tenders@gsa.europa.eu.

Any additional information will be published in the form of "Clarification" on the freely accessible http://www.gsa.europa.eu/egnos-geostationary-sbas-payload-service-geo-3h in Phase I or, in Phase II and III sent directly to Candidates respecting equal treatment principle;
GSA expects to receive the Requests to Participate by 22/01/2016 as the first step of the procurement process.

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).

First edition of the Fundamental Elements Info Day, Prague, 16 February 2016

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first edition of the Fundamental Elements Info Day, in Prague in the GSA headquarters on 16 February 2016.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA web page in the first months of 2016.

Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake, led by GSA.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements mechanisms are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, 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 Info Day will give the opportunity for companies to have GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers presenting the specificities of the Calls. Web-streaming of the day might be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 11 February 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will subsequently be published on the GSA web page.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.

First "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March, Prague

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March 2016, Prague, GSA headquarters.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA website in the beginning of 2016.

Led by the GSA, Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements projects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, building on innovative services and differentiators
  • Improve the competitiveness of EU industry
  • Address user needs in priority market segments
  • Maximise benefits to European citizens

This first Info Day2 will give an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the "Fundamental Elements" funding from GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers who will present the details of the Calls. Web-streaming of the Info Day presentations may be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 3 March 2016 at 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will be published on the GSA website following the event.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.
  • 2. Please note that the Fundamental Elements programme is covering both, PRS and non-PRS related projects – this information day is focussing only on the non-PRS ones.

First edition of the Fundamental Elements Info Day, Prague, 16 February 2016

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first edition of the Fundamental Elements Info Day, in Prague in the GSA headquarters on 16 February 2016.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA web page in the first months of 2016.

Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake, led by GSA.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements pojects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, 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 Info Day will give the opportunity for companies to have GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers presenting the specificities of the Calls. Web-streaming of the day might be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 11 February 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will subsequently be published on the GSA web page.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.

First "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March, Prague

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March 2016, Prague, GSA headquarters.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA website in the beginning of 2016.

Led by the GSA, Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements projects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, building on innovative services and differentiators
  • Improve the competitiveness of EU industry
  • Address user needs in priority market segments
  • Maximise benefits to European citizens

This first Info Day2 will give an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the "Fundamental Elements" funding from GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers who will present the details of the Calls. Web-streaming of the Info Day presentations may be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 3 March 2016 at 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will be published on the GSA website following the event.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.
  • 2. Please note that the Fundamental Elements programme is covering both, PRS and non-PRS related projects – this information day is focussing only on the non-PRS ones.

First "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 16 February Prague

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 16 February 2016, Prague, GSA headquarters.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA website in the beginning of 2016.

Led by the GSA, Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements projects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, building on innovative services and differentiators
  • Improve the competitiveness of EU industry
  • Address user needs in priority market segments
  • Maximise benefits to European citizens

This first Info Day will give an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the "Fundamental Elements" funding from GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers who will present the details of the Calls. Web-streaming of the Info Day presentations may be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 11 February 2016 at 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will be published on the GSA website following the event.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.

First "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March, Prague

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March 2016, Prague, GSA headquarters.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA website in the beginning of 2016.

Led by the GSA, Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements projects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, building on innovative services and differentiators
  • Improve the competitiveness of EU industry
  • Address user needs in priority market segments
  • Maximise benefits to European citizens

This first Info Day2 will give an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the "Fundamental Elements" funding from GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers who will present the details of the Calls. Web-streaming of the Info Day presentations may be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 3 March 2016 at 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will be published on the GSA website following the event.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.
  • 2. Please note that the Fundamental Elements programme is covering both, PRS and non-PRS related projects – this information day is focussing only on the non-PRS ones.

First "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 16 February Prague

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 16 February 2016, Prague, GSA headquarters.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA website in the beginning of 2016.

Led by the GSA, Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements projects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, building on innovative services and differentiators
  • Improve the competitiveness of EU industry
  • Address user needs in priority market segments
  • Maximise benefits to European citizens

This first Info Day will give an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the "Fundamental Elements" funding from GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers who will present the details of the Calls. Web-streaming of the Info Day presentations may be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 11 February 2016 at 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will be published on the GSA website following the event.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.

First "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 16 February Prague

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 16 February 2016, Prague, GSA headquarters.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA website in the beginning of 2016.

Led by the GSA, Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements projects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, building on innovative services and differentiators
  • Improve the competitiveness of EU industry
  • Address user needs in priority market segments
  • Maximise benefits to European citizens

This first Info Day2 will give an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the "Fundamental Elements" funding from GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers who will present the details of the Calls. Web-streaming of the Info Day presentations may be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 11 February 2016 at 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will be published on the GSA website following the event.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.
  • 2. Please note that the Fundamental Elements programme is covering both, PRS and non-PRS related projects – this information day is focussing only on the non-PRS ones.

First "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 16 February Prague

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 16 February 2016, Prague, GSA headquarters.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA website in the beginning of 2016.

Led by the GSA, Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements projects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, building on innovative services and differentiators
  • Improve the competitiveness of EU industry
  • Address user needs in priority market segments
  • Maximise benefits to European citizens

This first Info Day will give an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the "Fundamental Elements" funding from GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers who will present the details of the Calls. Web-streaming of the Info Day presentations may be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 11 February 2016 at 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will be published on the GSA website following the event.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.

First "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March, Prague

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March 2016, Prague, GSA headquarters.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA website in the beginning of 2016.

Led by the GSA, Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements projects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, building on innovative services and differentiators
  • Improve the competitiveness of EU industry
  • Address user needs in priority market segments
  • Maximise benefits to European citizens

This first Info Day2 will give an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the "Fundamental Elements" funding from GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers who will present the details of the Calls. Web-streaming of the Info Day presentations may be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 3 March 2016 at 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will be published on the GSA website following the event.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.
  • 2. Please note that the Fundamental Elements programme is covering both, PRS and non-PRS related projects – this information day is focussing only on the non-PRS ones.

First "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March, Prague

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March 2016, Prague, GSA headquarters.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA website in the beginning of 2016.

Led by the GSA, Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements projects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, building on innovative services and differentiators
  • Improve the competitiveness of EU industry
  • Address user needs in priority market segments
  • Maximise benefits to European citizens

This first Info Day2 will give an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the "Fundamental Elements" funding from GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers who will present the details of the Calls. Web-streaming of the Info Day presentations may be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 3 March 2016 at 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will be published on the GSA website following the event.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.
  • 2. Please note that the Fundamental Elements programme is covering both, PRS and non-PRS related projects – this information day is focussing only on the non-PRS ones.

First "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March, Prague

17.12.2015 14:02  
17/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the first "Fundamental Elements" Info Day, 8 March 2016, Prague, GSA headquarters.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the new calls for proposals on Fundamental Elements that will be published on the GSA website in the beginning of 2016.

Led by the GSA, Fundamental Elements1 is a new EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers to help the overall European GNSS strategy for market uptake.

The objectives of Fundamental Elements projects are to:

  • Facilitate  the adoption of the European GNSS Systems, building on innovative services and differentiators
  • Improve the competitiveness of EU industry
  • Address user needs in priority market segments
  • Maximise benefits to European citizens

This first Info Day2 will give an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the "Fundamental Elements" funding from GSA technical, Legal and Financial Officers who will present the details of the Calls. Web-streaming of the Info Day presentations may be available.

If you have any questions related to the calls, please submit them by 3 March 2016 at 17:00 to the following email address: market@gsa.europa.eu

The answers shared during the meeting will be published on the GSA website following the event.

Read more:

The Fundamentals of European GNSS
GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers
GSA launches R&D support for the advancement of European GNSS chipset and receiver technologies

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

  • 1. Established by 2013 GNSS Regulation following the Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of the European satellite navigation systems.
  • 2. Please note that the Fundamental Elements programme is covering both, PRS and non-PRS related projects – this information day is focussing only on the non-PRS ones.

2015-2016: Shaping the Future of European GNSS

16.12.2015 10:02  
18/12/2015

As 2015 draws to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on the past year – the challenges and the accomplishments – while also looking at what’s ahead.

2015 marked a very important year for the Agency and for the entire European2015 was a very important year for the Agency and the entire European GNSS community. GNSS community. Both of Europe’s GNSS programmes – Galileo and EGNOS – saw substantial progress. For Galileo 2015 was a record-breaking year, with the launch of six satellites. This, in addition to a ground segment already nearing completion, Galileo’s future looks brighter than ever.

In anticipation for the launch of Initial Services, the GSA has been busy preparing the user segment. For example, we recently launched ‘Fundamental Elements’, an R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of chipsets and receivers. This is an important part of the GSA’s overall strategy of market uptake, with the aim of facilitating the development of EGNOS and Galileo applications across different sectors of the economy.   

Likewise, EGNOS continues to provide a solid performance – and with V2 and V3 ready for launch, this performance will only be further enhanced in the coming months. From the user perspective, we are continuing to see increases in EGNOS adoption across numerous market segments, including maritime and rail. In the aviation sector, for example, the launch of LPV 200 has seen more and more airports and aircraft operators choosing to become EGNOS-enabled. Thanks to our continued dialogue with a range of stakeholders, we fully expect this trend to continue.

Of course the success of both Galileo and EGNOS is heavily dependent on our ability to convert this technology into tangible benefits for the end user. For this reason, the GSA remains committed to supporting R&D activities. Along this line, we recently announced the results of the second call for Galileo applications under the Horizon 2020 programme for research and innovation. Nearly EUR 25M in funding went to 13 projects, covering transport, surveying, location-based services, agriculture, emergency services and other professional applications.

Turning towards the future, I am honoured to have been re-elected to serve as the Executive Director of the GSA for another four years. In these upcoming years we will put into practice all that we have been preparing for. In 2016 the GSA will finalize the contract for the future Galileo service provider and by 2017 the Agency will be fully responsible for the service and operations of Galileo. 

We enter the New Year in the midst of an exciting time for the GNSS market. As indicated in the GSA’s 2015 GNSS Market Report, which has become the industry reference, today there are more than 4 billion devices using GNSS services, and that number is expected to triple by 2023. The sector is estimated to grow at more than 8% each year until at least 2019. With all this potential for GNSS – and in particular European GNSS – the GSA is confident that together with the European GNSS community, we will be able to harness this technology and translate it into jobs, business opportunities and economic sustainability for the benefit of all European citizens.

Best wishes for a happy and fruitful 2016. 

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).

GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers

9.12.2015 13:37  
09/12/2015

On November 24, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) hosted its 3rd Annual Workshop with Receiver Manufacturers at its headquarters in Prague, where discussions focused on the adoption of Galileo in chipsets and receivers.

Since 2010, the GSA has paid special attention to cooperation with chipset and receiverA recent workshop hosted by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) highlighted the adoption of Galileo in chipsets and receivers. manufacturers in order to ensure market readiness for Galileo Initial Services, as GNSS hardware development can take up to several years. Thirty-five percent of receiver models are already Galileo enabled, and in Europe the number increases to more than 50%.

Workshop participants received an update on the Galileo programme status, programmatic documents and briefings on regulatory activities from the GSA, European Commission and ESA. They were also presented the results of a Galileo receiver testing campaign, in which 16 receiver manufacturers took part. GSA provides the overall management of the campaign and relationship with the receiver manufacturers, while the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre conducts the tests of professional receivers and ESA of the mass-market ones.  In order to expedite the use of Galileo in receivers, the GSA will continue to hold industry consultations, as well as technical workshops and testing campaigns.

Especially in urban canyons and other areas with difficult conditions, Galileo will add value to the overall multi-constellation performance. The GSA is excited about the positive testing results, and is committed to supporting the receiver industry in their investments in Galileo. The recently launched Fundamental Elements R&D programme is one example of funding from the GSA, and the Agency is looking forward to seeing new research and successful use of Galileo in the near future.

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).

GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers

9.12.2015 13:37  
09/12/2015

On November 24, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) hosted its 3rd Annual Workshop with Receiver Manufacturers at its headquarters in Prague, where discussions focused on the adoption of Galileo in chipsets and receivers.

Since 2010, the GSA has paid special attention to cooperation with chipset and receiverA recent workshop hosted by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) highlighted the adoption of Galileo in chipsets and receivers. manufacturers in order to ensure market readiness for Galileo Initial Services, as GNSS hardware development can take up to several years. Thirty-five percent of receiver models are already Galileo enabled, and in Europe the number increases to more than 50%.

Workshop participants received an update on the Galileo programme status, programmatic documents and briefings on regulatory activities from the GSA, European Commission and ESA. The results of the Galileo receiver testing campaign were also presented, in which 16 receiver manufacturers took part. GSA provided the overall management of the campaign and relationship with the receiver manufacturers, while the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre conducts the tests of professional receivers and ESA of the mass-market ones. 

In order to accelerate the use of Galileo in receivers, the GSA will continue to hold industry consultations, as well as technical workshops and testing campaigns.

Galileo will add value to the overall multi-constellation performance, epecially in urban canyons and other areas with difficult conditions. The GSA is excited about the positive testing results, and is committed to supporting the receiver industry in their investments in Galileo. The recently launched Fundamental Elements R&D programme is one example of funding from the GSA, and the Agency is looking forward to seeing new research and successful use of Galileo in the near future.

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).

GSA hosts Workshop on Galileo Chipsets and Receivers

9.12.2015 13:37  
09/12/2015

On November 24, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) hosted its 3rd Annual Workshop with Receiver Manufacturers at its headquarters in Prague, where discussions focused on the adoption of Galileo in chipsets and receivers.

Since 2010, the GSA has paid special attention to cooperation with chipset and receiverA recent workshop hosted by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) highlighted the adoption of Galileo in chipsets and receivers. manufacturers in order to ensure market readiness for Galileo Initial Services, as GNSS hardware development can take up to several years. Thirty-five percent of receiver models are already Galileo enabled, and in Europe the number increases to more than 50%.

Workshop participants received an update on the Galileo programme status, programmatic documents and briefings on regulatory activities from the GSA, European Commission and ESA. The results of the Galileo receiver testing campaign were also presented, in which 16 receiver manufacturers took part. GSA provided the overall management of the campaign and relationship with the receiver manufacturers, while the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre conducts the tests of professional receivers and ESA of the mass-market ones. 

In order to accelerate the use of Galileo in receivers, the GSA will continue to hold industry consultations, as well as technical workshops and testing campaigns.

Galileo will add value to the overall multi-constellation performance, epecially in urban canyons and other areas with difficult conditions. The GSA is excited about the positive testing results, and is committed to supporting the receiver industry in their investments in Galileo. The recently launched Fundamental Elements R&D programme is one example of funding from the GSA, and the Agency is looking forward to seeing new research and successful use of Galileo in the near future.

Video: Message Received: Ensuring that Navigation Devices are ready for 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).

Mistrale may Change the way Farmers Manage Irrigation

7.12.2015 13:46  
07/12/2015

Mistrale, a project to develop a soil moisture monitoring drone  funded by the GSA under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, is changing the way European farmers decide on where, when and how much to irrigate. The UAV-mounted sensor produces a detailed map showing the soil moisture differences in an area.

“The population of the world is growing by two billion people,” says Jeroen Verschoore, one The Mistrale project started in March 2015, and the first test phase was completed in early August. ©Mistrale Projectof the project managers. “To feed this increasing population requires higher yields. One way is to increase production is to improve the water supply since irrigated crops have a two times higher yield than non-irrigated crops. Adequate soil moisture mapping is a relevant tool to understand the different water needs in different corners of the field.”

Mistrale uses GNSS Reflectometry to create soil moisture maps for farmers and decision makers on water boards and in nature management. The project started in March 2015, and the first test flight was completed in early August. For this test flight a manned aircraft was filled with extensive equipment. Verschoore says this will be downsized and in the future Mistrale will be able to conduct surveys using UAVs.

Also Read: Precision Agriculture Helps Feed Earth’s Growing Population

Currently, an antenna on top of the plane registers the signals of Galileo satellites (on top of GPS and GLONASS ones), measuring their signal’s strength and position. Another antenna located on the bottom of the plane measures the reflected signal, with the characteristics of the reflections revealing the amount of moisture in the soil. “We use GNSS for multiple purposes,” explains Verschoore. “For example, we use EGNOS and, in the future the Galileo signal, both to navigate and for the remote sensing of soil moisture.” 

The second part of the project involves computing a detailed map of the field depicting the areas of different moisture levels via a user-friendly interface. The objective is to extract soil-moisture data and quickly deliver the corresponding map to a farmer or reservoir manager within an hour. Verschoore stresses the importance of this time element: “When you are talking about irrigation you have to be quick,” he says. “When a farmer thinks the soil is dry, he wants to be able to easily measure and find an immediate solution.”

The European GNSS Advantage

MISTRALE uses European GNSS data for both navigating the UAV and for measuring the soil moisture underneath the area it is flying.

The use of Galileo signals, with the larger bandwidth and different carrier frequencies, will significantly improve the precision of mapping. EGNOS will help in improving the vertical accuracy of the positioning solution of the UAV.

Using Galileo satellite signals and UAVs, accurate, cost-efficient soil moisture maps will be produced with a high spatial resolution and flexibility in time: one can fly Mistrale immediately when there is a need to probe the soil humidity conditions.  The Mistrale solution is very agile compared to other mapping techniques and can be used where ever information about soil moisture is necessary, including agricultural fields, flooded areas and natural reservations, to name just a few.

Watch This: Mistrale at the European Space Expo in Milan

The Mistrale project will run for three years. The project will move to the UAV stage within the next two and a half years, as Galileo-based solution offer farmers more precise and faster measurements than available with current sensors or Earth Observation data.

“When you look at a field, you have to look at the differences in soil and height, and also at the crop,” Verschoore says. It is not easy to install a soil sensor. If it was placed next to a potato plant, or another plant that uses a lot of water, the soil could seem dry when just a few feet away it’s much moister. “You need to measure the whole field, and by using the Galileo system you can quickly obtain a high resolution moisture map of your field” he says.

A Group Effort

The Mistrale project brings together a number of European partners. STARLAB provides the front end and the algorithms for the GNSS-R instrument, while M3Systems delivers the back end and implements EGNOS for GNSS integrity for the UAS navigation. GET analyses user needs and inputs data for scientific processing. L’Avion Jaune does the test flights and demonstrations, and ENAC is developing the UAS. AeroVision is responsible for dissemination and the advisory board.

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).

Mistrale may Change the way Farmers Manage Irrigation

7.12.2015 13:46  
07/12/2015

Mistrale, a project to develop a soil moisture monitoring drone  funded by the GSA under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, is changing the way European farmers decide on where, when and how much to irrigate. The UAV-mounted sensor produces a detailed map showing the soil moisture differences in an area.

“The population of the world is growing by two billion people,” says Jeroen Verschoore, one The Mistrale project started in March 2015, and the first test phase was completed in early August. ©Mistrale Projectof the project managers. “To feed this increasing population requires higher yields. One way is to increase production is to improve the water supply since irrigated crops have a two times higher yield than non-irrigated crops. Adequate soil moisture mapping is a relevant tool to understand the different water needs in different corners of the field.”

Mistrale uses GNSS Reflectometry to create soil moisture maps for farmers and decision makers on water boards and in nature management. The project started in March 2015, and the first test flight was completed in early August. For this test flight a manned aircraft was filled with extensive equipment. Verschoore says this will be downsized and in the future Mistrale will be able to conduct surveys using UAVs.

Also Read: Precision Agriculture Helps Feed Earth’s Growing Population

Currently, an antenna on top of the plane registers the signals of Galileo satellites (on top of GPS and GLONASS ones), measuring their signal’s strength and position. Another antenna located on the bottom of the plane measures the reflected signal, with the characteristics of the reflections revealing the amount of moisture in the soil. “We use GNSS for multiple purposes,” explains Verschoore. “For example, we use EGNOS and, in the future the Galileo signal, both to navigate and for the remote sensing of soil moisture.” 

The second part of the project involves computing a detailed map of the field depicting the areas of different moisture levels via a user-friendly interface. The objective is to extract soil-moisture data and quickly deliver the corresponding map to a farmer or reservoir manager within an hour. Verschoore stresses the importance of this time element: “When you are talking about irrigation you have to be quick,” he says. “When a farmer thinks the soil is dry, he wants to be able to easily measure and find an immediate solution.”

The European GNSS Advantage

MISTRALE uses European GNSS data for both navigating the UAV and for measuring the soil moisture underneath the area it is flying.

The use of Galileo signals, with the larger bandwidth and different carrier frequencies, will significantly improve the precision of mapping. EGNOS will help in improving the vertical accuracy of the positioning solution of the UAV.

Using Galileo satellite signals and UAVs, accurate, cost-efficient soil moisture maps will be produced with a high spatial resolution and flexibility in time: one can fly Mistrale immediately when there is a need to probe the soil humidity conditions.  The Mistrale solution is very agile compared to other mapping techniques and can be used where ever information about soil moisture is necessary, including agricultural fields, flooded areas and natural reservations, to name just a few.

Watch This: Mistrale at the European Space Expo in Milan

The Mistrale project will run for three years. The project will move to the UAV stage within the next two and a half years, as Galileo-based solution offer farmers more precise and faster measurements than available with current sensors or Earth Observation data.

“When you look at a field, you have to look at the differences in soil and height, and also at the crop,” Verschoore says. It is not easy to install a soil sensor. If it was placed next to a potato plant, or another plant that uses a lot of water, the soil could seem dry when just a few feet away it’s much moister. “You need to measure the whole field, and by using the Galileo system you can quickly obtain a high resolution moisture map of your field” he says.

A Group Effort

The Mistrale project brings together a number of European partners. STARLAB provides the front end and the algorithms for the GNSS-R instrument, while M3Systems delivers the back end and implements EGNOS for GNSS integrity for the UAS navigation. GET analyses user needs and inputs data for scientific processing. L’Avion Jaune does the test flights and demonstrations, and ENAC is developing the UAS. AeroVision is responsible for dissemination and the advisory board.

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 Publications on LPV Operations Released

7.12.2015 10:42  
07/12/2015

The GSA, along with the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), have published two new guides aimed at helping the aviation sector, and in particular ANSPs, airports and aircraft operators, take advantage of EGNOS within their operations.

How to get Operational Approval

The first publication serves as a ‘how-to’ guide for obtaining RNP APCH operational approvalThe GSA and ESSP guides aim to help ANSPs, airports and aircraft operators take advantage of EGNOS within their operations. in Europe. Entitled How to Obtain RNP APCH Operational Approval to LPV Minima in Europe, the publication provides a set of simple guidelines for aircraft operators within the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) area to facilitate operational approval by their national authorities to perform Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance (LPV) operations.

Technically known as RNP Approach procedures down to LPV minima, LPVs were introduced within the PBN concept as new approach operations based on SBAS (EGNOS in Europe), a technology providing augmentation to GNSS systems like GPS. This type of approach allows for ILS lookalike procedures down to a minimum as low as 200 feet without the need to install any ground infrastructure. As of November 2015, there are over 220 LPV procedures published in Europe, with plans for more than 440 by 2018.

Also Read: EGNOS for Aviation Market Report

To take advantage of these procedures, operators typically need specific approval to fly them. For example, European CAT operators must apply for a specific approval (SPA) via their competent authority. This is because LPVs are a relatively new concept that require not only that the aircraft and its cockpit avionics have the corresponding airworthiness approval, but also that pilots have appropriate training, checking standards and operational procedures in place.

Granted, EASA is currently working to amend some of these regulations, eliminating the burden of having to apply for an SPA. However, operators will still be required to put the necessary operational procedures in place and amend their operational manuals accordingly to obtain approval from their authorities – as is the case for other instrument approach procedures.

To help guide you through the approval process, this How To guide provides step-by-step guidance and insight, covering such topics as:

  • What are LPV Approach Procedures
  • Current Means to Obtain LPV Operational Approval
  • Preliminary Certification Requirements
  • Operational Procedures and Operational Manual Amendments
  • Crew Training and Training Package Update
  • Application for Operational Approval
  • EU Member State Singularities
  • Mid-Term Evolution of European Regulation on PBN

The guide is free and can be downloaded here.

For ANSPs, Airports and Aircraft Operators

On the other side of the equation is the process of actually implementing LPV, for both ANSP/airports and aircraft operators, which is the focus of the second publication. Entitled Guidelines for ANSP/Airports and Aircraft Operators for LPV Implementation, this publication provides a set of generic guidelines for Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), airport operators and aircraft operators within the ECAC area to facilitate the operational implementation of LPV operations.

Watch This: EGNOS and Aviation

Implementing LPV procedures provides numerous operational benefits. For example, it reduces the trajectory dispersion, thus reducing the flight’s noise footprint and fuel consumption. More so, in some cases LPVs offer straight-in approaches where not otherwise possible when using conventional NPAs, not to mention having the potential to remove the need for circling approaches.

To ensure both airport and aircraft operators are able to take full advantage of these benefits, the Guidelines cover such topics as:

  • EGNOS (system description, services, Safety of Life service, etc.)
  • RNP APCH Down to LPV Minima within the ICAO Context
  • LPV Implementation Drivers
  • LPV Implementation Regulatory Framework
  • Guidelines for ANSPs and Airports
  • Guidelines for Aircraft Operators

The publication is free 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).

GSA Talks EGNOS Advantage with Dutch General Aviation Community

2.12.2015 11:03  
02/12/2015

The GSA recently joined members of the Dutch General Aviation Community at Lelystad airfield to discuss the safe use of GNSS – including EGNOS – within the context of General Aviation (GA) operations.

According to the GSA, with EGNOS-based approaches and landings, GA willPlans are underway to publish an additional seven procedures at four airports over the course of the next two years. (click to enlarge) have access to more small and regional airports – such as Lelystad. This is because EGNOS-enabled landings allow for Cat-1 like approaches (RNP APCH down to LPV 200) without the need for the expensive ground infrastructure that many of these small airports simply cannot afford. In other words, when these airports have a published LPV (Localized Performance with Vertical Guidance) procedure, an-aircraft equipped with EGNOS capable avionics and flown by a properly trained pilot can perform a precision approach with a decision height as low as 200 feet – with the entire approach based on GNSS, as opposed to ground-based navigation aids.  

Also Read: EGNOS LPV 200 Enables Safer Aircraft Landings

“RNAV approaches bring a huge benefit to smaller operators and airports,” says presenter Bart Banning of NIN LVNL. “Thanks to its enhanced efficiency and safety, we believe that soon the entire GA community will be using EGNOS-based approaches – and we’re ready to support many more of these approaches starting today.”

The Lelystad event highlighted the use of EGNOS in the Netherlands. Currently, Deventer Teuge (EHTE) has one published procedure and Groningen/Eelde (EHGG) two. The GSA noted that plans are underway to publish an additional seven procedures at four airports over the course of the next two years. These include two at Lelystad (EHLE), one at Maastricht (EHBK), two at Rotterdam (EHRD) and two at Schiphol (EHAM). Once complete, GA pilots operating in the Netherlands will be able to choose from a comprehensive LPV network spread across the country.

Also Read: General Aviation Enthusiastic About EGNOS

Other topics covered during the workshop included Performance Based Navigation (PBN), Area Navigation (RNAV), an array of regulatory aspects and a look at the GSA funded ACCEPTA project. The event, which attracted nearly 100 participants, was jointly organized by the Netherlands Institute for Navigation (NIN), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Royal Dutch Society for Aerospace (KNVvL).

Discover: EGNOS benefits for General Aviation

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).

GSA Talks EGNOS Advantage with Dutch General Aviation Community

2.12.2015 11:03  
02/12/2015

The GSA recently joined members of the Dutch General Aviation Community at Lelystad airfield to discuss the safe use of GNSS – including EGNOS – within the context of General Aviation (GA) operations.

According to the GSA, with EGNOS-based approaches and landings, GA willPlans are underway to publish an additional seven procedures at four airports over the course of the next two years. (click to enlarge) have access to more small and regional airports – such as Lelystad. This is because EGNOS-enabled landings allow for Cat-1 like approaches (RNP APCH down to LPV 200) without the need for the expensive ground infrastructure that many of these small airports simply cannot afford. In other words, when these airports have a published LPV (Localized Performance with Vertical Guidance) procedure, an-aircraft equipped with EGNOS capable avionics and flown by a properly trained pilot can perform a precision approach with a decision height as low as 200 feet – with the entire approach based on GNSS, as opposed to ground-based navigation aids.  

Also Read: EGNOS LPV 200 Enables Safer Aircraft Landings

“RNAV approaches bring a huge benefit to smaller operators and airports,” says presenter Bart Banning of NIN LVNL. “Thanks to its enhanced efficiency and safety, we believe that soon the entire GA community will be using EGNOS-based approaches – and we’re ready to support many more of these approaches starting today.”

The Lelystad event highlighted the use of EGNOS in the Netherlands. Currently, Deventer Teuge (EHTE) has one published procedure and Groningen/Eelde (EHGG) two. The GSA noted that plans are underway to publish an additional seven procedures at four airports over the course of the next two years. These include two at Lelystad (EHLE), one at Maastricht (EHBK), two at Rotterdam (EHRD) and two at Schiphol (EHAM). Once complete, GA pilots operating in the Netherlands will be able to choose from a comprehensive LPV network spread across the country.

Also Read: General Aviation Enthusiastic About EGNOS

Other topics covered during the workshop included Performance Based Navigation (PBN), Area Navigation (RNAV), an array of regulatory aspects and a look at the GSA funded ACCEPTA project. The event, which attracted nearly 100 participants, was jointly organized by the Netherlands Institute for Navigation (NIN), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Royal Dutch Society for Aerospace (KNVvL).

Save the Date! 2016 European Space Solutions

1.12.2015 14:17  
01/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the fourth edition of the European Space Solutions conference, 30 May – 3 June 2016 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

The fourth edition of the European Space Solutions conference is set for 30 MayDon’t miss the opportunity for an inside look at Galileo and EGNOS and the important role they play in a wide range of applications and sectors. through 3 June 2016 in The Hague, The Netherlands. Under the auspices of the 2016 Dutch Presidency of the European Council, this five-day event will highlight how space-based services and technologies are the key to providing the efficient, effective and sustainable services that European society demands.

The conference will bring together leaders and representatives of the public and private sectors from Europe and across the globe, along with users, developers and thought leaders for a wide-array of presentations, panel discussions, workshops and a unique hands-on showcase of innovative space solutions.

Top Five Reasons to Attend

  1. Listen to European policy makers discuss how to harness space in tackling Europe’s tough challenges
  2. Get inspired by extraordinary speakers from international industry, research and institutional entities.
  3. Discover innovative, effective and efficient solutions in the areas of Agriculture and Food, Water, Mobility, Climate Change, Health and Safety, and Energy
  4. Meet entrepreneurs, start-ups, industry leaders, space stakeholders, investors, researchers and policy makers and network with more than 2,000 professionals coming from across Europe and beyond.
  5. See a showcase of the latest space-based applications in Earth observation, satellite navigation, and European space research

Pre-register Today!

Don’t miss this opportunity for an inside look at the possibilities space applications offer to a wide range of businesses and sectors.

While in The Hague, you can also visit the European Space Expo, which is set to touch down in The Hague’s Old City Centre from 27 May – 5 June. Join the over 900,000 European citizens who have already visited this unique, hands-on showcase of Europe’s space programmes.

More information, preliminary agenda and pre-registration for the European Space Solutions conference is available 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).

Save the Date! 2016 European Space Solutions

1.12.2015 14:17  
01/12/2015

Mark your calendar for the fourth edition of the European Space Solutions conference, 30 May – 3 June 2016 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

The fourth edition of the European Space Solutions conference is set for 30 MayDon’t miss the opportunity for an inside look at Galileo and EGNOS and the important role they play in a wide range of applications and sectors. through 3 June 2016 in The Hague, The Netherlands. Under the auspices of the 2016 Dutch Presidency of the European Council, this five-day event will highlight how space-based services and technologies are the key to providing the efficient, effective and sustainable services that European society demands.

The conference will bring together leaders and representatives of the public and private sectors from Europe and across the globe, along with users, developers and thought leaders for a wide-array of presentations, panel discussions, workshops and a unique hands-on showcase of innovative space solutions.

Top Five Reasons to Attend

  1. Listen to European policy makers discuss how to harness space in tackling Europe’s tough challenges
  2. Get inspired by extraordinary speakers from international industry, research and institutional entities.
  3. Discover innovative, effective and efficient solutions in the areas of Agriculture and Food, Water, Mobility, Climate Change, Health and Safety, and Energy
  4. Meet entrepreneurs, start-ups, industry leaders, space stakeholders, investors, researchers and policy makers and network with more than 2,000 professionals coming from across Europe and beyond.
  5. See a showcase of the latest space-based applications in Earth observation, satellite navigation, and European space research

Pre-register Today!

Don’t miss this opportunity for an inside look at the possibilities space applications offer to a wide range of businesses and sectors.

While in The Hague, you can also visit the European Space Expo, which is set to touch down in The Hague’s Old City Centre from 27 May – 5 June. Join the over 900,000 European citizens who have already visited this unique, hands-on showcase of Europe’s space programmes.

More information, preliminary agenda and pre-registration for the European Space Solutions conference is available here

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

Galileo Open Service SIS ICD: New version 1.2 released

30.11.2015 16:19  
30/11/2015

The European Commission has published a new release 1.2 of the Galileo Open Service Signal In Space Interface Control Document (OS SIS ICD v1.2). The document provides the information needed by receiver and chipset manufacturers, application developers and service providers to process and make use of the open signals generated by the Galileo satellites.

The OS SIS ICD contains the publicly available information on the Galileo Open ServiceThe latest version of the OS SIS ICD is based on feedback from receiver manufacturers and other stakeholders. Signal In Space, specifying the interface between the Galileo space and user segments. The Galileo user segment is of particular interest to the European GNSS Agency (GSA), which has been delegated responsibility for the programme’s service provision by the European Commission. In fulfilment of this role, the GSA is well advanced in developing the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), which provides the single interface for information and help to users of the Galileo Open Service (OS). Once fully developed, the GSC will operate on a 24/7 basis and offer a range of services, including hosting the Galileo User Helpdesk, providing the interfaces between the Galileo System and OS users and hosting a centre of expertise for OS service aspects. 

The OS SIS ICD is a key document as it provides the information required by receiver and chipset manufacturers, application developers and service providers to be able to process the Open Service signals generated by the Galileo satellites. In particular, the document specifies:

  • Galileo signal characteristics
  • Characteristics of Galileo spreading codes
  • Galileo message structure
  • Message data contents

The latest version is based on feedback from receiver manufacturers and other stakeholders received during an extensive public consultation in 2014.

The GSA further highlights the importance of this document for the development of receiver technology, which is the key enabler for translating Galileo signals into useful services. Over the past several years, the GSA has been engaged in open dialogue with chipset and receiver manufacturers, paving the way for Galileo to be fully integrated into a new generation of receivers and ensuring its signals will provide a wide array of new applications and services that directly benefit European citizens.

The Details

In addition to a number of minor editorial improvements including corrections and clarifications, an annex with numerical examples of FEC coding and interleaving has been added and the licence agreement has been revised and simplified. The document now refers to a companion document, "Ionospheric Correction Algorithm for Galileo Single Frequency Users", containing details on the ionospheric model used for Galileo. The E1-B, E1-C and E5 Primary Codes in Annex C are no longer included in the paper version, but are available in the electronic version of the ICD.

The Galileo OS SIS ICD v1.2 document can be downloaded here.

The Ionospheric Correction Algorithm for Galileo Single Frequency Users document can be downloaded here.

Paper copies are available on request by contacting the European Commission grow-galileo@ec.europa.eu.

Related links:

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

GNSS State of Play: The Road Segment

30.11.2015 10:12  
30/11/2015

In global terms, the road sector is one of the largest and most dynamic consumer markets, representing a major business opportunity for GNSS technology applications. With a projected 2023 worldwide market for road-vehicle GNSS receivers now estimated at 620 million, the future for EGNOS and GALILEO-related road applications looks promising.

At the same time, steadily increasing road traffic in Europe does haveIn global terms, the road sector is one of the largest and most dynamic consumer markets, representing a major business opportunity for GNSS technology applications. a significant down side, including traffic congestion, accidents and increasing pollution. But GNSS technologies, now standard equipment in cars and other vehicles, are enabling services that respond to all of these issues, from fuel-saving route guidance to electronic toll charging, life-saving applications and ensuring the security of hazardous materials transportation.

Read the Report: GNSS Market Report Road

The Agency is focusing on three key GNSS Road application areas:

  1. Safety-critical applications
  2. Liability and payment applications
  3. Policy-related applications

Safety Critical Applications

“Safety-critical applications leverage precise and secure positioning in situations where humans can come to harm or where systems or the environment could be damaged,” says GSA Market Development Officer Alberto Fernandez-Wyttenbach. As an example, he cites the so-called ‘connected vehicles’. Here, GNSS positioning information provides situational awareness that can be transmitted to other vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications, contributing to the safety of the driver.

Watch This: EGNOS for Road

Meanwhile, autonomous vehicles are also rising on the agenda. These vehicles are enabled by a combination of different technologies and sensors that allow the vehicle itself to identify the optimal trajectory. European GNSS will play a key role here by providing relevant inputs for integrated navigation, such as precise vehicle location and speed.

Another key safety-related application is dangerous goods tracking, involving the transmission of GNSS-based positioning data on vehicles carrying such goods, along with other information about the status of the cargo.
Liability, Payment and Policy-Related Applications

“Liability and payment applications generate information of legal or economic significance, based on positioning data,” Fernandez-Wyttenbach says. “For example, under GNSS-based schemes for road-user charging (RUC), operators can charge motorists for the actual distance travelled, without barriers or gantries. And interoperable GNSS-based road charging is much easier to expand and to link with other similar schemes, even across borders.”

Also Read: Progress for Galileo at ASECAP

In a different but related sector, insurance telematics use GNSS data to assess individual driving behaviour. The so-called ‘black boxes’ rely on GNSS data to increase the fairness of motor insurance for both insurers and subscribers..

 “And then there is a set of new applications, which are used to apply the transport policies introduced by national or international legislations”, he explains. As an example he cites the pan-European ‘eCall’ scheme. The scheme involves a GNSS-enabled in-vehicle system that sends a 112 emergency call in the event of an accident, thus accelerating emergency assistance to drivers. When the European Parliament voted in favour of a new eCall regulation last April, Commissioner for Digital Society and Economy Günther H. Oettinger said: “eCall is a perfect example of an EU-supported project that has developed technological solutions to save people's lives.”

Another application the GSA is looking at is digital tachographs. The so-called smart tachographs leverage GNSS positioning to support road enforcers, recording the position of a given vehicle at different points during the working day.

The Next Generation of GNSS Receivers

Newer and higher-performance receivers now set for release will play an important role in safety-critical applications, particularly connected vehicles and autonomous driving. These two applications represent a disruptive and revolutionary innovation and will have to overcome a number of regulatory, economical, technological and social challenges.

For instance, further software development and testing is still needed, security is still an issue, as is public opinion. Liability models must be defined in a way that consumers are convinced to pay a premium for self-driving technologies. Finally, governments still need to define appropriate policies.

Read This: European GNSS Creates Opportunities for Fairer Road Tolling

Right now, the United States seems to move first in this area, being more flexible than Europe in terms of road transportation policy and regulation. The US is also the world leader in automotive sales revenues, and the use of road vehicles is more popular there than in Europe or Asia.

On the other hand, some European countries are making an impressive investment in pilot projects for driverless cars, so Europe is not completely off the radar in this area.

Research and Impact

The European satellite navigation systems Galileo and EGNOS represent important new implements for change in Europe and in the drive to meet key global challenges, including the ever-increasing demand for mobility.

The importance of road transport has not escaped the European Union and is reflected in the proportion of EU research funding set aside for road-related projects. Under the GNSS section of the EU research budget, road projects have been and will continue to be among the most frequently proposed by the R&D industry. The importance of road transport has also been highlighted in the GSA’s GNSS Market Report and in the Agency’s market development strategy.

According to GSA analyses, road transport has also been among the research areas achieving the greatest market impact, in terms of the number of real marketable products or services achieved.

All this points to a solid central position for road-related GNSS, backed by strong support from Europe’s private and public sectors.

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).

GSA and Galileo Services Confirm Commitment to Downstream Market

26.11.2015 12:19  
26/11/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) and Galileo Services (GS) recently met to confirm their continued commitment to ensuring the success of both European GNSS programmes and industry. 

The GSA recently met with Galileo Services, who represents the European GNSS downstreamThe ultimate objectives of the cooperation is to foster European GNSS market uptake and promote the emergence of a dynamic downstream sector. industry, to discuss the market uptake of Galileo and EGNOS. The meeting, which took place at GSA Headquarters in Prague on 25 November, reconfirmed the two organisations’ collaboration on Europe’s GNSS programmes.

The focus of the dialog was on a recent GS published position paper entitled “Europe Must Succeed in the Global Navigation Race”. The paper highlights potential plans for increasing the development of the GNSS market in Europe and, in particular, the uptake of Galileo and EGNOS – a task at the core of the GSA’s mission.

“I am pleased to see a convergence of views on many of the actions identified in the paper, including market intelligence and the promotion and support of R&D activities,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “In this direction, the GSA is pleased to see GS members actively involved in Horizon 2020 R&D projects.”

“Galileo Services deeply appreciates the resources and actions coming from the GSA and other European institutions aimed at strengthening European GNSS and its downstream market,” adds GS Chairman Gard Ueland. “However, we need to do more to ensure that European industry can take full advantage of this booming, global market.”

Des Dorides noted that working in close collaboration with industry is a key task for the GSA. In support of this objective, the GSA has published its GNSS Market Report, which serves as an essential tool for understanding the evolution and current state of the global GNSS market.

Likewise, the GS Position Paper aims to serve as a roadmap, outlining a series of crucial steps Europe needs to implement to succeed at achieving its market potential.

Both organisations reconfirmed their commitment to cooperation, both with each other and with other stakeholders, with the ultimate objectives of fostering European GNSS market uptake and promoting the emergence of a dynamic European GNSS downstream sector. 

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).

European GNSS Proves Powerful in the Farming Field

25.11.2015 10:51  
25/11/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) attended Agritechnica – the world’s largest trade fair for agricultural machinery and equipment – in Hanover, Germany to discuss and promote the important role that European GNSS plays in precision farming.

Precision agriculture utilises a myriad of different technologies to make farming moreDuring Agritechnica, the CLAAS Group was awarded a silver medal for its CLAAS field route optimisation system, a solution that was financed by the GSA FP7 project GEOPAL. efficient, to improve crop yield and reduce environmental impact. GNSS-enabled applications are key to these efforts, from farm machinery guidance using GNSS positioning, to automatic steering, yield monitoring and livestock tracking.

One of the most beneficial uses of GNSS is in yield monitoring, where the output of a yield sensor is combined with the GNSS positioning of the harvester, enabling site-specific monitoring. Soil condition monitoring, allowing farmers to see real-time updates on soil moisture levels, fertility, and diseases, is another area where GNSS applications are extremely useful.

“The role of European GNSS systems, specifically EGNOS and soon Galileo, in agriculture is to decrease costs and increase yields.,” said GSA Market Development Officer Reinhard Blasi, speaking at Agritechnica in Hanover. “Precision agriculture is highly effective, and allows farmers to optimise their fields with less fertiliser, pesticide, fuel, or labour input, so they can reinvest those savings in new equipment or other growth options.”

With a growing world population that needs to be fed, along with increasing climate issues, maximising output while saving resources is more important than ever. The main GNSS application is tractor guidance, which increases efficiency. When used to spray insecticides or in harvesting crops, EGNOS also increases yields and helps provide food supply around the world.

GNSS Applications in the Field

At Agritechnica, several companies demonstrated how they are using satellite navigation on a daily basis. For example, Topcon Precision Agriculture offers five solutions using satellite navigation:

  • Control–auto-steering
  • Implements–seeding and spraying
  • Measuring the colour of green
  • Drones (both fixed wing and octocopter)
  • Yield Mapping Monitor

Topcon currently uses GPS and Glonass, but is eagerly awaiting Galileo. “The technology comes just in time,” said Julian Rioja, Marketing Manager EAME for Topcon.

Another company benefiting from EGNOS in the field is AGCO. AGCO uses EGNOS technology for precision mapping, field mapping for harvest, and mapping yield. “The EGNOS capability works well in our machinery, and we have had good interactions with the GSA,” said Paul Lay, Manager, Marketing Creative Services and Public Relations. “We’re ready for Galileo.”

Farmnet 365’s Klaus-Herbert Rolf agreed that EGNOS has been working well in the agriculture sector. “One of the biggest success of EGNOS is in the agriculture industry,” he said, citing food traceability as one area of particular success. 365 Farmnet’s technology currently saves 5% of working time for farmers, and saves 10-15 Euro per hectare. He also noted that the company is business-ready for Galileo, and he hopes the technology is launched soon, with a comprehensive communication strategy for businesses, in order to develop a complete roadmap and training plan to implement it as seamlessly as possible. 

GSA-Financed Project Takes Home Award

Also at Agritechnica, the CLAAS Group was awarded a silver medal for its CLAAS field route optimisation system, which optimises working passes for every field and accurately forecasts the processing time required. The solution, which results in an average cost reduction of 6%, was financed by the GSA FP7 project GEOPAL.
“This represents a tremendous potential, seeing that we have about 13 million farms in Europe,” said Christian Radons, Senior Manager Precision Farming at CLAAS Global. “We greatly appreciate the joint efforts from the GSA, and we are proud to have a great sellable product in the market.”

Anticipating Galileo

The GSA is eager to see how Galileo will enhance precision farming even further once utilised by agriculture companies. Both now and in the future, GNSS-enabled applications are a cost-effective solution to make farming more efficient, increase crop yield, and reduce the environmental impact of farming.

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).

European GNSS Proves Powerful in the Farming Field

25.11.2015 10:51  
25/11/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) attended Agritechnica – the world’s largest trade fair for agricultural machinery and equipment – in Hanover, Germany to discuss and promote the important role that European GNSS plays in precision farming.

Precision agriculture utilises a myriad of different technologies to make farming moreDuring Agritechnica, the CLAAS Group was awarded a silver medal for its CLAAS field route optimisation system, a solution that was financed by the GSA FP7 project GEOPAL. efficient, to improve crop yield and reduce environmental impact. GNSS-enabled applications are key to these efforts, from farm machinery guidance using GNSS positioning, to automatic steering, yield monitoring and livestock tracking.

One of the most beneficial uses of GNSS is in yield monitoring, where the output of a yield sensor is combined with the GNSS positioning of the harvester, enabling site-specific monitoring. Soil condition monitoring, allowing farmers to see real-time updates on soil moisture levels, fertility, and diseases, is another area where GNSS applications are extremely useful.

“The role of European GNSS systems, specifically EGNOS and soon Galileo, in agriculture is to decrease costs and increase yields.,” said GSA Market Development Officer Reinhard Blasi, speaking at Agritechnica in Hanover. “Precision agriculture is highly effective, and allows farmers to optimise their fields with less fertiliser, pesticide, fuel, or labour input, so they can reinvest those savings in new equipment or other growth options.”

With a growing world population that needs to be fed, along with increasing climate issues, maximising output while saving resources is more important than ever. The main GNSS application is tractor guidance, which increases efficiency. When used to spray insecticides or in harvesting crops, EGNOS also increases yields and helps provide food supply around the world.

GNSS Applications in the Field

At Agritechnica, several companies demonstrated how they are using satellite navigation on a daily basis. For example, Topcon Precision Agriculture offers five solutions using satellite navigation:

  • Control–auto-steering
  • Implements–seeding and spraying
  • Measuring the colour of green
  • Drones (both fixed wing and octocopter)
  • Yield Mapping Monitor

Topcon currently uses GPS and Glonass, but is eagerly awaiting Galileo. “The technology comes just in time,” said Julian Rioja, Marketing Manager EAME for Topcon.

Another company benefiting from EGNOS in the field is AGCO. AGCO uses EGNOS technology for precision mapping, field mapping for harvest, and mapping yield. “The EGNOS capability works well in our machinery, and we have had good interactions with the GSA,” said Paul Lay, Manager, Marketing Creative Services and Public Relations. “We’re ready for Galileo.”

Farmnet 365’s Klaus-Herbert Rolf agreed that EGNOS has been working well in the agriculture sector. “One of the biggest success of EGNOS is in the agriculture industry,” he said, citing food traceability as one area of particular success. 365 Farmnet’s technology currently saves 5% of working time for farmers, and saves 10-15 Euro per hectare. He also noted that the company is business-ready for Galileo, and he hopes the technology is launched soon, with a comprehensive communication strategy for businesses, in order to develop a complete roadmap and training plan to implement it as seamlessly as possible. 

GSA-Financed Project Takes Home Award

Also at Agritechnica, the CLAAS Group was awarded a silver medal for its CLAAS field route optimisation system, which optimises working passes for every field and accurately forecasts the processing time required. The solution, which results in an average cost reduction of 6%, was financed by the GSA FP7 project GEOPAL.
“This represents a tremendous potential, seeing that we have about 13 million farms in Europe,” said Christian Radons, Senior Manager Precision Farming at CLAAS Global. “We greatly appreciate the joint efforts from the GSA, and we are proud to have a great sellable product in the market.”

Anticipating Galileo

The GSA is eager to see how Galileo will enhance precision farming even further once utilised by agriculture companies. Both now and in the future, GNSS-enabled applications are a cost-effective solution to make farming more efficient, increase crop yield, and reduce the environmental impact of farming.

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).

EGNOS: A Cost-Effective Solution for GIS

24.11.2015 10:55  
24/11/2015

The European GNSS Agency together with ESSP demonstrates the improved accuracy of EGNOS at the annual ESRI user’s conference in Spain. 

The GSA, along with the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), recently presented success For municipalities and organisations hoping to obtain more accurate results, all that is needed is an EGNOS-compatible equipment.stories on EGNOS and ArcGIS at this year’s Conferencia ESRI España, the annual Environmental Systems Research Institute user’s conference in this country.

The Environmental Systems Research Institute (+ESRI) is an international supplier of GIS (Geographic Information System) software, web GIS, and geodatabase management application, holding about 40-percent of the global market share. At the conference, the GSA was able to demonstrate how EGNOS’ architecture and services work in real mapping situations.

Using the Barcelona Port Cartographic Institute measurement campaign as an example, the Agency together with ESRI showed how EGNOS improves GPS accuracy. Surveys of ports and harbours cover a range of topographic elevations and hydrographic depths to assess the condition of navigation channels. These assessments help quantify and determine dredging requirements, and the conditions of navigation structures such as jetties, breakwaters, and the adjacent shoreline.

The Barcelona Port Cartographic Institute wanted to check if EGNOS could fulfil the requirements put in place by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) to perform bathymetries. Typically, the data used to make bathymetric maps comes from an echo sounder mounted under or on the side of a boat, which ‘pings’ a beam of sound towards the seafloor. Next, a GNSS system positions the soundings with respect to the surface of the earth.

In this example, data was collected from an EGNOS compatible Leica GNSS system. After analysing the data collected using EGNOS, analysts found that the service accomplished the requirements of Surveys 1a (waters more than 40 meters deep), 1b, and 2, according to the IHO, in offshore bathymetrics.

Video of the ESRI conference - from 45:27 (coverage in Spanish)

The GSA, ESSP and ESRI also presented a case study from the beach of El Prat, a zone of high interest due to its constantly changing coastline – a result of dumping sand. The data accuracy of measurements collected from GPS and EGNOS signals were compared, using ZenoCollector, a solution from Leica Geosystems. ZenoCollector combines a high-accuracy data collection Zeno 20 device with another tool, the Collector for ArcGIS. The latter system allows data to be automatically synced online, where multiple people can view it instantly.

Results of both projects showed that EGNOS considerably improves GPS accuracy for free. For municipalities and organisations hoping to obtain more accurate results, all that is needed is an EGNOS-compatible requirement, and the vast majority are so. What was clearly demonstrated at the conference was the ease, benefits and cost-effectiveness of EGNOS for GIS.

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 Internet of Things: Cloud-based Services and Smart Living

19.11.2015 10:13  
19/11/2015

To highlight the essential role GNSS plays in the developing area of the Internet of Things, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) recently participated in four global events on the topic.

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a major development in the role of the Internet:The message is clear: European GNSS provides a level of reliability, precision and robustness that can help expand the Internet of Things and its benefits throughout the EU and beyond. the interconnectivity of uniquely identifiable devices. Beyond improving productivity and efficiency of organizations, IoT solutions are opening a new set of applications in almost every sector of the economy.  The IoT network can connect anything ranging from personal cell phones, tablets and PCs to smart roads, smart shelf signage and smart appliances.

While GNSS is integral to the Internet of Things, its role is often downplayed as an element within smart applications. To raise awareness of its role and to ensure that European GNSS programmes will be considered as important players in this potentially massive global market, the GSA recently took a closer look at the market trends surrounding the Internet of Things. 

The Essential Role of GNSS

At World Smart Week, an annual event dedicated to smart, connected services and innovation, the GSA took part in a panel discussion entitled ‘Geo-Location, the Beating Heart of IoT’. The discussion highlighted how location based services and timing information, using GNSS, will become increasingly important for IoT applications. For example, the improved accuracy and overall performance created by multi-constellation systems means GNSS will move from being a sensor to actually controlling the ‘things’, including UAVs and connected cars.

In Prague, at the IOT Forum, over 200 representatives of Czech companies gathered to discuss the role of IoT in industry. The GSA joined Vodafone, EMC, BMW, IDC, Robodrone and others for a panel discussion on the evolution of IoT. Specifically, the GSA explained how the technology enabling IoT relies heavily on sensors that connect the physical and digital worlds. As such, Galileo sensors will play an important role in providing valuable information on location, velocity and time.

At the TechUK Satellite Applications and Services Conference, the focus was on how new developments in satellite technology are expanding the scope of applications. New developments in satellite technology are finding applications not only in the traditional sectors of broadcasting, communications, navigation, earth observation and defence, but across the wider economy, including transport and healthcare. Speaking at the conference, the GSA stressed that European GNSS is an enabler of IoT, pointing to the ITS sector as an example where Galileo will provide better positioning accuracy and signal authentication.

Last but not least, at a seminar hosted by GNSS.asia in Taipei entitled ‘Smart X: When GNSS Meets the Internet of Things”, the GSA joined a variety of institutional and industrial experts from the EU and Taiwan. The event was an excellent opportunity to build a solid team of EU and Asian industrial professionals and GNSS experts, the GNSS.asia project seeks to develop relationships, networking opportunities, and increased visibility to Asian markets.

The Message is Clear

From these various events – across sectors and countries - the message is clear: European GNSS provides a level of reliability, precision and robustness that can help expand the Internet of Things and its benefits throughout the EU and beyond. By allowing for the development of new applications, in addition to the improvement of existing applications, European GNSS will provide new avenues of economic opportunity to EU countries, businesses and citizens via IoT.

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).

Carlo des Dorides Elected to Second Term as GSA Executive Director

18.11.2015 12:00  
18/11/2015

GSA Administrative Board unanimously votes to keep Carlo des Dorides at the helm of Europe’s satellite navigation agency for another four years.  

Carlo des Dorides has been re-elected as the Executive Director of the EuropeanCarlo des Dorides enters a second term as GSA Executive Director in the midst of an exciting time for the global GNSS market. GNSS Agency (GSA), following a unanimous vote from the GSA Administrative Board held on 30 October. The Board, comprised of representatives of the 28 EU Member States, elected des Dorides to a second four-year term on 29 October 2015. Per EU Regulation 512/2014, each EU member state has one vote, with four votes given to the European Commission.

“My election has a special significance this time. I was first elected following a one-hour interview by the GSA Administrative Board, but this time it was after five years of performance,” says des Dorides. “The next four years will put into practice all that we have been preparing for over the past five years. In 2017, for example, the Agency will be responsible for the service and operations of Galileo as well as EGNOS, where we have been in charge since 2014.”

As Executive Director, des Dorides sets the vision and goals for the GSA. Specifically, he is charged with ensuring the Agency accomplishes its mission of supporting the effective operation, maintenance and security of Europe’s satellite navigation systems, while guaranteeing optimal service levels and developing applications and services that ensure satellite technology benefits end users.

During his first term, des Dorides was focused on building an organisation that will focus on achieving the greatest return on investment for the Europe’s satellite navigation programmes – a goal he will continue to work toward in his second term.

A Space Orientated Career Path

For the past three decades des Dorides has been managing space service teams. In his role prior to Executive Director of the GSA, he held a management role at the European Commission, and was responsible for the definition of the Galileo/EGNOS exploitation phases.

Previously, he led the Concession Department at the European GNSS Supervisory Authority, and served as Chief Negotiator of the Galileo Public-Private-Partnership/Concession contract at the Galileo Joint Undertaking. This in-depth understanding of Galileo and EGNOS, as well as a career in management, helped him excel in his first term as Executive Director.

From a young age, des Dorides was interested in advanced satellite system management. After obtaining a degree in engineering from the University of Rome, he went on to achieve an M.B.A. from CUOA, Vicenza, Italy, and obtained additional education at the International Space University in Toulouse, France. From there, he worked in management in the aerospace sector, including a position as Head of Advanced Telecommunication Programmes and Programme Manager for major satellite telecommunication projects at Alenia Spazio. Later, he served as Director of Programmes and Engineering at ENAV, the Italian air navigation service provider.

Looking Ahead

Today, des Dorides enters a second term as GSA Executive Director in the midst of an exciting time for the GNSS market. There are currently more than 4 billion devices using GNSS services, and that number is expected to triple by 2023. The sector is estimated to grow at more than 8% each year until at least 2019. With all the potential for GNSS – and in particular European GNSS – in the coming four years, the GSA is looking forward to having des Dorides again at the forefront of Europe’s satellite navigation systems.

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

Carlo des Dorides Elected to Second Term as GSA Executive Director

18.11.2015 12:00  
18/11/2015

GSA Administrative Board unanimously votes to keep Carlo des Dorides at the helm of Europe’s satellite navigation agency for another four years.  

Carlo des Dorides has been re-elected as the Executive Director of the EuropeanCarlo des Dorides enters a second term as GSA Executive Director in the midst of an exciting time for the global GNSS market. GNSS Agency (GSA), following a unanimous vote from the GSA Administrative Board held on 30 October. The Board, comprised of representatives of the 28 EU Member States, elected des Dorides to a second four-year term on 29 November 2015. Per EU Regulation 512/2014, each EU member state has one vote, with four votes given to the European Commission.

“My election has a special significance this time. I was first elected following a one-hour interview by the GSA Administrative Board, but this time it was after five years of performance,” says des Dorides. “The next four years will put into practice all that we have been preparing for over the past five years. In 2017, for example, the Agency will be responsible for the service and operations of Galileo as well as EGNOS, where we have been in charge since 2014.”

As Executive Director, des Dorides sets the vision and goals for the GSA. Specifically, he is charged with ensuring the Agency accomplishes its mission of supporting the effective operation, maintenance and security of Europe’s satellite navigation systems, while guaranteeing optimal service levels and developing applications and services that ensure satellite technology benefits end users.

During his first term, des Dorides was focused on building an organisation that will focus on achieving the greatest return on investment for the Europe’s satellite navigation programmes – a goal he will continue to work toward in his second term.

A Space Orientated Career Path

For the past three decades des Dorides has been managing space service teams. In his role prior to Executive Director of the GSA, he held a management role at the European Commission, and was responsible for the definition of the Galileo/EGNOS exploitation phases.

Previously, he led the Concession Department at the European GNSS Supervisory Authority, and served as Chief Negotiator of the Galileo Public-Private-Partnership/Concession contract at the Galileo Joint Undertaking. This in-depth understanding of Galileo and EGNOS, as well as a career in management, helped him excel in his first term as Executive Director.

From a young age, des Dorides was interested in advanced satellite system management. After obtaining a degree in engineering from the University of Rome, he went on to achieve an M.B.A. from CUOA, Vicenza, Italy, and obtained additional education at the International Space University in Toulouse, France. From there, he worked in management in the aerospace sector, including a position as Head of Advanced Telecommunication Programmes and Programme Manager for major satellite telecommunication projects at Alenia Spazio. Later, he served as Director of Programmes and Engineering at ENAV, the Italian air navigation service provider.

Looking Ahead

Today, des Dorides enters a second term as GSA Executive Director in the midst of an exciting time for the GNSS market. There are currently more than 4 billion devices using GNSS services, and that number is expected to triple by 2023. The sector is estimated to grow at more than 8% each year until at least 2019. With all the potential for GNSS – and in particular European GNSS – in the coming four years, the GSA is looking forward to having des Dorides again at the forefront of Europe’s satellite navigation systems.

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

Expanding Opportunities for Maritime use of GNSS

17.11.2015 10:28  
17/11/2015

Maritime use of GNSS goes far beyond navigation at sea to include applications for search and rescue, inland waterways, environmental protection and sailing.

The maritime industry was quick to adopt satellite navigation, and anWhether on board the largest super-tankers and container ships or on small leisure craft using inexpensive handsets, GNSS has radically changed maritime navigation. estimated 87% of merchant shipping already uses global satellite systems for navigation and positioning. About 90% of world trade is carried by sea, and shipping accounts for around 40% of trade between EU-28 countries.

More so, there are more than 50,000 merchant ships over 500 GRT (gross registered tons) trading internationally. And, every year, some 400 million passengers use European ports. With larger ships costing over EUR 100 million to build and cargoes on very large crude carriers (VLCCs) worth over EUR 200 million, the stakes for security, safety and efficiency are high.

As a result, there is now rapidly growing interest in the huge potential of GNSS for leisure craft users, coastal navigation, search and rescue operations and navigation on inland waterways - especially in conjunction with a space-based augmentation system (SBAS) like the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS).

These are some of the forecasts contained in the latest edition of the GSA GNSS Market Report.

Multiple constellations and the challenges of accuracy and resilience

GNSS has radically changed maritime navigation, whether on board the largest super-tankers and container ships, which often have two or more receivers for redundancy, or on small leisure craft using inexpensive handsets. In fact, GNSS has become the main source of position and timing information for the integrated Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) that are used on merchant ships.

However, the widespread uptake of GNSS for commercial shipping has raised the need for common standards for performance, reliability and resilience across and within constellations. With the susceptibility of the GNSS signal to interruptions in the availability of any given constellation, the ability of receivers to process signals from more than one constellation is obviously an advantage.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) recognises the core GNSS constellations as part of the World Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS), and Galileo is currently pending approval. Galileo dual frequency receivers will be compliant with the accuracy levels required for navigation in ocean and coastal waters, harbour entrances and harbour approaches - with a Horizontal Navigation System Error of less than 10 metres, with a probability of 95%.

The GNSS signal is also vulnerable to interference (whether natural, because of reflections and canyons caused by port infrastructure and other shipping, or deliberate jamming and spoofing), emphasizing the need for shipping to integrate a complementary back-up navigation system. IMO is developing multisystem performance standards for ship-borne receivers, and the need to integrate the different available and future satellite navigation systems, as well as terrestrial systems (such as e-Loran) and augmentation systems (like DGPS or SBAS).

The IMO eNavigation Strategy Implementation Plan (SIP), which was approved by its Maritime Safety Committee in November 2014, is looking to optimize the integration of these complementary sources of PNT data with standards for an ergonomic, resilient and reliable common bridge display.

Coastal navigation, port approaches and inland waterways

GNSS is much more than a source of globally accessible PNT information for mariners in the open sea. When combined with SBAS, GNSS can provide accurate and reliable positioning, not just for ocean navigation, but also in port approaches, inland waterways and restricted waters. The signal can be used both on board and by shore-based VTS to assist port operations, traffic management and collision avoidance. SBAS-enabled GNSS is also commonly used in conjunction with DGPS and RTK in Portable Pilot Units (PPUs) to bring even the largest VLCCs and container vessels from deep draught channels at sea, all the way to berth.

GNSS is one of the key sources of position information for Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders, which exchange information with nearby ships and land-based vessel traffic services (VTS) on a vessel’s position, course and speed. AIS is mandatory on international shipping over 300 GRT, all cargo ships over 500 GRT, all passenger ships as well as fishing vessels over 15 m in length, under IMO regulation 19 of SOLAS Chapter V.
The AIS ground-based infrastructure can also be used to transmit SBAS correction signals, such as EGNOS, as a complementary source of accurate position information to overcome current issues of signal availability on some inland waterways. With around 37,000 km of inland waterways connecting European cities and industrial regions, the potential for increased safety and efficiency is considerable - over 520 million tonnes of freight were carried on EU-27 inland waterways in 2011 and the global inland waterways fleet is estimated at around 529,000 vessels.

Leisure craft, search and rescue

There are an estimated 29.2 million recreational vessels globally. Although they are not required to carry minimum navigational equipment under SOLAS, around 22% do have some form of GNSS receiver on board, many EGNOS-enabled – often without the skipper even knowing it.  According to the latest GSA GNSS Market Report, annual shipments of GNSS receivers for recreational navigation are likely to double from 1.15 million units in 2013, to 2 million units in 2013. Skippers, says the report, like to have technological aids to navigation with them, but often choose hand-held and non-professional devices.

By integrating accurate GNSS position information into distress beacon signals, GNSS is also revolutionising search and rescue (SAR) operations. By 2020, all Cospas-Sarsat Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Personal Location Beacons (PLBs) are expected to be using precise GNSS positioning, helping to reduce response times and save lives.  In Galileo-enabled beacons, the Galileo return link service will reassure the navigator that the signal has been received and that help is on its way.

Surveillance and environmental protection

Combined with SBAS, GNSS can be used to monitor and protect environmentally vulnerable areas, such as marine parks, and to monitor and prevent illegal fishing. Around 5 million tonnes of fish are caught each year by the EU fleet of 87,500 fishing vessels. As a result of legislation under the EU Common Fisheries Policy, some 9,000 fishing vessels in the European fleet are now fitted with GNSS-enabled vessel monitoring system (VTM) devices, alongside mandatory AIS transponders. These complementary systems allow a close watch to be kept on illegal fishing.

SBAS-enabled GNSS is also enabling vessel traffic services to play a greater role in offering navigational assistance in confined waters and to help improve efficiency of port operations. And SBAS-enabled GNSS can be used to track containers in busy terminals, such as the port of Antwerp, where a joint initiative with Septentrio uses EGNOS, with specially developed firmware linked to yard-management software.  Tracking containers from pick-up to drop-off the EGNOS-enabled Septentrio system can even remotely control the straddle carriers and gantry cranes, greatly improving efficiency.

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).

Big Data, Big Ideas at the Satellite Masters Conference

10.11.2015 10:57  
13/11/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) recently participated in the Satellite Masters Conference in Berlin, where it joined the discussions on Big Data, innovative applications, and the convergence of Earth Observation and GNSS.

The latest edition of the Satellite Masters Conference took place Throughout the course of the conference, various panel discussions were held on an array of hot topics in the field of satellite navigation and earth observation.in Berlin from 20 – 22 October, including the annual Awards Ceremony for the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC), the Copernicus Masters and a portfolio of conference sessions covering Earth Observation (EO) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Major themes were Big Data, how to accelerate the development and realisation of innovative applications in the market, and the convergence of EO and GNSS.

Dorothee Bär of the German Federal Ministry for Transport and Digital Infrastructure, the host of the conference, set the tone during the Opening Session by highlighting how navigation and earth observation are key instruments of the digital age. Specifically, Bär sees a need to focus on downstream applications, which serve as the essential link between space technology and digital infrastructure on the ground – which is exactly where the GSA comes in.

EGNOS and Galileo Pave the Future

According to GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, 2015 has been a busy year for Galileo, with successful launches and progress in the ground segment targeting the intermediate milestone of the launch of initial services in 2016. He also noted the excellent performance of EGNOS, which will soon enjoy enlarged coverage.

In particular, he highlighted the launch of LPV 200 capability in the aviation sector, which is already proving to be a major benefit in Europe and beyond. He also cited the concepts of smart cities, multi-modal logistics and the Internet of Things. “By 2020 it is anticipated that at least 50 billion ‘objects’ will be connected to the Internet,” he said. “Many of these will require positioning data services and applications.”

Matthias Petschke, Director of European Satellite Navigation Programmes at the European Commission, added that 6-7% of European GDP depends on the use of E-GNSS. Increasing the resiliency of these critical infrastructures would make a big difference, and Galileo will help. He also praised EGNOS, which he hailed as a true success story that was already making a huge difference in, for example, precision agriculture and civil aviation.

The European Commission’s Christoph Kautz gave an update on the two European GNSS programmes. As to Galileo, satellite launches are back on course, the ground infrastructure is expanding and the exploitation phase is now in sight with the target of 2017 and initial services in 2016. He also highlighted the decision to fund the next generation of EGNOS (V3) and extension of the service towards wide scale maritime and rail applications. He further discussed the European research and development funding for GNSS under the Horizon 2020 programme, along with the fundamental elements programme that aims to develop the chipsets and receivers Galileo needs to be in the market. In 2016, the Commission is looking to speed up market uptake through a variety of initiatives, and will also be looking to define strategic goals for the 2nd generation of satellites.

Hot Topics

Throughout the course of the conference, various panel discussions were held on an array of hot topics in the field of satellite navigation and earth observation. On the topic of Big Data, session moderator Jurry de la Mar of T-Systems said the world was experiencing a sensor revolution and managing all the data is proving a major challenge. “The data coming from EO operations over the next three years will be larger than the total collected by ESA in the last 30 years,” he said. “The key is to bring the user to the data, rather than data to the user, and for users to understand the semantics of the data. Handling this amount of data cannot be managed manually.”

One solution to the data overload is what Dr Manfred Krischke of CloudEO AG calls “geo-collaboration”. “Location based services are a key element of the sharing economy, enabling access to unused resources and saving costs,” he said. “Businesses should stop looking for the next killer app and start to make small apps that can be integrated with others via the geo-collaboration platform the cloud offers.”

Turning to Smart Cities, Stuart Martin of the UK’s Catapult Satellite Application declared it was the “Century of the City”. “The use of space data, along with GNSS, can have a massive impact on the development of Smarter Cities,” he said.

GNSS can also play an important role in creating Sustainable Solutions to Global Change. One example comes from the ESNC winner of Baden-Württemberg Challenge: ICARUS. ICARUS is a new global tracking service for small objects – birds and animals. Its aim is to monitor global migration, predict zoonotic diseases transmission and enhance climate modelling through a distributed animal-borne global sensor effort. Another example comes from the winner of the ESNC - The Netherlands Challenge and the University Challenge Special Prize, which uses GNSS monitoring of potential rain clouds over East Africa via low-cost receivers. The TAMHO project produces high resolution water vapour maps from GNSS signals that travel slightly slower through moist air. Low-cost receivers can measure this delay.

UAVs, or drones – always a hot topic at any GNSS event – was also discussed in Berlin. The panel highlighted two ESNC winners, including the overall Galileo Master Winner and also winner of the ESNC Valencian Community Challenge: POSEIDRON, a UAV for search and rescue and environmental defence using EGNOS and the Galileo SAR signal. Enrique JM Asensi saw applications in the current migrant crisis, as the vehicle can deploy a 70kg life raft, is 15 times cheaper than a helicopter and can be deployed in all conditions. The winning idea behind the ESNC - Switzerland Challenge and ESA Special Prize – RTKNAV – was described by Zhenzhong Su as a low cost, compact, real-time centimetre accuracy navigation solution. Its target market is high precision agriculture apps, UAVs, mobility, sport and health applications. “RTKNAV provids affordable, high precision for the mass market,” said Su.

Safety and security are two important topics to the Galileo programme, and the Disaster and Security session focused on Galileo for Security Search and Rescue opportunities. Kai Herrmann from the German Competent PRS Authority sees PRS as the EU’s strategic answer to the security challenges of our digital society. Specifically, he sees applications in secure services for emergency services and critical infrastructure as well as access control, spoof resistance and contributions to data security and data privacy, local authentication and traffic management applications.

An example of one of these applications came from Prof Mattia Giovanni Crespi from the University of Rome 'La Sapienza' and Dr Gabriele Colosimo from Leica Geosystems, who described the VADASE project that uses real-time monitoring of GNSS signals from a standalone receiver to monitor seismic events in real time. The idea won the 2010 ESNC DLR special prize, and Leica Geosystems launched the product this year with a VADASE engine able to compute seismic displacements in real time autonomously.

Another example came from Jukka Talvi, who described the HALI initiative from the northern Finnish city of Oulu, which won the ESNC - BMVI / BMWi Special Prize for its system that speeds emergency vehicles through green lights and has dramatically improved response times and safety. The system is currently being extended to the rest of Finland and perhaps the rest of 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).

Big Data, Big Ideas at the Satellite Masters Conference

10.11.2015 10:57  
13/11/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) recently participated in the Satellite Masters Conference in Berlin, where it joined the discussions on Big Data, innovative applications, and the convergence of Earth Observation and GNSS.

The latest edition of the Satellite Masters Conference took place Throughout the course of the conference, various panel discussions were held on an array of hot topics in the field of satellite navigation and earth observation.in Berlin from 20 – 22 October, including the annual Awards Ceremony for the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC), the Copernicus Masters and a portfolio of conference sessions covering Earth Observation (EO) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Major themes were Big Data, how to accelerate the development and realisation of innovative applications in the market, and the convergence of EO and GNSS.

Dorothee Bär of the German Federal Ministry for Transport and Digital Infrastructure, the host of the conference, set the tone during the Opening Session by highlighting how navigation and earth observation are key instruments of the digital age. Specifically, Bär sees a need to focus on downstream applications, which serve as the essential link between space technology and digital infrastructure on the ground – which is exactly where the GSA comes in.

EGNOS and Galileo Pave the Future

According to GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, 2015 has been a busy year for Galileo, with successful launches and progress in the ground segment targeting the intermediate milestone of the launch of initial services in 2016. He also noted the excellent performance of EGNOS, which will soon enjoy enlarged coverage.

In particular, he highlighted the launch of LPV 200 capability in the aviation sector, which is already proving to be a major benefit in Europe and beyond. He also cited the concepts of smart cities, multi-modal logistics and the Internet of Things. “By 2020 it is anticipated that at least 50 billion ‘objects’ will be connected to the Internet,” he said. “Many of these will require positioning data services and applications.”

Matthias Petschke, Director of European Satellite Navigation Programmes at the European Commission, added that 6-7% of European GDP depends on the use of E-GNSS. Increasing the resiliency of these critical infrastructures would make a big difference, and Galileo will help. He also praised EGNOS, which he hailed as a true success story that was already making a huge difference in, for example, precision agriculture and civil aviation.

The European Commission’s Christoph Kautz gave an update on the two European GNSS programmes. As to Galileo, satellite launches are back on course, the ground infrastructure is expanding and the exploitation phase is now in sight with the target of 2017 and initial services in 2016. He also highlighted the decision to fund the next generation of EGNOS (V3) and extension of the service towards wide scale maritime and rail applications. He further discussed the European research and development funding for GNSS under the Horizon 2020 programme, along with the fundamental elements programme that aims to develop the chipsets and receivers Galileo needs to be in the market. In 2016, the Commission is looking to speed up market uptake through a variety of initiatives, and will also be looking to define strategic goals for the 2nd generation of satellites.

Hot Topics

Throughout the course of the conference, various panel discussions were held on an array of hot topics in the field of satellite navigation and earth observation. On the topic of Big Data, session moderator Jurry de la Mar of T-Systems said the world was experiencing a sensor revolution and managing all the data is proving a major challenge. “The data coming from EO operations over the next three years will be larger than the total collected by ESA in the last 30 years,” he said. “The key is to bring the user to the data, rather than data to the user, and for users to understand the semantics of the data. Handling this amount of data cannot be managed manually.”

One solution to the data overload is what Dr Manfred Krischke of CloudEO AG calls “geo-collaboration”. “Location based services are a key element of the sharing economy, enabling access to unused resources and saving costs,” he said. “Businesses should stop looking for the next killer app and start to make small apps that can be integrated with others via the geo-collaboration platform the cloud offers.”

Turning to Smart Cities, Stuart Martin of the UK’s Catapult Satellite Application declared it was the “Century of the City”. “The use of space data, along with GNSS, can have a massive impact on the development of Smarter Cities,” he said.

GNSS can also play an important role in creating Sustainable Solutions to Global Change. One example comes from the ESNC winner of Baden-Württemberg Challenge: ICARUS. ICARUS is a new global tracking service for small objects – birds and animals. Its aim is to monitor global migration, predict zoonotic diseases transmission and enhance climate modelling through a distributed animal-borne global sensor effort. Another example comes from the winner of the ESNC - The Netherlands Challenge and the University Challenge Special Prize, which uses GNSS monitoring of potential rain clouds over East Africa via low-cost receivers. The TAMHO project produces high resolution water vapour maps from GNSS signals that travel slightly slower through moist air. Low-cost receivers can measure this delay.

UAVs, or drones – always a hot topic at any GNSS event – was also discussed in Berlin. The panel highlighted two ESNC winners, including the overall Galileo Master Winner and also winner of the ESNC Valencian Community Challenge: POSEIDRON, a UAV for search and rescue and environmental defence using EGNOS and the Galileo SAR signal. Enrique JM Asensi saw applications in the current migrant crisis, as the vehicle can deploy a 70kg life raft, is 15 times cheaper than a helicopter and can be deployed in all conditions. The winning idea behind the ESNC - Switzerland Challenge and ESA Special Prize – RTKNAV – was described by Zhenzhong Su as a low cost, compact, real-time centimetre accuracy navigation solution. Its target market is high precision agriculture apps, UAVs, mobility, sport and health applications. “RTKNAV provids affordable, high precision for the mass market,” said Su.

Safety and security are two important topics to the Galileo programme, and the Disaster and Security session focused on Galileo for Security Search and Rescue opportunities. Kai Herrmann from the German Competent PRS Authority sees PRS as the EU’s strategic answer to the security challenges of our digital society. Specifically, he sees applications in secure services for emergency services and critical infrastructure as well as access control, spoof resistance and contributions to data security and data privacy, local authentication and traffic management applications.

An example of one of these applications came from Prof Mattia Giovanni Crespi from the University of Rome 'La Sapienza' and Dr Gabriele Colosimo from Leica Geosystems, who described the VADASE project that uses real-time monitoring of GNSS signals from a standalone receiver to monitor seismic events in real time. The idea won the 2010 ESNC DLR special prize, and Leica Geosystems launched the product this year with a VADASE engine able to compute seismic displacements in real time autonomously.

Another example came from Jukka Talvi, who described the HALI initiative from the northern Finnish city of Oulu, which won the ESNC - BMVI / BMWi Special Prize for its system that speeds emergency vehicles through green lights and has dramatically improved response times and safety. The system is currently being extended to the rest of Finland and perhaps the rest of 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).

European GNSS a Key Asset to ITS Infrastructures

10.11.2015 10:42  
12/11/2015

Significant advancements in satellite-based positioning have enabled GNSS receivers and services to play a large role in intelligent transport systems in recent years. According to the European GNSS Agency (GSA) new applications for smart mobility are utilising EGNOS and Galileo, and GNSS is becoming a key asset in designing new ITS infrastructures.

Navigation is one of the most common ways GNSS can be used inGNSS receivers and services have an estimated core revenue of EUR 36 billion by 2018, showing that EGNOS and Galileo-related road applications are in demand. road applications. For example, satellites can help provide turn-by-turn information to drivers, cyclists, and even pedestrians. More so, they can also be used in fleet management on-board units and road traffic monitoring services.

The GSA recently highlighted these benefits at the European GNSS Village, part of the ITS World Congress 2015.

Better Public Transport

When it comes to using GNSS services in public transport, Kordis JMK, the operator of public transport in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, is a successful example. Encompassing national and regional passenger trains, regional buses, city trolleybuses and trams, the project tracks vehicles using GNSS to guarantee passenger connections for those changing between different transport modes.

Using GNSS surveillance, the positions and real-time routes of all vehicles can be monitored, and drivers can be instructed to wait at stops until the connecting vehicle reaches the destination. This also helps ease congestion, as the public transport controller can be advised to take a detour in cases of congested areas.

         Also Read: European GNSS Brings Added Value to ITS

Also working in public transport, Voxelia Simulate uses a multi-agent system model to simulate vehicles in order to evaluate practical situations. “Real-time simulations and studies of transportation systems are very important for us,” says Renan Zeo, Director General of Voxelia.

“For instance, a public transport operator needs to know precisely the reason for an irregular bus service. Without an accurate positioning system, the operator would ignore if a bus is stopped by a traffic light, for boarding passengers, or because of a traffic jam.”

Voxelia tracks buses using EGNOS in order to provide accurate answers for delays, preparing a solution for the autonomous vehicles of the future. “Unmanned cars need to communicate to avoid deadlock situations,” Zeo says.

Using research coordinated with the Technology University of Belfort-Montbeliard, Voxelia studied the positioning accuracy that vehicles could manage by themselves, as well as access to conflict zones like intersections. “Our simulation shows the feasibility of cooperative intersections according to the accuracy of positioning systems,” adds Zoe.

Geoimagine, another company using GNSS for transportation, is working to create smarter routes for taxis. Its network optimiser solution for fleet management uses mobile sensors to optimise itineraries to drive taxis towards areas with higher potential number of clients, depending on the time of the day, therefore saving time and lowering fuel consumption while increasing business. “We are understanding taxi driving behaviour in a rapid, demand-changing scenario,” says Isaac Pozo, the company’s CTO.

Important for the Future

With growing cities and increased public transport, it is clear that GNSS services will become more and more important. GNSS receivers and services have an estimated core revenue of EUR 36 billion by 2018, showing that EGNOS and Galileo-related road applications are in demand, and will assist in optimising mobility for years to come.

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).

European GNSS a Key Asset to ITS Infrastructures

10.11.2015 10:42  
12/11/2015

Significant advancements in satellite-based positioning have enabled GNSS receivers and services to play a large role in intelligent transport systems (ITS) in recent years. New applications for smart mobility are utilising EGNOS and Galileo, and GNSS is becoming a key asset in designing new ITS infrastructures.

Navigation is one of the most common ways GNSS can be used inGNSS receivers and services have an estimated core revenue of EUR 36 billion by 2018, showing that EGNOS and Galileo-related road applications are in demand. road applications. For example, satellites can help provide turn-by-turn information to drivers, cyclists, and even pedestrians. More so, they can also be used in fleet management on-board units and road traffic monitoring services.

The GSA recently highlighted these benefits at the European GNSS Village, part of the ITS World Congress 2015.

Better Public Transport

When it comes to using GNSS services in public transport, Kordis JMK, the operator of public transport in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, is a successful example. Encompassing national and regional passenger trains, regional buses, city trolleybuses and trams, the project tracks vehicles using GNSS to guarantee passenger connections for those changing between different transport modes.

Using GNSS surveillance, the positions and real-time routes of all vehicles can be monitored, and drivers can be instructed to wait at stops until the connecting vehicle reaches the destination. This also helps ease congestion, as the public transport controller can be advised to take a detour in cases of congested areas.

         Also Read: European GNSS Brings Added Value to ITS

Also working in public transport, Voxelia Simulate uses a multi-agent system model to simulate vehicles in order to evaluate practical situations. “Real-time simulations and studies of transportation systems are very important for us,” says Renan Zeo, Director General of Voxelia.

“For instance, a public transport operator needs to know precisely the reason for an irregular bus service. Without an accurate positioning system, the operator would ignore if a bus is stopped by a traffic light, for boarding passengers, or because of a traffic jam.”

Voxelia tracks buses using EGNOS in order to provide accurate answers for delays, preparing a solution for the autonomous vehicles of the future. “Unmanned cars need to communicate to avoid deadlock situations,” Zeo says.

Using research coordinated with the Technology University of Belfort-Montbeliard, Voxelia studied the positioning accuracy that vehicles could manage by themselves, as well as access to conflict zones like intersections. “Our simulation shows the feasibility of cooperative intersections according to the accuracy of positioning systems,” adds Zoe.

Geoimagine, another company using GNSS for transportation, is working to create smarter routes for taxis. Its network optimiser solution for fleet management uses mobile sensors to optimise itineraries to drive taxis towards areas with higher potential number of clients, depending on the time of the day, therefore saving time and lowering fuel consumption while increasing business. “We are understanding taxi driving behaviour in a rapid, demand-changing scenario,” says Isaac Pozo, the company’s CTO.

Important for the Future

With growing cities and increased public transport, it is clear that GNSS services will become more and more important. GNSS receivers and services have an estimated core revenue of EUR 36 billion by 2018, showing that EGNOS and Galileo-related road applications are in demand, and will assist in optimising mobility for years to come.

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).

European GNSS Set to Drive the Driverless Car

10.11.2015 10:12  
10/11/2015

A relatively new phenomenon, autonomous and connected vehicles are the way of the future. As this industry grows, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) says GNSS-enabled vehicles will help make life simpler and safer for drivers.

Automated vehicles are becoming a reality, with promises of safer and As autonomous vehicles enter the market, GNSS technologies such as EGNOS and Galileo are ready to deliver precise localisation, enhancing the safety and comfort of passengers. more efficient roads. Drivers often struggle with maintaining a smooth speed, and usually do not maintain the appropriate distance between vehicles. Computer control optimises traffic flow and energy efficiency, and also helps prevent accidents due to speed or distance.  In addition, autonomous vehicles could open greater transportation options for people with disabilities, and could allow drivers to work, sleep, read – or simply sit back and enjoy the ride.

GNSS plays a large role in providing accurate information for automated vehicles. In fact, Galileo is set to provide an even stronger service as it will be more resistant to multipath interference in urban canyons and will provide an authenticated signal allowing receivers to detect spoofing attacks. Galileo’s important role in automated vehicles was well-demonstrated at the European GNSS Village, part of the ITS World Congress 2015. 

         Also Read: European GNSS Brings Added Value to ITS

The Royal Borough of Greenwich is already taking advantage of GNSS to increase the flexibility and resilience of autonomous vehicles in the city environment as GNSS signals are currently used as a complement to LIDAR-based navigation systems in a trial project in Greenwich. If the trial is successful, it will increase potential applications for autonomous vehicles within the city environment and accelerate the uptake by the operators of business and leisure services, as well as increase the relevance of autonomous vehicles as part of the transport system for citizens.

Also using GNSS, Capturas is a vehicle connectivity platform from OTC Engineering addressed to the present and future of connected mobility. The solution takes the maximum benefit of the ICT integration inside vehicles and generates data for companies that rely on vehicles and mobility for business, such as fleet operators or renting companies. Operation times and costs can be reduced with better data, and productivity can increase.

The New Normal

As cities and companies see the benefits of autonomous and connected vehicles, they will become the norm. Major vehicle manufacturers are already delivering autonomous cars, and with connected services for drivers like weather reports and accident or traffic warnings, it is easy to see the appeal.

As autonomous vehicles enter the market, GNSS technologies such as EGNOS and Galileo are ready to deliver precise and trustable localisation, enhancing the safety and comfort of passengers.

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).

European Global Navigation Satellite Systems: From Invention to Market

9.11.2015 11:23  
09/11/2015

During the Satellite Masters Conference, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) held a special session dedicated to innovative E-GNSS applications and research and development results.

As part of the Satellite Masters Conference in Berlin, the GSA Based on the many success stories presented during the GSA’s session on GNSS R&D funding, clearly there has never been a better time to invest in space.organised a full-day session on European Global Navigation Satellite Systems (E-GNSS) research and development results, as well as implementation activities. The innovative projects showcased during the event are all helping to accelerate the development of a European market for satellite navigation applications and create new opportunities for European industry. 

Projects from both the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) and the current Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (H2020), were on display.

“These GSA-funded programmes have done very exceptional work,” said the European Commission’s Christoph Kautz.  He noted two reasons for this success. First, applicants had to provide a business plan – a unique concept under FP7 that has now been adopted across all research areas for H2020. Second, the GSA has followed all the projects in a detailed, personal way.

Funding for E-GNSS research has been doubled for H2020, and with Galileo initial services on course for next year, Kautz said this should be a game changer. However, he noted two issues that need to be considered. The so-called ‘valley of death’ needs to be tackled to facilitate the movement of successful research ideas into products and services available on the market, and synergies between Galileo and Copernicus need to be identified and built on.

GSA Head of Market Development Gian Gherardo Calini gave an overview of FP7 results. He said the GSA’s mission is “to achieve the highest return on investment in terms of benefit to users and economic growth.” The GSA is building on a solid base of tangible results. Under the

FP7 programme, 13 patents were filed and 45 commercial products and services launched. Forty percent of GSA funding has gone to SMEs (compared to the average of 15% across the whole of FP7) and the GSA programme also provided valuable business coaching for many start-up companies and SMEs.

The Project Portfolio

According to Tim Just of Innovate UK, innovation can be defined as “invention x market.” He said there is a need for both elements to achieve true success – a belief that was substantiated by all the presented FP7 success stories.

For example, in the area of mobility, Jürgen Seybold from TeleConsult Austria described MODIS, a mobile safety and emergency response system. The augmented EGNOS/Galileo handheld device targets people with reduced mobility. The underlying IEGLO technology was adapted for emergency call applications under the SAWOS brand in 2012, and MODIS is being used extensively in India as an effective monitoring solution in large factories, hospitals and schools.

On the topic of professional applications and transport, Klaus-Herbert Rolf from 365 FarmNet presented GEOPAL. This successful field route optimisation application was integrated as an on-vehicle platform tool for farmers, and also as a planning tool. The product has been on the market for four years and has proven easy and reliable in delivering real benefits.

Another success story in the area of transportation is TAXISAT. Dr Oihana Otaegui from Vicomtech-IK4 outlined the work done to develop a driverless GNSS vehicle able to operate safely and with high-reliability within private sites. The TAXISAT concept is now being commercialised.

Otaegui said the hybrid sensors from TAXISAT could be used to enable cloud based enhancement of maps in real time, and this area of research represents a huge opportunity for GNSS.

Horizon 2020

Moving to the current Horizon 2020 funding programme, the GSA’s Marta Krywanis-Brzostowska outlined the GSA’s recent calls. The first two calls awarded funding of €65.2m for 40 successful projects.

The GHOST project, described by Srdjan Tadic of Bitgear Wireless, looks at how Galileo can enhance services in Smart Cities. The project combines Galileo signals and video images in an intelligent system mounted on public vehicles (buses, waste lorries etc.) to monitor services such as parking enforcement (including disabled badge detection) and pothole and lighting outage detection.

         Also Read: 13 H2020 projects focused on EGNSS applications development selected for funding

Another innovative project is COREGAL, which is developing a GNSS receiver that can be used to estimate biomass. Pedro Freire da Silva of Deimos Engenharia S.A. said that forest management requires accurate knowledge of the quantity of living, above-ground vegetation, and that knowledge has high economic and scientific value. COREGAL uses the Galileo E5 signal in an airborne receiver monitoring both direct and reflected signals to accurately estimate biomass.

The spyGLASS project also uses reflected signals in its Galileo-based Passive Radar System for Maritime Surveillance. Claudio Calisti from ASTER S.p.A. said the system uses fixed coastal receivers to analyse the reflected signal. The concept was low cost and preliminary trials have demonstrated the feasibility of project. Applications range from anti-piracy operations and environmental protection to maritime traffic safety.

Last but not least, the GEO VISION application demonstrated the opportunities that lie at the interface of Galileo and Copernicus. Dr Harald Skinnemoen from AnsuR Technologies said the project can provide visual situational awareness capability anywhere in the world, with the aim of enabling “observation to action” within one minute worldwide. There are two main markets: humanitarian and financial. The project is releasing products and applications to the market and they are already being used by the UN to map the effects of the earthquake in Nepal and help prioritise operations there. 

Just Do It!

The day concluded with an extended panel discussion on space entrepreneurship and finance. Gregor Novak from the European Commission’s Executive Agency for SMEs (EASME) described the agency’s SME financing instrument as a perfect example of connecting and leveraging public and private investment. Reinhard Blasi of the GSA agreed on the importance of this instrument, highlighting the GSA’s interpretation of FP7 towards innovation that had helped some projects get to market, and said the key is to ensure projects have the momentum to continue to market.

“Now is the right time – there has never been a better time to invest in space,” said Blasi. “With so many means on the table, entrepreneurs should just do it!”

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 at the Heart of Future European Air Traffic Management System

6.11.2015 9:43  
06/11/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) talks with Aerodays 2015 delegates on how the launch of LPV 200 brings precision landing to even more European airports and helipads and helps air traffic management.

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), combined with the EGNOS and Galileo are involved in all three domains of ATM: communication, navigation and surveillance.precision and robustness offered by the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), will play a key role in the implementation of a European air traffic management (ATM) system. And the development of a harmonised European ATM is the central focus of the European Commission’s SESAR joint undertaking, which is now entering its deployment phase, as showcased at the Aerodays 2015 conference on innovation and research in aviation, held in London from 20-23 October.

“EGNOS and Galileo are involved in all three domains of ATM: communication, navigation and surveillance,” explained GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, speaking at the conference, which is held once during every EU Framework Research programme. “The very accurate time measurement of Galileo will help to synchronise telecom networks, for example. In terms of navigation, Galileo will be central to the multi-constellation concept, which will greatly increase the availability, continuity and robustness of the signal. More so, SBAS (EGNOS) can also be used for surveillance as a positioning source for ADS-B, giving the same level of performance as for secondary radar, with 99.9 % availability.”

Precision Instrument Landing at Low Cost

EGNOS enables localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approaches without the need for costly ground-based infrastructure (e.g. ILS CAT I), usually mandatory for precision instrument landing systems. Since the end of September, the GSA has deployed its EGNOS LPV 200 service, which offers aircraft approaches that are operationally equivalent to ILS CAT I, providing vertical and lateral guidance and with a decision height for a missed approach of just 200 feet. 

“This is particularly interesting for smaller and more remote airports,” explained GSA Market Development Officer Carmen Aguilera. “Normally these airports don’t have enough traffic to justify the investment in ground-based infrastructure. With EGNOS and LPV 200, they can have the same performance, but at much lower cost, enabling them to remain open during bad weather and poor visibility conditions.” 

At present, 202 EGNOS approaches are operational serving 120 airports in 18 countries. The goal is to have 440 procedures operational by 2018.

Continuous Descent Approaches

EGNOS and LPV 200 make curved and continuous descent final approaches possible, which are also core features of a deployed European ATM.  Curved approaches mean that aircraft can avoid built-up areas during landing, reducing noise nuisance, while continuous descent saves fuel – and reduces CO2 emissions - as aircraft are less likely to need to stagger their approach. The expanded trajectory capabilities from take-off to landing offered by SESAR and underpinned by EGNOS will mean more efficient traffic management and flight predictability, with savings in terms of flight time and cost. 

According to Olivia Nunez, ATM expert at SESAR, the AMBER demonstration project at Riga airport showed that, by optimising the flight path, 15 nautical miles can be shaved off the flight path, saving 145 kg of CO2 emissions, as well as reducing noise levels.
The latest EGNOS services are also of great interest to the rotorcraft industry, making helipads more accessible, more of the time. Special Point in Space (PINS) have been developed especially for rotorcraft, interleaving visual segments and instrument segments in departures and approaches. With LPV 200, these can now be implemented down to 200 feet with EGNOS-enabled instruments.

While most modern aircraft are now built to include satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS) such as EGNOS, the GSA is working with the aviation industry to support the development of cost-effective avionics, to upgrade existing aircraft and perform LPV approaches. In June this year, the GSA launched its second EGNOS adoption avionics call for proposals, with a EUR 6 million budget. “So far it has been very well received,” said Aguilera. “We received applications that amounted to double the budget available and had to turn down some very high quality proposals.”

Towards a Multi-Constellation Environment

“The next EGNOS milestone, scheduled for the end of the decade, will be EGNOS version 3”, explained des Dorides. “This will offer two frequencies – L1 and L5 – meaning that it will be even more robust. It will also overlay not only GPS, as does the current version, but also Galileo, making the multi-constellation concept a reality.” The International Civil Aviation organization (ICAO) in its Global Air Navigation Plan, has recognised the advantages of multi-constellation, multi-frequency GNSS, both technically and in offering significant operational benefits.

One of the additional operational benefits for aviation that Galileo offers is the return link message service in aircraft emergency locator transmitters (ELTs), which confirms receipt of a distress message and greatly facilitates search and rescue operations.

Preparations for EGNOS v3 are now underway, not just in terms of infrastructure, but also the receivers. “At the moment there are no receivers able to process this future version of EGNOS,” explained Aguilera. “We recently launched a call for tenders to develop the prototype receivers that will work with this version, so we are supporting industry to get ready.”

Looking towards the future, beyond the next decade, des Dorides believes that transport will become increasingly intermodal and coordinated: “There will be a paradigm shift,” he said. “Mobility will be a service that is independent of the means - plane, boat or car etc. And here again, GNSS will have an important role to play.”

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).

EGNOS Creates Smart Transport Management Systems for Cities

5.11.2015 10:12  
05/11/2015

There are many challenges facing road transport today, from safety to monitoring to traffic management. At this year’s ITS World Congress in Bordeaux, France, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) showed how European GNSS can benefit road applications.

EGNOS, Europe’s satellite-based augmentation system, The Traffic Monitoring & Transport Management part of the European GNSS Village focused on how EGNOS can create smart transport management systems for cities. plays a large role in ITS road applications, though often behind the scenes.

At the recent ITS World Congress in Bordeaux, the GSA put the spotlight on the role it plays in road transport by demonstrating the multiple uses of satellite navigation at the European GNSS Village stand. Organised with the Horizon 2020 project JUPITER, the stand showcased six topic areas where GNSS services play a role. One topic, Traffic Monitoring & Transport Management, focused on how EGNOS can create smart transport management systems for cities.

European GNSS in Action

The communauté d'agglomération du Grand Dax highlighted the use of EGNOS for public institutions. The organisation, which is an intercommunal cooperation of several municipalities in the area around Dax, France, works to create added value projects for the area. With a population of 60,000, Dax is one of the largest cities in the Landes department, but is still considered a small city. In recent years it has been struggling to find a modern transportation system to fit its size and budget. C.A. Grand Dax and its business innovation centre, Pulseo, have been working with EGNOS to develop intelligent transportation systems and use location based services to create a transportation network that works for Dax, with great success.

Another road application utilising GNSS services, GReD, presented its product GeoGuard. “This is our end-to-end service to measure displacements and deformations of structures or the ground, down to a millimetre level,” said Eugenio Realini, general manager of GReD. “It is completely based on cost-effective GNSS receivers and high-accuracy observation processing.”

GeoGuard continuously monitors critical infrastructure and natural hazards, helping to prevent catastrophic failures in infrastructure investments and reduce insurance costs. Since 2000, economic losses due to natural disasters have been around $2.5 trillion worldwide, according to Realini. With a monitoring system that predicts hazards and mitigates or eliminates risks, GeoGuard estimates that $400 billion could be potentially saved between now and 2030.

Also working on natural disasters and road applications, Planetek Italia presented its Preciso Landslide Risk Assessment for Railways, an application that provides periodical supply of a geographical database containing polygons of the landslide areas. Before building roads, municipalities can complete the assessment, which uses modern satellite sensors to evaluate the morphology of the area and the impact construction work will have, as well as potential future risks.

Proven to Increase Accuracy

Traffic Monitoring and Transport Management was just one of several topics highlighting the benefits space technology brings to intelligent transport systems and services. With a growing interest in optimising the use of roads in Europe, the GSA will continue to demonstrate how EGNOS has been proven to increase accuracy and robustness of the positioning.

More Information

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).

Precision Agriculture Helps Feed Earth’s Growing Population

3.11.2015 11:11  
03/11/2015

As the world population increases, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) says the agriculture industry is looking at satellite-enabled technologies to maximise yields and improve efficiency. 

By 2050, the world’s population is predicted to increase by 2 billion, reaching a totalAccording to GSA Head of Market Development Gian-Gherardo Calini, farmers are early adopters of precision agriculture, and the GSA is strongly committed to the farming community. population of 9 billion people. To cope with this reality, the agriculture industry must maximise the use of available resources. Precision agriculture, which uses satellite navigation to help increase crop yields and improve efficiency, will play an important role in this effort – and an increasing number of precision agriculture professionals are already relying on EGNOS.

        Also Read: EGNOS for Agriculture

“Farmers are early adopters of precision agriculture, and the GSA is strongly committed to the farming community,” said GSA Head of Market Development Gian-Gherardo Calini, speaking at a conference entitled Risk Management and Climate Change: Tools to Support Farmers to Produce Food and Public Goods, held in connection with Expo Milan. “Their needs are becoming more sophisticated, leading to high productivity and farm profitability.”

While the technology has a variety of uses, the main application is tractor guidance. Positioning applications can be used to guide a tractor around a field and minimise the effort exerted by a farmer, thus increasing efficiency and reducing labour costs.

EGNOS can also be used to help farmers enhance crop management and improve position-based tasks like spraying insecticides and pesticides and harvesting crops. In turn, this increases yields and helps provide much-needed food supply around the world.

A Need for Advanced Applications

As precision agriculture technology becomes more widely available, farmers are demanding advanced applications of satellite technology and are looking for entire farm management solutions. Farmers want technology that allows them to make better decisions and have more predictable outcomes.

Unmanned drones, or UAVs, are aiding in this effort. When combined with remote sensors, UAVs can be used to determine crop progress as well as crop deficiencies and the presence of disease and water monitoring. This information could lower pesticide usage, thus decreasing the environmental footprint of agriculture.

One example of this is FieldCopter, an EU-funded project where UAVs fly a pre-determined pattern and collect data from agricultural land. Another is the Mistrale project, which seeks to provide soil moisture maps using GNSS Reflectometry, helping farmers maximise water efficiency. The Mistrale project was successfully tested in 2015 and is part of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme.

Take Notice

This cutting-edge work has gotten the attention of organisations around Europe and the world, as they can see the benefits that the technology can have on agriculture.

“Coldiretti (Italy’s national confederation of agriculture entrepreneurs) is extremely interested in innovation and the benefits that European GNSS can bring to agriculture,” said Calini. “From a farmer’s perspective, GNSS is only one satellite technology amongst others. For example, Copernicus complements positioning with remote sensing information.”

The crop insurance industry can also benefit from positioning and earth observation tools, as the technology creates better models to predict weather patterns and determine crop yields.  With that information, crop insurance companies can set predictable rates and manage profits.

“By harnessing new technologies and accessing more precise data, we are increasing production and improving the efficiency of our work for the benefit of consumers and society as a whole,” Calini concluded.

More Information

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).

EGNOS: A Great Solution for Regional Aviation

30.10.2015 13:19  
30/10/2015

With the launch of LPV 200, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) says EGNOS is ready to benefit regional aviation in Europe.

Exhibiting and presenting at the annual European Regions Airline Association (ERA) General AssemblyTo assist airlines and operators in implementing LPV approaches, the GSA is focused on helping them receive approval and keeping them informed on the status of upcoming regulations. and ERA Operations Group, held October 13-15 in Berlin, the GSA showed more than 50 regional operators and airlines how they can benefit from EGNOS.
According to the GSA, the priority is to focus on small and regional airports where EGNOS can provide the biggest benefits for operators. According to the GSA Market Development Department, currently, many of these small and regional airports cannot afford the necessary ground infrastructure needed for instrument-based landing procedures.

LPV 200 for Regional Operators

The GSA recently declared the LPV 200 service, the latest iteration of an APV SBAS supported Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance service. This service will benefit operators even more as it provides the same level of operations as CAT I, meaning safer approaches and improved accessibility with no need to install or maintain conventional, ground-based navigation aids.

The new service level enables aircraft approaches that are operationally equivalent to ILS CAT I, providing lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until a Decision Height (DH) of down to only 200 ft. above the runway.

         Also Read: GSA Talks EGNOS and Aviation at Annual Service Provision Workshop

Currently, there are 217 LPV serving 137 airports and 70 runway ends served by EGNOS-enabled APV Baro. By 2018, 440 LPV approaches are planned, with numerous LPV publications expected in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Austria, the Slovak Republic, and Spain – and a significant increase in new plans in Belgium and Germany in the coming years. More so, many popular regional aircraft are also coming EGNOS-ready. For example, the latest editions to the ATR family of regional aircraft, the ATR42-600 and ATR72-600, as well as other turboprop aircraft, are LPV capable.

The GSA notes it is seeing a growing interest in LPV for commercial operators in Scandinavia. “EGNOS enhances the integrity and accuracy of GPS and gives us the possibility to fly approaches following a vertical glide path,” explains Richard Kongsteien, Vice President and COO of Widerøe. “This means improved safety at airports with only a non-precision approach in place, so we are really looking forward to getting APV I coverage in northern Norway.”

Other airlines and operators currently using EGNOS include Air Nostrum, Aurigny Air Services, Hop Airlines and Luxair, among others.

Another regional server benefiting from EGNOS is Aurigny Air Services. The company says EGNOS allows them to operate even in poor weather conditions. At the ERA Operations Group meeting, held during the ERA General Assembly, Captain David Rice of Aurigny presented the company’s use of EGNOS, stressing the stability of the service. He said LPV was more stable than even the ILS approach, and is not affected by deviations in the localizer or glide path caused by other aircraft. He further noted that EGNOS-based approaches reduce the pilot’s workload by removing the need to switch between autopilot modes. As the EGNOS service level increases, Rice said the savings from not having to make ILS maintenance or replacement investments will more than recover any initial investment made in LPV procedures. 

Rules and Regulations

The GSA is focused on assisting airspace users and airports in implementing LPV, offering guidance for the approval and implementation process and information on the status of upcoming applicable regulations. The Agency’s objective is to contribute to the harmonisation of PBN implementation at the European level, following ICAO safety global goals. Along this line, the GSA has promoted the development of guidelines intended for Airports/ANSPs and Airspace Users in order to help with the process of implementing LPV, including LPV 200 implementation. Also, technical instructions to obtain RNP APCH operational approval to LPV minima in Europe will be issued in the coming days – which aims to help Regional Operators during the operational approval process.

The EASA PBN IR is an important regulatory milestone at the European level, as it announces deadlines for some PBN specifications, including for APV and RNP1. The GSA is actively looking for an agreed and common position with other stakeholders, including Eurocontrol, CANSO and ESSP, proposing feasible dates for APV implementation mandate. This APV implementation mandate requires APV in all instrument runways where only non-precision approaches are available – benefiting Regional Operators by giving them safer alternatives to non-precision approaches.

The GSA is also funding projects aimed at upgrading the avionics of original operators, such as Air Baltic, Eastern Airways, and Hop Airlines. According to the Agency, the results of the first aviation grants will bring new Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) or upgrade solutions, helping operators upgrade their current fleets. With this developed, it follows that other airlines can upgrade without developing new STC, thus reducing cost and helping to foster EGNOS adoption.

More Information

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).

EGNOS: A Great Solution for Regional Aviation

30.10.2015 13:19  
30/10/2015

With the launch of LPV 200, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) says EGNOS is ready to benefit regional aviation in Europe.

Exhibiting and presenting at the annual European Regions Airline Association (ERA) General AssemblyTo assist airlines and operators in implementing LPV approaches, the GSA is focused on helping them receive approval and keeping them informed on the status of upcoming regulations. and ERA Operations Group, held October 13-15 in Berlin, the GSA showed more than 50 regional operators and airlines how they can benefit from EGNOS.
According to the GSA, the priority is to focus on small and regional airports where EGNOS can provide the biggest benefits for operators. According to the GSA Market Development Department, currently, many of these small and regional airports cannot afford the necessary ground infrastructure needed for instrument-based landing procedures.

LPV 200 for Regional Operators

The GSA recently declared the LPV 200 service, the latest iteration of an APV SBAS supported Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance service. This service will benefit operators even more as it provides the same level of operations as CAT I, meaning safer approaches and improved accessibility with no need to install or maintain conventional, ground-based navigation aids.

The new service level enables aircraft approaches that are operationally equivalent to ILS CAT I, providing lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until a Decision Height (DH) of down to only 200 ft. above the runway.

         Also Read: GSA Talks EGNOS and Aviation at Annual Service Provision Workshop

Currently, there are 217 LPV serving 137 airports and 70 runway ends served by EGNOS-enabled APV Baro. By 2018, 440 LPV approaches are planned, with numerous LPV publications expected in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Austria, the Slovak Republic, and Spain – and a significant increase in new plans in Belgium and Germany in the coming years. More so, many popular regional aircraft are also coming EGNOS-ready. For example, the latest editions to the ATR family of regional aircraft, the ATR42-600 and ATR72-600, as well as other turboprop aircraft, are LPV capable.

The GSA notes it is seeing a growing interest in LPV for commercial operators in Scandinavia. “EGNOS enhances the integrity and accuracy of GPS and gives us the possibility to fly approaches following a vertical glide path,” explains Richard Kongsteien, Vice President and COO of Widerøe. “This means improved safety at airports with only a non-precision approach in place, so we are really looking forward to getting APV I coverage in northern Norway.”

Other airlines and operators currently using EGNOS include Air Nostrum, Aurigny Air Services, Hop Airlines and Luxair, among others.

Another regional server benefiting from EGNOS is Aurigny Air Services. The company says EGNOS allows them to operate even in poor weather conditions. At the ERA Operations Group meeting, held during the ERA General Assembly, Captain David Rice of Aurigny presented the company’s use of EGNOS, stressing the stability of the service. He said LPV was more stable than even the ILS approach, and is not affected by deviations in the localizer or glide path caused by other aircraft. He further noted that EGNOS-based approaches reduce the pilot’s workload by removing the need to switch between autopilot modes. As the EGNOS service level increases, Rice said the savings from not having to make ILS maintenance or replacement investments will more than recover any initial investment made in LPV procedures. 

Rules and Regulations

The GSA is focused on assisting airspace users and airports in implementing LPV, offering guidance for the approval and implementation process and information on the status of upcoming applicable regulations. The Agency’s objective is to contribute to the harmonisation of PBN implementation at the European level, following ICAO safety global goals. Along this line, the GSA has promoted the development of guidelines intended for Airports/ANSPs and Airspace Users in order to help with the process of implementing LPV, including LPV 200 implementation. Also, technical instructions to obtain RNP APCH operational approval to LPV minima in Europe will be issued in the coming days – which aims to help Regional Operators during the operational approval process.

The EASA PBN IR is an important regulatory milestone at the European level, as it announces deadlines for some PBN specifications, including for APV and RNP1. The GSA is actively looking for an agreed and common position with other stakeholders, including Eurocontrol and ESSP, proposing feasible dates for APV implementation mandate. This APV implementation mandate requires APV in all instrument runways where only non-precision approaches are available – benefiting Regional Operators by giving them safer alternatives to non-precision approaches.

The GSA is also funding projects aimed at upgrading the avionics of original operators, such as Air Baltic, Eastern Airways, and Hop Airlines. According to the Agency, the results of the first aviation grants will bring new Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) or upgrade solutions, helping operators upgrade their current fleets. With this developed, it follows that other airlines can upgrade without developing new STC, thus reducing cost and helping to foster EGNOS adoption.

More Information

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).

13 H2020 projects focused on the EGNSS applications development selected for funding

27.10.2015 9:25  
27/10/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has announced the evaluation results of its second Horizon 2020 call for Galileo applications, with 13 projects making the main list to be funded, receiving a cumulative grant of EUR 24,894,169.

The GSA has announced the results of its second call for funding the EGNSS applications Under the Horizon 2020 Second Call for Proposals, 13 projects were selected for funding, with a total grant request of EUR 24,894,169. under the Horizon 2020 programme. The second call received 91 total submissions, all of which focused on innovation actions, per the request for proposals. After evaluations that took place between 27th May and 11th of June, funding consideration went to those 13 proposals that best showed a significant focus toward impacting global markets with strong innovation and the incorporation of new knowledge.

Of the 91 submissions, 45 fell under the topic of European GNSS applications, 31 under the topic of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Based European GNSS applications, and 15 under the topic of releasing the potential of European GNSS applications through international cooperation. Two submissions were found ineligible or were withdrawn, for a final total of 89 proposals qualifying for evaluation. Funding for the 13 successfully chosen projects will be awarded to 95 different participants.

Under the first topic of E-GNSS applications, funding was awarded to eight projects, covering transport, surveying, location based services (LBS), agriculture, emergency services and other professional applications. The total recommended EU contribution for this topic was EUR 20,357,180.

For the second topic of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) based E-GNSS applications, three projects were approved for funding, covering applications in niche markets and business models, mass market LBS products, market testing, etc. Recommended funding for this topic came to a total of EUR 2,918,619.

Under the third and final topic of releasing the potential of E-GNSS applications through international cooperation, two projects were awarded funding, covering the development of innovative international applications that will bring E-GNSS services to the forefront of global awareness.

The total recommended funding for this topic came to EUR 2,693,639.

In addition to those projects on the main list for funding, there are an additional 14 projects on the reserve list. The total recommended EU funding contribution for these reserve projects comes to EUR 30,740,370. 

The attached table provides all relevant information about Horizon 2020 2nd Call projects that were invited to the Grant Agreement Preparation phase. The project portfolio will be updated soon. (click to download)

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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).

Life-saving Drone Wins 2015 European Satellite Navigation Competition

22.10.2015 10:28  
22/10/2015

This year’s overall winner at the annual European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) is a remote-controlled multi-copter drone capable of supporting maritime search-and-rescue operations.

On October 20th, the global satellite navigation community gathered in BerlinEnrique Martínez Asensi and his winning team hope to soon see POSEIDRON saving lives far out at sea. to recognise the year's most brilliant innovations in commercial applications of satellite technology. The POSEIDRON project won over the international jury of experts with its remote-controlled multi-copter that supports maritime search-and-rescue operations. The Spanish start-up took home the grand prize ahead of the 29 other regional and special prize winners in the 2015 European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC).

Enrique Martínez Asensi and his winning team hope to soon see POSEIDRON saving lives far out at sea. The project is well-placed to help, for example, when fishing workers fall overboard or in locating the victims of the horrific shipwrecks that occur during illegal immigration.

        Also Read: GSA Special Prize Goes to the KYNEO Project

The robust drone vehicle was custom-developed by Sincratech Aeronautics based in Valencia and can be launched from ships or platforms under virtually any weather conditions. The multi-copter uses thermal cameras and EGNOS to quickly locate people in the water and transmit an alarm to rescue teams that includes vital precise location information.

The drone is capable of lifting a 70 kg payload, which means it can carry an inflatable life raft that can be deployed as soon as victims are found. This makes POSEIDRON both faster and more cost-effective than other rescue systems, which in turn significantly increases the chances of survival for victims – particularly in colder waters.

Grand Prize

In addition to winning the ESNC's € 20,000 grand prize, this innovative project will now have the chance to enter a 12-month incubation programme at one of five Science Parks in Valencia as part of the region's prize.

The ESNC set another new participation record this year, with 515 innovations entered by companies from more than 40 different countries around the world. The 2015 competition more than matched the successes of previous editions and increased its cumulative figures to 272 winners awarded, selected from 3,343 ideas received from over 10,000 participants throughout its 12 years in existence.

"Time synchronisation and reliable positioning information are essential to today's digital economy. Without corresponding satellite-based services, the development of these and other innovations - including the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communication, and Industry 4.0 - would not be possible," explains Thorsten Rudolph, ESNC organiser andCEO of Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen. Carlos des Dorides, Executive Director of the GSA, added: “The POSEIDRON project shows the huge potential for Galileo and EGNOS enabled applications in Search and Rescue operations. Using drones in combination with highly accurate European GNSS can get help to people in danger more quickly, effectively and efficiently while reducing the risk to first responders.”

Under the patronage of the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), the ESNC presented prizes valued at approximately EUR one million in total at its annual Awards Ceremony. An overview of all of this year’s winners can be found here.

This annual event recognises the most outstanding applications for Copernicus and European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) in various categories. Since 2014, the awards ceremony has been associated with the Satellite Masters Conference, which takes place from 20-22 October 2015.

The conference features plenary sessions, workshops, and roundtable discussions centred around leveraging satellite-derived data and other space solutions for business and society. It is a unique marketplace for sharing ideas on space-based innovation and connecting with the world's leading network for downstream satellite business.


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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).

GSA Supports Young Surveyors

22.10.2015 9:32  
22/10/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) sponsored for the first time an award at the CLGE Annual Young Surveyors’ Prize.

In conjunction with INTERGEO 2015 – one of the leading international trade fairs in surveyingMaurice Barbieri (president of CLGE), Leiv Bjarte Mjøs (CLGE, Chair of the Jury), Reinhard Blasi (GSA), Laura Van de Vyvere (Prize winner), Dieter Seitz (CLGE treasurer). and geo-information – the Council of Geodetic Surveyors (CLGE) awards its annual Young Surveyors’ prize for outstanding contributions to the field by students. This year, for the first time, the GSA sponsored a special topic prize dedicated to Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus.

The winning entry came from Laura Van de Vyvere from the Liège University and M3 Systems, Belgium, for her project “Cycle Slips Detection in Quad-Frequency Mode: Galileo’s Contribution to an Efficient Approach under High Ionospheric Activity”. Through an innovative technique developed by Van de Vyvere, the project uses Galileo’s high number of carrier frequencies to improve positioning compared to other GNSS programmes.

“More than ever, precise positioning is an obvious necessity that is no longer questioned and cycle slips are a major issue in this field. We thus need to be aware of their presence and how they can make positioning unreliable,” she said. “This innovative detection method opens new doors to numerous research and commercial applications, and every Galileo user will benefit from better positioning – especially in harsh ionospheric conditions.”

The GSA and the CLGE have been working together for several years now – a cooperation that is likely to grow as the Galileo constellation moves towards completion. “With the Galileo constellation we need to understand the users, and the CLGE is an ideal platform for doing this,” said GSA Market Development Officer Reinhard Blasi. “We also need to look at what Galileo can provide in comparison to other GNSS programmes, and Laura’s project is an excellent example of how we can translate some of Galileo’s key differentiators – such as its unique frequency plan – into benefits for the end users.”

A video of the ceremony and of Laura’s presentation can be found here.


More Information

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).

GSA Supports Young Surveyors

22.10.2015 9:32  
22/10/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) sponsored for the first time an award at the CLGE Annual Young Surveyors’ Prize.

In conjunction with INTERGEO 2015 – one of the leading international trade fairs in surveyingMaurice Barbieri (president of CLGE), Leiv Bjarte Mjøs (CLGE, Chair of the Jury), Reinhard Blasi (GSA), Laura Van de Vyvere (Prize winner), Dieter Seitz (CLGE treasurer). and geo-information – the Council of Geodetic Surveyors (CLGE) awards its annual Young Surveyors’ prize for outstanding contributions to the field by students. This year, for the first time, the GSA sponsored a special topic prize dedicated to Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus.

The winning entry came from Laura Van de Vyvere from the Liège University and M3 Systems, Belgium, for her project “Cycle Slips Detection in Quad-Frequency Mode: Galileo’s Contribution to an Efficient Approach under High Ionospheric Activity”. Through an innovative technique developed by Van de Vyvere, the project uses Galileo’s high number of carrier frequencies to improve positioning compared to other GNSS programmes.

“More than ever, precise positioning is an obvious necessity that is no longer questioned and cycle slips are a major issue in this field. We thus need to be aware of their presence and how they can make positioning unreliable,” she said. “This innovative detection method opens new doors to numerous research and commercial applications, and every Galileo user will benefit from better positioning – especially in harsh ionospheric conditions.”

The GSA and the CLGE have been working together for several years now – a cooperation that is likely to grow as the Galileo constellation moves towards completion. “With the Galileo constellation we need to understand the users, and the CLGE is an ideal platform for doing this,” said GSA Market Development Officer Reinhard Blasi. “We also need to look at what Galileo can provide in comparison to other GNSS programmes, and Laura’s project is an excellent example of how we can translate some of Galileo’s key differentiators – such as its unique frequency plan – into benefits for the end users.”

A video of the ceremony and of Laura’s presentation can be found here.

The presentation "Cycle Slips Detection in Quad-Frequency Mode: Galileo’s Contribution to an Efficient Approach under High Ionospheric Activity” by Laura Van de Vyvere can be found here.

 

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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).

And the 2015 winner is…

21.10.2015 9:14  
21/10/2015

The 2015 edition of the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) once again saw increased entries, and this year’s European GNSS Agency (GSA) Special Prize went to the KYNEO project, set to take on the Internet of Things.

From a crowded field of entries, this year’s GSA Special Prize went to a familiar face – This year’s GSA Special Prize went to a familiar face – Rafael Olmedo and his KYNEO project.Rafael Olmedo and his KYNEO project. This is the second time the Spanish tech entrepreneur has won the GSA Special Prize, he first won it in 2012 with his 3D SOUND NAVIGATION solution.

For 2015 edition, Rafael’s innovative concept involves the development of cheap, flexible Galileo and EGNOS enabled modules that allow ubiquitous positioning data for applications in the Internet of Things – a potentially massive global market.

The basis of the KYNEO concept is a perceived need to be able to fast prototype applications and devices in the rapidly developing field of the Internet of Things. According Rafael, KYNEO is best described as an “open innovation platform for the GNSS of Things.”

Having been involved with many previous GNSS research and innovation projects, Rafael was able to bring unique insight and experience to the table. In terms of the Internet of Things, what he saw was that many different products and services are looking for similar solutions for positioning that can be flexibly adapted in different contexts – something particularly true for developers.

Seeing an opportunity, he set to work. The result is KYNEO, an Arduino-compatible board that allows developers to rapidly and flexibly build their own solutions based on open–source software. Arduino is an open-source electronic prototyping platform for the creation of interactive electronic objects.

“There is a huge development community for digital electronic products out there and our aim with KYNEO is to provide a great positioning tool for this community,” says Rafael. “The first KYNEO products are already available to order via our website, but we will also sell via the many open hardware platforms that already serve the developer community.”

Although the KYNEO product is competitive in its own right, Rafael sees associated services as being the main money-spinner for his company. “There will be some profit in selling the products themselves, but these sales will open doors to services and consultancy,” he explains.

“The product will give visibility to KYNEO and the technology support and consultancy services we provide.”

Rafael highlights the flexibility of the KYNEO concept as being a key factor. “The KYNEO concept can easily provide a portfolio of functionalities in terms of positioning technologies, connection with other sensors, memory options, networking and communications,” he says.

“Application developers can use it as a ‘black box’ or get more involved to customise the unit.”

The GSA Special Topic Prize

The GSA Special Topic Prize was awarded during the annual ceremony for Europe's pre-eminent innovation competitions for space applications: the Copernicus Masters and the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC). This year’s ceremony took place 20 October in Berlin.

“The GSA Special Prize nicely complements the Agency’s focus – getting closer to the end user and helping them benefit from European space technology,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Whether through competitions like this, or through such funding programmes as Horizon 2020 and Fundamental Elements, it’s by supporting innovative applications like KYNEO that the GSA will be able to succeed at its mission.”

The 2015 edition of the ESNC received a record number of entries. Rafael’s winning idea was competing against a total of 192 entries from 29 different countries, with 72 entries coming from individuals and 59 from start-up companies. In terms of topics, the majority of entries were submitted under the location based services (LBS) category, followed by Smart Mobility and Safety and Security.

This annual event recognises the most outstanding applications for Copernicus and European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) in various categories. Since 2014, the awards ceremony has been associated with the Satellite Masters Conference, taking place this year from 20-22 October.

The conference features plenary sessions, workshops, and roundtable discussions centred on leveraging satellite-derived data and other space solutions for business and society. It is a unique marketplace for sharing ideas on space-based innovation and connecting with the world's leading network for downstream satellite business. 


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An Inside Look at the GSA

16.10.2015 14:57  
16/10/2015

 

Three years ago, the GSA moved its headquarters from Brussels to Prague. Since then, the Agency has been in acceleration mode – expanding both in terms of people and responsibilities. To celebrate the anniversary and highlight the many benefits the GSA is bringing to both Europe and, in particular, the Czech Republic, the Agency held its first Open Days 9 – 10 October.

“In celebration of our third year here in Prague, we decided it was the perfectOver 500 students visited the GSA on Friday as part of a classroom visit, where they were able to explore how space technology benefits them on a daily basis opportunity to open our doors to our host city,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, speaking during a ribbon cutting ceremony. “We are excited at the chance to show the public the work we are doing on EGNOS and Galileo.”

Des Dorides noted that although the GSA has been in existence for over a decade, it wasn’t until its relocation to Prague that it took on its current place at the centre for European GNSS programmes. Today, the GSA is charged with the service provision of EGNOS today and Galileo in 2017. It also ensures these services are secure. “Another core function of the GSA is market development, where we are committed to preparing the best return on investment for Europe in terms of both economics and benefits to European citizens,” he added.

Des Dorides was joined  by Head of the European Commission Representation in Prague, Jan Michal, and EU GNSS Security Accreditation Board Chair, Jeremy Blyth, Deputy Czech Transport Minister Kamil Rudolecký and Karel Dobeš, Czech Commissioner for Galileo, among others, who gave guests a comprehensive overview of the GSA, its work and its role in the Czech economy. 

A Bright Future

Despite all the success, there are still challenges ahead. One such challenge, noted by Dobeš, is finding the talent needed to maintain the European GNSS programmes’ momentum into the future. However, judging by the hundreds of excited local students who visited GSA headquarters during Open Days, perhaps this won’t be so much of a challenge after all.

Over 500 students visited the GSA on Friday as part of a classroom visit, where they were able to explore how space technology benefits them on a daily basis via interactive displays and presentations. “I never realised that satellites have such an impact on our lives,” said one local secondary student. “I now have a clear understanding of the European Union, its space programmes, and the GSA – and who knows, maybe one day I’ll be working in the space sector too.”

During the event, over 2000 people came through the GSA’s doors. Saturday included a range of workshops and activities, including the opportunity to see a model Galileo satellite and the first GSA Space Film Festival. Plans for a second edition next year are already in the works.

Benefiting the Czech Republic

Open Days was also an occasion to highlight how the GSA’s location in Prague is benefiting the Czech Republic. “From my perspective, we have seen a growing interest from Czech industry in the GNSS market,” said des Dorides. “We planted the seeds by relocating here and today we are seeing the results as more space applications and products are coming onto the market that originate from the Czech Republic.”

The Czech aerospace industry is also receiving support from the federal government. Rudolecký noted that the government is dedicated to ensuring the aerospace industry in the Czech Republic continues to expand. In support of this mission, the government recently approved 200 million Czech Koruna (EUR 7 million) to be invested in various space programmes. “I think we can invest more and do more, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together with the GSA in the years to come.”

According to a recent GSA study, the Agency’s move has impacted the Czech economy both directly and indirectly. For example, it has had a direct impact through its employment of Czech citizens (currently 18 permanent staff and 13 trainees) and an indirect impact via the Agency’s various procurement activities.

Czech companies are also benefiting from the GSA’s location in Prague. Since the relocation, an increasing number of companies and consortia of Czech companies and institutions have teamed up and applied for European R&D funding programme such as FP7 or Horizon 2020.

Organisation of R&D-focused workshops in Prague as the 2014 European Space Solutions conference or the H2020 workshops is raising awareness on the sectors and the European activities. The networking opportunities at such conferences also play a role in enabling SMEs that would not otherwise participate in such an event to test ideas and establish connections that could lead to successful applications.

The GSA in Prague is indeed changing horizons in the Czech Republic.

 

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GSA Open Days - Image Gallery

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).

European GNSS Brings Added Value to ITS

16.10.2015 12:08  
16/10/2015

At this year’s ITS World Congress in Bordeaux, France, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) demonstrated the added value of European GNSS in intelligent transportation systems.

Although GNSS is a vital part of ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems), its roleAccording to GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, space and satellite navigation are key enablers for the delivery of the next generation of mobility services. in applications often goes unseen. To help remedy this misperception, this year GNSS took centre stage at the annual ITS World Congress, with the GSA showcasing the many uses of satellite navigation at its European GNSS Village stand. The stand was organised in conjunction with the Joint EUropean Project for International ITS/EGNSS awareness Raising, also known as JUPITER, a Horizon 2020 supported project.

The village showcased 5 local authorities and 20 small and medium enterprises, all demonstrating the use of GNSS, and welcomed over 10 international delegations from across the globe. It also featured speakers from local authorities and transport operators. “The goal of the JUPITER project and the European GNSS Village is twofold,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “On the one hand, we aim to amplify the success of some of the most innovative European applications of GNSS for ITS. On the other hand, we aim to catalyse resources, investments and partnerships to scale up and really maximise the return on investment.”

It Takes a Village

Through project demonstrations and presentations, the GSA showed how public stakeholders and actors in the transportation industry stand to benefit from implementing innovative solutions based on GNSS.

“The European GNSS Village was a unique opportunity for the JUPITER Project to demonstrate the many benefits of GNSS to key decision makers, public authorities and representatives of the global ITS industry,” said Hanna-Kaisa Saari, a project manager on the JUPITER Project from Aerospace Valley. “Through these demonstrations and interactions, we were able to maximise the visibility and competitiveness of European GNSS to the ITS sector.”

One SME on display at the Village, Foster ITS, will be the first GNSS receiver for ITS applications that offers greater resilience against an increasing range of GNSS threats, taking advantage of the authentication of the signals in the Galileo Open Service. The company demonstrated how it can detect signal attack attempts, provide indicators to users about confidence of positioning, and provide proof of integrity and origin of PVT data through its soon-to-come product line.

Geoimagine, another company exhibiting at the Village, showed off its mobile sensors that optimise itineraries and avoid impulsive, irrational decisions. Using the example of a network of taxis, Geoimagine presented a network optimiser solution for fleet management. Meanwhile, ANGEO, another exhibiting SME, offers a reliable navigation aid to 200 million people suffering from spatial disorientation troubles by using a reliable positioning algorithm and specialised navigation software.

Among several projects on the municipality transport side, Kordis JMK showed how GNSS allows for real time positioning of public transport vehicles, which enables smooth management of transit and ensures passengers always make their bus or train connections. Similarly, the MOBILIS project from Toulouse Metropole works on improving the efficiency and reliability of urban public transportation services.

Moving Towards Intelligent Mobility

The theme of this year’s edition of the ITS World Congress was ‘Towards Intelligent Mobility: Better Use of Space’, which fits perfectly with the services and applications the GSA is developing in the area of road and intelligent transport systems.

“Space and satellite navigation are key enablers for the delivery of the next generation of mobility ,” said des Dorides. “European GNSS offers the precision, robustness and reliability needed for autonomous and connected vehicles, for transport management, and for payment critical systems, to name just a few of the applications we have seen coming onto the market in recent years.”

 

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The Across-the-Board Applicability of EGNOS

15.10.2015 15:12  
15/10/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) highlights the many benefits of EGNOS to the road, rail, agriculture and surveying sectors during the annual EGNOS Service Provision Workshop, held 29 – 30 September in Copenhagen.

EGNOS may have been built for aviation, but it isn’t meant to be limited by it. A clear message coming out of the EGNOS Service Provision Workshop is that EGNOS benefits a wide range of sectors. A clear message coming out of last week’s EGNOS Service Provision Workshop in Copenhagen is that EGNOS’ benefits extend well beyond the aviation and maritime sectors – benefiting everything from road transportation to rail, agriculture, surveying and mapping.

EGNOS Increases Accuracy

As to the road sector, according to GSA Market Development Officer Carmen Aguilera, “There is a growing interest in optimising the use of roads in Europe, and it is proven that EGNOS can help this by increasing accuracy.”

Aguilera noted that across Europe there is increasing pressure for emergency location sharing. Simultaneously, she also said that navigation devices in smartphones have permeated the market, creating a case for EGNOS in road applications. For example, the eCall system, which will be implemented in all cars in Europe from April 2018, will send an emergency call to 112 in the case of an accident, including precise location, which will help provide faster assistance.

In another example, GNSS can support toll operators in charging levies in compliance with the European Electronic Tolling System Directive. Speaking on Slovakia’s SkyToll system, which earned 43.38 million Euros for the National Motorway Company in Q1 of 2015, GSA Head of Market Development Gian Gherardo Calini said it was an example of the multi-beneficial approach of EGNOS and Galileo. “We have achieved a lot of results, and now it is the time of the user,” he said. “We have to make sure they are satisfied and the system will constantly improve.”

Opportunities in Rail

Turning to rail applications, Aguilera said the sector was a difficult environment for EGNOS because of electromagnetic and visibility interference. Still, there are opportunities. Francesco Rispoli of Ansaldo STS presented his company’s ERSAT project, which focuses on adding European GNSS to ERTMS, the most commonly used and safest signal operating system in the world. “I am strongly convinced there is an important synergy between ERTMS and EGNOS and Galileo, and this synergy should help contribute to make us be more competitive in the market,” he said. “What ERSAT is targeting is to reduce the gap between the two, create a common platform for the benefit of all, and accelerate the process of introducing GNSS in real operations.”

From Farm to the Field

Aside from rail and road, EGNOS plays a large role in agriculture, surveying, and mapping. Aguilera said both farmers and public authorities can benefit from agriculture applications such as machine guidance, automatic steering, variable rate technology, asset management, harvest monitoring, and environmental management. For surveying and mapping applications, an array of users can benefit, including public and private surveyors, construction companies, marine operators, and municipalities.

 

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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 Across-the-Board Applicability of EGNOS

15.10.2015 15:12  
15/10/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) highlights the many benefits of EGNOS to the road, rail, agriculture and surveying sectors during the annual EGNOS Service Provision Workshop, held 29 – 30 September in Copenhagen.

EGNOS may have been built for aviation, but it isn’t meant to be limited by it. A clear message coming out of the EGNOS Service Provision Workshop is that EGNOS benefits a wide range of sectors. A clear message coming out of last week’s EGNOS Service Provision Workshop in Copenhagen is that EGNOS’ benefits extend well beyond the aviation and maritime sectors – benefiting everything from road transportation to rail, agriculture, surveying and mapping.

EGNOS Increases Accuracy

As to the road sector, according to GSA Market Development Officer Carmen Aguilera, “There is a growing interest in optimising the use of roads in Europe, and it is proven that EGNOS can help this by increasing accuracy.”

Aguilera noted that across Europe there is increasing pressure for emergency location sharing. Simultaneously, she also said that navigation devices in smartphones have permeated the market, creating a case for EGNOS in road applications. For example, the eCall system, which will be implemented in all cars in Europe from April 2018, will send an emergency call to 112 in the case of an accident, including precise location, which will help provide faster assistance.

In another example, GNSS can support toll operators in charging levies in compliance with the European Electronic Tolling System Directive. Speaking on Slovakia’s SkyToll system, which earned 43.38 million Euros for the National Motorway Company in Q1 of 2015, GSA Head of Market Development Gian Gherardo Calini said it was an example of the multi-beneficial approach of EGNOS and Galileo. “We have achieved a lot of results, and now it is the time of the user,” he said. “We have to make sure they are satisfied and the system will constantly improve.”

Opportunities in Rail

Turning to rail applications, Aguilera said the sector was a difficult environment for EGNOS because of electromagnetic and visibility interference. Still, there are opportunities. Francesco Rispoli of Ansaldo STS presented his company’s ERSAT project, which focuses on adding European GNSS to ERTMS, the most commonly used and safest signal operating system in the world. “I am strongly convinced there is an important synergy between ERTMS and EGNOS and Galileo, and this synergy should help contribute to make us be more competitive in the market,” he said. “What ERSAT is targeting is to reduce the gap between the two, create a common platform for the benefit of all, and accelerate the process of introducing GNSS in real operations.”

From Farm to the Field

Aside from rail and road, EGNOS plays a large role in agriculture, surveying, and mapping. Aguilera said both farmers and public authorities can benefit from agriculture applications such as machine guidance, automatic steering, variable rate technology, asset management, harvest monitoring, and environmental management. For surveying and mapping applications, an array of users can benefit, including public and private surveyors, construction companies, marine operators, and municipalities.

 

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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).

Surveying Sector Set to Benefit from Galileo

14.10.2015 9:21  
14/10/2015

The GSA recently showcased the many benefits that European GNSS – EGNOS and Galileo– bring to the mapping and surveying sector during INTERGEO 2015 – one of the leading international trade fairs in surveying and geo-information.

At this year’s edition, held in Stuttgart, Germany, the GSABlasi sees cadastral surveying, the tracking of land boundaries, and construction surveying during various parts of a project as the primary activities for E-GNSS technology in the surveying sector. shared a stand with the European Space Agency (ESA), COPERNICUS, and a number of innovative companies.

Speaking at a workshop during the congress, GSA Market Development Officer Reinhard Blasi emphasized the benefits of European GNSS (E-GNSS) in general, with particular emphasis on surveying applications. Referring to the GSA’s 2015 GNSS Market Report, which shows surveying accounting for 4.5% of the projected E-GNSS market from 2013-2023, he noted the sector represents a major opportunity for the GSA. For example, 50% of all GNSS receivers currently on the global market are Galileo-enabled, with 45% of receivers being equipped for all GNSS constellations.

The market will be heavily influenced by rapid urbanisation in emerging countries, and the need for construction and surveying activities across the globe. According GSA Market Development Innovation Officer Alina Hriscu, construction in Asia-Pacific and North America will drive E-GNSS growth. Moreover, the reduction of GNSS receiver prices and increases in accuracy are transforming mapping into more accessible activities – which also contributes to growth in the GNSS market.

Commitment to the End User

According to Blasi, it is a priority to maximise the return on the investment in E-GNSS by the European Union, understood in terms of benefits to users and industry competitiveness. “This means matching design and enabling services to users’ needs,” he said.

This commitment to user needs is particularly prevalent in the surveying sector, where the use of E-GNSS brings improvement in many parameters. Those needs are mostly covered and met by GALILEO Open Service (OS) and Commercial Service (CS).

Watch This: EGNOS for Mapping 

The Open Service, which will be free of charge for all users, will feature excellent positioning and timing performance. Benefits will include easier mitigation of multipath errors, higher signal-to-noise ratio, improved coverage at high latitudes, better results in such harsh environments as urban canyons and tree canopies and enhanced protection against spoofing attacks. 

The Commercial Service, on the other hand, is dedicated to high precision applications and will additionally provide the first ever GNSS spreading code encryption for purely civil purposes.  CS High Accuracy (CS-HA) will deliver corrections via Galileo E6 across the globe (PPP- precise point positioning) for cm-level positioning precision for applications across all segments, and is comparable to differential positioning techniques. Moreover, CS-HA will offer triple frequency, enabling faster convergence time for surveying applications and accuracy comparable to RTK.  Users can also benefit from CS Authentication service, which allows for an increase to the civil security of professional applications. This addition provides a level of trust to users, assuring them that they are tracking signals and data from actual satellites and not from any other source (anti-spoofing).

Blasi moreover underlined that the Galileo E6b signal will be unencrypted, which brings new opportunities for trilaning – or choice for a 3rd frequency – further improving positioning accuracy without augmentation and bringing greater reliability.

The GSA also highlighted that E-GNSS can be used in synergy with Copernicus data, as they are complementary for a wide range of applications across different segments. For example, measurements of Ground Control Points with GNSS equipment support the geo-referencing process of Copernicus data, resulting in more accurate maps. Another example can be found in agriculture, where Copernicus Earth Observation data can serve as input for VRT (Variable Rate Technology) ‘’application maps’’ for fertilisers and/or pesticides, and E-GNSS indicates locate the areas in the field where the applications needs to be used. Many other examples cover the road, maritime, energy and emergency and disaster risk management segments.

Around the Exhibition

INTERGEO serves as the ideal platform for networking and sharing knowledge with this important sector. “The event is the most important geospatial event in Europe, and maybe even worldwide,” said Hriscu. “It’s a global who’s who of geospatial, with key leading industries exhibiting and exchanging experiences in the many workshops.”

This is a sentiment shared by many exhibiting companies. “We are excited to return to INTERGEO and share our comprehensive portfolio of solutions with geospatial professionals from around the world,” said Hexagon President and CEO Ola Rollén. “This event offers a great platform to speak face-to-face and learn how we can best support the end-users, while also discussing current trends affecting the industry.”

Hexagon and its company Leica Geosystems were promoting several E-GNSS enabled products during the event.

Javad, another company exhibiting at INTERGEO, was displaying several versions of its Triumph receivers. “When located in difficult environments, all GNSS receivers are prone to give bad fixed solutions that may appear to be acceptable if they are not verified,” explains company representative Matt Johnson. “Existing methods to verify GNSS solutions include ‘dumping’ the receiver, turning it upside down to cause the RTK engines to reset, and re-observing the point at a later time. Our Triumph receivers, which track all satellite systems, including Galileo, automate these processes with its built-in software features of Verify and Validate.”

Javad Ashjaee, president and CEO of JAVAD, also shared his views with the GSA on the future of GNSS technology trends. His views will be reflected in the upcoming GSA GNSS Market Report, along with inputs from other leading GNSS receiver manufacturers.

In addition to the multitude of companies exhibiting at INTERGEO, numerous government organisations were also present, as well as members of the media and related services. As a central point of the 2015 edition of INTERGEO were Unmanned Arial Systems (UAS) and their many applications for the surveying and mapping sector for data collection, analysis and applications. For example, the GSA-funded H2020 project mapKITE uses a UAS and a terrestrial vehicle to develop an end-to-end solution for 3-D high-resolution corridor mapping.

The GSA took advantage of the event to proactively approach end-users to fill in the questionnaire that will be used to help the GSA better understand user needs and E-GNSS readiness. The final results of this survey will be published soon on the GSA website – stay tuned!

 

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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).

GSA hosted Workshop on RFI threats to GNSS receivers

13.10.2015 9:45  
13/10/2015

Last month, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) hosted a Workshop on RFI threats to GNSS in Aachen, Germany, gathering representatives from the National Frequency Agencies across Europe to get a first-hand look at the effects of radio interferences on GNSS receivers.

Through two half-day sessions, participants heard from experts on radio interferences detection and mitigation techniques, and saw field demonstrations on the effects of radio interferences on GNSS equipment (e.g. professional receivers and enabled phones).

On the first day of the workshop, European companies presented their work, covering such topics as the impact of threats to the GNSS receiver, hardware and software mitigation techniques, threat detection techniques, and test results. Several of the various effects of intentional and unintentional jamming has on the GNSS receiver were also demonstrated, including the impact on signal to noise ratio (SNR) and on timing and navigation data.

Possible implementation of active antennas, efficiency, limitations, and cost were also discussed, as well as algorithms for active antennas. Speakers presented real detections gathered during the last two years and showed off new state-of-the-art jammers and possible mitigation techniques.

Day two was all about live demonstrations of interferences to GNSS users. Spirent Technologies, Rheinish-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aaachen, NSL, and Astri Polska all demonstrated signal processing techniques.

The workshop was organized with support from the Automotive and Rail Innovation Centre and FDC. Participants included 40 representatives from 16 EU governments, and 20 representatives from 13 EU industries. 

The presentations can be found here.

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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).

GSA hosted Workshop on RFI threats to GNSS receivers

13.10.2015 9:45  
13/10/2015

Last month, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) hosted a Workshop on RFI threats to GNSS in Aachen, Germany, gathering representatives from the National Frequency Agencies across Europe to get a first-hand look at the effects of radio interferences on GNSS receivers.

Through two half-day sessions, participants heard from experts on radio interferences detection and mitigation techniques, and saw field demonstrations on the effects of radio interferences on GNSS equipment (e.g. professional receivers and enabled phones).

On the first day of the workshop, European companies presented their work, covering such topics as the impact of threats to the GNSS receiver, hardware and software mitigation techniques, threat detection techniques, and test results. Several of the various effects of intentional and unintentional jamming has on the GNSS receiver were also demonstrated, including the impact on signal to noise ratio (SNR) and on timing and navigation data.

Possible implementation of active antennas, efficiency, limitations, and cost were also discussed, as well as algorithms for active antennas. Speakers presented real detections gathered during the last two years and showed off new state-of-the-art jammers and possible mitigation techniques.

Day two was all about live demonstrations of interferences to GNSS users. Spirent Technologies, Rheinish-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aaachen, NSL, and Astri Polska all demonstrated signal processing techniques.

The workshop was organized with support from the Automotive and Rail Innovation Centre and FDC. Participants included 40 representatives from 16 EU governments, and 20 representatives from 13 EU industries. 

 

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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).

GSA hosted Workshop on RFI threats to GNSS receivers

13.10.2015 9:45  
13/10/2015

Last month, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) hosted a Workshop on RFI threats to GNSS in Aachen, Germany, gathering representatives from the National Frequency Agencies across Europe to get a first-hand look at the effects of radio interferences on GNSS receivers.

Through two half-day sessions, participants heard from experts on radio interferences detection and mitigation techniques, and saw field demonstrations on the effects of radio interferences on GNSS equipment (e.g. professional receivers and enabled phones).

On the first day of the workshop, European companies presented their work, covering such topics as the impact of threats to the GNSS receiver, hardware and software mitigation techniques, threat detection techniques, and test results. Several of the various effects of intentional and unintentional jamming has on the GNSS receiver were also demonstrated, including the impact on signal to noise ratio (SNR) and on timing and navigation data.

Possible implementation of active antennas, efficiency, limitations, and cost were also discussed, as well as algorithms for active antennas. Speakers presented real detections gathered during the last two years and showed off new state-of-the-art jammers and possible mitigation techniques.

Day two was all about live demonstrations of interferences to GNSS users. Spirent Technologies, Rheinish-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aaachen, NSL, and Astri Polska all demonstrated signal processing techniques.

The workshop was organized with support from the Automotive and Rail Innovation Centre and FDC. Participants included 40 representatives from 16 EU governments, and 20 representatives from 13 EU industries. 

 

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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).

Flexibility, Expansion and Business – GSA Talks EGNOS and Aviation at Annual Service Provision Workshop

12.10.2015 14:44  
12/10/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) and aviation stakeholders have joined forces to bring EGNOS to users, a fact that was clearly demonstrated at the annual EGNOS Service Provision Workshop in Copenhagen September 29-30, 2015.

A key topic at this year’s EGNOS Service Provision Workshop, which was held in Copenhagen fromA highlight of this year’s EGNOS Service Provision Workshop was the launch of LPV-200 for the aviation sector. 29 – 30 September was aviation. Presentations focused on the many benefits that EGNOS brings to the sector, with an highlight being the launch of LPV-200 procedures.

“This year we have overcome challenges and achieved much success,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Aircraft manufacturers are increasingly using EGNOS, and the Airbus A350 is now EGNOS-capable. The number of LPV procedures keeps growing – with more than 200 procedures already published, the potential is huge.”

Launch of LPV-200

One of the biggest announcements from the event was the launch of LPV-200 (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance). Using GNSS positioning technology, LPV-200 provides accurate information on an aircraft’s approach to a runway, resulting in lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until the aircraft is 200 feet above the runway. This means passengers can enjoy increased safer landings – particularly in bad weather conditions – thus reducing delays, diversions and cancellations. More so, LPV-200 is free of direct charge and requires no upgrade to existing certified EGNOS receivers.

GSA officials noted that LPV-200 represents a key milestone in the development of EGNOS. “The declaration of LPV 200 brings EGNOS to the same operational use standard as the US’s WAAS,” said EGNOS Exploitation Programme Manager Jean-Marc Pieplu. “Now, the GSA is committed to expanding the programme’s coverage area to include all EU 28 Member States – and beyond.”

“LPV 200 is a great achievement for EGNOS and we should be very proud”. added des Dorides“

Finding Flexibility

As LPV implementation continues to grow in Europe, the GSA is well aware that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. “We know our approach needs to be different for different users,” said des Dorides.

To ensure this flexibility, the GSA has been working with the General Aviation (GA) sector to support EASA approval of the avionics system most widely used by GA pilots: the Garmin GNS430 and GNS530. “General Aviation demands cost-effective avionics,” said des Dorides. “By approving these models for LPV capability, we’re helping to bring the cost from €10000 per aircraft registration to just €300 – making EGNOS a realistic option for GA operators.”

EGNOS is also the preferred option for business aviation operators. To support this important aviation sector, the GSA and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the wide use of EGNOS -based navigation procedures at regional and small airports across Europe. Ten priority airfields are undergoing implementation, with a fleet already equipped and ready to fly LPV.

EGNOS Expanding

To ensure adoption is accelerated and harmonised across Europe, the GSA works closely with ESSP, the EGNOS service provider. “We do not work in isolation,” said GSA Market Development Officer Carmen Aguilera. “We have a key partnership with ESSP and also work closely with EUROCONTROL.” She noted that the GSA does not only focus on the implementation of procedures, but also on strategies that will include EGNOS in the future.

EUROCONTROL’s Frank Riquet agreed on the importance of working together to implement EGNOS across Europe. “There is a benefit for aviation to adopt PBN, and the keyword is safety,” he said. “At EUROCONTROL, we’re always trying to take it back to navigation, surveillance and its impact on traffic, which is why GNSS is a vital part of the network”

In addition to expansion in Europe, there are possibilities for EGNOS to expand beyond the European Union. “We want to extend both in Africa and to the east,” said Ugo Celestino of European Commission DG Grow. “EGNOS is a win-win occasion for non-European Union countries

as it allows them to get a technology that leverages existing public investments, and for the EU it opens new venues of technical cooperation, business, and long-term partnerships.” Celestino said that feedback from Ukraine has been very strong and there is work on-going on EGNOS procedures for airports in the south of Europe.

EGNOS is not only expanding geographically, but also in the types of aircraft it serves.  “EGNOS is more and more important for rotorcraft operations,” said Aguilera. “How can we implement operations powered by EGNOS that can be useful for rotorcraft users?  That’s our current question.” Rotorcraft brings different technological challenges to the equation, such as flying to airports that lack sophisticated – and expensive – ground infrastructure. The GSA is also exploring low-level RNAV routes so rotorcraft can fly safely even in bad weather.

Drones are another area where EGNOS will see growth. “We cannot forget about the use of GNSS in civil drones, and we have funded a lot of projects on this topic,” noted Aguilera. “This is not only to show that drones can do many things, but to show that EGNOS and Galileo can provide guidance.”

Benefiting Business

Several companies spoke in Copenhagen on their experiences using EGNOS, including Airbus, Skyguide, FlyingGroup and Air Baltic. “GNSS on Airbus aircraft is a core function in navigation, surveillance and communication,” said Airbus Navigation Systems Marketing Officer Frederic Belloir. He said it also provides increased airport accessibility, better efficiency with more direct routes, safety nets with ADS-B, TAWS, and enhanced passenger comfort.

 

More Information

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).

Flexibility, Expansion and Business – GSA Talks EGNOS and Aviation at Annual Service Provision Workshop

12.10.2015 14:44  
12/10/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) and aviation stakeholders have joined forces to bring EGNOS to users, a fact that was clearly demonstrated at the annual EGNOS Service Provision Workshop in Copenhagen September 29-30, 2015.

A key topic at this year’s EGNOS Service Provision Workshop, which was held in Copenhagen fromA highlight of this year’s EGNOS Service Provision Workshop was the launch of LPV-200 for the aviation sector. 29 – 30 September was aviation. Presentations focused on the many benefits that EGNOS brings to the sector, with an highlight being the launch of LPV-200 procedures.

“This year we have overcome challenges and achieved much success,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Aircraft manufacturers are increasingly using EGNOS, and the Airbus A350 is now EGNOS-capable. The number of LPV procedures keeps growing – with more than 200 procedures already published, the potential is huge.”

Launch of LPV-200

One of the biggest announcements from the event was the launch of LPV-200 (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance). Using GNSS positioning technology, LPV-200 provides accurate information on an aircraft’s approach to a runway, resulting in lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until the aircraft is 200 feet above the runway. This means passengers can enjoy increased safer landings – particularly in bad weather conditions – thus reducing delays, diversions and cancellations. More so, LPV-200 is free of direct charge and requires no upgrade to existing certified EGNOS receivers.

GSA officials noted that LPV-200 represents a key milestone in the development of EGNOS. “The declaration of LPV 200 brings EGNOS to the same operational use standard as the US’s WAAS,” said EGNOS Exploitation Programme Manager Jean-Marc Pieplu. “Now, the GSA is committed to expanding the programme’s coverage area to include all EU 28 Member States – and beyond.”

“LPV 200 is a great achievement for EGNOS and we should be very proud”. added des Dorides“

Finding Flexibility

As LPV implementation continues to grow in Europe, the GSA is well aware that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. “We know our approach needs to be different for different users,” said des Dorides.

To ensure this flexibility, the GSA has been working with the General Aviation (GA) sector to support EASA approval of the avionics system most widely used by GA pilots: the Garmin GNS430 and GNS530. “General Aviation demands cost-effective avionics,” said des Dorides. “By approving these models for LPV capability, we’re helping to bring the cost from €10000 per aircraft registration to just €300 – making EGNOS a realistic option for GA operators.”

EGNOS is also the preferred option for business aviation operators. To support this important aviation sector, the GSA and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the wide use of EGNOS -based navigation procedures at regional and small airports across Europe. Ten priority airfields are undergoing implementation, with a fleet already equipped and ready to fly LPV.

EGNOS Expanding

To ensure adoption is accelerated and harmonised across Europe, the GSA works closely with ESSP, the EGNOS service provider. “We do not work in isolation,” said GSA Market Development Officer Carmen Aguilera. “We have a key partnership with ESSP and also work closely with EUROCONTROL.” She noted that the GSA does not only focus on the implementation of procedures, but also on strategies that will include EGNOS in the future.

EUROCONTROL’s Frank Riquet agreed on the importance of working together to implement EGNOS across Europe. “There is a benefit for aviation to adopt PBN, and the keyword is safety,” he said. “At EUROCONTROL, we’re always trying to take it back to navigation, surveillance and its impact on traffic, which is why GNSS is a vital part of the network”

In addition to expansion in Europe, there are possibilities for EGNOS to expand beyond the European Union. “We want to extend both in Africa and to the east,” said Ugo Celestino of European Commission DG Grow. “EGNOS is a win-win occasion for non-European Union countries

as it allows them to get a technology that leverages existing public investments, and for the EU it opens new venues of technical cooperation, business, and long-term partnerships.” Celestino said that feedback from Ukraine has been very strong and there is work on-going on EGNOS procedures for airports in the south of Europe.

EGNOS is not only expanding geographically, but also in the types of aircraft it serves.  “EGNOS is more and more important for rotorcraft operations,” said Aguilera. “How can we implement operations powered by EGNOS that can be useful for rotorcraft users?  That’s our current question.” Rotorcraft brings different technological challenges to the equation, such as flying to airports that lack sophisticated – and expensive – ground infrastructure. The GSA is also exploring low-level RNAV routes so rotorcraft can fly safely even in bad weather.

Drones are another area where EGNOS will see growth. “We cannot forget about the use of GNSS in civil drones, and we have funded a lot of projects on this topic,” noted Aguilera. “This is not only to show that drones can do many things, but to show that EGNOS and Galileo can provide guidance.”

Benefiting Business

Several companies spoke in Copenhagen on their experiences using EGNOS, including Airbus, Skyguide, FlyingGroup and Air Baltic. “GNSS on Airbus aircraft is a core function in navigation, surveillance and communication,” said Airbus Navigation Systems Marketing Officer Frederic Belloir. He said it also provides increased airport accessibility, better efficiency with more direct routes, safety nets with ADS-B, TAWS, and enhanced passenger comfort.

 

More Information

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).

Flexibility, Expansion and Business – GSA Talks EGNOS and Aviation at Annual Service Provision Workshop

12.10.2015 14:44  
12/10/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) and aviation stakeholders have joined forces to bring EGNOS to users, a fact that was clearly demonstrated at the annual EGNOS Service Provision Workshop in Copenhagen September 29-30, 2015.

A key topic at this year’s EGNOS Service Provision Workshop, which was held in Copenhagen fromA highlight of this year’s EGNOS Service Provision Workshop was the launch of LPV-200 for the aviation sector. 29 – 30 September was aviation. Presentations focused on the many benefits that EGNOS brings to the sector, with an highlight being the launch of LPV-200 procedures.

“This year we have overcome challenges and achieved much success,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Aircraft manufacturers are increasingly using EGNOS, and the Airbus A350 is now EGNOS-capable. The number of LPV procedures keeps growing – with more than 200 procedures already published, the potential is huge.”

Launch of LPV-200

One of the biggest announcements from the event was the launch of LPV-200 (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance). Using GNSS positioning technology, LPV-200 provides accurate information on an aircraft’s approach to a runway, resulting in lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until the aircraft is 200 feet above the runway. This means passengers can enjoy increased safer landings – particularly in bad weather conditions – thus reducing delays, diversions and cancellations. More so, LPV-200 is free of direct charge and requires no upgrade to existing certified EGNOS receivers.

GSA officials noted that LPV-200 represents a key milestone in the development of EGNOS. “The declaration of LPV 200 brings EGNOS to the same operational use standard as the US’s WAAS,” said EGNOS Exploitation Programme Manager Jean-Marc Pieplu. “Now, the GSA is committed to expanding the programme’s coverage area to include all EU 28 Member States – and beyond.”

“LPV 200 is a great achievement for EGNOS and we should be very proud”. added des Dorides“

Finding Flexibility

As LPV implementation continues to grow in Europe, the GSA is well aware that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. “We know our approach needs to be different for different users,” said des Dorides.

To ensure this flexibility, the GSA has been working with the General Aviation (GA) sector to support EASA approval of the avionics system most widely used by GA pilots: the Garmin GNS430 and GNS530. “General Aviation demands cost-effective avionics,” said des Dorides. “By approving these models for LPV capability, we’re helping to bring the cost from €10000 per aircraft registration to just €300 – making EGNOS a realistic option for GA operators.”

EGNOS is also the preferred option for business aviation operators. To support this important aviation sector, the GSA and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the wide use of EGNOS -based navigation procedures at regional and small airports across Europe. Ten priority airfields are undergoing implementation, with a fleet already equipped and ready to fly LPV.

EGNOS Expanding

To ensure adoption is accelerated and harmonised across Europe, the GSA works closely with ESSP, the EGNOS service provider. “We do not work in isolation,” said GSA Market Development Officer Carmen Aguilera. “We have a key partnership with ESSP and also work closely with EUROCONTROL.” She noted that the GSA does not only focus on the implementation of procedures, but also on strategies that will include EGNOS in the future.

EUROCONTROL’s Frank Riquet agreed on the importance of working together to implement EGNOS across Europe. “There is a benefit for aviation to adopt PBN, and the keyword is safety,” he said. “At EUROCONTROL, we’re always trying to take it back to navigation, surveillance and its impact on traffic, which is why GNSS is a vital part of the network”

In addition to expansion in Europe, there are possibilities for EGNOS to expand beyond the European Union. “We want to extend both in Africa and to the east,” said Ugo Celestino of European Commission DG Grow. “EGNOS is a win-win occasion for non-European Union countries

as it allows them to get a technology that leverages existing public investments, and for the EU it opens new venues of technical cooperation, business, and long-term partnerships.” Celestino said that feedback from Ukraine has been very strong and there is work on-going on EGNOS procedures for airports in the south of Europe.

EGNOS is not only expanding geographically, but also in the types of aircraft it serves.  “EGNOS is more and more important for rotorcraft operations,” said Aguilera. “How can we implement operations powered by EGNOS that can be useful for rotorcraft users?  That’s our current question.” Rotorcraft brings different technological challenges to the equation, such as flying to airports that lack sophisticated – and expensive – ground infrastructure. The GSA is also exploring low-level RNAV routes so rotorcraft can fly safely even in bad weather.

Drones are another area where EGNOS will see growth. “We cannot forget about the use of GNSS in civil drones, and we have funded a lot of projects on this topic,” noted Aguilera. “This is not only to show that drones can do many things, but to show that EGNOS and Galileo can provide guidance.”

Benefiting Business

Several companies spoke in Copenhagen on their experiences using EGNOS, including Airbus, Skyguide, FlyingGroup and Air Baltic. “GNSS on Airbus aircraft is a core function in navigation, surveillance and communication,” said Airbus Navigation Systems Marketing Officer Frederic Belloir. He said it also provides increased airport accessibility, better efficiency with more direct routes, safety nets with ADS-B, TAWS, and enhanced passenger comfort.

 

More Information

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).

Slovakia’s Satellite Tolling System Receives International Recognition

6.10.2015 9:20  
06/10/2015

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) supported SkyToll project received recognition at a recent IRF regional conference.

The Slovak Electronic Toll System continues to be recognized for itsRecently, SkyToll won the Traffic Management and ITS category at the inaugural International Road Federation (IRF) Europe & Central Asia Regional Congress. innovative use of European GNSS technology for road tolling. Recently, SkyToll won the Global Road Achievement Award at the inaugural International Road Federation (IRF) Europe & Central Asia Regional Congress.

The IRF is a US-based non-profit organization that promotes research, development and maintenance of infrastructure. The award recognizes public and private organizations that demonstrate significant achievements in making the most of existing infrastructure to accommodate present and future traffic by using advanced or original traffic management concepts, organizations and/or systems.

“This award confirms that the Slovak Electronic Toll system is setting the standard for satellite-based tolling throughout Europe and ushering in an era where the toll booth becomes a thing of the past,” says Miroslav Bobošík, Head of Strategy and Marketing at SkyToll.

“As a relatively young and small country in Europe, Slovakia is viewed as a pioneer in implementing European GNSS and satellite navigation applications and is serving as an example to other countries looking to develop similar systems,” added GSA Head of Market Development Gian Gherardo Calini.

SkyToll was one of 12 organizations to receive an award at the gala, which was held in Istanbul, Turkey on September 18. The award was presented by IRF President and CEO C. Patrick Sankey.

At 17,741 kilometres, the Slovak Electronic Toll System, which is operated by SkyToll, is the longest tolled roadway systems in the EU. The system was started in 2010 and uses EGNOS and Galileo, together with an installed unit, to track a vehicle’s movements. When the vehicle crosses a specific point, the satellite tracks the movement and the unit in the vehicle records the transaction. As a result, tolling stations and the delays they cause are no longer needed.

    Also Read: Slovak Republic Embraces European GNSS

Because the system is satellite based, SkyToll has successfully increased the number of roadways where tolls are collected. So far, 250,000 vehicles are registered to use the system, but only vehicles over 3.5 tonnes are required to pay the toll.

No investment was required by Slovakia to install the system. SkyToll was awarded a contract to design, build, finance and operate the tolling system. The company makes payments to the government from the money collected.

 

More Information

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).

What Do You Think?

5.10.2015 11:30  
05/10/2015

European GNSS Agency (GSA) seeks your input for its 2015 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey.

The GSA, along with the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP),The deadline to complete the EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey is November 30. is conducting the 2015 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey. The survey takes only 10 minutes to complete. The deadline to complete the survey is November 30th.

Access th survey here.

The results off the survey will allow the GSA and ESSP to better understand EGNOS’ value to users, improve the EGNOS technology and provide better customer service.

The survey covers all market segments and services, including the Open Service and Safety of Life signal. It also assesses the ESSP’s management of EGNOS User Support Services. All EGNOS users are strongly encouraged to participate, regardless of which market segment they operate in.

The results from last year’s survey were positive and showed a good level of satisfaction with EGNOS. Results from this year’s edition are expected to be made available early next year.

More Information

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).

What Do You Think?

5.10.2015 11:30  
05/10/2015

European GNSS Agency (GSA) seeks your input for its 2015 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey.

The GSA, along with the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP),The deadline to complete the EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey is November 30. is conducting the 2015 EGNOS User Satisfaction Survey. The survey takes only 10 minutes to complete. The deadline to complete the survey is November 30th.

Access th survey here.

The results off the survey will allow the GSA and ESSP to better understand EGNOS’ value to users, improve the EGNOS technology and provide better customer service.

The survey covers all market segments and services, including the Open Service and Safety of Life signal. It also assesses the ESSP’s management of EGNOS User Support Services. All EGNOS users are strongly encouraged to participate, regardless of which market segment they operate in.

The results from last year’s survey were positive and showed a good level of satisfaction with EGNOS. Results from this year’s edition are expected to be made available early next year.

 

More Information

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).

EGNOS LPV 200 Enables Safer Aircraft Landings

29.9.2015 10:53  
29/09/2015

EGNOS LPV-200 requires no upgrade to an airport’s ground infrastructure or to existing certified EGNOS receivers.

European GNSS Agency (GSA) says new EGNOS service will offer better access to airports and reduce delays, diversions and cancellations.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has launched new technology that provides pilots with enhanced instruments for safer aircraft landings, even in poor weather conditions. The announcement was made at the annual EGNOS Service Provision Workshop being held this week in Copenhagen.

LPV-200 (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance) delivers accurate information on an aircraft’s approach to a runway with the use of GNSS positioning technology. The result is lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until an aircraft is 200 feet above the runway.

LPV-200 is a key milestone in the development of European Satellite Navigation and EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service), which provides GPS augmentation in Europe. LPV-200 is free and requires no upgrade to an airport’s ground infrastructure or to existing certified EGNOS receivers. 

       Watch This: EGNOS for the Aviation Sector

“EGNOS LPV-200 is now the most cost effective and safest solution for airports,” said GSA Executive Director, Carlo des Dorides. “This is another big step forward for European satellite navigation and aviation.”

With LPV-200, passengers in Europe will see increased accessibility to airports. Pilots can land an aircraft more safely, especially in bad weather conditions, thus reducing delays, diversions and cancellations. The more efficient landings allowed for by LPV-200 will also cut costs and fuel consumption, reducing the overall cost of air travel.

The Details

The new EGNOS LPV-200 service level now enables aircraft approaches that are operationally equivalent to ILS CAT I: providing lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until a Decision Height (DH) of down to only 200 ft. above the runway. These EGNOS-based approaches are considered ILS look-alike, but without the need for the expensive ground infrastructure required for ILS.

EGNOS LPV-200 based approaches, lowered from LPV-250, guarantee all the advantages provided by an ILS CAT I approach with the airspace design flexibility of a PBN approach. Benefits include:

  •  Reduced risks associated with landing in bad weather conditions
  • Increased accessibility to airports
  • Reduced delays, diversions and cancellations (cutting costs)
  • Increased airspace capacity and reduction of both ATC and pilot workload 
  • Improved efficiency of operations, lowering fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and decreasing aviation’s environmental impact

This new EGNOS Safety of Life (SoL) service level is available free of charge to all European users within the service coverage area. EGNOS LPV-200 supports civil aviation operations during approaches to airports and helipads. The service requires no upgrade to an airport’s ground infrastructure or to existing certified EGNOS receivers.

         Read This: EGNOS in Action – Aviation

LPV-200 is a key milestone in the development of European Satellite Navigation and EGNOS, Europe’s SBAS, which has provided civil aviation-certified GPS augmentation over Europe since 2011. Today over 150 European Airports use EGNOS and it is estimated that by 2018 the number will increase to 440.

More Information

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).

EGNOS LPV 200 Enables Safer Aircraft Landings

29.9.2015 10:53  
29/09/2015

EGNOS LPV-200 requires no upgrade to an airport’s ground infrastructure or to existing certified EGNOS receivers.

European GNSS Agency (GSA) says new EGNOS service will offer better access to airports and reduce delays, diversions and cancellations.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has launched new technology that provides pilots with enhanced instruments for safer aircraft landings, even in poor weather conditions. The announcement was made at the annual EGNOS Service Provision Workshop being held this week in Copenhagen.

LPV-200 (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance) delivers accurate information on an aircraft’s approach to a runway with the use of GNSS positioning technology. The result is lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until an aircraft is 200 feet above the runway.

LPV-200 is a key milestone in the development of European Satellite Navigation and EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service), which provides GPS augmentation in Europe. LPV-200 is free and requires no upgrade to an airport’s ground infrastructure or to existing certified EGNOS receivers. 

       Watch This: EGNOS for the Aviation Sector

“EGNOS LPV-200 is now the most cost effective and safest solution for airports,” said GSA Executive Director, Carlo des Dorides. “This is another big step forward for European satellite navigation and aviation.”

With LPV-200, passengers in Europe will see increased accessibility to airports. Pilots can land an aircraft more safely, especially in bad weather conditions, thus reducing delays, diversions and cancellations. The more efficient landings allowed for by LPV-200 will also cut costs and fuel consumption, reducing the overall cost of air travel.

The Details

The new EGNOS LPV-200 service level now enables aircraft approaches that are operationally equivalent to ILS CAT I: providing lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until a Decision Height (DH) of down to only 200 ft. above the runway. These EGNOS-based approaches are considered ILS look-alike, but without the need for the expensive ground infrastructure required for ILS.

EGNOS LPV-200 based approaches, lowered from LPV-250, guarantee all the advantages provided by an ILS CAT I approach with the airspace design flexibility of a PBN approach. Benefits include:

  •  Reduced risks associated with landing in bad weather conditions
  • Increased accessibility to airports
  • Reduced delays, diversions and cancellations (cutting costs)
  • Increased airspace capacity and reduction of both ATC and pilot workload 
  • Improved efficiency of operations, lowering fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and decreasing aviation’s environmental impact

This new EGNOS Safety of Life (SoL) service level is available free of charge to all European users within the service coverage area. EGNOS LPV-200 supports civil aviation operations during approaches to airports and helipads. The service requires no upgrade to an airport’s ground infrastructure or to existing certified EGNOS receivers.

         Read This: EGNOS in Action – Aviation

LPV-200 is a key milestone in the development of European Satellite Navigation and EGNOS, Europe’s SBAS, which has provided civil aviation-certified GPS augmentation over Europe since 2011. Today over 150 European Airports use EGNOS and it is estimated that by 2018 the number will increase to 440.

More Information

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).

EGNOS LPV 200 Enables Safer Aircraft Landings

29.9.2015 10:53  
29/09/2015

EGNOS LPV-200 requires no upgrade to an airport’s ground infrastructure or to existing certified EGNOS receivers.

European GNSS Agency (GSA) says new EGNOS service will offer better access to airports and reduce delays, diversions and cancellations.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has launched new technology that provides pilots with enhanced instruments for safer aircraft landings, even in poor weather conditions. The announcement was made at the annual EGNOS Service Provision Workshop being held this week in Copenhagen.

LPV-200 (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance) delivers accurate information on an aircraft’s approach to a runway with the use of GNSS positioning technology. The result is lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until an aircraft is 200 feet above the runway.

LPV-200 is a key milestone in the development of European Satellite Navigation and EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service), which provides GPS augmentation in Europe. LPV-200 is free and requires no upgrade to an airport’s ground infrastructure or to existing certified EGNOS receivers. 

       Watch This: EGNOS for the Aviation Sector

“EGNOS LPV-200 is now the most cost effective and safest solution for airports,” said GSA Executive Director, Carlo des Dorides. “This is another big step forward for European satellite navigation and aviation.”

With LPV-200, passengers in Europe will see increased accessibility to airports. Pilots can land an aircraft more safely, especially in bad weather conditions, thus reducing delays, diversions and cancellations. The more efficient landings allowed for by LPV-200 will also cut costs and fuel consumption, reducing the overall cost of air travel.

The Details

The new EGNOS LPV-200 service level now enables aircraft approaches that are operationally equivalent to ILS CAT I: providing lateral and angular vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until a Decision Height (DH) of down to only 200 ft. above the runway. These EGNOS-based approaches are considered ILS look-alike, but without the need for the expensive ground infrastructure required for ILS.

EGNOS LPV-200 based approaches, lowered from LPV-250, guarantee all the advantages provided by an ILS CAT I approach with the airspace design flexibility of a PBN approach. Benefits include:

  •  Reduced risks associated with landing in bad weather conditions
  • Increased accessibility to airports
  • Reduced delays, diversions and cancellations (cutting costs)
  • Increased airspace capacity and reduction of both ATC and pilot workload 
  • Improved efficiency of operations, lowering fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and decreasing aviation’s environmental impact

This new EGNOS Safety of Life (SoL) service level is available free of charge to all European users within the service coverage area. EGNOS LPV-200 supports civil aviation operations during approaches to airports and helipads. The service requires no upgrade to an airport’s ground infrastructure or to existing certified EGNOS receivers.

         Read This: EGNOS in Action – Aviation

LPV-200 is a key milestone in the development of European Satellite Navigation and EGNOS, Europe’s SBAS, which has provided civil aviation-certified GPS augmentation over Europe since 2011. Today over 150 European Airports use EGNOS and it is estimated that by 2018 the number will increase to 440.

More Information

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).

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