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The European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) is pleased to announce the publication of the updated GALILEO ANTEX file in the Metadata section of the GSC web portal.

The Galileo ANTEX file includes the Phase Centre Variation (PCV), which is the variation of the electrical phase centre of the antenna with respect to the mean phase centre for a given direction. This file has now been updated to include the Direction-Dependant PCV figures for L9 and L10 Galileo satellites (see Satellite Launch Information section). The updated ANTEX file can be found here.

It takes several months to generate the ANTEX file. The process is not straightforward, as it requires performing complex measurements, as well as thorough post-processing and validation of the obtained data.

Galileo Satellite Metadata

The Galileo Satellite Metadata section (under the Support to Developers tab on the GSC site) contains information about the satellite properties, which is needed to properly implement advanced processing algorithms for precise orbit determination or Precise Point Positioning (PPP).

For further up-to-date information on the Galileo system and its services, visit the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) website, and the GSC Help Desk is available for any comments or questions related to 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).

If you are struggling to formulate your idea for consideration in this year’s Galileo Masters, which opened for submissions on May 1, perhaps you could take inspiration from some of the innovative ideas that won the GSA Special Prize in previous editions of the competition. Already have an idea? Then register for this year’s competition here.

Sports applications have featured highly in previous editions of the Galileo Masters. Last year the prize went to Smart Gate, a system designed to measure time precisely during sporting activities – in this case skiing and snowboarding. Using GNSS precise timing combined with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, the application provides precise times on ski/snowboard runs, which sportspeople can use to hone their skills and techniques.

Then, in 2013, the GSA Special prize went to JOHAN, an application that also targeted improved sports performance. The JOHAN solution used tiny wearable GNSS receivers to monitor field sports in real-time and enable assessment of players’ performances and the development of new tactics based on players’ capabilities.

Finally, back in 2009 the prize went to Nogago, which leveraged the unique properties of EGNOS in a family of smartphone applications that turned smartphones into outdoor navigation devices targeting various needs: 'Nogago Outdoor' for hiking and trekking, 'Nogago Guide' for sightseeing and pedestrian navigation, and 'Nogago Sport' for running and biking.

Specific societal needs

Other winning solutions in the past have sought to address very specific societal needs. The CENTRIP (ChildrEN TRIp Protector) early warning system, which won the GSA Special Prize in 2017, aimed to help teachers to keep track of young children outdoors. The project combined a lightweight GNSS tracking device installed in a durable bracelet, which is worn by the child, with a geo-fence set up around a specified area, enabling teachers to track the location of each child.

Also addressing a very specific societal need, the winning application in 2012 was 3SOUND - a personal navigation solution based on the integration of acoustic binaural technologies (i.e. 3D sounds) and GNSS technologies. Designed to help vision impaired people navigate using sound cues and augmented satellite navigation signals, the technology could also help emergency services operate in low visibility environments.

Mass market potential

Mass market solutions can potentially generate mass profits, so it is no surprise that solutions with the potential for mass market uptake have featured prominently in the competition. In 2015, the prize went to the KYNEO project, which developed cheap, flexible Galileo and EGNOS-enabled modules that allow ubiquitous positioning data for applications in the Internet of Things – a potentially massive global market.

Then there was the Galileo for ARA project by Elecnor Deimos, which took the prize in 2014 and which also had its eye on the mass market. This innovative concept aimed to develop Galileo modules for the Google ARA modular smartphone concept – a potential game changer for positioning in the mobile phone market.

UAV and navigation

UAVs have featured prominently in winning applications from previous years. In 2016, the Drones2GNSS project combined Galileo’s multi-constellation capacity with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in an innovative approach that addressed a timeless problem of surveying engineers: positioning accuracy in urban canyons and vegetated areas. Earlier, in 2011, the Catalonian company CATNUV won the prize with a mini-UAV Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) that uses GPS and EGNOS to allow drones to navigate safely in controlled airspace.

Finally, the 2010 winner of the GSA special prize was the Wikitude Drive system from Austrian company Mobilizy. This application transformed a smartphone into an augmented reality dashboard satnav device, which overlays video captured through the camera with driving instructions. This allows users to drive through their phone, watching the road even while they are looking at directions.

This year’s categories

This year the competition is structured in two class categories– ‘Start-up of the Year’ and ‘Idea of the Year’ - both of which are sponsored by the GSA. In addition to the two general categories, you can also submit your solution to be eligible for one of six special prizes:

• Galileo-Copernicus Synergy Challenge;
• Galileo 5G IoT Challenge;
• DLR Artificial Intelligence Navigation Challenge;
• University Challenge;
• BMVI Special Prize; and
• GNSS Living Lab Prize.

There is also a Regional Challenge, where participants can choose a challenge set by a regional partner from around the world that best matches their business case.

If you would like to learn more about the Galileo-Copernicus Synergy Challenge, then take part in a webinar to be held on 19 July 2019 at 10:00 (CEST) to explore the synergies between these systems and see the potential applications with commercial and societal benefits.

Has the above given you inspiration? Even if your idea is not fully formed, make sure to register now so you can receive information about all the great support activities and additional opportunities that arise throughout the submission phase. Registration is free and available to participants all around the world. To find out more, click here.

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