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The added value of EGNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) for drones was the focus of a special session organised by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) at this year’s World ATM Congress in Madrid on 12 March, at which representatives from several projects spoke about how they are benefitting from the European space programme.

Opening the session, GSA Market Development Officer Carmen Aguilera and European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP) CEO Thierry Racaud talked about advances in EGNOS applications in aviation and the natural spill-over and evolution into drone technologies. “Today we will hear about projects that are demonstrating the benefits of both EGNOS and Galileo for drones operations,” Aguilera said.

At the session, Victor Gordo, Ineco Senior Project Manager presented Terra (Technological European Research for RPAS in ATM), an H2020 project. This project aims to leverage existing and potential new technologies to develop a ground-based U-Space architecture that will accommodate a large base of RPAS in a mixed mode (manned and unmanned) environment.

Read this: GSA Report highlights key user requirements in aviation

Increased integrity and accuracy

Gordo explained how user needs are surveyed and taken into account during drone development, particularly with respect to the integration of EGNOS and Galileo. “We started out with a top down approach, but are now moving towards a bottom up approach,” said Victor Gordo, adding that this ensures that the requirements of end users are met. “Different users will be employing drones in different capacities, some will fly between buildings in large cities, others will have different uses, and thus the different requirements must be identified,” he said.

The GAUSS GSA-H2020 project was represented by Adrian Jimenez-Gonzales from Everis Aerospace & Defence, which is chairing the new EUROCAE subgroup on Multi GNSS for UAS. He said that the integration of Galileo and EGNOS into drone technology is mainly focused on safety and security, thanks to the increased integrity and accuracy that they provide. This is particularly relevant given the growing popularity of drones, Jimenez-Gonzales said. “Due to their growing popularity and usage, in the near future will see hundreds of drones sharing airspace, making the added value of EGNOS and Galileo, specifically improved manoeuvring, and accurate positioning, all the more relevant for public and airspace safety,” he said.

And this: GSA, SDM sign MoU on EGNSS support for Air Traffic Management

Defining EGNSS standardisation for drones

GMV Project Manager Marta Cueto Santamaría presented the EGNSS 4RPAS project, and outlined the European Commission’s strategy to promote the use of EGNOSS and Galileo. “Drones have been identified as a very promising technology,” said Cueto Santamaría. “This makes it all the more necessary to define the EGNSS standards for drone operations and obtain all the benefits that EGNOS and Galileo have to offer,” she said.

Finally, Carmen Aguilera highlighted how “both EGNOS and Galileo provide the accuracy, integrity and security needed for drone operations.” She closed the session with an update on the current ongoing work on creating a digital signature for Galileo to combat the ever growing issue of jamming and hacking, and to continue strengthening the secure image of Galileo-enabled drones.

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 added value of EGNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) for drones was the focus of a special session organised by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) at this year’s World ATM Congress in Madrid on 12 March, at which representatives from several projects spoke about how they are benefitting from the European space programme.

Opening the session, GSA Market Development Officer Carmen Aguilera and European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP) CEO Thierry Racaud talked about advances in EGNOS applications in aviation and the natural spill-over and evolution into drone technologies. “Today we will hear about projects that are demonstrating the benefits of both EGNOS and Galileo for drones operations,” Aguilera said.

At the session, Victor Gordo, Ineco Senior Project Manager presented Terra (Technological European Research for RPAS in ATM), an H2020 project. This project aims to leverage existing and potential new technologies to develop a ground-based U-Space architecture that will accommodate a large base of RPAS in a mixed mode (manned and unmanned) environment.

Read this: GSA Report highlights key user requirements in aviation

Increased integrity and accuracy

Gordo explained how user needs are surveyed and taken into account during drone development, particularly with respect to the integration of EGNOS and Galileo. “We started out with a top down approach, but are now moving towards a bottom up approach,” said Victor Gordo, adding that this ensures that the requirements of end users are met. “Different users will be employing drones in different capacities, some will fly between buildings in large cities, others will have different uses, and thus the different requirements must be identified,” he said.

The GAUSS GSA-H2020 project was represented by Adrian Jimenez-Gonzales from Everis Aerospace & Defence, which is chairing the new EUROCAE subgroup on Multi GNSS for UAS. He said that the integration of Galileo and EGNOS into drone technology is mainly focused on safety and security, thanks to the increased integrity and accuracy that they provide. This is particularly relevant given the growing popularity of drones, Jimenez-Gonzales said. “Due to their growing popularity and usage, in the near future will see hundreds of drones sharing airspace, making the added value of EGNOS and Galileo, specifically improved manoeuvring, and accurate positioning, all the more relevant for public and airspace safety,” he said.

And this: GSA, SDM sign MoU on EGNSS support for Air Traffic Management

Defining EGNSS standardisation for drones

GMV Project Manager Marta Cueto Santamaría presented the EGNSS 4RPAS project, and outlined the European Commission’s strategy to promote the use of EGNOSS and Galileo. “Drones have been identified as a very promising technology,” said Cueto Santamaría. “This makes it all the more necessary to define the EGNSS standards for drone operations and obtain all the benefits that EGNOS and Galileo have to offer,” she said.

Finally, Carmen Aguilera highlighted how “both EGNOS and Galileo provide the accuracy, integrity and security needed for drone operations.” She closed the session with an update on the current ongoing work on creating a digital signature for Galileo to combat the ever growing issue of jamming and hacking, and to continue strengthening the secure image of Galileo-enabled drones.

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).

GEO++, a German-based company, with support from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), presented a new high-accuracy positioning application for Android smartphones at this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC).

With over 107,000 visitors attending its 2019 edition, the MWC continues to be the largest mobile event in the world. It was the perfect stage for highlighting some of the most exciting Galileo-driven projects being supported by the GSA.

Everybody can benefit

Readers will know that Galileo is now the world's leading provider of dual-frequency GNSS signals, with more functioning dual-frequency satellites in orbit than any other GNSS constellation. Now, Geo++ GmbH, a geodesy and navigation company based outside Hanover, has developed a precision positioning app for smartphones called 'Geo++ Android Positioning Library', augmenting dual-frequency code and phase GNSS observations with SSR correction data.

"We've been doing precise positioning for 20 years, but typically for survey-grade receivers," said Jannes Wübbena, Managing Director of GEO++. "These can cost up to a couple of thousand euros, and then you can do centimetre-level accuracy. What we wanted to do here is create a new application that can provide precise positioning for smartphones. We wanted to get to a similar level of accuracy but with the limitation that we are using the low-grade, inexpensive GNSS receivers that are in these phones, making it possible for everyone to benefit from the highest accuracy positioning."

Read this: The GSA and Galileo at MWC Barcelona

Geo++ Android Positioning Library tackles the task of precision positioning by utilising GEO++'s network RTK technology in the backend to apply generated GNSS corrections to the smartphone measurements. For the GSA, this is exactly the kind of innovative application, leveraging the advantages of Galileo, that will enable new and more powerful and more value-generating Location-Based Services (LBS) for the mass-market.

Wübbena's company has already gained a lot of experience in this area with its Geo++ RINEX Logger app, which is available free of charge on the Google Play store.

Putting a new tool in your hand

"If you look back ten years ago, people generally had a smartphone for staying connected, but then if they were interested in photography they would also walk around with a digital camera." Wübbena said. "Nowadays it's more common for people just to have a smartphone to do both, because the camera in your phone is just as good as a lot of digital cameras. With our new precision positioning capability, we think this brings your smartphone in a similar way into the realm of high-precision measurement devices." So, as with the digital camera, Wübbena suggested, in the near future, smartphones could also take on the functions of some specialised and expensive measuring equipment.

Wübbena described a scenario in which a person needs to do some work on his or her garden wall. "Let's say you want to measure your wall because you don't know how long it is. We hope that in the future you will be able to just pick up your phone and measure, from one point to the next and down to an accuracy of few centimetres, how long your wall is."

Wübbena said, "The new Geo++ Android Positioning Library doesn't require any special equipment on the part of the user. This works with any off-the-shelf, dual-frequency-capable smartphone, which have been available since 2017." Indeed, MWC attendees will attest to the growing number of dual-frequency GNSS-equipped smartphones coming onto the market, thanks largely to the work of the GSA.

"Everyone will have one of those sooner or later," said Wübbena. "We are approaching smartphone and chipset manufacturers, to work together with us, to actually give an added value to their chips, so that we can sell our dual-frequency-powered apps more readily to the Googles and Apples."

Hottest mobile trends

Working in a highly competitive market is not a problem for GEO++, Wübbena said. "Our main advantage compared to what others are doing is that our service is more reliable, because we take care of all the biases that occur when you process these signals. We have a lot of experience with hardware-independent, high-precision solutions. We have been doing antenna calibration for IGS [International GNSS Service] for example, so we can use this knowledge to calibrate our network devices really accurately, and then deliver the best correction data to our users."

Geo++ Android Positioning Library was one of a number of Galileo-powered solutions being showcased at MWC, sharing space at this year's GSA-Galileo stand. In the run-up to the event, GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani said: "With the goal of exploring the hottest trends influencing the mobile industry, MWC Barcelona is the ideal platform to promote innovative European GNSS-based solutions and applications. As a global event, it’s also the place to show the world how European Union space research enhances Europe's industrial competitiveness and plays a pivotal role in tackling various societal challenges.”

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).

GEO++, a German-based company, with support from the European GNSS Agency (GSA), presented a new high-accuracy positioning application for Android smartphones at this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC).

With over 107,000 visitors attending its 2019 edition, the MWC continues to be the largest mobile event in the world. It was the perfect stage for highlighting some of the most exciting Galileo-driven projects being supported by the GSA.

Everybody can benefit

Readers will know that Galileo is now the world's leading provider of dual-frequency GNSS signals, with more functioning dual-frequency satellites in orbit than any other GNSS constellation. Now, Geo++ GmbH, a geodesy and navigation company based outside Hanover, has developed a precision positioning app for smartphones called 'Geo++ Android Positioning Library', augmenting dual-frequency code and phase GNSS observations with SSR correction data.

"We've been doing precise positioning for 20 years, but typically for survey-grade receivers," said Jannes Wübbena, Managing Director of GEO++. "These can cost up to a couple of thousand euros, and then you can do centimetre-level accuracy. What we wanted to do here is create a new application that can provide precise positioning for smartphones. We wanted to get to a similar level of accuracy but with the limitation that we are using the low-grade, inexpensive GNSS receivers that are in these phones, making it possible for everyone to benefit from the highest accuracy positioning."

Read this: The GSA and Galileo at MWC Barcelona

Geo++ Android Positioning Library tackles the task of precision positioning by utilising GEO++'s network RTK technology in the backend to apply generated GNSS corrections to the smartphone measurements. For the GSA, this is exactly the kind of innovative application, leveraging the advantages of Galileo, that will enable new and more powerful and more value-generating Location-Based Services (LBS) for the mass-market.

Wübbena's company has already gained a lot of experience in this area with its Geo++ RINEX Logger app, which is available free of charge on the Google Play store.

Putting a new tool in your hand

"If you look back ten years ago, people generally had a smartphone for staying connected, but then if they were interested in photography they would also walk around with a digital camera." Wübbena said. "Nowadays it's more common for people just to have a smartphone to do both, because the camera in your phone is just as good as a lot of digital cameras. With our new precision positioning capability, we think this brings your smartphone in a similar way into the realm of high-precision measurement devices." So, as with the digital camera, Wübbena suggested, in the near future, smartphones could also take on the functions of some specialised and expensive measuring equipment.

Wübbena described a scenario in which a person needs to do some work on his or her garden wall. "Let's say you want to measure your wall because you don't know how long it is. We hope that in the future you will be able to just pick up your phone and measure, from one point to the next and down to an accuracy of few centimetres, how long your wall is."

Wübbena said, "The new Geo++ Android Positioning Library doesn't require any special equipment on the part of the user. This works with any off-the-shelf, dual-frequency-capable smartphone, which have been available since 2017." Indeed, MWC attendees will attest to the growing number of dual-frequency GNSS-equipped smartphones coming onto the market, thanks largely to the work of the GSA.

"Everyone will have one of those sooner or later," said Wübbena. "We are approaching smartphone and chipset manufacturers, to work together with us, to actually give an added value to their chips, so that we can sell our dual-frequency-powered apps more readily to the Googles and Apples."

Hottest mobile trends

Working in a highly competitive market is not a problem for GEO++, Wübbena said. "Our main advantage compared to what others are doing is that our service is more reliable, because we take care of all the biases that occur when you process these signals. We have a lot of experience with hardware-independent, high-precision solutions. We have been doing antenna calibration for IGS [International GNSS Service] for example, so we can use this knowledge to calibrate our network devices really accurately, and then deliver the best correction data to our users."

Geo++ Android Positioning Library was one of a number of Galileo-powered solutions being showcased at MWC, sharing space at this year's GSA-Galileo stand. In the run-up to the event, GSA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani said: "With the goal of exploring the hottest trends influencing the mobile industry, MWC Barcelona is the ideal platform to promote innovative European GNSS-based solutions and applications. As a global event, it’s also the place to show the world how European Union space research enhances Europe's industrial competitiveness and plays a pivotal role in tackling various societal challenges.”

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).

A recently published Commission Delegated Regulation sets out measures to introduce Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) capability, particularly Galileo capability, in advanced computing capability mobile telephones (or ‘’smartphones’’) placed on the European Union market from 17 March 2022, so that they can support the transfer of caller location information from GNSS (at least Galileo) in the event of 112 emergency calls (E112).

A large majority of phone calls to the 112 emergency number are placed from mobile phones. These calls already support the sending of location information to emergency services. However, this information is not based on GNSS.

E112 makes use of Galileo to establish location for emergency calls to the 112 emergency number. Mandating the use of Galileo in smartphones will improve the accuracy of the caller location, which will allow emergency responders to get to the scene of an accident faster. The Regulation will apply in all EU Member States from 17 March 2022.

Enhanced positioning saving lives

There is already a solution in place that uses GNSS technology in emergency calls made from smartphones. Advanced Mobile Location, or AML, transmits the GNSS, Wi-Fi or cell-ID information available on the caller's smartphone via a message to a dedicated end-point, usually a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), which makes the caller location available to emergency responders in real time.

AML has been deployed in several EU Member States thanks to the EU-funded Help 112 project, which was set up to evaluate the merits of handset-based technologies in improving the location of emergency callers, and which is now in its second phase.

The E112 concept is similar to the eCall system, mandated for use in all new car and light van models that receive type-approval in the EU from 31 March 2018, which automatically dials the 112 emergency number in the event of a serious accident and sends the position information of the car.

Read this: Volvo presents on stage the first eCall-enabled car

“The ability to precisely locate the site of an emergency enables first responders to arrive on the scene faster which, in turn, results in more lives saved. Galileo is already supporting a faster emergency response in the eCall system and now, with the new Regulation, all Europeans making an 112 emergency call from a smartphone will be able to benefit from the same precision,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides.

Accuracy of a few metres

Location information is currently established through identification technology based on the coverage area of the cellular network tower (cell-ID). The average accuracy of this information varies from 2 km to 10 km, which can lead to significant search errors following emergency calls, resulting is time wasted and lives lost. In contrast, location information based on GNSS provides an average accuracy between 6 and 28 meters. This level of accuracy will have a major impact in terms of emergency response times.

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).

A recently published Commission Delegated Regulation sets out measures to introduce Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) capability, particularly Galileo capability, in advanced computing capability mobile telephones (or ‘’smartphones’’) placed on the European Union market from 17 March 2022, so that they can support the transfer of caller location information from GNSS (at least Galileo) in the event of 112 emergency calls (E112).

A large majority of phone calls to the 112 emergency number are placed from mobile phones. These calls already support the sending of location information to emergency services. However, this information is not based on GNSS.

E112 makes use of Galileo to establish location for emergency calls to the 112 emergency number. Mandating the use of Galileo in smartphones will improve the accuracy of the caller location, which will allow emergency responders to get to the scene of an accident faster. The Regulation will apply in all EU Member States from 17 March 2022.

Enhanced positioning saving lives

There is already a solution in place that uses GNSS technology in emergency calls made from smartphones. Advanced Mobile Location, or AML, transmits the GNSS, Wi-Fi or cell-ID information available on the caller's smartphone via a message to a dedicated end-point, usually a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), which makes the caller location available to emergency responders in real time.

AML has been deployed in several EU Member States thanks to the EU-funded Help 112 project, which was set up to evaluate the merits of handset-based technologies in improving the location of emergency callers, and which is now in its second phase.

The E112 concept is similar to the eCall system, mandated for use in all new car and light van models that receive type-approval in the EU from 31 March 2018, which automatically dials the 112 emergency number in the event of a serious accident and sends the position information of the car.

Read this: Volvo presents on stage the first eCall-enabled car

“The ability to precisely locate the site of an emergency enables first responders to arrive on the scene faster which, in turn, results in more lives saved. Galileo is already supporting a faster emergency response in the eCall system and now, with the new Regulation, all Europeans making an 112 emergency call from a smartphone will be able to benefit from the same precision,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides.

Accuracy of a few metres

Location information is currently established through identification technology based on the coverage area of the cellular network tower (cell-ID). The average accuracy of this information varies from 2 km to 10 km, which can lead to significant search errors following emergency calls, resulting is time wasted and lives lost. In contrast, location information based on GNSS provides an average accuracy between 6 and 28 meters. This level of accuracy will have a major impact in terms of emergency response times.

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

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) and the SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the World ATM Congress in Madrid on 13 March on future cooperation to modernise EU Air Traffic Management by leveraging Galileo and EGNOS.

Both EGNOS and Galileo can support the modernisation of EU Air Traffic Management, particularly in the areas of air navigation and surveillance. SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM) has been tasked by the European Commission to synchronise and coordinate the deployment of the Pilot Common Project as specified in the SESAR Deployment Programme. Within this programme, Performance Based Navigation and Surveillance, which rely on GNSS, are one of the six ATM functionalities. The MoU signed in Madrid details how GSA and SDM will work together to bring this about.

Important milestone

“This is an important milestone in cooperation between the GSA and SDM and one that will ensure that all aviation stakeholders reap the benefits of Europe’s investment in space,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides.

“The GSA is looking forward to cooperating with SDM to reinforce relations with ANSPs and airlines and help them to benefit from EGNOS and Galileo,” confirmed Pascal Claudel, GSA Chief Operating Officer, who signed the MoU on behalf of the GSA.

“I am happy that today, at the World ATM Congress, the GSA and the SESAR Deployment Manager signed this cooperation agreement. This new agreement will reinforce the SDM connection with space-based technologies for ATM and CNS. Indeed, there is growing proximity between ATM and space, as space-based enablers would certainly bring an essential contribution, enabling the most critical Pilot Common Project ATM functionalities as well as CNS modernisation. This agreement materialises the fact that GSA and SDM share common objectives and have mutual interests in successful E-GNSS and SESAR deployment,” said Nicolas Warinsko, General Manager, SESAR Deployment Manager.

The first of the applications covered by the MoU is Performance Based Navigation (PBN), which aims to ensure global standardisation of Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) specifications, in an effort to limit the proliferation of navigation specifications used around the world.

The European Commission’s PBN Regulation, published in 2018, mandates the implementation of EGNOS approaches at all Europe’s runways by 2024. In suitably equipped aircraft, EGNOS enables aircraft approach procedures that are operationally equivalent to instrument landing system (ILS) ILS Cat-I procedures. The regulation also envisages a full PBN environment by 2030, leading to rationalisation of conventional procedures. For Cat II/III, work is ongoing to make Europe benefit from Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) Cat-II/III based on GPS and Galileo dual frequency. Going further, Europe is also investing in the next version of EGNOS, which will also augment Galileo, and the Advanced RAIM concept, also relying on both GPS and Galileo.

This is recognised as a major step in the evolution of the European navigation infrastructure by ANSP organisations.

EGNOS unlocking capacity improvements

The second area of cooperation between the GSA and SDM deals with Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) Out, which is a surveillance technique that relies on aircraft broadcasting their identity, position, and other information derived from on board systems. This signal can then be received for surveillance purposes on the ground.

The current regulation mandates airspace users to be equipped by 2020, including with a GNSS receiver. While SBAS is not mandated, it is widely recognised that SBAS can unlock capacity improvements and support enhanced surveillance operations, as well as support the business case, when synchronised with navigation.

Airspace users require an integrated and synchronised strategy for navigation and surveillance, to optimise their investments, and the GSA will work together with SDM to that end. The GSA and SDM will also work together to assist air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and airlines in using EGNOS and Galileo.

Background

In 2004 the European Union adopted the first Single European Sky (SES) legislative package meant to reform the architecture of European air traffic management (ATM) in order to meet future capacity and safety needs at European level. Updated in 2009, the SES regulatory framework consists of four pillars: regulating performance; a single safety framework; new technologies; and managing capacity on the ground.

The Single European Sky ATM Research and Development (SESAR) project represents the technological pillar of the SES. It aims to provide the EU with a high performing ATM infrastructure by 2030 that will enable the safe and environmentally friendly operation and development of air transport.

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

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) and the SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the World ATM Congress in Madrid on 13 March on future cooperation to modernise EU Air Traffic Management by leveraging Galileo and EGNOS.

Both EGNOS and Galileo can support the modernisation of EU Air Traffic Management, particularly in the areas of air navigation and surveillance. SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM) has been tasked by the European Commission to synchronise and coordinate the deployment of the Pilot Common Project as specified in the SESAR Deployment Programme. Within this programme, Performance Based Navigation and Surveillance, which rely on GNSS, are one of the six ATM functionalities. The MoU signed in Madrid details how GSA and SDM will work together to bring this about.

Important milestone

“This is an important milestone in cooperation between the GSA and SDM and one that will ensure that all aviation stakeholders reap the benefits of Europe’s investment in space,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides.

“The GSA is looking forward to cooperating with SDM to reinforce relations with ANSPs and airlines and help them to benefit from EGNOS and Galileo,” confirmed Pascal Claudel, GSA Chief Operating Officer, who signed the MoU on behalf of the GSA.

“I am happy that today, at the World ATM Congress, the GSA and the SESAR Deployment Manager signed this cooperation agreement. This new agreement will reinforce the SDM connection with space-based technologies for ATM and CNS. Indeed, there is growing proximity between ATM and space, as space-based enablers would certainly bring an essential contribution, enabling the most critical Pilot Common Project ATM functionalities as well as CNS modernisation. This agreement materialises the fact that GSA and SDM share common objectives and have mutual interests in successful E-GNSS and SESAR deployment,” said Nicolas Warinsko, General Manager, SESAR Deployment Manager.

The first of the applications covered by the MoU is Performance Based Navigation (PBN), which aims to ensure global standardisation of Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) specifications, in an effort to limit the proliferation of navigation specifications used around the world.

The European Commission’s PBN Regulation, published in 2018, mandates the implementation of EGNOS approaches at all Europe’s runways by 2024. In suitably equipped aircraft, EGNOS enables aircraft approach procedures that are operationally equivalent to instrument landing system (ILS) ILS Cat-I procedures. The regulation also envisages a full PBN environment by 2030, leading to rationalisation of conventional procedures. For Cat II/III, work is ongoing to make Europe benefit from Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) Cat-II/III based on GPS and Galileo dual frequency. Going further, Europe is also investing in the next version of EGNOS, which will also augment Galileo, and the Advanced RAIM concept, also relying on both GPS and Galileo.

This is recognised as a major step in the evolution of the European navigation infrastructure by ANSP organisations.

EGNOS unlocking capacity improvements

The second area of cooperation between the GSA and SDM deals with Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) Out, which is a surveillance technique that relies on aircraft broadcasting their identity, position, and other information derived from on board systems. This signal can then be received for surveillance purposes on the ground.

The current regulation mandates airspace users to be equipped by 2020, including with a GNSS receiver. While SBAS is not mandated, it is widely recognised that SBAS can unlock capacity improvements and support enhanced surveillance operations, as well as support the business case, when synchronised with navigation.

Airspace users require an integrated and synchronised strategy for navigation and surveillance, to optimise their investments, and the GSA will work together with SDM to that end. The GSA and SDM will also work together to assist air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and airlines in using EGNOS and Galileo.

Background

In 2004 the European Union adopted the first Single European Sky (SES) legislative package meant to reform the architecture of European air traffic management (ATM) in order to meet future capacity and safety needs at European level. Updated in 2009, the SES regulatory framework consists of four pillars: regulating performance; a single safety framework; new technologies; and managing capacity on the ground.

The Single European Sky ATM Research and Development (SESAR) project represents the technological pillar of the SES. It aims to provide the EU with a high performing ATM infrastructure by 2030 that will enable the safe and environmentally friendly operation and development of air transport.

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

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) and the SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the World ATM Congress in Madrid on 13 March on future cooperation to modernise EU Air Traffic Management by leveraging Galileo and EGNOS.

Both EGNOS and Galileo can support the modernisation of EU Air Traffic Management, particularly in the areas of air navigation and surveillance. SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM) has been tasked by the European Commission to synchronise and coordinate the deployment of the Pilot Common Project as specified in the SESAR Deployment Programme. Within this programme, Performance Based Navigation and Surveillance, which rely on GNSS, are one of the six ATM functionalities. The MoU signed in Madrid details how GSA and SDM will work together to bring this about.

Important milestone

“This is an important milestone in cooperation between the GSA and SDM and one that will ensure that all aviation stakeholders reap the benefits of Europe’s investment in space,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides.

“The GSA is looking forward to cooperating with SDM to reinforce relations with ANSPs and airlines and help them to benefit from EGNOS and Galileo,” confirmed Pascal Claudel, GSA Chief Operating Officer, who signed the MoU on behalf of the GSA.

“I am happy that today, at the World ATM Congress, the GSA and the SESAR Deployment Manager signed this cooperation agreement. This new agreement will reinforce the SDM connection with space-based technologies for ATM and CNS. Indeed, there is growing proximity between ATM and space, as space-based enablers would certainly bring an essential contribution, enabling the most critical Pilot Common Project ATM functionalities as well as CNS modernisation. This agreement materialises the fact that GSA and SDM share common objectives and have mutual interests in successful E-GNSS and SESAR deployment,” said Nicolas Warinsko, General Manager, SESAR Deployment Manager.

The first of the applications covered by the MoU is Performance Based Navigation (PBN), which aims to ensure global standardisation of Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) specifications, in an effort to limit the proliferation of navigation specifications used around the world.

The European Commission’s PBN Regulation, published in 2018, mandates the implementation of EGNOS approaches at all Europe’s runways by 2024. In suitably equipped aircraft, EGNOS enables aircraft approach procedures that are operationally equivalent to instrument landing system (ILS) ILS Cat-I procedures. The regulation also envisages a full PBN environment by 2030, leading to rationalisation of conventional procedures. For Cat II/III, work is ongoing to make Europe benefit from Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) Cat-II/III based on GPS and Galileo dual frequency. Going further, Europe is also investing in the next version of EGNOS, which will also augment Galileo, and the Advanced RAIM concept, also relying on both GPS and Galileo.

This is recognised as a major step in the evolution of the European navigation infrastructure by ANSP organisations.

EGNOS unlocking capacity improvements

The second area of cooperation between the GSA and SDM deals with Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) Out, which is a surveillance technique that relies on aircraft broadcasting their identity, position, and other information derived from on board systems. This signal can then be received for surveillance purposes on the ground.

The current regulation mandates airspace users to be equipped by 2020, including with a GNSS receiver. While SBAS is not mandated, it is widely recognised that SBAS can unlock capacity improvements and support enhanced surveillance operations, as well as support the business case, when synchronised with navigation.

Airspace users require an integrated and synchronised strategy for navigation and surveillance, to optimise their investments, and the GSA will work together with SDM to that end. The GSA and SDM will also work together to assist air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and airlines in using EGNOS and Galileo.

Background

In 2004 the European Union adopted the first Single European Sky (SES) legislative package meant to reform the architecture of European air traffic management (ATM) in order to meet future capacity and safety needs at European level. Updated in 2009, the SES regulatory framework consists of four pillars: regulating performance; a single safety framework; new technologies; and managing capacity on the ground.

The Single European Sky ATM Research and Development (SESAR) project represents the technological pillar of the SES. It aims to provide the EU with a high performing ATM infrastructure by 2030 that will enable the safe and environmentally friendly operation and development of air transport.

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