zprávy

The European GNSS Agency (GSA), in cooperation with the European Commission, organised a demo session at the ION GNSS+ 2018 conference in Miami. Participants learned about the GSA’s GNSS User Technology Report, which covers breakthrough innovations expected in the coming years, and they heard from hands-on developers of hardware and applications that use Galileo-enabled, dual-frequency positioning.

The GNSS User Technology Report is the go-to source for comprehensive information on the latest trends from the rapidly developing world of satellite-based navigation. The second edition, released this year, delivers an in-depth review of the latest state-of-the-art receiver technologies and provides analysis on the trends that are redefining the GNSS landscape.

This year's Report addresses with special attention the new capabilities enabled by Galileo, as the mass market starts to take advantage of the increased L5/E5 frequency capacity in orbit, as well as Galileo navigation message authentication.

At the GSA session in Miami Gian-Gherardo Calini, GSA Head of Market Development, presented highlights from the Report. "We are really focussed on three specific macro-segments," he said. "These are mass market solutions, transport safety- and liability-critical solutions, and we also have the high-precision, timing and asset management solutions."

A crucial observation outlined in the report, Calini said, is that worldwide GNSS infrastructure is indeed responding to the increasing user demand. "All global and regional GNSS constellations are developing, modernising and innovating," he said, "with more than 100 GNSS satellites now available, including of course Galileo, which is operational and performing very well."

Responding to user demands

Increasing demand for better performance is also pushing the growth in production of multi-frequency receivers. The main benefits here include increased accuracy and improved robustness. Today only around 30% of available receiver models use GPS only.
"While the legacy L1/E1 and L2 combination is still the most used dual-frequency solution," Calini said, "what we are seeing now is that L1/E1 and E5/L5 is the fastest growing dual-frequency solution. It is supported by a larger number of satellites and these two specific frequencies are the only protected ARNS (Aeronautical Radio Navigation Service) bands."

Calini also pointed to a growing offer of high-precision services targeting a wider customer base. Commercial augmentation services are beginning to deliver mass-market PPP and RTK corrections, while new high-accuracy services are being proposed directly by system providers such as Galileo and Japan's QZSS.

There are of course some important challenges still to be addressed. Calini said: "We still need to see improvements in terms of convergence time, for example, associated with PPP correction services. This is certainly needed to satisfy users' expectations in the automotive industry." Indeed, many presentations throughout the week-long ION GNSS+ event highlighted work aimed at delivering the high-precision, robust and secure positioning now desperately needed for the fast-emerging autonomous driving market.

Finally, Calini reminded participants of the different techniques used to mitigate signal vulnerabilities and highlighted that: "Security is especially important where PNT is at the core of automated systems such as autonomous vessels, cars or drones."

Exploiting the new dual-frequency GNSS

The GSA session at this year's ION GNSS+ featured a number of speakers presenting innovative applications that leverage the power and versatility of modern GNSS. Jefferey Wilson of STMicroelectronics was the first to speak, impressing gathered participants with his presentation of the Teseo V dual-band GNSS receiver, aimed at the automotive PPP and ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) market.

"In the automotive sector we are looking at ADAS/autonomous driving applications, collision avoidance, 'super-cruise' and auto-pilot driving modes," Wilson said, "as well as vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-everything connectivity." As the audience watched, he demonstrated the receiver's rapid convergence time and positioning accuracy, including Galileo dual-band tracking of E1 and E5 frequencies. The Teseo V also enables anti-spoofing and integrity functions, with built-in tracking cross-check.

Paolo Crosta of the European Space Agency presented the results of testing carried out at ESA ESTEC that showed sub-metre static positioning accuracy enabled by Galileo using a dual-frequency GNSS chipset. "We have demonstrated that these dual-frequency measurements along with GNSS chipset algorithmic enhancements are enabling a significant reduction of positioning error," he said.

Completing the line-up at the GSA session in Miami was Sean Barbeau of the University of South Florida. He presented the long-running and always-improving 'GPSTest' app, a dual-frequency GNSS application for Android devices.

"This is a free, open-source app that supports GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, BeiDou and all of the various SBAS satellites and two GNSS frequencies," Barbeau said. In fact, he explained, GPSTest has been out there for a long time, but Barbeau and his team keep it constantly updated and operating at a very high level. The app provides real-time ground and sky maps and in-depth information on the entire range of operational GNSS satellites.

GSA says 'get involved'!

Once the presentations were concluded, session participants were able to get some real, up-close exposure to all of the featured apps. The applications on show, along with many others, are now demonstrating in a very convincing way the power and precision enabled by dual-frequency GNSS, with Galileo leading the way.

Calini said: "These demonstrations are very important for you, to get involved in the concrete aspects, what we are talking about in the GSA User Technology Report. And please remember, the Report is published every two years, but as you know technology is changing every minute. Therefore, any challenge, any idea, any comment, any suggestions are most welcome. Please, come back to us. "

"As for Galileo dual frequency," he concluded, "it can in fact improve positioning accuracy and therefore position Galileo, with all the differentiators, as a strong player in automotive – the self-driving car, autonomous car - and in the mass market with smartphones."

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), in cooperation with the European Commission, organised a demo session at the ION GNSS+ 2018 conference in Miami. Participants learned about the GSA’s GNSS User Technology Report, which covers breakthrough innovations expected in the coming years, and they heard from hands-on developers of hardware and applications that use Galileo-enabled, dual-frequency positioning.

The GNSS User Technology Report is the go-to source for comprehensive information on the latest trends from the rapidly developing world of satellite-based navigation. The second edition, released this year, delivers an in-depth review of the latest state-of-the-art receiver technologies and provides analysis on the trends that are redefining the GNSS landscape.

This year's Report addresses with special attention the new capabilities enabled by Galileo, as the mass market starts to take advantage of the increased L5/E5 frequency capacity in orbit, as well as Galileo navigation message authentication.

At the GSA session in Miami Gian-Gherardo Calini, GSA Head of Market Development, presented highlights from the Report. "We are really focussed on three specific macro-segments," he said. "These are mass market solutions, transport safety- and liability-critical solutions, and we also have the high-precision, timing and asset management solutions."

A crucial observation outlined in the report, Calini said, is that worldwide GNSS infrastructure is indeed responding to the increasing user demand. "All global and regional GNSS constellations are developing, modernising and innovating," he said, "with more than 100 GNSS satellites now available, including of course Galileo, which is operational and performing very well."

Responding to user demands

Increasing demand for better performance is also pushing the growth in production of multi-frequency receivers. The main benefits here include increased accuracy and improved robustness. Today only around 30% of available receiver models use GPS only.
"While the legacy L1/E1 and L2 combination is still the most used dual-frequency solution," Calini said, "what we are seeing now is that L1/E1 and E5/L5 is the fastest growing dual-frequency solution. It is supported by a larger number of satellites and these two specific frequencies are the only protected ARNS (Aeronautical Radio Navigation Service) bands."

Calini also pointed to a growing offer of high-precision services targeting a wider customer base. Commercial augmentation services are beginning to deliver mass-market PPP and RTK corrections, while new high-accuracy services are being proposed directly by system providers such as Galileo and Japan's QZSS.

There are of course some important challenges still to be addressed. Calini said: "We still need to see improvements in terms of convergence time, for example, associated with PPP correction services. This is certainly needed to satisfy users' expectations in the automotive industry." Indeed, many presentations throughout the week-long ION GNSS+ event highlighted work aimed at delivering the high-precision, robust and secure positioning now desperately needed for the fast-emerging autonomous driving market.

Finally, Calini reminded participants of the different techniques used to mitigate signal vulnerabilities and highlighted that: "Security is especially important where PNT is at the core of automated systems such as autonomous vessels, cars or drones."

Exploiting the new dual-frequency GNSS

The GSA session at this year's ION GNSS+ featured a number of speakers presenting innovative applications that leverage the power and versatility of modern GNSS. Jefferey Wilson of STMicroelectronics was the first to speak, impressing gathered participants with his presentation of the Teseo V dual-band GNSS receiver, aimed at the automotive PPP and ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) market.

"In the automotive sector we are looking at ADAS/autonomous driving applications, collision avoidance, 'super-cruise' and auto-pilot driving modes," Wilson said, "as well as vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-everything connectivity." As the audience watched, he demonstrated the receiver's rapid convergence time and positioning accuracy, including Galileo dual-band tracking of E1 and E5 frequencies. The Teseo V also enables anti-spoofing and integrity functions, with built-in tracking cross-check.

Paolo Crosta of the European Space Agency presented the results of testing carried out at ESA ESTEC that showed sub-metre static positioning accuracy enabled by Galileo using a dual-frequency GNSS chipset. "We have demonstrated that these dual-frequency measurements along with GNSS chipset algorithmic enhancements are enabling a significant reduction of positioning error," he said.

Completing the line-up at the GSA session in Miami was Sean Barbeau of the University of South Florida. He presented the long-running and always-improving 'GPSTest' app, a dual-frequency GNSS application for Android devices.

"This is a free, open-source app that supports GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, BeiDou and all of the various SBAS satellites and two GNSS frequencies," Barbeau said. In fact, he explained, GPSTest has been out there for a long time, but Barbeau and his team keep it constantly updated and operating at a very high level. The app provides real-time ground and sky maps and in-depth information on the entire range of operational GNSS satellites.

GSA says 'get involved'!

Once the presentations were concluded, session participants were able to get some real, up-close exposure to all of the featured apps. The applications on show, along with many others, are now demonstrating in a very convincing way the power and precision enabled by dual-frequency GNSS, with Galileo leading the way.

Calini said: "These demonstrations are very important for you, to get involved in the concrete aspects, what we are talking about in the GSA User Technology Report. And please remember, the Report is published every two years, but as you know technology is changing every minute. Therefore, any challenge, any idea, any comment, any suggestions are most welcome. Please, come back to us. "

"As for Galileo dual frequency," he concluded, "it can in fact improve positioning accuracy and therefore position Galileo, with all the differentiators, as a strong player in automotive – the self-driving car, autonomous car - and in the mass market with smartphones."

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).

World Space Week, an international celebration of the contribution of science and technology to the betterment of the human condition, ends today, October 10. However, some of the associated events extend well beyond the week. One such event is the GSA Open Days, to be held on 16-17 November, during Czech Space Week.

Since the United Nations General Assembly declared World Space Week in 1999, it has grown into the largest public space-related event on Earth, with more than 4,000 events in 82 countries celebrating the benefits of space in 2017.

The theme of this year’s World Space Week is “Space Unites the World” and the Week is packed with space education and outreach events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world. Once such event is the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) Open Days, which is being organized this year as part of the activities of Czech Space Week 2018, on November 12-16.

Read this: 2018 GSA Open Days. Mark your calendar

On Friday 16 and Saturday 17 November, the GSA will throw open the doors of its Prague headquarters to the public for the fourth year in a row, offering a unique opportunity to get an insider’s look at the European GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) services and the people behind them.

GSA Open Days 2018: From Launch to Services

The GSA Open Days will give you a chance to experience the journey of Galileo satellites from the rocket launch in Kourou, French Guiana, to the services used by citizens and business worldwide. This is your opportunity to learn more about what the European Union is doing in space, the crucial role of the GSA, and the impact of satellite navigation on our daily lives.

The programme includes exciting seminars and space workshops, competitions and quizzes, programmes for school visits, and other fun educational activities. Come visit us to see and follow Galileo satellites, take a selfie in space, try landing a plane with EGNOS or experience a Search and Rescue with the help of Galileo. There will also be opportunities to win great prizes!

If you would like to visit the GSA Open Days as a school, please fill in this registration form. A draft programme of the event can be found here.

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

The European Space Agency, in collaboration with the European GNSS Agency (GSA), and with support from Google, is organising a Galileo App Competition to develop and test a real-time position application able to provide a position and time fix using GNSS dual frequency raw measurements.

Launched on 24 September 2018, the competition is targeted at students and research trainees across Europe. The teams, which should consist of from three to five members, are faced with the challenge of using the dual frequency capability of Android 8.0 smartphones, or later versions, to compute positioning solutions from raw satnav signals and comparing them with their single frequency equivalents.

Excellent opportunity

“The Galileo App Competition is an interesting exercise for us to see how dual frequency raw measurements can work in practice and what benefits could really be achieved by developers,” said Justyna Redelkiewicz, in charge of LBS and IoT market development at the GSA.
Among other requirements, the applications should allow users to select the constellations used for navigation, enabling at least Galileo only positioning, GPS only positioning and combined Galileo + GPS positioning simultaneously, and be able to achieve sub metre accuracy worldwide in open sky conditions.

Teams interested in participating in the competition are invited to submit their proposals to Galileo.Services@esa.int by 12 November. The teams will be informed of the jury’s response to their proposal by 26 November. The competition final is scheduled for 18 April next year at ESA’s ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

Great prizes

The first and second prize-winning teams will receive the opportunity to attend the ESA/JRC International Summer School on Global Navigation Satellite Systems in Portugal. Additional prizes will be available to the most innovative app and the winner of a public online vote, to be undertaken during the final.

The GSA will sponsor a Galileo Special Prize, which will see EUR 1,000 going to the team that is deemed to have developed the application that best demonstrates the added value of Galileo in a dual frequency solution.

White Paper

Of particular value to the teams participating in the competition will be a White Paper on Using GNSS Raw Measurements on Android Devices, produced by the GSA’s GNSS Raw Measurements Task Force. The White Paper provides application developers with a broad insight into the use of GNSS raw measurements in mass market applications, including test results using various positioning techniques, and demonstrates their use to the GNSS community through practical examples.

The GSA launched the Raw Measurements Task Force in June 2017 to share knowledge and expertise on Android raw measurements, including their potential for high accuracy positioning techniques relevant to mass market applications. The Task Force includes GNSS experts, scientists and market players, all of whom are dedicated to promoting a wider use of these raw measurements. For more information on the Task Force, its members and their work, click here.

If you would like to learn more about the competition, you can register for a competition information day to be held at ESTEC on 16 October by writing to Galileo.Services@esa.int. You can find the competition’s terms and conditions 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).