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The GSA-funded BLUEGNSS project (Promoting EGNSS Operational Adoption in BLUEMED) was launched in 2016 with the aim of promoting the adoption of European GNSS in the BLUEMED Functional Airspace Block. Preliminary results, presented at the World ATM Congress in Madrid on March 6, show significant gains in safety and airport accessibility in the target countries.

To achieve its overarching goal of promoting EGNSS adoption, the BLUEGNSS project’s primary objective is to harmonise the implementation of PBN approach operations among the BLUE MED FAB states - Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Italy - using EGNSS (EGNOS and Galileo). With this in mind, the project focuses on three main streams: GNSS procedures design and validation; GNSS training; and GNSS monitoring.

Good results

BLUEGNSS is designing 3D GNSS procedures, known as RNP approach (Required Navigation Performance), for 11 selected airports (4 in Greece, 4 in Italy, 2 in Cyprus and 1 in Malta) to increase their accessibility and safety. In this way, the project supports BLUE MED countries in accelerating GNSS 3D approaches in view of the European PBN Implementing Rule, which is under discussion and which proposes implementation of 3D GNSS approaches by 2024, either as the primary approach or as a back-up for precision approaches.

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The project got off to a good start in 2018 with the successful validation in January of 3 new GNSS procedures for Lamezia, Parma and Cuneo airports in Italy. This was followed by validations for Larnaca and Paphos in Cyprus in March. The GNSS approaches in Cyprus were successfully validated despite bad weather, further demonstrating the safety benefits of GNSS vertical guidance in adverse weather conditions. To date, 14 GNSS procedures have been designed and validated by the BLUEGNSS project. The last remaining one, Bolzano, is the most challenging due to its orography and the need to test RNP Authorization Required procedures, which is the first time Italy has had to deal with this.

Supporting implementation

The project is also providing training, to ensure that airspace procedure designers are able to deal with the design of RNP approach procedures and related minima. Specific workshops were organised to share and discuss the design principles among design task leaders and project members. In 2016, training was provided on Advanced Procedures for Air Navigation Services, Operations (PANS OPS) design and in 2017 there have been air traffic controller (ATCO) and non-ATCO training courses for instructors, all of which have been delivered by the certified ENAV Academy.

In addition, the project recognises GNSS performance monitoring as one of the main enablers for the implementation and acceptance of the new RNP APCH operations, paving the way for Galileo acceptance in aviation. With this in mind, the project is adopting a regional and multi-source approach to monitoring through the deployment of an innovative dedicated network devoted not only to standard GNSS performance assessment, but also to interference assessment and reporting, and GNSS data recording.

The project’s GNSS monitoring solution is the first to be fully ICAO compliant, it is modular and interoperable with other systems, and cost-benefit analyses at regional level have shown positive results. The system automatically generates daily and monthly monitoring reports, which are available in the restricted area of the BLUEMED portal www.bluemed.aero.

Speaking at the World ATM Congress in Madrid on March 6, BLUEGNSS Project Coordinator Patrizio Vanni was upbeat about the project results achieved so far. “The project is in good health and close to completion, almost all of the challenges have been successfully completed,” Vanni said.

Cross-fertilization

BLUEGNSS is the first time in Europe that a RNP approach implementation project has been coordinated at FAB level. One of the advantages of this approach is that countries and air navigation service providers with limited experience in RNP approach operational implementation can benefit from intra-FAB cross-fertilization.

BLUEGNSS is one of the Horizon 2020-Galileo-2015-1 projects selected for co-financing by the GSA. The consortium, led by ENAV, is composed of the BLUE MED FAB ANSP partners - DCAC, HCAA and MATS - and IDS (Ingegneria dei Sistemi) which is the only industrial partner. Launched in January 2016, the project is scheduled to last 30 months.

For more information, check the project website or the project page on the GSA site.

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

On May 25-26 the ActInSpace innovation contest will bring entrepreneurs, students, job seekers, developers and creative minds together in over 60 cities across 5 continents to work on real-life challenges and to design innovative services and applications using space technologies and data. This year the European GNSS Agency (GSA) has set three challenges in the contest.

Initiated by the French Space Agency (CNES) and supported by the European GNSS Agency and European Space Agency (ESA), ActInSpace aims to demonstrate the socio-economic potential of the space sector and show how it can have a positive impact on our daily lives. By demonstrating that space is a vector of innovation for employment and economic development, the contest hopes to boost start-up creation by encouraging young people to leverage space technologies in their businesses.

GSA Challenges

For this year’s event, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) has set three challenges, the first of which – Geocaching by Satellite - asks participants to use Galileo to develop an innovative geocaching game relying on GNSS positioning. For the second GSA challenge – Art with Satellites – teams should develop an app to draw and write in a map using satellite navigation and the users’ movements by leveraging on Galileo-enhanced positioning.

Finally, the GNSS Satellites Selector challenge asks hackathon participants to design an app that allows them to calculate the Position Velocity and Time (PVT) solution by employing their favourite GNSS constellations and, of course, Galileo. By comparing the data obtained by single satellites, they should propose selection algorithms for satellite constellations based on different criteria.

GSA prize

During the contest the GSA will present its Galileo Geekie Award to the team considered to have best responded to one of the above challenges. The lucky winner will be selected to present their application at European Space Week 2018, the largest gathering of GNSS and Earth Observation experts in Europe, to be held in Marseille on 3-6 December. The GSA will offer the winner a three-day stay at the conference and the possibility to present their application idea.

Bringing creative minds together

The competition is open to teams of from two to five people made up of individuals - business creators, students, researchers, entrepreneurs, developers, users, creators and space experts, job seekers, etc. and/or private legal entities (associations, companies), represented by an individual delegated to participate in the competition. There are no limitations regarding nationality.

Each team will present its project to a jury at an 8-minute presentation which will take place at the end of the competition. The winning teams will proceed to national and then international finals, where they will present their project to an international jury of experts on technology transfer and business development.

Registration for the hackathon is now open – if you would like to take part, you can register here.

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