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Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including Galileo, play a key role in the Internet of Things. Information on positioning, velocity and timing is driving growth in a wide array of context-aware applications, from drones and driverless cars, to asset tracking.

Geo IoT World (Geo-location – Internet of Things) held its second conference to explore the latest developments in geo-location and analytics systems in Brussels on June 6-8. The three day conference brought together inventors, companies and users.

Justyna Redelkiewicz, Head of Sector for location-based services and IoT for the GSA outlined the three main directions of change for positioning technologies in IoT. The first is the development towards ubiquitous positioning, aiming at locating people and objects at any time, everywhere.

A good example of this trend is the development of tracking for school buses and children inside these buses developed by ITCRAFT Navigation Solution: the system allows, among other functionalities, “real-time tracking of bus movements,” “viewing routes with bus stops and school location,” and “detection of students by scanning [their] iBeacons.”

Read this: GSA, mobile industry leaders explore the future of location at infoShare 2017

The second development is automation of the positioning systems. To achieve fully autonomous vehicles (cars, vessels, buses) the vehicle's positioning system has to be able to sense the environment and react to it in real time. This feature, called ambient intelligence, is the subject of a lot of research activity in both industry and academia.

Privacy and security are also critical issues. Positioning systems must be secure so that they are not hackable, this is particularly important in the field of transport. In other areas, privacy can be an issue; many of the devices will need to anonymise the data they use.

Industry trends

Uptake of these technologies is beginning to boom, technology analyst Bruce Krulwich of Grizzly Analytics said that the technology is on the cusp of hitting the world in a very big way. Up until now the technology wasn’t quite there in terms of accuracy, cost and ease of use; geolocation has now turned the corner and wide adoption is expected.

On trends in the industry, Redelkiewicz said that the main focus now is to bring to the market multiple-frequencies to achieve greater accuracy. We may expect the first dual band mass market chipsets to be launched in the coming two years.

There is a trend as well to combine GNSS with other solutions better suited for indoor tracking and navigation (e.g. Bluetooth beacons) so that users can have an integrated navigation and tracking experience, like office-to-office navigation, that allows a smooth transition from outdoors, where GNSS stays the preferred solution for location, to the interior of buildings and vice-versa.

Another trend is the mutualisation of location services, which makes it possible to reduce the power consumption and cost of devices. In this trend, the CROWDLOC platform was awarded with the “IOT Solutions empowered by GNSS” prize by the GSA for their innovative solution for tracking items that habitually get lost, such as pieces of baggage, cars, bicycles and even pets. The main goal of their solution is “[lowering] the cost of location tracking by five to eight times compared to existing solutions on the market.”

Also read: Digging Deeper: An Inside Look at GNSS Market Trends

“One of the problems is that end users are almost dazzled by the different options,” says Steve Statler, an expert on geolocation “We saw a huge wave of early adopters but some are waiting to see which technologies work best. We have a huge ecosystem and people are starting to see value added solutions.”

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).

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including Galileo, play a key role in the Internet of Things. Information on positioning, velocity and timing is driving growth in a wide array of context-aware applications, from drones and driverless cars, to asset tracking.

Geo IoT World (Geo-location – Internet of Things) held its second conference to explore the latest developments in geo-location and analytics systems in Brussels on June 6-8. The three day conference brought together inventors, companies and users.

Justyna Redelkiewicz, Head of Sector for location-based services and IoT for the GSA outlined the three main directions of change for positioning technologies in IoT. The first is the development towards ubiquitous positioning, aiming at locating people and objects at any time, everywhere.

A good example of this trend is the development of tracking for school buses and children inside these buses developed by ITCRAFT Navigation Solution: the system allows, among other functionalities, “real-time tracking of bus movements,” “viewing routes with bus stops and school location,” and “detection of students by scanning [their] iBeacons.”

Read this: GSA, mobile industry leaders explore the future of location at infoShare 2017

The second development is automation of the positioning systems. To achieve fully autonomous vehicles (cars, vessels, buses) the vehicle's positioning system has to be able to sense the environment and react to it in real time. This feature, called ambient intelligence, is the subject of a lot of research activity in both industry and academia.

Privacy and security are also critical issues. Positioning systems must be secure so that they are not hackable, this is particularly important in the field of transport. In other areas, privacy can be an issue; many of the devices will need to anonymise the data they use.

Industry trends

Uptake of these technologies is beginning to boom, technology analyst Bruce Krulwich of Grizzly Analytics said that the technology is on the cusp of hitting the world in a very big way. Up until now the technology wasn’t quite there in terms of accuracy, cost and ease of use; geolocation has now turned the corner and wide adoption is expected.

On trends in the industry, Redelkiewicz said that the main focus now is to bring to the market multiple-frequencies to achieve greater accuracy. We may expect the first dual band mass market chipsets to be launched in the coming two years.

There is a trend as well to combine GNSS with other solutions better suited for indoor tracking and navigation (e.g. Bluetooth beacons) so that users can have an integrated navigation and tracking experience, like office-to-office navigation, that allows a smooth transition from outdoors, where GNSS stays the preferred solution for location, to the interior of buildings and vice-versa.

Another trend is the mutualisation of location services, which makes it possible to reduce the power consumption and cost of devices. In this trend, the CROWDLOC platform was awarded with the “IOT Solutions empowered by GNSS” prize by the GSA for their innovative solution for tracking items that habitually get lost, such as pieces of baggage, cars, bicycles and even pets. The main goal of their solution is “[lowering] the cost of location tracking by five to eight times compared to existing solutions on the market.”

Also read: Digging Deeper: An Inside Look at GNSS Market Trends

“One of the problems is that end users are almost dazzled by the different options,” says Steve Statler, an expert on geolocation “We saw a huge wave of early adopters but some are waiting to see which technologies work best. We have a huge ecosystem and people are starting to see value added solutions.”

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 potential for synergies between the Copernicus and E-GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) programmes was explored at a Copernicus Training and Information Session, hosted by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) at its Prague headquarters on 24 May.

Synergies generated by the joint use of E-GNSS and Copernicus exist in most market segments, with potential applications ranging from biomass monitoring and environmental management, to border surveillance and maritime safety. These synergies were the subject of a presentation at the Copernicus Training and Information Session, which the GSA hosted at its headquarters in Prague.

“Copernicus is analysing and providing the characteristics of an area while Galileo is providing the navigation, the support for the high accuracy positioning and tracking of specific targets within this area. Obviously, this creates numerous opportunities for applications, for business development but also for the protection of the environment,” GSA Head of Market Development Gian-Gherardo Calini said at the conference.

Read this: Better together

During the forum, a particular focus was made on combined use of this Copernicus and E-GNSS data in support of agriculture applications and mapping and surveying. One example from the agricultural segment showed how differentiated crop maps supplied by Copernicus, highlighting soil moisture, crop health and the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), could be combined with highly accurate E-GNSS machinery positioning in order to apply fertilisers and pesticides where and when they are most needed, thereby ensuring a more efficient use of manpower and a lower environmental footprint for agricultural activities.

In the mapping and surveying sector, for example, Copernicus could be engaged to monitor urban growth, urban green areas and land use and its evolution, while E-GNSS could be used to determine items such as utilities and infrastructures and to understand the mobility habits of citizens. The combination of information from these two sources would enable public authorities and spatial planners to design smart cities and define new urban corridors, while monitoring infrastructure and utilities and tracking compliance with environmental legislation.

Speaking at the forum Petra Hesslerova from ENKI o.p.s. said that land, food, energy, water and climate were interconnected, comprising a coherent system - a ‘Nexus’. “The integrated management of this Nexus is critical to secure the efficient and sustainable use of resources. Copernicus Open Data combined with E-GNSS are key to understanding the Nexus clearly and building a coherent model,” she said.

In the 3rd Horizon 2020 call for Galileo, which recently closed for submissions, a particular emphasis was put on projects that utilise a combination of the two European satellite systems.

Also read: 2017 European Satellite Navigation Competition kicks off in Brussels

About Galileo

Galileo is Europe's civilian global satellite navigation system. It allows users worldwide to know their exact position in time and space with great precision and reliability. Once complete, the Galileo system will consist of 30 satellites and the necessary ground infrastructure to enable the provision of positioning, navigation and timing services.

The Galileo programme is funded and owned by the European Union. The European Commission has the overall responsibility for the Galileo programme, managing and overseeing the implementation of all programme activities.

Galileo's deployment, the design and development of the new generation of systems and the technical development of infrastructure are entrusted to the European Space Agency (ESA). The definition, development and in-orbit validation phases of the Galileo programme were carried out by ESA, and co-funded by ESA and the European Commission.

The GSA is charged with ensuring the uptake and security of Galileo. As of 2017, the GSA is responsible for all Galileo operations and the provision of Galileo services.

About Copernicus

Copernicus, previously known as GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security), is the European programme for the establishment of a European capacity for Earth Observation. Through satellite and in-situ observations, the services deliver near-real-time data on a global level which can also be used for local and regional needs, to help us better understand our planet and sustainably manage the environment we live in.

Copernicus is served by a set of dedicated satellites (the Sentinel families) and contributing missions (existing commercial and public satellites). The Sentinel satellites are specifically designed to meet the needs of the Copernicus services and their users. With the launch of Sentinel-1A in 2014, the European Union set in motion a process to place a constellation of almost 20 more satellites in orbit before 2030.

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 potential for synergies between the Copernicus and E-GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) programmes was explored at a Copernicus Training and Information Session, hosted by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) at its Prague headquarters on 24 May.

Synergies generated by the joint use of E-GNSS and Copernicus exist in most market segments, with potential applications ranging from biomass monitoring and environmental management, to border surveillance and maritime safety. These synergies were the subject of a presentation at the Copernicus Training and Information Session, which the GSA hosted at its headquarters in Prague.

“Copernicus is analysing and providing the characteristics of an area while Galileo is providing the navigation, the support for the high accuracy positioning and tracking of specific targets within this area. Obviously, this creates numerous opportunities for applications, for business development but also for the protection of the environment,” GSA Head of Market Development Gian-Gherardo Calini said at the conference.

Read this: Better together

During the forum, a particular focus was made on combined use of this Copernicus and E-GNSS data in support of agriculture applications and mapping and surveying. One example from the agricultural segment showed how differentiated crop maps supplied by Copernicus, highlighting soil moisture, crop health and the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), could be combined with highly accurate E-GNSS machinery positioning in order to apply fertilisers and pesticides where and when they are most needed, thereby ensuring a more efficient use of manpower and a lower environmental footprint for agricultural activities.

In the mapping and surveying sector, for example, Copernicus could be engaged to monitor urban growth, urban green areas and land use and its evolution, while E-GNSS could be used to determine items such as utilities and infrastructures and to understand the mobility habits of citizens. The combination of information from these two sources would enable public authorities and spatial planners to design smart cities and define new urban corridors, while monitoring infrastructure and utilities and tracking compliance with environmental legislation.

Speaking at the forum Petra Hesslerova from ENKI o.p.s. said that land, food, energy, water and climate were interconnected, comprising a coherent system - a ‘Nexus’. “The integrated management of this Nexus is critical to secure the efficient and sustainable use of resources. Copernicus Open Data combined with E-GNSS are key to understanding the Nexus clearly and building a coherent model,” she said.

In the 3rd Horizon 2020 call for Galileo, which recently closed for submissions, a particular emphasis was put on projects that utilise a combination of the two European satellite systems.

Also read: 2017 European Satellite Navigation Competition kicks off in Brussels

About Galileo

Galileo is Europe's civilian global satellite navigation system. It allows users worldwide to know their exact position in time and space with great precision and reliability. Once complete, the Galileo system will consist of 30 satellites and the necessary ground infrastructure to enable the provision of positioning, navigation and timing services.

The Galileo programme is funded and owned by the European Union. The European Commission has the overall responsibility for the Galileo programme, managing and overseeing the implementation of all programme activities.

Galileo's deployment, the design and development of the new generation of systems and the technical development of infrastructure are entrusted to the European Space Agency (ESA). The definition, development and in-orbit validation phases of the Galileo programme were carried out by ESA, and co-funded by ESA and the European Commission.

The GSA is charged with ensuring the uptake and security of Galileo. As of 2017, the GSA is responsible for all Galileo operations and the provision of Galileo services.

About Copernicus

Copernicus, previously known as GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security), is the European programme for the establishment of a European capacity for Earth Observation. Through satellite and in-situ observations, the services deliver near-real-time data on a global level which can also be used for local and regional needs, to help us better understand our planet and sustainably manage the environment we live in.

Copernicus is served by a set of dedicated satellites (the Sentinel families) and contributing missions (existing commercial and public satellites). The Sentinel satellites are specifically designed to meet the needs of the Copernicus services and their users. With the launch of Sentinel-1A in 2014, the European Union set in motion a process to place a constellation of almost 20 more satellites in orbit before 2030.

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 Council of European Geodetic Surveyors (CLGE) has launched the sixth edition of its Young Surveyors Prize, in which the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is again sponsoring a special prize dedicated to Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus.

The 2017 edition of the Council of European Geodetic Surveyors’ (CLGE) Young Surveyors prize is now open for submissions. The competition offers cash prizes of EUR 1 000 and, for the third year in succession, the GSA is sponsoring a special prize for entries that show a dedicated use of Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) or Copernicus.

There are four prize categories in total:

• Geodesy, Topography;
• Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus (or a combination of two or all three);
• GIS, Mapping and Cadastre;
• Engagement of students and young people.

The contest is open to all Bachelor and Masters students in the surveying sector or a related field. PhD students are not currently eligible to participate, but CLGE is considering creating a new category aimed at this group. Eligible participants should submit their papers no later than 23:00 CET on 7 August 2017.

Last year’s winner

Last year’s winning entry came from Cecile Deprez from the University of Liege in Belgium. Cecile’s idea stems from Google’s decision to give Android users access to GNSS raw measurements, a move that could bring much greater precision to mass-market applications.

Furthermore, use of the Galileo E5 signal could, in theory, bring decimetre positioning precision into Android user applications. According to Cecile’s research, in general, Galileo signals are more precise than GPS alone.

GSA Prize details

Participants interested in the GSA special prize should submit proposals that include an academic paper describing the project and how it benefits from Galileo, EGNOS or Copernicus (or a combination on two or all three of these). Although papers may be an abridged version of a more complete thesis, the paper should describe the project in full, including its financial and logistical aspects. Papers should not exceed 4 000 words, including an abstract of 300 words, and must be written in English.

Submissions will be judged by a panel of CLGE delegates representing professional, academic and related sectors. The winning entry will receive an award worth EUR 1 000 as well as a CLGE certificate during a special ceremony to be held on 27 September 2017 during the INTERGEO event in Berlin, Germany.

For more information on how to apply please click here.

Sign up to GSA Today to receive updates on the next contest.

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 Council of European Geodetic Surveyors (CLGE) has launched the sixth edition of its Young Surveyors Prize, in which the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is again sponsoring a special prize dedicated to Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus.

The 2017 edition of the Council of European Geodetic Surveyors’ (CLGE) Young Surveyors prize is now open for submissions. The competition offers cash prizes of EUR 1 000 and, for the third year in succession, the GSA is sponsoring a special prize for entries that show a dedicated use of Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) or Copernicus.

There are four prize categories in total:

• Geodesy, Topography;
• Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus (or a combination of two or all three);
• GIS, Mapping and Cadastre;
• Engagement of students and young people.

The contest is open to all Bachelor and Masters students in the surveying sector or a related field. PhD students are not currently eligible to participate, but CLGE is considering creating a new category aimed at this group. Eligible participants should submit their papers no later than 23:00 CET on 7 August 2017.

Last year’s winner

Last year’s winning entry came from Cecile Deprez from the University of Liege in Belgium. Cecile’s idea stems from Google’s decision to give Android users access to GNSS raw measurements, a move that could bring much greater precision to mass-market applications.

Furthermore, use of the Galileo E5 signal could, in theory, bring decimetre positioning precision into Android user applications. According to Cecile’s research, in general, Galileo signals are more precise than GPS alone.

GSA Prize details

Participants interested in the GSA special prize should submit proposals that include an academic paper describing the project and how it benefits from Galileo, EGNOS or Copernicus (or a combination on two or all three of these). Although papers may be an abridged version of a more complete thesis, the paper should describe the project in full, including its financial and logistical aspects. Papers should not exceed 4 000 words, including an abstract of 300 words, and must be written in English.

Submissions will be judged by a panel of CLGE delegates representing professional, academic and related sectors. The winning entry will receive an award worth EUR 1 000 as well as a CLGE certificate during a special ceremony to be held on 27 September 2017 during the INTERGEO event in Berlin, Germany.

For more information on how to apply please click here.

Sign up to GSA Today to receive updates on the next contest.

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).