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From 1 April to 30 June 2017, the European Satellite Navigation Competition (known as the ‘Galileo Masters’), the largest international competition for the innovative use of satellite navigation, will be scouting for outstanding ideas and business models to put on the fast track.

The European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) was launched, along with the Copernicus Masters, the leading innovation platform for commercial Earth observation applications, at a joint international kick-off event hosted by the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU in Brussels, on 5 April 2017.

From now until June 30, ESNC will be searching for the most forward‐thinking applications based on satellite navigation. The winners, which will be announced at a ceremony as part of the Estonian Space Week in Tallinn, Estonia, in November, will share in this year’s prize pool of more than EUR 1 million and will benefit from the ESNC’s unparalleled support network, including the ESA Business Incubation Centres and the brand new E-GNSS Accelerator, co-funded by the European Commission.

GSA Market Development Officer, Reinhard Blasi (right), at the 2017 Satellite Masters opening event panel with Thomas Beer, from the ESA Copernicus Space Office.

Speaking at the kick-off ceremony, Andreas Veispak, Head of the European Commission’s Space Data for Societal Challenges and Growth Unit, noted that the EU had invested a lot of money in satellites, and now stakeholders, including Member States, were looking for a return on this investment. “This can only be yielded through satellite applications that are of use to end users in the public and private sectors,” he said.

Return on investment

This is where the ESNC plays a key role. Since 2004, the Competition has been fast-tracking the most ground-breaking ideas for Galileo-related applications across Europe and beyond and transforming them into market-ready products and new ventures. Each year, the Competition helps promote over 400 business ideas and has already awarded prizes to more than 300 winners over the years, which represent just a fraction of the more than 3,700 innovative concepts submitted by over 11,000 participants.

Also read: KYNEO project moves closer to commercialisation

With an impressive prize pool of over EUR 1 million, the 2017 edition of Competition will give entrepreneurs and start-ups with services, products or business ideas that use satellite navigation in everyday life access to more than 160 space-related stakeholders and allow them to benefit from support from over 40 incubators and the expertise of more than 250 experts.

The EU at 60: Special 2017 Prize for Space & Europe!

As a special focus, this year GSA will present a prize for the most promising application idea focussing on how Galileo and EGNOS help support European Integration. Now that Galileo is delivering Initial Services, Reinhard Blasi, Market Development Officer at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), noted at the ceremony, the focus is shifting from not only embracing EGNOS on a European level, but Galileo on a global level. “Since December 2016 we have gone from deployment to delivering services, which means that today users can benefit from Galileo now,” he said. “In light of the 60th anniversary of the EU, and a milestone year when Galileo is operational, following the December 2016 Declaration of Initial Services, we want to raise the awareness of how EU investment in space is concretely benefiting Europeans and will continue to in untold ways for many years to come.”

Watch this: Europe for space, space for Europe

E-GNSS Accelerator

The ESNC winners can also benefit from the new ‘E-GNSS Accelerator’. This programme is a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs and start-ups to boost their business case on a broad scale and bring their products and services to market. The E-GNSS Accelerator will run for three years and will directly support the winners of the ESNC 2017, 2018 and 2019. As a result, the participants will receive even more prizes and services worth an additional EUR 500,000.

For more information on the ESNC, including all relevant information on prizes, partners, and terms of participation, visit the Competition’s official website: www.esnc.eu. Information on the Copernicus Masters can be found here: www.copernicus-masters.com.

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).

From 1 April to 30 June 2017, the European Satellite Navigation Competition (‘known as the ‘Galileo Masters’), the largest international competition for the innovative use of satellite navigation, will be scouting for outstanding ideas and business models to put on the fast track.

The European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) was launched, along with the Copernicus Masters, the leading innovation platform for commercial Earth observation applications, at a joint international kick-off event hosted by the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU in Brussels, on 5 April 2017.

From now until June 30, ESNC will be searching for the most forward‐thinking applications based on satellite navigation. The winners, which will be announced at a ceremony as part of the Estonian Space Week in Tallinn, Estonia, in November, will share in this year’s prize pool of more than EUR 1 million and will benefit from the ESNC’s unparalleled support network, including the ESA Business Incubation Centres and the brand new E-GNSS Accelerator, co-funded by the European Commission.

Speaking at the kick-off ceremony, Andreas Veispak, Head of the European Commission’s Space Data for Societal Challenges and Growth Unit, noted that the EU had invested a lot of money in satellites, and now stakeholders, including Member States, were looking for a return on this investment. “This can only be yielded through satellite applications that are of use to end users in the public and private sectors,” he said.

Return on investment

This is where the ESNC plays a key role. Since 2004, the Competition has been fast-tracking the most ground-breaking ideas for Galileo-related applications across Europe and beyond and transforming them into market-ready products and new ventures. Each year, the Competition helps promote over 400 business ideas and has already awarded prizes to more than 300 winners over the years, which represent just a fraction of the more than 3,700 innovative concepts submitted by over 11,000 participants.

Also read: KYNEO project moves closer to commercialisation

With an impressive prize pool of over EUR 1 million, the 2017 edition of Competition will give entrepreneurs and start-ups with services, products or business ideas that use satellite navigation in everyday life access to more than 160 space-related stakeholders and allow them to benefit from support from over 40 incubators and the expertise of more than 250 experts.

The EU at 60: Special 2017 Prize for Space & Europe!

As a special focus, this year GSA will present a prize for the most promising application idea focussing on how Galileo and EGNOS help support European Integration. Now that Galileo is delivering Initial Services, Reinhard Blasi, Market Development Officer at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), noted at the ceremony, the focus is shifting from not only embracing EGNOS on a European level, but Galileo on a global level. “Since December 2016 we have gone from deployment to delivering services, which means that today users can benefit from Galileo now,” he said. “In light of the 60th anniversary of the EU, and a milestone year when Galileo is operational, following the December 2016 Declaration of Initial Services, we want to raise the awareness of how EU investment in space is concretely benefiting Europeans and will continue to in untold ways for many years to come.”

Watch this: Europe for space, space for Europe

E-GNSS Accelerator

The ESNC winners can also benefit from the new ‘E-GNSS Accelerator’. This programme is a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs and start-ups to boost their business case on a broad scale and bring their products and services to market. The E-GNSS Accelerator will run for three years and will directly support the winners of the ESNC 2017, 2018 and 2019. As a result, the participants will receive even more prizes and services worth an additional EUR 500,000.

For more information on the ESNC, including all relevant information on prizes, partners, and terms of participation, visit the Competition’s official website: www.esnc.eu. Information on the Copernicus Masters can be found here: www.copernicus-masters.com.

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).

From 1 April to 30 June 2017, the European Satellite Navigation Competition (known as the ‘Galileo Masters’), the largest international competition for the innovative use of satellite navigation, will be scouting for outstanding ideas and business models to put on the fast track.

The European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) was launched, along with the Copernicus Masters, the leading innovation platform for commercial Earth observation applications, at a joint international kick-off event hosted by the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU in Brussels, on 5 April 2017.

From now until June 30, ESNC will be searching for the most forward‐thinking applications based on satellite navigation. The winners, which will be announced at a ceremony as part of the Estonian Space Week in Tallinn, Estonia, in November, will share in this year’s prize pool of more than EUR 1 million and will benefit from the ESNC’s unparalleled support network, including the ESA Business Incubation Centres and the brand new E-GNSS Accelerator, co-funded by the European Commission.

GSA Market Development Officer Reinhard Blasi introduces the GSA Prize.

Speaking at the kick-off ceremony, Andreas Veispak, Head of the European Commission’s Space Data for Societal Challenges and Growth Unit, noted that the EU had invested a lot of money in satellites, and now stakeholders, including Member States, were looking for a return on this investment. “This can only be yielded through satellite applications that are of use to end users in the public and private sectors,” he said.

Return on investment

This is where the ESNC plays a key role. Since 2004, the Competition has been fast-tracking the most ground-breaking ideas for Galileo-related applications across Europe and beyond and transforming them into market-ready products and new ventures. Each year, the Competition helps promote over 400 business ideas and has already awarded prizes to more than 300 winners over the years, which represent just a fraction of the more than 3,700 innovative concepts submitted by over 11,000 participants.

Also read: KYNEO project moves closer to commercialisation

With an impressive prize pool of over EUR 1 million, the 2017 edition of Competition will give entrepreneurs and start-ups with services, products or business ideas that use satellite navigation in everyday life access to more than 160 space-related stakeholders and allow them to benefit from support from over 40 incubators and the expertise of more than 250 experts.

The EU at 60: Special 2017 Prize for Space & Europe!

As a special focus, this year GSA will present a prize for the most promising application idea focussing on how Galileo and EGNOS help support European Integration. Now that Galileo is delivering Initial Services, Reinhard Blasi, Market Development Officer at the European GNSS Agency (GSA), noted at the ceremony, the focus is shifting from not only embracing EGNOS on a European level, but Galileo on a global level. “Since December 2016 we have gone from deployment to delivering services, which means that today users can benefit from Galileo now,” he said. “In light of the 60th anniversary of the EU, and a milestone year when Galileo is operational, following the December 2016 Declaration of Initial Services, we want to raise the awareness of how EU investment in space is concretely benefiting Europeans and will continue to in untold ways for many years to come.”

Watch this: Europe for space, space for Europe

E-GNSS Accelerator

The ESNC winners can also benefit from the new ‘E-GNSS Accelerator’. This programme is a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs and start-ups to boost their business case on a broad scale and bring their products and services to market. The E-GNSS Accelerator will run for three years and will directly support the winners of the ESNC 2017, 2018 and 2019. As a result, the participants will receive even more prizes and services worth an additional EUR 500,000.

For more information on the ESNC, including all relevant information on prizes, partners, and terms of participation, visit the Competition’s official website: www.esnc.eu. Information on the Copernicus Masters can be found here: www.copernicus-masters.com.

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).

To help eastern European countries implement EGNOS-based LPV procedures, the GSA-funded BEYOND project organised an array of workshops and training aimed at building the region’s European GNSS capacity.

There are currently over 430 EGNOS-enabled procedures available at more than 300 different European airports – with an additional 500 procedures planned. Many of these planned procedures are set to happen in eastern European countries, including the Balkans. Before they can take full advantage of the many benefits that the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) provides, they first need to have the capacity to implement such procedures. And this is where the Horizon 2020 funded BEYOND project comes in.

Launched in 2015, BEYOND supports the competitiveness of EU industry by developing new market opportunities in eastern European and Euromed countries. “These countries represent an important market for European GNSS,” says Carmen Aguilera, GSA Market Development Officer in charge of the Aviation segment-. “In order to take advantage of this potential, it is essential that we work to increase the visibility of EGNOS and assist with its implementation – especially as it pertains to aviation.”

The region is characterised by an abundance of often remote small and regional airports, many of which cannot afford the high cost of installing and maintaining ground-based instrument landing systems (ILS). EGNOS-enabled localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approaches provide a suitable alternative to ILS, all the while making these airports more accessible and safer. EGNOS works by using geostationary satellites and a network of ground stations to receive, analyse and augment GPS signals, making them suitable for such safety-critical applications as aircraft landings. As a result, the EGNOS LPV 200 service provides vertical guidance that enables reaching a decision height of as low as 200 feet – a capability similar to what is provided by ground-based navigational aids, but without the steep financial burden of installing, maintaining and calibrating ground equipment.

A full view of the implementation process

To pave the way for implementing EGNOS-based procedures across eastern Europe and the Euromed countries, the BEYOND project worked directly with air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs) from Hungary, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania – among others. Training, technical workshops and flight trials were provided by the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), in coordination with GMV, INECO and ENAV.

The aim of these initiatives was to provide the ANSPs and CAAs with a comprehensive overview of the subject, from pre-implementation to operation. “Instead of providing itemised training on a specific component of the process, the BEYOND workshops delivered a full view of the LPV procedure implementation process,” says Peter Lubrani, Beyond project coordinator.

These capacity-building efforts have resulted in achieving several important milestones, including:

• each ANSP developed a precision-based navigation (PBN) strategy, which will serve as the roadmap toward implementation;
• flight trials occurred at Debrecen (Hungary) Airport, with additional trials planned at Tirana (Albania) Airport;
• preliminary LPV procedures designed for four airports  – Debrecen, Chisinau (Moldova), Podgorica (Montenegro) and Tirana (Albania);
• research on detecting GNSS interference was launched.

“The BEYOND exercises and workshops provided practical training on implementing EGNOS, training that will be put into action as we move toward improving PBN and implementing EGNOS in Montenegro,” says CAA Montenegro.

As this feeling was shared by all involved, one can expect to soon see some new dots added to the EGNOS map.

The BEYOND Final User Forum is scheduled for June 14th-15th 2017 in Tallinn, Estonia. More information 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 all-new 2017 GSA GNSS Market Report will be launched in May, and here’s a sneak peek at the market intelligence and insight you’ll find inside.

When it comes to GNSS market intelligence and insight, the GSA’s GNSS Market Report sets the standard. Regularly referenced by policy-makers and business leaders around the world, the publication has earned its reputation as the go-to resource for an in-depth look at GNSS market opportunities and trends across an array of essential market segments.  

Since its launch in 2015, the 4th Issue of the GNSS Market Report has been downloaded over 43 000 times. Covering location-based services (LBS), road transportation, aviation, maritime, rail, agriculture, mapping and surveying, and timing and synchronisation, the report served a wide variety of industries, private businesses, institutions and public stakeholders.

New features ahead!

Building on this success, the 5th Issue of the GNSS Market Report will be launched during the European Navigation Conference (ENC), scheduled for 9 to 12 May in Lausanne, Switzerland. In addition to the information on shipments, revenues and installed receiver bases that you have come to expect from the report, this edition has some exciting new features, including:

• an expanded section on such macro-trends as the Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Cities and Big Data, where GNSS has become an essential element;
• segment-specific user perspectives, with an emphasis on the increasingly stringent demands of today’s GNSS users;  
• the unique added value that EGNOS and Galileo brings to each segment and how, with the recent Declaration of Galileo Initial Services, Galileo is already enhancing the functioning of many applications;
• a special feature on the important role that GNSS plays in the growing market of drones.

“Providing in-depth information on today’s GNSS market opportunities and a data-driven forecast of its evolution through to 2025, this edition will be a must-read for anyone looking to successfully navigate this exciting market,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “I am confident that using this report in your day-to-day planning and strategic decision-making will give your business the competitive edge it needs to succeed.”

To make sure you don’t miss out, register today to be automatically notified when Issue 5 of the GSA GNSS Market Report is available for download.

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).

Technology keynote outlines how the rapid development of mass market consumer devices will only increase the demand for higher accuracy and dual frequency GNSS transmission solutions, such as those offered by Galileo.

The European Union Space Programme’s notable presence at the 33rd Space Symposium (April 3-6) – the world’s premier space event – included a keynote address presented by Carlo des Dorides, Executive Director of the European GNSS Agency (GSA). As part of the conference’s popular Tech Track session, des Dorides framed for the audience the findings of the GSA’s recently issued and first GNSS User Technology Report, specifically what lies ahead in the GNSS chipset and receiver domain and the trends transforming the GNSS landscape of tomorrow.

His remarks outlined how the application of GNSS technology toward mass market of consumer devices, transport and public safety, and accurate asset management timing for business will only increase the demand for higher accuracy and adoption of dual frequency transmission solutions, such as those offered by Galileo (E1/L1 + E5/L5).

“In recent years, GNSS technology has experienced a period of rapid development – both on the side of global constellations and user receivers,” explained des Dorides “With this development, EGNOS and Galileo are becoming increasingly present in GNSS receivers, providing enhanced performance to users both in Europe and worldwide. Even with the increased deployment of other positioning technologies, because it is the most widespread and cost-effective source of location information, GNSS will remain at the core of all positioning technology.”

Other GNSS technology projections offered during the keynote:

• Nearly 65% of all chipsets and modules currently on the market support multiple constellations.
• Within the next few years it is expected that 100% of all new devices will be multi-constellation capable.
• The leaders in multi-constellation capability are mass market receivers and high accuracy professional receivers, with nearly 30% already capable of using the four available global constellations.
• Receivers targeting such safety-critical applications as aviation must wait for new technologies to be proven and new standards or regulations to become available prior to implementing them.
• In terms of supported frequencies, 30% of all receivers implement more than one frequency, mostly in high precision.
• In the mass market, the chipset supply chain is extremely consolidated, with a few players worldwide driving innovation.
• For liability and safety critical transport solutions, a consolidated industry with an important European presence dominates innovation in automotive, maritime and aviation, while new players are expected to emerge in such new applications as autonomous vehicles.
• In high precision, timing and asset management, the suppliers are specialised in various professional fields, although their products are based on a relatively low number of GNSS chipsets.

“GNSS user technology is, now more than ever, answering the needs of ubiquity, automation and secure positioning,” concluded des Dorides. “Further innovations and new developments in continuous location service will only continue to provide the opportunity for a better quality of life, as well as economic and commercial benefits.”

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).