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Although EGNOS was the main focus of the annual EGNOS Service Provision Workshop, the topic of Galileo and the upcoming declaration of initial services was in the air too.

The annual EGNOS Service Provision Workshop, held 27 to 28 September in Warsaw, covered an array of topics, including an EGNOS service status update and success stories from partners currently using the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) in real applications. There were also dedicated sessions on such key market segments as aviation, maritime and land applications.

One key highlight was the status of EGNOS version 3 (V3). The European GNSS Agency (GSA) said it is currently working with the European Space Agency (ESA) on the EGNOS V3 acquisition process. When operational, the multi-frequency/multi-constellation EGNOS V3 will improve the accuracy and reliability of the positioning information. Currently, the GSA is working on securing the procurement of the DFMC Aviation prototype receiver (to be used for flight test) and the GEO-3 Navigation Payload services, in addition to various standardisation tasks.

“The delivery of EGNOS services is remarkably reliable and is continuously improving,” adds GSA EGNOS Programme Manager Jean-Marc Pieplu. “Together with the growing adoption of EGNOS in Europe and beyond, the GSA is now engaging in important investments for the future of EGNOS, including the addition of a second signal and a second constellation – Galileo – that will further improve its services.”

Looking towards Galileo

Even though the workshop was focused on EGNOS, the topic of Galileo was addressed at the opening.  With Galileo Initial Services set to launch in the coming months, the session was an opportunity to reflect on the important role EGNOS played in laying the foundation for Galileo, together with looking ahead at what users can expect when both EGNOS and Galileo are operational.

As the GSA prepares to take over the Galileo service provision, it will lean heavily on its strong track record and experience from its work with EGNOS, where it has been responsible for the programme’s service provision for the past two years. “Today, on the eve of this important step for the Galileo programme, we have the unique opportunity to see where this journey began and how far we’ve come,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Clearly, EGNOS has taught us a lot, and the many success stories presented here in Warsaw are proof of its importance.”

Over the past two years the GSA has supported the uptake of EGNOS to benefit a wide range of users. From the user perspective, EGNOS adoption continues to increase across numerous market segments. For example, today, over 200 airports have EGNOS-based approaches; EGNOS-based precision farming benefits over two-thirds of European tractors; and EGNOS is now the standard for mapping and surveying in Europe. “The future of European satellite navigation is bright,” adds des Dorides. “Five years from now, I hope the GSA will be able to present to you the similar successes for Galileo than the ones we are all currently enjoying with EGNOS.”

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 GSA’s recently released GNSS User Technology Report aims not only to foresee how location will be used in the years to come, but also how it will influence the design of positioning systems. Download your copy today!

Imagine in the not-so-distant future setting your morning alarm based on real-time traffic estimates and having your coffee brewed accordingly, ready and waiting for you as you head out the door.

Always apologising for forgetting to send Mom flowers on Mother’s Day? No worries, soon your phone will send you an automatic reminder and provide your autonomous car with directions to the nearest floral shop. No time to shop? Then just send a drone to deliver the flowers for you.

This isn’t science fiction. In the era of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data, trends in geo-positioning and information technology (IT) are simply inseparable. After all, IoT is built on the premise that it will know where the ‘things’ are. In fact, already today nearly half of all available mobile applications use location information – a significance that will likely only increase. However, according to the GNSS User Technology Report, this will only happen if the positioning systems of the future provide:

1. Ubiquitous positioning: the ability to choose the optimal combination of sensors and networks to become environment-independent.
2. Automation and ambient intelligence: sufficient reliability to enable such autonomous operations as driving, sailing, parking, landing, etc., by sensing the environment and adapting to it in real time.
3. Security: not only in the sense of a solution’s reliability and safety, but also by responding to growing concerns about privacy.

“What this report shows is that no single positioning method or technology – or magic combination thereof – can serve as ‘the answer’,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “After all, the technology that’s right for pedestrian navigation probably isn’t the best fit for use with an unmanned vehicle.” Des Dorides explains that the reason for this is that all positioning requirements exist within a given context, including the physical and radio-electrical environment, user dynamics and power, size and weight constraints. “It is this context that determines what positioning technologies are required,” he says.

Your guide to the shaping the future

With this ‘future’ and understanding of what is required to reach it in mind, the GNSS User Technology Report aims not only to foresee how location will be used in the years to come, but also how it will influence the design of positioning systems. The need for ubiquitous positioning, automation and ambient intelligence and security are impacting all aspects of receiver design – from antenna frequency range to signal processing channels. Furthermore, the implementation of disruptive techniques, such as vector and cloud processing, is making it possible to achieve greater performances in keeping battery life at acceptable levels. On top of this, other positioning technologies and signals of opportunity are being used alongside GNSS to offer enhanced experiences. For example, sensor technology is advancing in parallel with GNSS technology, making the vision of smart dust – a widely deployed network of low power and low cost microsensors – closer to becoming a reality. GNSS antenna designers are expected to complement this solution with more robust, smaller and multi-purpose antennas.

Many of these innovations are already becoming accessible, as confirmed by the leading GNSS technology providers featured in the Report.  But what all this really means – and as the Report makes abundantly clear – the GNSS user equipment landscape is a rapidly evolving one, with a market that is more diversified than ever and where new models are being introduced at an unprecedented rate. With this development being driven by the growing performance requirements of innovative applications and developments in the semiconductor industry, now is the time to take advantage of the enhanced capabilities offered by new and modernised GNSS systems and services. And the GSA’s GNSS User Technology Report is your guide to doing so.

The Report is free and can be downloaded 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).