Qualinx, a company specializing in ultra-low power wireless tracking and connectivity semiconductors, has announced a partnership with the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). This collaboration, under the Fundamental Elements EU R&D funding mechanism, aims to develop a consumer-grade, low-power GNSS receiver for EUSPA’s GNSS authentication service.
The project focuses on the Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) service, which is designed to verify that users are receiving data from Galileo satellites. This service was introduced in response to an increasing number of spoofing incidents, where malicious actors have disrupted GNSS services. Qualinx was selected for this project following a six-month selection process conducted by EUSPA.
Qualinx’s technology, known as Digital Radio Frequency (DRF), transforms most analog functions of a wireless chip into digital circuits, which can be customized for each application through software. This technology is said to reduce power consumption by tenfold compared to traditional GNSS receivers, offering smaller, more cost-effective solutions while extending the operating life of battery-powered navigation devices.
Tom Trill, CEO of Qualinx, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “This partnership with EUSPA is a powerful endorsement of Qualinx’s DRF technology and the benefits it delivers in GNSS applications. Our relationship with EUSPA developed via the European Commission’s CASSINI initiative to support space-related, deep-tech startups. This project is a perfect fit for DRF. It will keep Qualinx at the leading edge of next-generation GNSS technology and we’ll deliver robust, reliable, low-power GNSS receivers for this vital security service.”
Fiammetta Diani, head of the Market, Development and Innovation unit at EUSPA, also commented on the collaboration, highlighting Qualinx’s adaptable core technology as a crucial factor in the development of low-powered consumer-grade receivers for the OSNMA service. She anticipates that this partnership will enhance the resilience of Galileo’s services for all users.
