Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
Additional export controls are being considered for position, navigation, and timing (PNT) advances as well 13 other wide-ranging categories of technology. Among these categories are emerging disciplines like machine learning, robotics, object recognition and artificial intelligence that often incorporate PNT to support new applications in self-driving vehicles, drones, remote sensing and urban mobility.
By Dee Ann Divis
BLUEGNSS is a project developed in the framework of the Horizon 2020 (H2020) program involving four ANSPs of different European countries (Italy, Cyprus, Greece, and Malta) plus one industrial partner, IDS (Ingegneria Dei Sistemi). The project objective is to harmonize the implementation of PBN approach operations among the BLUE-MED FAB States. This article provides an overview of the phases required to reach this goal and focuses on GNSS performance assessment as recommended by ICAO.
By Inside GNSS
This article — Part 1 was published in the September/October 2018 issue — presents the authors’ experience in setting up an airborne pseudolite (UAVlite) with the needed ground-based infrastructure to perform code and phase ranging performance analysis. UAVlites transmit GNSS-like signals free from any local transmitter multipath (in contrast to ground-based transmitters) and can in principle be localized in real-time through a synchronized network of ground stations which may also broadcast the UAVlite positions in real-time.
By Günter W. Hein
The legal and privacy issues surrounding GPS investigations have come to the forefront around the globe in recent years. Recent court rulings in both Japan and the United States provide insights into the future. Here we summarize and examine a decision by the Japanese Supreme Court and relevant lower court’s decisions, as well compare the Japan decision and the mosaic theory from an earlier U.S. court decision.
By Ingo Baumann
The 2nd Space Operations Squadron took formal command of Architecture Evolution Plan 7.5, the largest GPS architectural change in operational history, after its successful installation at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado on Nov 16, 2018.
By Inside GNSS
UPDATED: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Nov. 15 unanimously approved waivers allowing the use of the Galileo E1 and E5 signals for non-federal purposes in the U.S. and denied the E6 signal waiver request. Approving the E6 waiver “could constrain our future spectrum management for non-Federal operations in the U.S.” the FCC wrote in the draft order document released ahead of the meeting.
By Dee Ann Divis
The Russian military jammed GPS signals during a major NATO military exercise in Norway between October 16 and November 7, according to multiple published reports this week. The military exercise involved thousands of U.S. and NATO troops, CNN reported, citing the Norwegian government.
By Stan Goff
The new European Space Agency (ESA) GNSS Science Support Centre (GSSC) is based at ESA’s European Space Astronomy Centre, ESAC, near Madrid. Run by ESA’s Galileo Science Office, the GSSC integrates IT and satnav infrastructure to deliver advanced data processing services to the scientific community.
By Inside GNSS
Iridium is asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to rescind rules essential to Ligado Networks’ proposal to use its satellite frequencies to support a ground-based network for applications like 5G wireless service and connectivity for driverless cars and drones.
By Dee Ann Divis
The announcement of the White House’s new strategy to speed development of next-generation wireless networks is likely to create a new front in the years-long fight over a proposed project that could interfere with GPS spectrum.
By Dee Ann Divis
More than 40 drones performing in a professionally organized light show fell from the sky in Hong Kong Saturday after the GPS signal they were using was jammed. The incident, which caused some HK$1 million in damage (U.S. $127,500), is now under criminal investigation.
The firm Sky Magic, which uses a customized fleet of performance dronesto do indoor and outdoor light shows, confirmed the incident but declined to discuss details of what happened because the investigation was still underway. The company, which has offices in the UK and Singapore, said it would provide more information once the investigation was concluded.
The unmanned aircraft were part of a 100-drone show that was cancelled after an outside party interfered with their operation, Asian news outlets reported. The light show was being performed in conjunction with the annual Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival.The planned seven-minute show featured 100 rotorcraft with LED lights honoring the 10th anniversary of the festival by forming the outline of a birthday cake and the number 10.
The drones were lost during a show Saturday, October 27. Shows already had been done Thursday and Friday.
“After initial checks, the GPS signals for the drones were found to be interfered [with] by external parties and the board reported the issue to police immediately,” organizers said in a press release, according to the South China Morning Post.
“These are professional drones, which are already built with technologies that would direct them back to the takeoff origin,” Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Executive Director Anthony Lau told the Morning Post, “but the signals were so strong that many of them just dropped from the air.”
Lau said an initial police investigation ruled out the possibility that the machines had been hacked.
“They [the police] were here all night working with us, and our vendor, and looking into all sorts of possibilities, and have come to the conclusion that it is not computer hacking,” Lau said. “It is because someone jammed the GPS signal.”
By Inside GNSS
Imagination Technologies today announced the offering of the Ensigma Location GNSS IP core that supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou as well as several Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) including WAAS and EGNOS. Designed for ultra-low power consumption, the IP is designed to optimize battery powered remote IoT sensors and edge devices, wearables, health monitors, consumer mobile products, automotive after-sales products such as insurance boxes and road tolling equipment, and asset tracking devices.
By Stan Goff
With the aim to actively support and to accelerate the most widespread adoption of Galileo, Spaceopal today announces the launch of NAVCAST, its GNSS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) service featuring high accuracy positioning enhancement for end users worldwide.
By Inside GNSS
