INDUSTRY

German Orbital Systems to deploy Neuraspace STM

CubeSat manufacturer German Orbital Systems has contracted Neuraspace to secure the 16U pilot satellite, Pathfinder A, of ESA’s upcoming Celeste In-Orbit Demonstration constellation for LEO PNT (Low Earth Orbit Positioning, Navigation and Timing) with space traffic management (STM) capabilities.

Neuraspace will provide real-time automated solutions for conjunction screening, analysis, and classification, as well as manoeuvring planning and optimisation. In addition, launch and early operations phase (LEOP) will be supported with GNSS data processing and dedicated tracking using the company’s optical telescopes.

These services by Neuraspace will also contribute towards compliance to ESA’s space debris requirements, with the intention to control collision risk and prevent space debris release and proliferation. Scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2026, the satellite will fly in LEO to demonstrate how PNT signals can ultimately provide guaranteed location accuracy, better signal robustness, increased resistance as well as faster signal acquisition. www.groundstation.space

NSSTC, Thales Alenia Space in satellite navigation partnership

The National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC), U.A.E. and Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), are cooperating to explore opportunities in low-Earth orbit (LEO) space navigation systems. The LEO-PNT satellites seek to provide guaranteed and sovereign centimeter location accuracy, robustness, resistance against jamming and spoofing, and low latency. Recognizing the strategic importance of LEO-PNT, the NSSTC is working with Thales Alenia Space to explore opportunities in this domain. The collaboration reflects a vision to explore pathways that can enhance the robustness and sovereignty of future navigation services while deepening international cooperation and knowledge exchange between the United Arab Emirates and Europe in the field of space technology. www.thalesgroup.com

Hexagon acquires Inertial Sense for GNSS+INS upgrade

Hexagon has announced an agreement to acquire Inertial Sense, a provider of tactical-grade global navigation solutions and inertial navigation systems (GNSS+INS), to strengthen the breadth of its positioning portfolio. Inertial Sense’s capabilities will complement Hexagon’s assured positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) portfolio, which provides an affordable, high performance navigation solution to its customers. hexagon.com

First global customer of UltraCam Dragon 4.2

Vexcel Imaging has announced that Dutch aerial survey company Slagboom & Peeters Aerial Surveys has purchased the very first UltraCam Dragon 4.2 hybrid aerial imaging and LiDAR system worldwide. Operating from Teuge Airport in the Netherlands, the company executes projects worldwide, offering services from true orthophotos and stereo imagery to geo-oblique images, 3D models, and LiDAR. By continually investing in the latest technology, including multiple UltraCam systems such as the UltraCam Eagle 4.1 and UltraCam Osprey 4.1, as well as the complete UltraMap Suite. www.vexcel-imaging.com

SandboxAQ, DIU advance quantum navigation tech

SandboxAQ has announced an agreement with the Department of War’s (DoW) Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to join its Transition of Quantum Sensing (TQS) program. This effort will focus on rapidly developing and testing advanced Magnetic Anomaly Navigation (MagNav) technologies for the U.S. military’s use in autonomous systems.

The TQS program, managed under DIU’s Emerging Technologies portfolio, accelerates the adoption of commercial quantum sensing technologies to ensure PNT resilience in environments where GNSS signals are unreliable or denied. SandboxAQ will deploy its dual-use AQNav software to enable robust, resilient navigation capabilities without reliance on external signals. www.sandboxaq.com

SI500 DAS antenna innovation

Sinclair Technologies has unveiled the new cutting-edge SI500 DAS Antennas series. Featuring a two-port MIMO design, it stands out as a seamlessly integrated remedy for enhancing wireless connectivity indoors. Operating across an extensive frequency spectrum from 617 MHz to 8500 MHz, this series caters to in-building communication needs. From supporting 5G networks and legacy systems to accommodating Wi-Fi 6E, upcoming 5G bands, and IoT systems, the SI500 guarantees a continuous and seamless indoor connectivity experience. www.sinctech.com

GNSS anti-jamming protection technology

infiniDome has introduced Aura, a new GNSS protection system built for platforms that cannot afford to lose their way. It is designed to redefine navigation resilience with smarter algorithms, faster interference response and a compact, rugged design capable of operating in contested environments. The system is available in two configurations: Aura, the enclosed version for rapid deployment, and AuraCore, the OEM module for integration. infinidome.com

Live digital stationing meets location precision

OnStation, the first-ever live digital stationing platform purpose-built for road construction documentation and inspection teams, is collaborating with Trimble to integrate its GNSS receivers with the OnStation App. Together, the technologies provide key project personnel with instant, station-based context and precise location. When OnStation is paired with the Trimble Mobile Manager application, this integration enhances trust in location data for paving, inspections, and utilities, keeping project crews in sync. With everyone aligned, there’s less risk of building in the wrong spot or misinterpreting plans. www.onstationapp.com

Swift Navigation, SIMCom advance cm-level positioning

Swift Navigation and SIMCom has partnered to deliver centimeter level GNSS accuracy to high-volume robotics applications worldwide.

The collaboration integrates Swift’s Skylark™ Precise Positioning Service with SIMCom’s high-performance SIM66MD and SIM66D GNSS modules. www.swiftnav.com

€950,000 for GNSS independent navigation tech

ALL.SPACE has been awarded €950,000 by the European Space Agency’s Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP). This award is to develop an alternative PNT capability designed to operate in GNSS-denied environments.

The project will build a proof of concept for Alt-PNT, harnessing ALL. SPACE’s multi-orbit terminal technology to generate and analyse “signals of opportunity” that can deliver position and orientation data independently of traditional GNSS sources. www.all.space

Adtran launches Galileo OSNMA authentication for Oscilloquartz timing

Adtran has announced support for Galileo’s Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) across its Oscilloquartz synchronization platforms, marking a major advance in GNSS security. OSNMA is the first GNSS authentication service designed for civilian use, and Adtran is the first in the timing industry to support it. By verifying that timing data originates from genuine Galileo satellites, OSNMA ensures authenticity and integrity at the point of reception. Available via firmware update for supported multi-band GNSS receivers, the new feature adds an extra layer of protection against spoofing and manipulation, empowering existing deployments to strengthen security without hardware changes or service disruption.

OSNMA support from Adtran brings a new level of GNSS security to critical infrastructure. Available for multi-band GNSS receivers in the OSA 5412, OSA 5422, OSA 5430 and OSA 5440 product lines, the feature integrates with Galileo’s Open Service, using digital signatures and TESLA chain keys to authenticate navigation data. This ensures that timing and positioning information is verified as authentic and protected against spoofing or manipulation. www.adtran.com

Net Insight introduces Zyntai TimeNode 3100E

Net Insight launches TN3100E, a new TimeNode in the Zyntai family. It delivers multiband GNSS for superior accuracy, supports India’s GNSS IRNSS/NavIC, and adds advanced anti-jamming and anti-spoofing features. It is the latest TimeNode hardware unit in the Zyntai product family. It provides enhanced GNSS functionalities designed for markets that depend on GNSS as time source in challenging environments where robust protection against interference is essential. netinsight.net

Microchip TimeProvider 4500 v3

Microchip Technology has released the TimeProvider® 4500 v3 grandmaster clock (TP4500) designed to deliver sub-nanosecond accuracy for time distribution across 800 km long haul optical transmission. It provides a resilient, terrestrial solution in the absence of GNSS for precise timing, alleviating physical obstruction, security and signal interference costs associated with GNSS-dependent deployments. It supports time reference provided by UTC(k) UTC time provided by national labs, and is the first grandmaster to offer a premium capability that delivers High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) as defined by ITU-T G.8271.1/Y.1366.1 (01/2024) to meet 5 nanoseconds (ns) time delay over 800 km (equating to 500 picoseconds (ps) average per node, assuming 10 nodes. www.microchip.com

HydroGNSS Scout satellites ready for launch

Two European Space Agency (ESA) microsatellites will soon be launched to study climate variables linked to water using GNSS reflectometry. The twin HydroGNSS satellites will be launched later this month.

The HydroGNSS twins are the ESA’s first Scout venture, part of the agency’s Earth Observation FutureEO programme. They are designed to deliver cutting-edge science quickly and affordably, complementing ESA’s larger Earth Explorer missions. www.esa.intHigh-accuracy GPS for better GrabMaps accuracy

Grab Singapore has launched a pilot programme that uses high accuracy lane-level GPS positioning to enhance the navigation experience for its driver- and delivery-partners in Singapore. The pilot, rolled out in collaboration with Oppo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc, and Swift Navigation, also marks the first deployment of high- accuracy GPS positioning on mobile phones and app integration in Southeast Asia, delivering unprecedented outdoor location accuracy for Grab’s partners. In dense urban environments such as Singapore’s high-rise buildings, multi level roads, and underground networks can degrade standard GPS accuracy above 20 metres, complicating navigation between pick-ups and drop-offs, and reducing ETA accuracy. www.grab.com

Iridium Unveils global GPS device protection

Iridium Communications Inc. has announced a leap forward in the security of GPS and other GNSS-reliant devices against jamming, spoofing and timing interruptions with the unveiling of a dedicated, miniature application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the Iridium® PNT ASIC. Engineered for seamless integration into a wide range of electronic devices, the Iridium PNT ASIC will deliver authenticated, pole to-pole PNT data. It will provide a resilient alternative to traditional GNSS, offering protection against spoofing and jamming for consumer, industrial, and government applications. Iridium.com

Safran unveils Skydel NAVWAR

Safran Electronics & Defense has announced the launch of Skydel NAVWAR, a software solution designed to strengthen national defense capabilities against hostile drones. As the core of Safran’s counter-UAV (C-UAV) systems, it disrupts unmanned aerial vehicle navigation by simulating authentic GNSS signals. It ensures real-time electronic deception to neutralize UAV threats. Its ability to embed on tactical platforms and integrate seamlessly with sensors and command-and-control systems allows operators to conduct remote spoofing operations with efficiency and precision – even when they are not physically present. safran-navigation-timing.com

Septentrio launches mosaic-G5 T timing module

Septentrio has launched a new timing module, the mosaic-G5 T. Measuring only 23 mm by 16 mm and weighing as little as 2.2 grams, this receiver unlocks new opportunities for system designers operating under strict size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints. Nano-second time precision is complemented by AIM+ Premium anti jamming and anti-spoofing2 technology ensuring reliable service uptime and continuity. www.septentrio.com