GNSS

Australia turns to GNSS for primary navigation

The move on 26 May will see the Airservices Navigation Rationalisation Project switchoff 179 navigation aids, including nondirectional beacons, VHF omni-directional radio ranges and distance measuring equipment. Withdrawn procedures will be replaced with straight-in area navigation (RNAV) approach procedures that perform the same function. At many airports, RNAV approach procedures will be provided at both ends of the runway, essentially duplicating the navigation service.

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority also required from 4 February that instrument flight rules (IFR) aircraft use GNSS technology as their primary means of navigation. GNSS is a key component of a long-term strategy to address growth in aviation.

Benefits of the switch to satellite navigation include a reduced requirement to use ground-based aids, greater operational flexibility, and reduced track miles, stepdown and circling approaches, as well as reduced fuel burn and flight times. Airservices will monitor the remaining 213 navigation aids forming the industryselected Backup Navigation Network (BNN) which will be available in the unlikely event a pilot is unable to access the satellite service. www.airservicesaustralia.com/

Iridium launches timing, location service as GPS back-up

U.S. firm Iridium Communications Inc said its Satellite Time and Location (STL) system was ready for use as an alterative or companion to the GPS satellites.

Iridium developed the new STL system with Satelles, a private firm, to deliver signals using Iridium’s 66 low-earth satellites, making it less vulnerable than groundbased terminals used for GPS services. The Virginia-based company said the STL system gives users access to accurate position, navigation and timing technology using inexpensive chips that work anywhere on earth, providing an alternative to GPS and a way to verify GPS signals. www.reuters.com

Euro Soyuz orbits two Galileo satellites

A Europeanized Russian Soyuz rocket on May 24 successfully placed two European Galileo PNT satellites into medium- Earth orbit – the 13th and 14th in a series of 26 Galileo spacecraft, with more to come. Launch operator Arianespace confirmed the accurate orbital injection, and European Space Agency officials said both satellites were healthy and sending signals. http://spacenews.com

‘Father of GPS,’ wins prestigious Marconi Prize

Bradford Parkinson, the Edward C. Wells Professor in the School of Engineering, Emeritus, at Stanford, has been awarded the Marconi Prize for his role in guiding the development of GPS from an orphaned project to a technology that is deeply seeded in nearly every aspect of modern life. The $100,000 Marconi Prize, given annually, recognizes major advances in the communications field that benefit humanity. Aero/Astro Professor Emeritus Brad Parkinson has won the 2016 Marconi Prize for his role in guiding the development of GPS from an orphaned military project to a ubiquitous technology. https://news.stanford.edu

China to launch 30 Beidou navigation satellites in next 5 yrs

China plans to launch 30 Beidou navigation satellites during the 13th five-year plan period (2016-2020), to build a global navigation system by 2020. The first batch of 18 satellites will be launched before 2018 to cover countries along the routes in “the Belt and Road” (Silk Road) initiative, Ran Chengqi, director of the China Satellite Navigation Office said, addressing the China Satellite Navigation Conference. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

South Korea revives GPS backup project

South Korea has revived a project to build a backup ship navigation system that would be difficult to hack after a recent wave of GPS signal jamming. GPS and other electronic navigation
aids are vulnerable to signal loss from solar weather effects, radio and satellite interference and deliberate jamming. South Korea, which says it has faced repeated attempts by the rival North to interfere with satellite signals, will award a 15 billion won ($13 million) contract to secure technology required to build an alternative land-based radio system called eLoran. www.yahoo.com

Russia deploys another GLONASS-M

A Russian Soyuz 2-1B has launched the latest GLONASS-M Global Navigation satellite from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, recently. The spacecraft was launched with the designation of Glonass n°53, ahead of being renamed Kosmos-2516 once operational in orbit. www.nasaspacefiight.com

The InLocation Alliance Partners with the OGC and i-Locate

The InLocation Alliance (ILA) has announced the publication of a comprehensive Use Case White Paper written with the Open Geospatial Consortium and the European Union’s i-Locate Project. The white paper is based on the 2016 ILA Use Case Survey promoted by ILA, OGC, i-Locate and the Location Based Marketing Association to members, participants and the general public that resulted in over 150 results. The white paper provides insight to thought leaders of the opportunities afforded by indoor LBS and technical solutions being developed in the ecosystem.

The survey results provide a snapshot of the requirements submitted by different stakeholders (within and beyond the members and participants in ILA, OGC and i-Locate) and an up-to-date overview of the market for indoor positioning. In this new frontier of geospatial information there is ever increasing reliability of determining indoor positions and OGC standards are providing standards for indoor positioning coordinates, identifiers and building and urban models (CityGML and IndoorGML). www.inlocationalliance.com