Tag: European Navigation Conference

ENC 2026 details now available
The European Navigation Conference (ENC) series is widely acknowledged as the most important annual event in Europe bringing together the full positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) community.

ENC 2026 will take place in Vienna, Austria, from April 28-30, 2026. This follows very successful ENCs in the last few years.

ENC2026 offers:
- a technical program across three days with up to four parallel sessions,
- daily keynote addresses in plenary, bringing the community together,
- a friendly and collaborative atmosphere, with opportunities to meet exhibitors and fellow delegates, including informally over drinks and dinner as part of the conference social programme,
- an environment to gain insights, grow social networks and foster new collaborations.
The ENC-series is a collaboration across the European Group of Institutes of Navigation (EUGIN), with the Austrian Institute of Navigation (OVN) leading ENC 2026 at the Austria Center Vienna.

The conference will highlight the latest advancements in PNT. The broad technical program will include all related aspects of technology, science, systems and applications.

ENC-series is open to everyone from industry, academia, government and user segments. To learn more, visit the ENC 2026 website.
November 11, 2025
Full paper submission for ENC 2023 deadline coming up

Image: extravagantni/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

The annual European Navigation Conference (ENC23), set for May 31-June 2, will be hosted by the European Space Agency (ESA) at its ESTEC facilities in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. Full papers need to be submitted by May 15.

This year’s conference will focus on resilient navigation. Organized by The Netherlands Institute for Navigation, the conference will address resilience in a broad sense, including navigation sub-functions, operational routines, standards and policies.

The ENC23 tech committee has broken down the overarching theme into a range of topics, including integral end-to-end navigation solutions, specifics in position, navigation and timing, routing, data integrity questions and more.

Registration is open until May 21. For more information, visit the ENC23 website.

April 11, 2023
Royal Institute of Navigation issues call for papers for Navigation 2021 conference
The Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN) has issued a call for papers for the Navigation 2021 conference.

The conference, which as of now will be held virtually Nov. 15-18, 2021, will bring together experts from industry, research institutions, government agencies and investors whose primary goal is to work together for a more navigable world, RIN said. Conference themes will include PNT systems and technology, robust PNT, PNT applications, animal and human navigation, and navigation in society.

The November 2021 event will unite two established conferences: the International Navigation Conference and the European Navigation Conference.

RIN is accepting papers in the following categories:
- Peer-reviewed: Abstracts and, if accepted, papers will be peer reviewed and published to be indexed and searchable. Presentations will be invited in a parallel technical session at the conference.
- Presentation: Abstracts will be reviewed and, if accepted, submitters will be invited to present their work in a parallel session at the conference.
- Poster: Abstracts will be reviewed and, if accepted, posters will be displayed in the exhibition hall. RIN plans to encourage delegate interaction through poster presentations during the networking sessions.
The best peer-reviewed papers will be invited to submit for consideration to be published in the Journal of Navigation, RIN added.

Navigation 2021 will take place as a virtual conference. According to RIN, it will review the situation in 2021 and if possible run an in-person element to compliment the conference.
December 3, 2020
An overview of GPS/GNSS shows canceled or postponed because of COVID-19

GPS/GNSS-related trade shows and conferences have been canceled or postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Below is an overview of these shows so far, starting with the most recent updates.

AUVSI Xponential 2020: Virtual

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) decided to convert AUVSI Xponential 2020 to a virtual event. It will still take place Oct. 5-8.

Xponential 2020 was originally scheduled to take place May 4-7 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. It was then rescheduled to take place Oct. 5-8 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.

“While we are disappointed to not be convening in person this year, the health and safety of Xponential exhibitors and attendees is our utmost priority,” Wynne said. “It may not look like the Xponential we are used to, but we look forward to offering attendees the opportunity to virtually network, learn from and collaborate with one another just as they have in years past.”

ION 2020 Joint Navigation Conference: Canceled

The Institute of Navigation (ION) canceled its 2020 Joint Navigation Conference, which was scheduled to take place Sept. 8-11 in Covington, Kentucky/Cincinnati, Ohio.

According to show organizers, the decision was made because of COVID-19 and the current U.S. Department of Defense and government travel restrictions that are limiting travel.

ION JNC 2021 will be held June 7-10 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Kentucky/Cincinnati, Ohio, with the classified session hosted at the Air Force Institute of Technology.

ITSF 2020: Virtual

The International Timing and Sync Forum (ITSF) is a time and synchronization conference and exhibition showcasing solutions for 4G/5G, finance, broadcast, automotive, smart grids, IoT, distributed datacenters, transport and defense. The 2020 event will be held virtually Nov. 3-5.

“In the light of the current global situation, we are please to announce that ITSF 2020 will now be a fully virtual event — #ITSFOnline,” show organizers said.

TU-Automotive: Virtual

TU-Automotive will be held Aug. 18-20 in a virtual format.

“After continuously reviewing the best ways to serve the Automotive community, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the Virtual edition of TU-Automotive Detroit, ADAS & Autonomous Vehicles, WardsAuto Interiors Conference and WardsAuto UX Conference,” show organizers said.

The virtual event will feature keynotes, conference tracks, workshops, roundtables and working groups.

Commercial UAV Expos (America and Europe): Virtual

Commercial UAV Expo Americas 2020 is going virtual, according to event organizer Diversified Communications. The event is slated to take place Sept. 15-17.

“Due to ongoing health and safety concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the commercial drone community we serve have made it clear that it would be impossible to hold the live event as originally planned. In the interests of ensuring our community still has an opportunity learn from and connect with each other, we have reimagined Commercial UAV Expo Americas as a fully virtual event taking place September 15-17, 2020,” said Lisa Murray, group director at Diversified Communications, organizer of Commercial UAV Expo Americas.

Commercial UAV Expo Europe also will take place as a virtual event Dec. 1-3.

“Due to ongoing concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and for the health and safety of the members of the commercial drone community we serve, we have made the decision to reimagine Commercial UAV Expo Europe as a fully virtual event this year which will take place as part of a hybrid live-virtual Amsterdam Drone Week 1-3 December, 2020,” Murray added.

Intergeo 2020: Virtual

Intergeo 2020, originally slated to take place Oct. 13-15 in Berlin, Germany, will now take place entirely virtually. Organizers announced in early June that the show would take place partially in person and partially virtually, but made the decision in early July to move the entire show to a digital platform.

GEO Business 2020: Postponed

The venue and date have both been changed for GEO Business 2020. The show, organized by Diversified Communications U.K., will now take place May 19-20, 2021 at ExCel London. This event aims to connect those involved in the gathering, storing, processing and delivery of geospatial information.

Read more about the conference here.

5th annual FAA UAS Symposium: Virtual conference

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) will host the 5th annual FAA UAS Symposium virtually, rather than in-person in Baltimore. The event will take place June 16-18.

The FAA and AUVSI also will be hosting a series of virtual events that will address the content already planned for this year’s program. The fist will take place in early summer and will focus on UTM and international UAS integration. The second will take place in late summer with a focus on updates to the Integration Pilot Program and public safety operations.

Learn more about the show here.

AUVSI Xponential: Postponed

The AUVSI Xponential trade show, originally scheduled to take place May 4-7 in Boston, has been rescheduled to take place Oct. 5-8 in Dallas.

Because of the rescheduled conference, AUVSI will be hosting Xponential Virtual Sessions, a week-long webinar series, May 4-8. Find out how you can participate here.

Read more about the conference here.

Trimble Dimensions 2020: Canceled

Trimble Dimensions 2020, which was scheduled to take place Nov. 2-4 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, has been canceled.

“Unfortunately, the overwhelming concerns and ongoing impact of COVID-19 inhibit our ability to deliver a conference that meets the high standards of safety and excellence our attendees expect and deserve,” Trimble said in a press release.

Read more about the show here.

International Astronautical Congress 2020: Virtual conference

The 71st International Astronautical Congress (IAC): The CyberSpace Edition will take place virtually Oct. 12-14. The show, originally scheduled to take place in Dubai, brings together stakeholders from space agencies and institutions around the world to exchange information and ideas, share developments and advancements, and swap insights and rising trends.

According to show organizers, the IAC is a one-of-a-kind assemblage, unmatched in scale and in scope, unequalled in its reach and its attendance.

Read more about the virtual conference here.

Esri User Conference: Virtual conference

The Esri User Conference, which typically takes place every July in San Diego, will be held virtually July 13-15. The plenary session, technical workshops and Esri Showcase will be virtual, featuring demonstrations and live discussions during the conference.

Read more about the virtual conference here.

AIxSPACE: Postponed

AIxSPACE will now be taking place Nov. 2 in Montreal, Québec, Canada. According to show organizers, AIxSPACE brings together stakeholders in space and artificial intelligence industries to allow everyone to obtain concrete information on these markets and connect with potential business partners.

Read more about the conference here.

European Navigation Conference: Postponed

The European Navigation Conference has been rescheduled to take place Nov. 22-25 at the Maritim Hotel & Internationales Congress Center in Dresden, Germany. The conference, hosted by the German Society for Positioning and Navigation, brings together scientists, engineers and international experts to discuss new ideas, latest research results, future developments and new applications.

Read more about the conference here.

Connected & Autonomous Vehicles Conference: Postponed

The Connected & Autonomous Vehicles Conference has been postponed and will now be taking place Aug. 10-13 at the San Jose Convention Center in California. The conference aims to highlight the latest automotive industry developments, as well as allow participants to engage with experts and form strategic alliances.

Read more about the conference here.

ION Joint Navigation Conference: Postponed

The Institute of Navigation’s (ION) Joint Navigation Conference (JNC) has been rescheduled for Sept. 8-11 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. JNC is a U.S. military positioning, navigation and timing conference with joint service and government participation. According to ION, the rescheduled conference will host the original program, which was scheduled to take place in June.

Read more about the conference here.

36th Space Symposium: Postponed

The 36th Space Symposium will now take place Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. According to the Space Foundation, the 36th Space Symposium will gather leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs from the civil, commercial, military, research and international sectors to share, explore and partner on efforts that will impact our lives beyond Earth and upon it.

Read more about the conference here.

IEEE/ION PLANS Conference: Canceled

The IEEE/ION PLANS Conference, originally scheduled to take place April 20-23 in Portland, Oregon, was canceled.

Read more about the cancellation here.

Munich Satellite Navigation Summit: Canceled

The Munich Satellite Navigation Summit, originally scheduled to take place March 16-18, was canceled.

“In light of the current situation caused by the coronavirus as well as related travel restrictions and resulting cancellations we unfortunately are forced to cancel the Munich Satellite Navigation Summit 2020 as we are no longer able to provide a well-ordered and appropriate program,” show organizers said in a press release.

Read more about the cancellation here.

Mobile World Congress: Canceled

Mobile World Congress, which was slated to take place Feb. 24-27 in Barcelona, Spain, was canceled.

“With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today, the GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event,” said GSMA CEO John Hoffman in a statement.

Read more about the cancellation here.

Read more of GPS World‘s coronavirus coverage here.

Featured image: rclassenlayouts/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

July 23, 2020
3 more conferences postponed due to COVID-19

Three more conferences, including AIxSPACE, the European Navigation Conference and the Connected & Autonomous Vehicles Conference, have been rescheduled for the fall due to the coronavirus pandemic.

AIxSPACE, originally scheduled for June 1, has been rescheduled to take place Nov. 2. The conference, formed by Euroconsult and Innovitech, will bring together stakeholders in space and artificial intelligence industries to allow everyone to obtain concrete information on these markets and connect with potential business partners. It will still be taking place in Montreal, Québec, Canada.

The European Navigation Conference has been rescheduled for Nov. 22-25. According to show organizers, the conference will bring together scientists, engineers and international experts to discuss new ideas, latest research results, future developments and new applications. The European Navigation Conference event will still be taking place in Dresden, Germany.

Finally, the Connected & Autonomous Vehicles Conference will now be taking place Aug. 10-13 at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, California. This conference will explore the latest industry developments. In addition, attendees will hear thought-provoking case study presentations from top automakers.

Check out more show updates as a result of the coronavirus pandemic here.

April 20, 2020
European Navigation Conference brings GNSS community together
ENC logo

The 28th edition of the European Navigation Conference (ENC 2020) will be held May 11-14 at the International Congress Center in Dresden, Germany.

The conference is hosted by the German Institute of Navigation (DGON). Because of the rapid development of analog and digital technologies, there is increasing progress in performance of GNSS.

The conference brings together scientists, engineers and international experts to discuss new ideas, latest research results, future developments and new applications. High-level presentations will allow each participant to receive an in-depth view on the current status of satellite navigation technology. Topics include:
- GNSS Updates & Policies
- GNSS Algorithms & Techniques
- Resilience and Autonomy
- Multi-Sensor & Data Fusion
- Aviation & Marine Navigation
- Space & Science Applications
- Mobility and Transportation
Speakers. Keynote speakers will be Julia Klöckner, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund, German Aerospace Center, chair of the Executive Board.

Expo. A technical exhibition provides an opportunity for companies, agencies and research institutions to display their offerings; it will be directly placed in the conference area.

Abstracts. The European Navigation Conference aims to provide a forum for both academic and industrial professionals in navigation topics from all over the world and to bring together academicians, researchers, engineers, system analysts, graduate and undergraduate students with government and non-government organizations to share and discuss both theoretical and practical knowledge. Experts are invited to submit outstanding and valuable original research papers and participate in the technical exhibition during the conference. The deadline for abstracts is Nov. 1, 2019.

About Dresden. The city of Dresden is located at the river Elbe and has a long and colorful history. Although Dresden is a relatively recent city of Slavic origin, it is well-known as the capital and royal residence for the Electors and Kings of Saxony, who for centuries furnished the city with cultural and artistic splendor. After the reunification process in 1989, Dresden has regained importance as one of the cultural, educational, political and economic centers of Germany and Europe.

Learn more at the conference website.
July 31, 2019
Research Online: Search-and-rescue/Galileo system deployment and performance

By Carmela Ruta, Francesco Paggi and Monica Gotta, Thales Alenia Space-Italia; D. Oskam, Airbus Defence and Space; and Rafael Lucas Rodriguez and Igor Stojkovic; European Space Agency / Presented at the European Navigation Conference, Switzerland, May 2017

The European Space Agency, Thales Alenia Space-Italy and Airbus Defence and Space contributed to the Search and Rescue/Galileo Forward Link system deployment and performance evaluation with a full-scale System Performance Validation test campaign, aimed at evaluating the performances of the SAR/Galileo system, in terms of distress detection rate, localization probability and localization accuracy.

Forward Link Message Detection probability in 10 minutes.

The paper describes SAR/Galileo principles and the COSPAS-SARSAT MEOSAR concept (detection and localisation of distress events based on MEO satellites). It presents the space and ground segments of the Galileo infrastructure that enables the SAR/Galileo Forward Link Service provision and the main inherent performances of the system. The SPV test campaign is described in terms of objectives and organization; the main results are presented, and the foreseen milestones for SAR/Galileo deployment are summarized.

Global availability of 5 km beacon localisation accuracy (95%) in 10 minutes.

September 29, 2017
Research Online: Robust tightly coupled GNSS/INS estimation for navigation

By Omar Garcia Crespillo, Daniel Medina, Anja Grosch, Jan Skaloud and Michael Meurer / Presented at the European Navigation Conference, Lausanne, Switzerland, May 2017

Simulation Comparison: Classical GNSS/INS EKF and robust Huber EKF. Click to enlarge.

We designed a tightly-coupled integration between GNSS and inertial navigation systems (INS) where we modify the update step of a classical Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to consider different robust estimators (such as M-estimators). We consider different faulty scenarios where the pseudoranges contain one or several non-modeled biases. The tightly-coupled GNSS/INS robust Kalman filter performance in the presence of biases is compared with the classical EKF and with a loosely-coupled Robust-GNSS/INS approach. The robust tightly-coupled version is able to minimize more efficiently the biases effect thanks to the direct redundancy of the inertial sensor within the robust estimator.

We set a simulated scenario based on a realistic trajectory and generate both GNSS and inertial measurements following state-of-the-art error models. We analyze the filter behavior under the presence of pseudorange measurement faults. For that purpose, we have run 100 Monte Carlo simulations over the given trajectory, and we have generated synthetic pseudorange biases of 40 meters in satellites PRN 18 and PRN 24 every 20 seconds. The filter error performance in the position domain is shown for the classical EKF and for a robust EKF based on Huber estimation criteria, the mean simulation error as well as the 95 error confidence interval. The classical EKF is highly affected by the sudden biases, and their effect influences for some seconds the estimation, while the robust Huber EKF is less sensitive to the presence of these biases because it is able to better adjust the estimation to minimize their effect in the final position estimation error.

August 28, 2017
Backpacks for enhanced work travel, efficiency

Udee backpack

It’s conference season again. Every year I struggle with the best way to tote my MacBook Pro, DSLR camera and all the acoutrements I haul around as part of my job. No doubt you, too, need to travel with expensive electronics you want to protect from damage or theft.

Determined to find the best solution for my trip in May to the European Navigation Conference (ENC), I researched several options. Instead of the roller bag I’ve been using, (and accidentally rolled over people’s feet — I apologize if I ever bumped you!), I opted for a backpack.

The TLS Mother Lode Weekender travel backpack includes nifty organizational details and a laptop compartment. It has an expansion zipper — nice, because I always come home with more than I leave with, thanks to all the literature and hand-outs at the booths I visit. It looks like a backpack, but opens like a suitcase.

The Kenneth Cole Reaction backpack has a “checkpoint-friendly” laptop compartment — always a handy feature. The middle compartment features an organization panel, and it has an iPad/tablet pocket.

These are both nice choices, but I found a backpack that has a home for my bigger camera as well as my laptop. The Udee backpack, a new product developed through a kickstarter campaign, is designed not just for office folk like me, but field workers. It has 19 features, including a few unusual ones — a portable cooler, an earphone port, pockets for passpports and glasses, and a USB port for charging electronics using a battery stored within the bag (battery not included).

It also has an anti-theft feature (important to me in case I fall asleep on a train).

If you’re attending ENC, look for me — the one with the backpack pictured above.

April 12, 2017
European Navigation Conference to focus on innovation

Helsinki Cathedral.

The 24th edition of the European Navigation Conference (ENC 2016) will be held May 30 to June 2 at the Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, Finland.

ENC 2016 is co-sponsored by EUGIN, Nordic Institute of Navigation, IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society.

The conference focus will be on innovations in positioning, navigation and timing technologies and applications for land, sea and air.

Topic areas include GNSS positioning, indoor and urban navigation and position-based applications. Special topics include navigation challenges in the Arctic and positioning solutions using geospatial big data and in intelligent transportation. Furthermore, it promises to be a unique networking event for all participants from academia, the public sector, and industry.

Welcome keynotes will be presented by Anne Berner, Finland’s minister of Transport and Communications, Matthias Petschke, director for European Satellite Navigation Programmes, European Commission, and Tiina Tuurnala, deputy director general, Finnish Transport Agency.

Technical keynotes will be given by Jari Syrjärinne, HERE Ltd., and Gérard Lachapelle, University of Calgary. The closing keynote by Prof. John Raquet, Air Force Institute of Technology. The conference will feature also technical presentations, panels, posters and an industry exhibition.

The social program of ENC 2016 will showcase unique sights that Helsinki has to offer, including the ice-breaker evening onboard the actual ice-breaker vessel Urho and performances by a traditional Finnish Kantele musician.

The preliminary program is now available, and registration is open. Registration options include fees for the whole conference as well as for individual days.

April 25, 2016
New Expectations Accompany Galileo Viability

Alan Cameron

It is heartening to see a burgeoning constellation and its operators move on from doubt to certainty, as Galileo prepares for fuller operational capability and the expectations that scope elicits.

To pick up the thread from last month’s column covering keynote speeches at the European Navigation Conference: plenaries subsequent to the opening session focused respectively on “GNSS for Aeronautical Applications: from GPS to Multi-Constellation with Galileo,” and “GNSS Resilience for Terrestrial & Naval Applications.”

Avionics. Benoit Roturier, GNSS and Performance-Based Navigation program head for the French air traffic control agency, Direction des Services de la Navigation Aérienne (DSNA), reviewed the rather complex assembly of air navigation systems gradually coming together. Not quite — or not nearly — a system of systems, as I understand it, more a conglomeration of systems.

Slide from Benoit Roturier’s presentation on behalf of the French air traffic control agency. (Courtesy of Benoit Roturier)

Multi-constellation GNSS combos, with added context from satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS), target provision of performance-based navigation (PBN) in all phases of flight, with increased robustness and availability, as well as escalating categories of precision approach and landing. Roturier presaged the SBAS message agreement that also took place in April with his observation that “[The] most benefits are achieved with two constellations — but which ones?” As four constellations and two frequencies deliver “many, many potential navigation modes,” how can air traffic controllers limit complexity while achieving maximum benefits? At the very least, there is a need to agree on main mode and reversion modes.

He gave an overview of upgrades planned, in progress, and completed at airports around France. 141 runways are as of January 2015 equipped with PBN, with GNSS and often EGNOS approaches, compared with 260 still relying on older systems. He concluded with a summary of DSNA views, including “SBAS/EGNOS is seen as a free of charge, performing, mature and here to stay technology, supporting navigation and surveillance (ADS-B) performance requirements.”

By the way, June’s EAGER enewsletter column will cover a recent EGNOS demonstration flight and the current state of runway approaches in Europe. Subscribe here for free.

GNSS Resilience. The second plenary, on resilience, brought forth some of the most pointed commentary of the conference. Ignacio Fernández Hernández of the European Commission spoke on Galileo differentiators for resilience: its authentication plans for the Open Service, Commercial Service, and Public Regulated Service, respectively. “The proposed GNSS authentication services are 100 percent backward compatible and interoperable with other receiver-based technologies.”

Slide from presentation by Ignacio Fernández Hernández of the European Commission on Galileo differentiators for resilience. (Courtesy of the EC)

Hernandez proferred the caveat that “some of the required changes to deliver these services (particularly OS authentication) are pending on an impact analysis by industry/ESA and are not yet in the baseline. We hope however to have them in the baseline soon and we’re working hard for it.”

Matteo Paonni of the EC’s Joint Research Centre addressed spectrum management and regulatory issues, specifically the hot-button topic pseudolites. The EC is working closely with the United States and others to limit potential in-band interference risks. Outdoors, pseudolites are clearly undesirable; indoors, they offer some potential, but must be controlled.

Paonni stressed that there is a clear need to protect GNSS spectrum, and that the EC and its member states are doing their utmost to install such protections, and are also promoting GNSS radio-frequency interference detection and mitigation initiatives. Galileo’s PRS is more robust and resilient, but it is not invulnerable. GNSS vulnerabilities should be appreciated and backups put in place for critical systems; backups such as eLORAN, mini atomic clocks, GSM network, and so on.

Michel Monnerat of Thales Alenia Space focused on resilience in the road and LBS sectors. With a wide range of environments, devices and applications coming into play, “we need standardization” to specify levels of integrity and levels of performance for each different set of parameters. Thales Alenia is developing just such a set of performance requirements and references, with a first version set for release and discussion soon.

Slide presented by Michel Monnerat of Thales Alenia Space, which is working on a standardization protocol proposal, to be released soon. (Courtesy of Thales Alenia Space)

May 28, 2015
Out in Front: Good News for Modern Nav

This year’s European Navigation Conference in Bordeaux, France, got underway with “Good news from up there .…”

Galileo’s seventh and eighth satellites launched successfully in late March, the European Space Agency (ESA) plans four more satellites to reach orbit in 2015, and space maneuvers for Galileo 5 and 6 have been completed, with a recovery plan currently under study. ESA happily confirms that satellites 7 and 8 are in good position, under control, and behaving very well.

Fiammetta Diani, deputy head of Market Development for the European GNSS Agency (GSA), followed her keynote opener with “… some good news also from down here.”

The GSA has just published a new document on the NeQuick Ionospheric Model to compensate for ionospheric errors on Galileo and other GNSS signals. The document, “European GNSS (Galileo) Open Service Ionospheric Correction Algorithm for Galileo Single Frequency Users,” contains detailed description and results from years of research. NeQuick improves accuracy levels globally when using single-frequency services, even during hyperactive periods of the 11-year solar cycle, according to the GSA. This document gets further discussion in my April GNSS Design & Test e-newsletter column.

The GSA predicts that the installed base of GNSS devices will triple by 2023, with per capita rates of 2.5 in North America, and 2.3 in Europe and Russia. Around the rest of the world, in eight years nearly every person, on average, will possess a GNSS device.

Axelle Pomies of Galileo Services, an association of industry players active in GNSS applications, stressed the need for a comprehensive, assertive industry policy to support the development of EGNOS/Galileo downstream sector, leading to growth, job creation and autonomy for Europe. She previewed the mid-May publication of a draft position paper in this regard, for wide consultation within the European downstream sector. Follow www.galileo-services.org for its first appearance.

Concluding the ENC plenary, Florence Ghiron of Topos Aquitaine, a regional council of satnav and intelligent transport companies in southwest France, focused on opportunities and risks for small-to-medium enterprises. One of her points: the long development paths of public and regulatory policy do not help SMEs grow.

The Galileo Services and Topos Aquitaine presentations receive more lengthy treatment in my online column mentioned above.

Diani and Ghiron closed with a call to return to Bordeaux in October for the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress, themed “Towards Intelligent Mobility: Better Use of Space.” GNSS looks to take a more central role than ever in this far-reaching economic segment. Good news — for us — indeed.

May 1, 2015