GPS World

Category: GNSS

  • Canada’s CSRS-PPP service sets a new standard for high-precision GNSS

    Canada’s CSRS-PPP service sets a new standard for high-precision GNSS

    Launched in 2003, Canada’s Precise Point Positioning (PPP) service, CSRS-PPP, continues to solidify its place as a world-class GNSS post-processing platform. Operated by the Canadian Geodetic Survey (CGS) under Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the service enables users to obtain highly accurate coordinates from raw GNSS data without requiring proximity to a base station. Users simply upload RINEX observation files from either static or kinematic receivers, and CSRS-PPP returns positions referenced to NAD83(CSRS) or the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF). Crucially, this free and publicly accessible service is contributing enormously to the democratization of centimeter-level GNSS positioning for users around the world.

    Galileo PPP-AR Now Supported

    On May 14, 2025, CGS released a major upgrade to the service that introduced support for Galileo PPP with Ambiguity Resolution (PPP-AR). This new capability applies to Galileo E1/E5a signals recorded on or after November 27, 2022, and is available when using either Rapid or Final products. These “products” refer to high-precision satellite data; specifically, calculated information about satellite orbits, clock corrections, and signal biases, based on data collected by a global network of stations. The collected data are processed by NRCan and international partners to support CSRS- PPP’s precise positioning outputs. The recent CSRS-PPP upgrade builds on the PPP-AR support for GPS added in 2020 for data recorded on or after January 1, 2018, marking a significant step toward fully integrated, ambiguity-resolved positioning using data from multiple GNSS constellations.

    Why PPP-AR Matters

    The major milestone in October 2020, when ambiguity resolution was introduced to the CSRS-PPP platform, ushered in a new era of precision for users. At the core of PPP-AR is a significant shift in how satellite signals are interpreted. Traditional PPP estimates carrier-phase ambiguities as ‘float’ (real-valued) parameters because the integer number of whole carrier wavelengths between satellite and receiver remains unknown and unresolved. In contrast, PPP-AR resolves these ambiguities as fixed integers by utilizing precise satellite orbit and clock products alongside detailed modeling of satellite and receiver biases, thereby enabling reliable integer ambiguity resolution. This leap in algorithmic refinement leads to faster convergence times and enhanced accuracy, often down to the centimeter level. Ambiguity Resolution can lead to particularly noticeable improvements on east–west accuracy, which makes PPP-AR particularly valuable in applications demanding high horizontal precision.

    CSRS-PPP Advances: Broader Satellite Support and Richer Output Data

    Since its inception, CSRS-PPP has evolved steadily. Alongside expanded satellite constellation support, the platform’s reference frame has progressively advanced through updates from ITRF2005 to subsequent realizations, culminating in the adoption of ITRF2020. Additionally, CSRS-PPP output files now include valuable metrics such as estimated tropospheric delays, receiver clock offsets, and ambiguity resolution statistics. These enhancements provide users with more detailed insights into solution quality.

    Meeting Growing Demand

    Canada’s geodetic services continue to experience strong growth, with an increasing number of users relying on the CSRS-PPP service and related geodetic tools for essential positioning information. According to the Surveyor General Branch Annual Report for 2022–2023, file retrievals through CSRS-PPP and related tools increased by 45% in 2022 compared with 2021. Between 2022 and 2023, CGS supported over 11,000 active users and processed close to 1.3 million files across its suite of geodetic products and services.

    An Evolving Platform

    Even as this article was being written, on July 15, 2025, CSRS-PPP announced support for GPS signals C1L, L1L, C1X and L1X, further enhancing its capabilities and reaffirming its role at the core of a modern geodetic infrastructure. As GNSS shifts toward multi-frequency, multi-constellation services, CSRS-PPP is evolving in parallel, making centimeter-level accuracy accessible to a wider user base. With robust algorithms and enriched data outputs, CSRS-PPP remains a critical tool for high-precision positioning in Canada and a model for international GNSS services.

  • India’s NavIC constellation in jeopardy as majority of satellites become defunct

    India’s NavIC constellation in jeopardy as majority of satellites become defunct

    Disclaimer: A previous version of this article contained an error that has since been removed. We strive for accuracy and transparency, and the current version reflects updates correcting this mistake. Please refer to the information below for more current and accurate details on India’s NavIC satellite constellation.

    India’s regional satellite navigation system, NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), is facing a severe operational crisis, with only four of its 11 satellites currently operational, according to government data and news reports.

    Developed and maintained by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NavIC is intended to provide precise positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services across India and up to 1,500 km beyond its borders. However, this constellation is now on the brink of becoming near-defunct, according to the Indian Defence Research Wing.

    Of the four satellites still fully operational, IRNSS-1B has already exceeded its planned 10-year mission life and is at risk of imminent failure. At the same time, IRNSS-1F is also nearing the end of its lifespan with partial equipment failures. IRNSS-1I, launched in 2018, is expected to remain functional until around 2028 but its longevity remains uncertain given the premature failures in the constellation.

    The new generation satellite, NVS-01, launched in May 2023, is operational. Still, its immediate successor, NVS-02, launched in January 2025, failed to reach its intended geostationary orbit due to a propulsion system malfunction and remains stranded in a transfer orbit, rendering it unable to provide navigation services.

    The failure of NVS-02 to reach orbit halted progress and highlighted technical challenges that ISRO must address to avoid repeat failures. The Indian government has committed to launching the remaining NVS satellites (NVS-03, NVS-04 and NVS-05) by the end of 2026.

    This year, ISRO has had two mission failures within seven months: the NVS-02 satellite failed to reach orbit and the PSLV-C61 launch vehicle failure destroyed the EOS-09 Earth observation satellite.

    Timely replacement and system upgrades are crucial for maintaining India’s strategic autonomy and meeting the growing demands for accurate, independent navigation services in both civilian and defense applications.

  • Capitol Hill event spotlights urgent need for GPS backup systems

    Capitol Hill event spotlights urgent need for GPS backup systems

    Government, industry and public safety leaders call for action on PNT resiliency as threats escalate.

    GPS is the invisible backbone of modern life, supporting America’s national and economic security in ways both recognized and overlooked. While other countries have developed competing systems, GPS remains far ahead of its rivals. Yet that dominance is also a vulnerability. GPS is a single point of failure, and the U.S. lacks complementary positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions. A successful disruption could cost the U.S. economy $1.6 billion per day and impact everything from first responders to our energy grids.

    As threats to GPS reliability mount, policymakers and industry leaders gathered on Capitol Hill to underscore the urgent need for backup systems to protect America’s PNT infrastructure.

    Last month, I hosted an event on Capitol Hill called: “The Race to GPS Resiliency: What the US Can Do Today to Strengthen National Security.” It brought together senior officials from the Department of Defense (DOD), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Congress and industry to make the case for a layered approach to PNT resiliency. These experts examined the technical vulnerabilities of GPS, the increasing frequency of jamming and spoofing incidents, and the policy measures required to expedite the deployment of complementary technologies.

    GPS: Foundational and Fragile

    The first panel focused on how federal agencies are addressing growing vulnerabilities in GPS. Thomas Rondeau, Ph.D., principal director for FutureG at DOD, shared some eye-opening insights, including how a DARPA project demonstrated that, for less than $300 in parts from Amazon, one could “create a very bad day for the American military.” He called GPS disruption one of the easiest threats to develop and warned that adversaries are already exploiting this vulnerability as part of modern conflict.

    From left to right: Diego Areas Munhoz, Reporter, Punchbowl; Dr. Thomas Rondeau, Principal Director for FutureG, U.S. Department of Defense; Arpan Sura, Senior Counsel, Chief AI Officer, FCC.
    From left to right: Diego Areas Munhoz, reporter, Punchbowl; Thomas Rondeau, Ph.D., principal director for FutureG, DOD; Arpan Sura, senior counsel, chief AI officer, FCC.

    Rondeau shared how GPS disruption is now a feature of modern warfare, as he witnessed firsthand during his time at DARPA: “We were seeing massive loss of capabilities, and ordnance, because they were dependent on GPS. And as soon as they flew there, the tent turns on, capability goes away, we lose… assets.”

    Arpan Sura, senior counsel and chief AI officer at the FCC, walked through the FCC’s process for evaluating GPS alternatives and discussed how the agency is considering complementary PNT technologies.

    “National security is one of his (Chairman Carr’s) top priorities. And we recognize, as Tom mentioned, that GPS remains vulnerable to jamming and spoofing. But also, non-national security threats like solar flares, environmental risks like orbital debris. And there is heavy reliance on it in the U.S. economy,” Mr. Sura said.

    Lives on the Line

    From left to right: Mariam Sorond, Board Chair & CEO, NextNav; Adam Eldert, Director of Public Safety for Fairfax County, Virginia.
    From left to right: Mariam Sorond, board chair and CEO, NextNav; Adam Eldert, director of public safety for Fairfax County, Virginia.

    During the second panel, the conversation shifted from global conflict zones to local communities. Adam Eldert, director of public safety for Fairfax County, Virginia, emphasized the life-saving value of resilient PNT technologies in emergency response.

    “Technology should be carrying us forward, allowing us to make better decisions with the information we have to affect life-saving measures faster, get to places quicker and avoid any sort of potential problems,” said Eldert.

    Mariam Sorond, CEO and president of NextNav, pointed out that GPS limitations can delay locating 911 callers and responding to active threats like a mass shooting situation she and Eldert had previously discussed. “It’s not just to save somebody’s life, but it’s also about preventing disasters.”

    She then highlighted the company’s 5G-powered 3D terrestrial PNT solution, which is currently being considered by the FCC’s ongoing Notice of Inquiry on PNT and in a separate Petition for Rulemaking specific to NextNav. She explained that the company is working to address a national security challenge with a near-term, future-proof solution that delivers a widescale terrestrial PNT solution without relying on taxpayer funding.

    Congressional Support

    The closing panel featured Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and former Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), who previously chaired the full committee.

    Both Hudson and Walden warned that the United States is lagging behind adversaries such as China and Russia in deploying terrestrial backup systems to GPS.

    Chairman Hudson reflected on how the issue hits close to home: “I represent Fort Bragg, the largest army base in the world. We call it the epicenter of the universe. Our special forces and airborne troops that deploy out of Fort Bragg rely on GPS for almost everything they do. So, real-life scenarios with them keep me awake at night.”

    Chairman Walden spoke about another high-profile case in San Diego. “[T]here was a naval exercise between two ships, and they jammed GPS… which caused some issues, ” said Walden. “It also speaks to the problem we have, in America, where, unlike China and Russia, two of our adversaries, they have terrestrial-based systems for GPS backup.”

    What Comes Next

    The event made clear that action is needed — and possible. Mr. Sura told the crowd that he believes the FCC’s Notice of Inquiry will help drive a conversation about a holistic approach to PNT resiliency, exploring the economics of how these systems will work, and how to foster competition in a way that will yield multiple outcomes. When asked about next steps, Mr. Sura encouraged the group to “stay tuned.”

    Speakers throughout the event called for continued public-private collaboration to accelerate development of a more resilient PNT system — one that combines space-based and terrestrial technologies to safeguard national security, critical infrastructure, and public safety.

    Congressman Hudson closed with a note of urgency and optimism: “It’s clear the FCC understands the urgency, and they’re conducting thorough reviews right now.”

    Full event details and videos are available here.

    Diane Rinaldo of Peake Advisors, which sponsored the event, is one of the country’s leading authorities on 5G, telecommunications supply chain security and privacy. She served as Acting Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information in the first Trump Administration.

  • Galileo OSNMA authentication service now operational

    The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) has officially declared its Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) initial service operational. OSNMA introduces a data authentication mechanism for Galileo Open Service users and is available free of charge to Galileo users worldwide.

    Spoofing is the transmission of counterfeit satellite signals that deceive GNSS receivers, causing false, unreliable positioning that can disrupt critical sectors including transportation, finance, telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, healthcare, emergency services and law enforcement. In safety-critical domains such as aviation and maritime, spoofing risks can lead to serious safety hazards.

    OSNMA addresses these threats by embedding a cryptographic digital signature within the Galileo navigation message (I/NAV) broadcast on the E1-B signal. This digital signature allows receivers equipped with OSNMA to verify that the signal truly originates from Galileo and has not been tampered with or spoofed.

    OSNMA is integrated into the Galileo Open Service signal, which is already used by most GNSS devices. This means no change to existing Galileo signal structure or navigation performance, preserving full backward compatibility. Non-OSNMA receivers continue to function normally, while OSNMA-capable receivers decode and authenticate the digital signature.

    The European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), located at the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) in Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain, manages the generation and transmission of authentication messages to Galileo’s ground segment. The OSNMA service was developed in collaboration with industrial partners, including GMV and INDRA, who also contributed to Galileo’s High Accuracy Service (HAS), operational since January 2023.

  • Austrian team develops navigation system for divers

    Austrian team develops navigation system for divers

    Buoys located via GNSS and electromagnetic signals enable divers to navigate underwater in a way that is gentle on the animals. A head-up display in the mask shows the appropriate routes.

    A team led by Philipp Berglez from the Institute of Geodesy at Graz University of Technology, Styria, Austria, has developed a navigation system for divers that uses GNSS-supported buoys. The buoys emit electromagnetic signals to enable animal-friendly, precise positioning underwater.

    Using a heads-up display in their mask, divers can find their way to their desired destinations, back to the dive boat, or around restricted areas. The divers also can always be found in an emergency.

    Wave propagation the biggest challenge

    The navigation system’s operating principle combines the precision of satellite navigation with the transmission of electromagnetic signals underwater. The buoys are placed in the operational area and determine their position via GNSS, more specifically via the Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS).

    A signal generator in the buoys sends electromagnetic signals to the divers, who carry a receiver the size of a cookie. Since several buoys communicate simultaneously with the divers’ receivers, the various distance information can be used to determine their position and depth using trilateration.

    Photo:
    TU Graz and partners have developed a GNSS navigation system for divers. (Credit: TU Graz, Institute of Geodesy)

    Ocean environment. “The biggest challenge for us was calculating the propagation of the electromagnetic signals underwater to obtain the appropriate distance values,” Berglez said. “The properties of the water — such as salinity, temperature, depth or conductivity — have a major influence here. Due to these diverse and variable influencing factors, modeling the propagation properties underwater was particularly challenging.”

    The research team succeeded in transmitting signals horizontally over 150 meters, but the scientists still see considerable potential for optimization when it comes to penetrating greater depths of up to 100 meters.

    Applications. The underwater navigation system is useful for divers in several applications. In the tourism sector, it is ideal for sport and recreational diving, where dive sites equipped with position buoys help visitors find underwater sights. They can see the route there on the mask’s head-up display. The company Oxygen Scientific has already developed a head-up display mounted on the mask.

    The system is also useful in the fields of aquatic ecology, underwater archaeology and underwater debris documentation.

    Wildlife Friendly. It was important to the project team that the system, unlike sonar, would not impact wildlife. Test measurements were conducted with golden rainbow trout, which are normally very sensitive to external influences.

    During measurements with different transmission power levels, the fish showed no abnormal behavior, and they continued to behave normally even after the measurements were completed. The golden trout were equally unaffected one week, one month and four months after the measurements, ruling out any delayed negative effects with a very high degree of probability.

    In addition to TU Graz, project partners included pentamap GmbH, 1st-Relief GmbH, Oxygen Scientific GmbH, Disaster Competence Network Austria , and the Austrian Center for Research Diving.

  • Companies partner on resilient navigation for commercial ships

    Companies partner on resilient navigation for commercial ships

    NAL Research is partnering with SGM Technology, a maritime technology company, and Tschudi Shipping, a maritime logistics company, to deliver a resilient navigation and tracking product line for the commercial shipping industry enabled by Iridium’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network.

    NAL Research is a U.S.-based firm specializing in assured positioning, navigation and timing (APNT) solutions.

    The partnership aims to provide reliable asset tracking and assured navigation in high-risk maritime environments. Threats to GPS and GNSS signals —  such as jamming, spoofing and interference —  are reaching unprecedented levels worldwide. In some regions, maritime authorities reported a 350% increase in affected vessels over the past six months, according to NorthStandard. These disruptions are leading to serious consequences, including collisions, delays, financial impacts on global trade, and heightened security risks for crews at sea.

    Under the partnership agreement, the companies are leveraging NAL Research’s 25+ years of expertise in APNT, tracking, and connectivity to develop solutions built on the Iridium PNT service, a powerful and fully authenticated L-band signal resilient to spoofing and jamming.

    The partnership will also benefit from SGM’s 15+ years of experience delivering technology to the commercial maritime sector and Tschudi Shipping Company’s global presence and 140+ years in commercial shipping and logistics. Together, the collaboration aims to provide maritime users with unmatched resilience and reliable navigation for GPS/GNSS-compromised environments. Trials of this state-of-the-art solution are underway.

  • L3Harris demonstrates reprogrammable PNT system for US Space Force

    L3Harris demonstrates reprogrammable PNT system for US Space Force

    L3Harris has demonstrated a positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solution for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command that is adaptable across platforms, fully reprogrammable on orbit and scalable to support more signals and increased power as PNT threats evolve. According to L3Harris, the solution is designed to provide the Space Force with the flexibility to deploy smaller, multi-launch-capable satellites, thereby strengthening or diversifying its satellite constellation.

    During a two-day design concept review, L3Harris presented a resilient-GPS (R-GPS) prototype that exceeded current requirements, highlighting its potential to accelerate the Space Force’s roadmap for a stronger, more adaptable PNT infrastructure. Using the Navigation Technology Satellite-3 reprogrammable payload and NSA-certified cryptography, the company simulated the operation of an R-GPS satellite transmitting navigation signals. These signals were successfully acquired and tracked by monitoring stations, military receivers and commercial equipment, demonstrating that R-GPS technology can be seamlessly integrated into the existing GPS framework.

    “Our team transmitted, tested and validated a core set of R-GPS signals across the entire enterprise to demonstrate a fully reprogrammable, resilient PNT solution for the Department of Defense,” said Ed Zoiss, president of Space and Airborne Systems at L3Harris. “We leveraged best-in-class commercial technology and the government’s investment in NTS-3 PNT technologies.”

    L3Harris followed a “prototyping with purpose” approach that showcased maturity far beyond a traditional Preliminary Design Review, resulting in a low-risk, achievable plan for the future development phases of the R-GPS program. The L3Harris R-GPS design includes capabilities aligned to future Lite Evolving Augmented Proliferation, providing an opportunity for roadmap acceleration and reduction in lifecycle costs. 

    “Our approach supports satellite design verification, proves compatibility with the Control Segment and user equipment, and enables early integration opportunities,” Zoiss said. “After more than five decades in the field, we understand the challenges in aligning the Space, Control and User segments of the GPS enterprise, so we used a holistic, unified approach.”

    The Design Concept Review demonstrated how the L3Harris R-GPS satellite can minimize impact on existing control systems while maintaining backward compatibility with current and future user equipment. In 2024, L3Harris was selected to design concepts for Phase 0 of the R-GPS program through the Space Enterprise Consortium, which the National Security Technology Accelerator manages. The agile R-GPS satellite program aims to reduce costs by launching eight smaller, more advanced space vehicles simultaneously, allowing the United States to quickly modernize GPS.

  • Honeywell gets US contracts to develop quantum navigation systems

    Honeywell gets US contracts to develop quantum navigation systems

    Honeywell has been selected by the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to participate in the Transition of Quantum Sensing (TQS) program. The program aims to accelerate adoption of quantum sensors to address near-term alternative position, navigation and timing (PNT) and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) applications for the U.S. Joint Forces Command.

    Honeywell has been chosen to support the TQS program under two DOD contracts: CRUISE (Compact Rubidium Unit for Inertial Sensing and Estimation) and QUEST (Quantum Enabled Sensor Technologies for MagNav).

    “With the growing threat of jamming and spoofing, aircraft and naval vessels on critical missions can no longer rely solely on GPS,” said Matt Picchetti, vice president and general manager, Navigation and Sensors, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. “Quantum sensors have the potential to augment existing navigation solutions, helping pilots operate with greater confidence. Honeywell’s pedigree in fielded sensors and navigation solutions provide us with a unique perspective to ensure the technology is viable beyond the laboratory.”

    The CRUISE program, established by the DOD in partnership with Vector Atomic, will focus on developing quantum sensor-based inertial measurement units (IMUs) to provide a standalone navigation solution without relying on traditional GNSS susceptible to jamming and spoofing. Honeywell will support the development of this quantum-sensor-based technology, which will enable the measurement of acceleration and orientation from an IMU mounted to a vehicle to calculate changes in position and velocity. As a result, it will meet next-generation performance requirements at a lower size, weight and power than existing products.

    The QUEST program aims to advance the performance of magnetic anomaly aided navigation (MagNav), which is a GNSS-independent navigation technique that uses quantum magnetometers to leverage measurements of the magnetic field of the Earth as a navigation signal. Through the program, the DOD aims to improve these quantum magnetometers and demonstrate their utility in GNSS-denied flight. Building on its deep expertise in innovative navigation solutions, Honeywell’s main contribution will be to generate novel algorithms that utilize these sensors and improve navigation accuracy.

    “As quantum sensor-based navigation technology matures, we believe it not only has the potential to displace existing technologies but will also be a serious disruptor to the inertial and magnetic sensor industries,” Picchetti said. “Most importantly, it could improve navigation in high-stakes environments – enhancing safety, efficiency and overall mission success for the DOD.”

  • SouthPAN satnav program for Australia passes Critical Design Review milestone

    SouthPAN satnav program for Australia passes Critical Design Review milestone

    SouthPAN includes Safety-of-Life L1 SBAS for civil aviation and open services for precise point positioning and next-generation SBAS.

    The Southern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN) has successfully completed its Critical Design Review (CDR), marking a pivotal milestone towards delivering advanced satellite-based augmentation services (SBAS) across Australia and New Zealand. 

    Led by Lockheed Martin Australia, with GMV as a key strategic partner, SouthPAN is jointly supported by the Australian and New Zealand governments to provide satellite navigation and precise positioning services throughout Australasia.

    The Critical Design Review represents a vital checkpoint in the lifecycle of a safety-critical system such as SouthPAN, validating that the design meets stringent performance, safety and security requirements necessary for civil aviation operations. As part of this milestone, the SouthPAN team provided comprehensive certification artifacts aligned with international aviation standards, including ARP 4754A for systems development processes, DO-254 for hardware, and DO-278A for software assurance.

    The successful completion of the CDR demonstrates that the system’s architecture and implementation will satisfy the rigorous design assurance levels mandated for safety-of-life applications.  Achieving this milestone confirms the readiness of the system’s design for operational deployment and marks a critical step forward towards its future certification for safety‑of-life services in the aviation sector.

    SouthPAN is notable as the first SBAS globally designed from its inception as a service rather than as a conventional turnkey system. This service-oriented approach enables scalability and potential expansion into other regions, while establishing clear customer-provider interactions governed by service-level agreements (SLAs) and adherence to defined key performance indicators (KPIs).

    Early open services have been provided since September 2022, demonstrating immediate benefits to users across Australasia. Moving forward, the SouthPAN service will fully deliver safety‑of-life L1 SBAS critical for aviation operations, significantly enhancing flight safety through precise runway approaches and superior navigation accuracy.

    Additionally, SouthPAN has integrated cutting-edge dual-frequency multi-constellation (DFMC) SBAS and precise point positioning (PPP) through SBAS as open services available to diverse users, including the agriculture, maritime, rail, road transport and geomatics sectors. The DFMC SBAS capability is designed to support an effortless transition to future safety-of-life services through engineering updates and software modifications, without necessitating costly hardware replacements.

    GMV is responsible for two core elements of the SouthPAN project: the Corrections Processing Facility (CPF) and the Ground Control Center (GCC). These facilities will ensure that SouthPAN consistently meets stringent performance benchmarks by generating precise corrections for navigation signals and promptly identifying and reporting anomalies critical for safety-of-life aviation services. GMV also leads the navigation performance engineering activities and continuous performance monitoring, ensuring the system reliably fulfills its specified operational criteria.

  • SandboxAQ and Acubed advance magnetic navigation 

    SandboxAQ and Acubed advance magnetic navigation 

    As GNSS denial, jamming and spoofing threaten aviation safety, SandboxAQ and Acubed, the Silicon Valley innovation center for Airbus, have released real-world test results from a five-month, nationwide project designed to test the accuracy of AQNav.

    AQNav is an artificial intelligence-driven magnetic navigation (MagNav) system. AQNav uses advanced quantum magnometers to read Earth’s crustal magnetic anomalies, like a geoohysical fingerprint, then employs large quantitative models (LQMs) to filter out electromagnetic interference and precisely determine an aircraft’s position without relying on satellite signals.

    These new results come from a nationwide initiative with Acubed’s Flight Lab to test the navigational accuracy of AQNav. Meeting the aviation industry’s Required Navigation Performance (RNP) standards is necessary for deploying the system on military, commercial and civilian aircraft.

    AQNav’s performance was tested under various opertional scenarios and demonstrated advanced precision, accoding to SandboxAQ. The goal was to determine whether magnetic anomaly-aided navigation could broadly meet navigation requirements for commercial aircraft. AQNav’s capabilities exceeded the accuracy required for en route travel between airports — even on the program’s longest flight.

      Accuracy

      RNP StandardRequired Accuracy (meters)% of Flight Time Met
      RNP 0.355064%
      RNP 11,85295%
      RNP 23,704100%

      To demonstrate how the real-time capable system would operate in real-world conditions, flight data was collected, reprocessed, and streamed in real time to produce statistical insights, offering representative capability data for joint team evaluation. 

      Real-World Impact

      SandboxAQ and Acubed focused on designing tests to mirror authentic, real-world aviation scenarios. For example: 

      • Standard aircraft platform: AQNav was tested using publicly available magnetic maps aboard a standard Beechcraft Baron 58 – rather than a compensated geosurvey platform. This aircraft was modified only to accommodate the additional AQNav instrumentation – no extensive electromagnetic shielding or specialized noise isolation were used. All sensors were positioned inside the aircraft, powered by AQNav’s software to deliver a clean magnetic signal. 
      • Use of a publicly available map. For all flights, AQNav researchers used the publicly available North American Magnetic Anomaly Map (NAMAM), which covers the U.S., Canada, parts of Mexico and surrounding oceanic regions. 
      • Unfiltered flight paths: Flight operations spanned diverse, operationally relevant routes between 200 airports across the entire continental U.S. (Fig. 1), without filtering based on magnetic anomaly strength, magnetic map quality, or favorable geomagnetic gradients. More than 150 hours of flight data was collected.
      • Diverse geophysical environments: Data was collected over a full range of conditions, from magnetically-rich mountains to sparsely featured plains, reflecting real-world geographies where aircraft might operate without GNSS. 
      • True operational noise: Onboard, AQNav successfully filtered out the real-world interference generated by the aircraft, including electromagnetic, vibrational and other airframe-induced noise. 
      Fig. 1: Acubed Flights with AQNav (Credit: AQNav
      Fig. 1: Acubed Flights with AQNav (Credit: AQNav

      Elijha Williams, AQNav’s technical engagement manager, said: “Our campaign was not about demonstrating proof of concept performance under ideal conditions, it was about proving AQNav’s viability under the noisy, messy, and unpredictable environments real pilots face every day.” 

      During test flights exceeding two hours, AQNav outperformed the Inertial Navigation System (INS) without GNSS 100% of the time. During a one-hour flight over the challenging mountainous and forested terrain of California, AQNav achieved its best-observed accuracy of less than 74 meters, or roughly two-thirds the length of an American football field. 

      Precision, Scale and Autonomy for the Future 

      This campaign marks a significant step toward widespread adoption of AQNav in aviation. By consistently maintaining accuracy in an uncontrolled, national testbed, SandboxAQ demonstrated AQNav’s operational robustness under real-world conditions.

      Andrew Sosa Sosanya, a quantum navigation machine learning engineer at SandboxAQ, highlighted the impact of the data collected: “Thanks to Acubed, the U.S. Air Force, and other partners, we’ve accumulated a highly relevant MagNav dataset. This creates a flywheel effect—the more data we gather, the faster we can improve model accuracy across diverse mission profiles.”

      AQNav is also undergoing testing with Boeing, a U.S.-allied air force, and as part of NATO’s 2025 DIANA cohort.

    • UK, France partner to protect GNSS for critical infrastructure

      UK, France partner to protect GNSS for critical infrastructure

      United Kingdom and French experts will work more closely to increase the resilience of both countries’ critical infrastructure to the signal jamming experienced in the war in Ukraine. The agreements are part of a suite of joint science and tech work.  

      The conflict in Ukraine has shown how new technologies — in some cases, small handheld devices — can be used to disrupt positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services, potentially causing major disruption.

      As part of a raft of UK-France joint science and tech efforts announced July 10, researchers from both countries will work together on technologies that complement GPS, which are highly resistant to this sort of jamming.  

      For instance, the e-LORAN program, driven by the UK government, is working closely with the National Physical Laboratory and private sector companies. The system uses ground-based radio towers, which are much more challenging to block, for a reliable “backup” to GPS, so that UK infrastructure can keep running even when GPS fails.  

      The UK’s Science and Tech Secretary Peter Kyle used a joint visit to Imperial College London, with French President Emmanuel Macron, to set out how such a collaboration makes both the UK and France stronger and safer. While speaking at Imperial, Kyle pointed out the tens of millions of pounds in investment being brought into the British tech sector through UK-French trade, as well as the new jobs and growth that this partnership creates.

      These efforts will bolster the economic and national security of both countries, according to Kyle, which are foundational pillars of the Plan for Change.

      The UK and France also are launching a partnership on supercomputing. The partnership will be led by the Bristol Centre for Supercomputing, the home of Isambard-AI, and the French computing centre GENCI, who lead France’s AI Factory.  

      Closer ties between both nations’ compute power and sharing AI best practice will turbocharge the breakthroughs in AI, transforming public services and improving lives, Kyle said. These efforts build on the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the UK government’s blueprint to fuel the use of AI across the economy. It builds on the strong existing UK-France cooperation on AI. The UK’s AI Security Institute and France’s INESIA have committed to further technical workshops to deepen their collaboration on frontier AI research to support national security. 

    • OCX nears full operational integration

      OCX nears full operational integration

      The U.S. Space Force’s Space Operations Command has accepted a modernized operating system for GPS, designed to maintain the resiliency of the constellation and enhance positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services to meet evolving user demands.

      The GPS Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) upgrade is part of a broader set of Space Systems Command acquisition programs designed to deliver a range of modernized capabilities across the GPS III enterprise. In addition to OCX, these programs include the GPS III/IIIF satellite vehicles and Military GPS User Equipment.

      The modernization effort is expected to improve signal access in electronically contested environments, increase the system’s ability to detect failures, enhance position and time transfer accuracy, and strengthen the integrity and uninterrupted availability of the Military Code.

      “One of our missions is to deliver sustained, reliable GPS capabilities to America’s warfighters, our allies, and civilian users,” said Cordell DeLaPena, program executive officer for military communications and PNT at Space Systems Command. “The current enterprise modernization efforts underway give users confidence that GPS will continue to provide worldwide premier PNT service.”

      Mission Delta 31, in partnership with Space Systems Command, developed a systematic process involving transition exercises, rehearsals and constellation transfer trials to verify the system’s integrity and capability prior to full transfer, according to Col. Stephen Hobbs, commander of Mission Delta 31. Hobbs added that risk reduction activities are underway to demonstrate OCX’s ability to integrate with existing, on-orbit GPS satellites.

      Raytheon initiated the delivery of OCX to the U.S. government with the submission of the Department of Defense Form 250 on July 1, 2025. Following acceptance, Mission Delta 31 will continue integrated systems testing, operational readiness exercises and preparations for the eventual transfer of the GPS constellation to the new system.

      “Testing and transition events will continue until the system is ready to transfer to operations, which is expected in late 2025,” said Hobbs. “Technology in space is advancing at lightning speed, with many new players from around the world. To continue providing reliable GPS for everyone, from your smartphone map to critical military operations, innovation is vital. Modernizing GPS is key in maintaining this essential service and remaining a leader in Space.”