GPS World

Tag: E6 signal

  • GNSS chipset shipments to hit 2.4B by 2029

    GNSS chipset shipments to hit 2.4B by 2029

    Demand for GNSS chipsets is rising globally, driven by growth in key verticals such as automotive and transportation, consumer electronics, and asset tracking applications. According to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, global GNSS chipset shipments are projected to grow to 2.4 billion by 2029. 

    China is expected to lead this growth with the highest Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.2% between 2024 and 2029, followed closely by Western Europe at 6.7% and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region at 5.6%. In contrast, the Middle East and Africa is anticipated to see slower growth, with a CAGR of 2.7%.

    “We are seeing a growing demand for consumer electronics, especially in countries like India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand,” explains Rachel Kong, research analyst at ABI Research. “This is fueled by the rapidly growing middle-class populations and smartphone penetration rates, which are boosting the adoption of GNSS-enabled smartphones, wearables and tablets. In particular, the Sport & Wearables category – which includes devices such as smartwatches, smart glasses, fitness and wellness trackers, and wearable cameras – is forecast to see the highest CAGR of 13.2% between 2024 and 2029.”

    Increased E6 band support

    Another key technology experiencing rapid growth is GNSS chipsets supporting the E6 band, an emerging GNSS frequency designed for high-precision applications. These chipsets are expected to achieve a strong CAGR of 36.7% between 2024 and 2029, largely driven by high-precision applications such as autonomous driving, aerospace, critical infrastructure monitoring, land surveying, and new location-based services.

    With increasing global interoperability and integration of multiple GNSS solutions, worldwide demand for seamless, high-precision navigation continues to rise.

    “Manufacturers are more willing to adopt multi-constellation chipsets to support a broader range of applications and geographies,” said Kong.

    In addition, vendors such as Quectel, Unicore, Trimble and ComNav Technology are increasingly launching and developing products that support the E6 band. Recent updates, including Trimble’s firmware enabling Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) on its devices, and Unicore introducing the UM981 high-precision positioning model, demonstrate the growing traction of this frequency band. Multi-frequency bands are also gaining significance by offering enhanced positioning accuracy, improved signal reliability, and better resistance to interference.

    “These bands are already widely used in sectors such as aviation, maritime and automotive, and their adoption will continue to grow as new use applications emerge and evolve over time,” Kong said.

    These findings are from ABI Research’s Outdoor/Wide Area Location Technologies market data report, part of the company’s Space Technologies and Innovation research service, which includes research, data and ABI Insights.

  • Galileo signal component successfully tested for IoT use

    Galileo signal component successfully tested for IoT use

    One Galileo satellite has been reconfigured to emit a new signal component optimized to serve low-end receiver devices and internet of things (IoT) applications. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), GSAT0202, in elliptical orbit, was reconfigured in January to transmit the new signal, also known as the G1 E5 Quasi Pilot.

    The G1 E5 Quasi Pilot in the E5 band lies along a narrow part of the overall Galileo signal, intended to enable streamlined positioning fixes requiring less calculation — without affecting the E1 and E6 signal bands, on which Galileo also transmits. The initial receiver test showed that the signal component has the potential to reduce the signal acquisition time by a factor of three compared to the current GPS L5 or Galileo E5a signals.

    Image: ESA
    Image: ESA

    Once GSAT0202 was reconfigured, signal measurements were collected using the high-gain antenna installations from the Galileo in-orbit test facility, which confirmed the stability of the augmented signal. After G1 E5 Quasi Pilot was broadcast, it was successfully acquired and tracked by a set of receivers.

    Airbus Defense and Space, Thales Alenia Space Italy, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the European Commission, and Spaceopal supported this test.

    The other elliptical Galileo satellite, GSAT0201, will also be reconfigured after further testing. Selected chipset manufacturers will be involved in the testing under supervision of EUSPA. The test results will be evaluated at the Galileo Programme level, to eventually introduce G1 E5 Quasi Pilot into the constellation.

    Image: ESA
    Image: ESA

  • Septentrio receiver authenticates Galileo OSNMA signals

    Septentrio receiver authenticates Galileo OSNMA signals

    A Septentrio receiver has successfully authenticated navigation data of the first OSNMA encrypted GNSS satellite signal.

    OSNMA (Open Service Navigation Message Authentication) offers end-to-end authentication on a civilian signal, protecting receivers from spoofing attacks.

    OSNMA is being pioneered by the Galileo Program, with Septentrio providing a testbed for this technology from the end-user point of view. The anti-spoofing capabilities of OSNMA will complement Septentrio’s already available anti-jamming technology, AIM+, and further strengthen the overall security of Septentrio GNSS receivers.

    “The authentication of the Galileo signal using the OSNMA technology is yet another first that we are pleased to share with our close partner ESA [European Space Agency],” commented Bruno Bougard, R&D director at Septentrio. “Septentrio is proud and thankful to be able to contribute to the realization of one of Galileo’s key differentiators. “

    With OSNMA, Galileo is the first satellite system to introduce an anti-spoofing service directly on a civil GNSS signal.

    OSNMA is a free service on the Galileo E1 frequency. It enables authentication of the navigation data on Galileo and even GPS satellites. Such navigation data carries information about satellite location — if altered, it will result in wrong receiver positioning computation.

    While currently in development, OSNMA is planned to become publicly available in the near future. GPS is experimenting with satellite-based anti-spoofing for civil users with its Chimera authentication system.

    Within the scope of the FANTASTIC project led by GSA, OSNMA anti-spoofing protection was implemented on a Septentrio receiver.

    “Septentrio is committed to providing highly accurate and secure positioning and timing solutions to industrial applications and critical infrastructure. This is another example where Septentrio demonstrates its leadership in end-to-end GNSS receiver security with its breakthrough anti-jamming and anti-spoofing technology,” said François Freulon, head of Product Management at Septentrio. “Thanks to our future proof products, we will be rolling out OSNMA in our portfolio as soon as it is available. This will further enhance the security of our receivers, ensuring robust, trustworthy and reliable operation even in the most challenging environments.”

    Figure 3. European Galileo satellites provide an open authentication service on the E1 signal and a commercial authentication service on the E6 signal. (Image: European Space Agency)
    European Galileo satellites provide an open authentication service on the E1 signal and a commercial authentication service on the E6 signal. (Image: European Space Agency)

    ESA and GSA (European GNSS Agency) have now commenced the testing phase of the OSNMA authentication, which will continue during the coming months. To find out more about spoofing and OSNMA, see this article. For more information about GNSS signals and the value they bring, see Septentrio’s free webinar More GNSS signals: What’s in it for you?