r56u yt

CYBERSECURITY Tesla Hack Analyzed

THE INDUSTRY’S MOST TRUSTED RESOURCE SINCE 1990

SIMULATOR CHALLENGES AND APPLICATIONS

+

TESTS START ON GALILEO G2

SEPTEMBER 2021 | Vol 32 | No 9 GPSWORLD.COM

VO L . 32 N O. 9

G P SWO R LD.CO M

2019 2021

COVER STORY

24 SIMULATING COMPLEXITY

Spirent Federal Systems

SEPTEMBER

Testing GNSS Receivers Requires Increasingly Sophisticated Simulators

by Matteo Luccio In recent years, several factors have increased the complexity of GNSS receivers. In turn, this has required the companies that design and manufacture GNSS simulators to match these developments in their products. In this month’s cover story, simulator vendors Orolia, Racelogic, Spirent Federal Systems, Jackson Labs and Syntony explain their evolution in response to changes in GNSS/PNT, comment on the principal technical challenges they face, and outline their principal markets.

Regulus Cyber

PNT CORNER

12 TWO YEARS SINCE THE TESLA GPS HACK

Lessons Learned

by Roi Mit

It has been a little more than two years since Regulus Cyber successfully spoofed a Tesla Model 3, an automobile with an autopilot. Regulus CMO Roi Mit details the three tests its experts performed, what they learned about the vulnerability of semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles to spoofed GNSS signals, and how this vulnerability threatens the safety of their occupants and of others on the road.

ON THE COVER Spirent Federal Systems’ GSS6450 RF record and playback GNSS simulator is very portable, making it ideal for testing automotive applications in the field. Read more in this month’s cover story, starting on page 24.

SEPTEMBER 2021

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GPS WORLD 3

SEPTEMBER

2021

OPINIONS AND DEPARTMENTS 6 FIRST FIX

10 SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS

Correcting Errors, Big and Small

by Matteo Luccio

Testing Starts on Galileo G2 Nav Payloads • Air Force Awards Contract for Moon Beacons • India Seeks to Widen NavIC Use • GPS Document Forums Scheduled

8 EAB PNT Q&A Two decades ago, the Volpe National Transportation System Center released its landmark report on the vulnerability of GPS. Have this study and its many successors helped to move us to the necessary levels of PNT resilience? Have we done enough? What is left to be done? with Bernard Gruber, John Fischer and Ellen Hall

32 RESEARCH ROUNDUP Combatting Jamming and Spoofing

41 AD INDEX 42 SEEN & HEARD Coffee Buzz • Our Spinning Globe • Now That’s Heavy • Camera Upgrade

LAUNCHPAD

MARKET WATCH

18 20 21 22 23

34 OEM 35 DEFENSE 36 AUTONOMOUS

OEM SURVEYING MAPPING UAV TRANSPORTATION

SOLUTIONS 37 MAPPING

38 40 41 41

SURVEYING TRANSPORTATION MACHINE CONTROL MOBILE

NEWSLETTER EXCERPT

US Air Force Invests in Flying Cars

BY Tony Murfin

re ‘”flying cars” unmanned aerial vehicles, manned aircraft, electric aircraft or just regular aircraft? Or perhaps a mix of all of these? Flying cars raise so much interest because of their potential to fulfill the spaceage Jetsons promise, with the regular family parking one at their house, then using it to go to work, go grocery shopping and take the kids to school — all the things we do today in cars on roads.

The U.S. Air Force recognized that flying cars could also revolutionize how it operates, and in 2020 started putting effort and cash into promising commercial flyingcar ventures. Since then, the Air Force has begun to make progress. Its AFWERX Agility Prime program has helped four companies — Kitty Hawk Aero, Beta Technologies,

4 GPS WORLD

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Lift Aircraft

A

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, PROFESSIONAL OEM + UAV NEWSLETTER

Joby Aviation and Lift Aircraft — develop prototype commercial flying-cars and expand their capabilities.

Read the full column at gpsworld.com/category/opinions.

SEPTEMBER 2021

FIRST FIX Correcting Errors, Big and Small

T

hree decades after it first entered popular culture du r i ng t h e Gu l f War, even a cursory review of articles about GPS aimed at a mass audience still will reveal a plethora of inaccuracies and misunderstandings, ranging from the trivial to the fundamental. Among my pet peeves, some for 20 years, are statements to the effect that GPS: 1. is a tracking technology 2. is the only such system 3. is responsible for routing errors 4. can operate indoors 5. receivers “talk” to the satellites 6. relies on triangulation 7. has 24 satellites in orbit (For those of you picking up this magazine who are new to satellite navigation, the correct versions of those statements are below.)

Additionally, GPS is taken for granted, with hardly any recognition for the engineers, technicians, U.S. Air Force service members and others who make the miracle happen, and for the fact that U.S. taxpayers foot the nearly $2 billion annual bill for the system, which is offered free to users worldwide. (All GPS program funding comes from general U.S. tax revenues. The bulk of the program is budgeted through the U.S. Department of Defense, which has primary responsibility for developing, acquiring, operating, sustaining and modernizing GPS. The U.S. Department of Transportation is responsible for funding the extra costs associated with new, civilian GPS upgrades beyond the second and third civil signals, and agencies with unique GPS requirements are responsible for funding them.)

While not as deadly as those about vaccines or as consequential as those 6 GPS WORLD

GPS is taken for granted, with hardly any recognition for those who make the miracle happen. about elections, misstatements about GPS lead to public confusion about threats to privacy and threats to t he system. To help s e c ure GPS, it behooves those of us who understand it the most to help educate the rest about it and correct misstatements, misunderstandings and misperceptions.

1. Tracking a person, vehicle or other object requires pairing a GPS receiver with a transmitter, typically a cellular phone.

2. It is one of four complete global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), the other three being the Russian GLONASS, the European Galileo and the Chinese BeiDou-3. There are also two regional systems, one Indian and one Japanese.

3. Routing errors are caused by bad map data or bad routing algorithms.

4. It requires a clear view of at least four satellites, unimpeded by terrain, buildings, roofs or even dense tree canopies.

5. GPS receivers are just that and have neither the need nor the ability to transmit messages back to the satellites.

6. Triangulation determines position by measuring angles. By contrast, GNSS determine position by measuring distances (between receivers and satellites), which is called trilateration.

7. The are currently 30 operational GPS satellites and the number varies as some satellites are temporarily removed from service, older ones are decommissioned, and new ones are placed in orbit. For the current status of the constellation, s e e h t t p s : // w w w . n a v c e n . u s c g . gov/?Do=constellationStatus.

Matteo Luccio | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF mluccio@northcoastmedia.net

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SEPTEMBER 2021

WWW.GPSWORLD.COM EDITORIAL

Vice President of Content Marty Whitford mwhitford@northcoastmedia.net | 216-706-3766 Editor-in-Chief Matteo Luccio mluccio@northcoastmedia.net | 541-543-0525 Senior Editor Tracy Cozzens tcozzens@northcoastmedia.net | 541-255-3334 Staff Editor Diane Sofranec dsofranec@northcoastmedia.net | 216-706-3793 Digital Media Content Producer Wes Temple wtemple@northcoastmedia.net | 216-706-3747 Art Director Charles Park charlespark@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Innovation Richard Langley | lang@unb.ca Professional OEM & UAV Tony Murfin | tamurfin@verizon.net GeoIntelligence William Tewelow | wtewelow@gpsworld.com Survey Tim Burch & Dave Zilkoski | tburch@gpsworld.com & dzilkoski@gpsworld.com

BUSINESS

Publisher Marty Whitford mwhitford@northcoastmedia.net | 216-706-3766 Associate Publisher Mike Joyce mjoyce@northcoastmedia.net | 216-706-3723 Account Manager Nick Hartman nhartman@northcoastmedia.net | 216-675-6000 Vice President of Marketing Michelle Mitchell mmitchell@northcoastmedia.net | 216-363-7922 Event Manager Allison Blong ablong@northcoastmedia.net | 216-363-7936 Marketing & Sales Manager, Buyers Guide Emily Adkins eadkins@northcoastmedia.net | 216-675-6006

PUBLISHING SERVICES

Manager, Production Services Chris Anderson canderson@northcoastmedia.net | 216-978-5341 Senior Audience Development Manager Antoinette Sanchez-Perkins asanchez-perkins@northcoastmedia.net | 216-706-3750 Audience Marketing Manager Hillary Blaser hblaser@northcoastmedia.net | 216-440-0411 Reprints & Permissions Wright’s Reprints northcoastmedia@wrightsmedia.com Circulation/Subscriber Services gpsworld@omeda.com | USA: 847-513-6030

NORTH COAST MEDIA LLC

1360 East 9th St, Tenth Floor Cleveland, OH 44114, USA President & CEO Kevin Stoltman kstoltman@northcoastmedia.net | 216-706-3740 Vice President of Finance & Operations Steve Galperin sgalperin@northcoastmedia.net | 216-706-3705 Vice President of Content & Publisher Marty Whitford mwhitford@northcoastmedia.net | 216-706-3766 Vice President of Graphic Design & Production Pete Seltzer pseltzer@northcoastmedia.net | 216-706-3737 Vice President of Marketing Michelle Mitchell mmitchell@northcoastmedia.net | 216-363-7922 MANUSCRIPTS: GPS World welcomes unsolicited articles but cannot be held responsible for their safekeeping or return. Send to: 1360 East 9th St., Tenth Floor, IMG Center, Cleveland, OH 44114, USA. Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy, but publishers cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information supplied herein or for any opinion expressed. REPRINTS: Reprints of all articles are available (500 minimum). Contact northcoastmedia@wrightsmedia.com, Wright’s Media, 2407 Timberloch Place, The Woodlands, TX 77380. SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: To subscribe, change your address, and all other services, e-mail gpsworld@omeda.com or call 847513-6030. LIST RENTAL: Contact 800-529-9020, Brahm Schenkman, bschenkman@inforefinery. com, The Information Refinery, Inc. PERMISSIONS: Contact northcoastmedia@wrightsmedia. com, Wright’s Media, 2407 Timberloch Place, The Woodlands, TX 77380. INTERNATIONAL LICENSING: E-mail gpsworld@gpsworld.com. ACCOUNTING OFFICE AND OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 1360 East 9th St., Tenth Floor, IMG Center, Cleveland, OH 44114, USA. GPS WORLD does not verify any claims or other information appearing in any of the advertisements contained in the publication and cannot take any responsibility for any losses or other damages incurred by readers in reliance on such content.

Published monthly

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PNT

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Two decades ago, the Volpe National Transportation System Center released its landmark report on the vulnerability of GPS. Have this study and its many successors helped move us to the necessary levels of PNT resilience? Have we done enough? What is left to be done?

“

“

This study and others underscore that safety must be maintained in the event of GPS loss. Among the many recommendations, I maintain that ‘systems and procedures to monitor, report, and locate unintentional [and intentional] interference should be implemented.’ Similar to GPS integrity monitoring, awareness of signal vulnerability ‘hot spots’ may allow an understanding of the RF landscape, and thus users may employ tactics, tools and techniques to combat against it. This ‘issue’ will not be solved with a singular solution; rather, continued education and urgency will produce innovative solutions over time. I just hope that a large ‘trigger event’ is not needed to do so.

We have widespread awareness now, but not enough implementation of safeguards. There is no one simple solution – a single alternative system to GPS is not the answer. Rather, the integration of several diverse alternative PNT sources will provide the necessary resiliency. DHS and NIST have taken the proper initial steps to set standards for resiliency, but the next step is implementation. Twenty years without a major incident has only reinforced complacency, but we can’t keep betting our luck will continue. We have everything we need now — the technology, the standards, the exec orders — let’s implement!

”

— Bernard Gruber

Tony Agresta

”

— John Fischer

John Fischer

Nearmap

Bradford W. Parkinson

Orolia

Miguel Amor

Stanford Center for Position, Navigation and Time

Bernard Gruber

Hexagon Positioning Intelligence

Northrop Grumman

Thibault Bonnevie

Ellen Hall

SBG Systems

Spirent Federal Systems

Alison Brown

Jules McNeff

NAVSYS Corporation

Overlook Systems Technologies

Ismael Colomina

Terry Moore

GeoNumerics

University of Nottingham

Clem Driscoll

Mitch Narins

C.J. Driscoll & Associates

Stuart Riley Trimble

Jean-Marie Sleewaegen Septentrio

Michael Swiek GPS Alliance

Julian Thomas Racelogic Ltd.

Greg Turetzky

Consultant

Consultant

“

This study was instrumental in getting the U.S. government to face the fact that GPS is vulnerable on many fronts. It seems that the first response was to focus on making signals more robust and therefore less vulnerable. The backup systems, alternatives, or simply additional sensors have come onto the scene very slowly due to factors that include funding, politics, and difficulty in deployment on all platforms, where the costs could be astronomical. I hope that it doesn’t take a catastrophic event to force all factions to come together to find best solutions, but that is sadly often the case.

”

— Ellen Hall 8 GPS WORLD

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SEPTEMBER 2021

SYSTEM OF

Policy and System Developments GPS

GLONASS

BeiDou

Galileo

SYSTEMS

ESA

Testing Starts on Galileo G2 Nav Payloads

T

THE SECOND SATELLITE in the European Data Relay System (EDRS) undergoes tests at Airbus’ Compact Antenna Test Range facility.

esting on Galileo’s second-generation hardware has begun.Test versions of the satellites’ navigation payloads are undergoing evaluation

by Airbus Defence and Space at its Ottobrunn facility in Germany and by Thales Alenia Space at the ESTEC technical center in the Netherlands of the European Space Agency (ESA).

Known as the Galileo Payload Testbeds (GPLTBs), these are development models of the navigation payloads intended for the Galileo Second Generation (G2) satellites. The navigation antennas of the testbed payloads are being tested to check whether they meet the ambitious performance levels set for the G2 satellites.

Instead of being assembled from space-ready components like an actual satellite payload, the GPLTBs are built from electronic parts placed in test racks, with a proof-of-concept version of a navigation antenna attached.

“The goal with these test campaigns is to prove their design concepts early, and anticipate any technical issues that might arise as early as possible,” said Cédric Magueur, ESA’s payload manager for the Thales G2 satellites.

“These campaigns also make it possible to develop and validate new performance measurements concepts for this new generation of complex navigation payloads,” said Dirk Hannes, ESA’s payload manager for the Airbus G2 satellites.

“This will allow us to optimize the production efficiency of the flight model series.”

“Results from the testing will feed into the upcoming Preliminary Design Review for the new satellites, backing

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up the analyses by the companies with solid measurements,” Cédric said. “Such early testing also supports the ambitious timescale for the development and construction of G2 satellites, with the first satellites planned to reach orbit by the middle of this decade.”

There are 26 Galileo satellites now in orbit; deployment of 12 more will begin by the end of this year. Next will come the first 12 G2 satellites, featuring enhanced navigation signals and fully digital payloads. The new generation will be made up of two independent families of satellites meeting the same performance requirements, produced by Thales Alenia Space in Italy and Airbus Defence and Space in Germany.

Airbus Defence and Space’s GPLTB is undergoing radiated testing at the company’s Ottobrunn facility, inside a Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR). Meanwhile, the Thales Alenia Space GPLTB is about to start testing inside ESTEC’s own Hybrid European Radio Frequency and Antenna Test Zone (Hertz) chamber. The metal-walled chambers are isolated from external radio interference, with inner walls studded with foam pyramids to minimize radio-frequency signal reflections, mimicking the void of space.

“Up until now, all GPLTB testing has taken place by plugging them into test boards,” Cédric said. “These test campaigns mark the first time that their performances will be confirmed in terms of radiating signals. In our first phase we will perform near-field measurements directly around the antenna to measure all the characteristics of the signal shape, to check it matches previous conductance tests. Then, via computation, we can derive its far-field performance.”

SEPTEMBER 2021

SYSTEM OF

SYSTEMS

Air Force Awards Contract for Moon Beacons

India Seeks to Widen NavIC Use

A

new draft policy in India seeks to foster global use of its Indian NavIC satellite navigation system.

The draft Indian Satellite Navigation Policy 2021 (SATNAV Policy 2021) is part of reforms of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)/Department of Space (DoS).

“ISRO/DOS shall work towards expanding the coverage from regional to global to ensure availability of [the] NavIC standalone signal in any part of the world without relying on other GNSS and aid in wide utilization of [the] Indian navigation system across the globe,” states the policy document.

DoS will push NavIC for global use to meet demand for positioning, navigation, and timing in commercial, strategic and societal applications. It aims to ensure the continuous availability of free-to-air navigation signals for civilian uses, while providing secured navigation signals for strategic uses.

The draft document plans for continuity of NavIC and GAGAN services, while also ensuring Indian satellite navigation and augmentation signals are compatible and interoperable with other GNSS/SBAS signals. The

Masten Space Systems

M

asten Space Systems has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract to develop and demonstrate a lunar positioning and navigation network prototype that functions much like GPS. The Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract was awarded through the Air Force Research Laboratory’s AFWERX program, which connects innovators across government, industry and academia.

The navigation network will enhance cislunar security and awareness by enabling navigation and location tracking for spacecraft, assets, objects and astronauts on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit. As the lunar infrastructure grows, the network will help advance lunar science and resource use by improving landing accuracy and hazard avoidance near critical lunar sites.

“Unlike Earth, the Moon isn’t equipped with GPS so lunar spacecraft and orbital assets are essentially operating in the dark,” said Matthew Kuhns, vice president of research and development at Masten. “As a result, each spacecraft is required to carry heavy navigation hardware and sensors onboard to estimate positioning and detect potential hazards.

By establishing a shared navigation network on the Moon, we can lower spacecraft costs by millions of dollars, increase payload capacity, and improve landing accuracy near the most resource-rich sites on the Moon.”

PNT BEACONS can be deployed in orbit to penetrate the lunar surface and enable consistent wireless connectivity.

In Phase I, Masten completed the concept design for the network prototype that offloads positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) beacons from a spacecraft into a dedicated sensor array on the Moon.

In Phase II, scheduled to be complete in 2023, Masten is working with Leidos to build shock-proof beacon enclosures that can be deployed in lunar orbit to create an autonomous surface-based network. The surface-based network can enable consistent wireless connectivity to lunar spacecraft, objects and orbital assets. The technology also will be tested aboard Masten’s rocket-powered lander Xodiac.

International Telecommunication Union (ITU) regulates frequency allocation to prevent interference among signals from different systems. This interoperability allows users to seamlessly switch from one constellation system to another and results in improved navigation signal, especially in a situation where an area is obscured from one satellite system.

DoS will continue to work with ITU for frequency allocations.

GPS Document Forums Scheduled

T

he U.S. Space Force will host the 2021 Public Interface Control Working Group and Open Forum in September and November. The meetings are open to the public in person and virtually on Wednesday, Sept.

29, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday, Nov. 19, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (PT).

The meetings will discuss IS-GPS-200, IS-GPS-705 and IS-GPS-800. The meetings will be held in person at Los Angeles Air Force Base, with virtual participation encouraged. Visit gps.gov for details.

SEPTEMBER 2021

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G P S W O R L D 11

Inertial

Ranging & eLoran

Wi-Fi

Bluetooth

corner

SENSOR FUSION

by Roi Mit

I

CMO, REGULUS CYBER

n June 2019, Regulus Cyber’s experts successfully spoofed the GPS-based navigation system of a Tesla Model 3 vehicle. This experiment provided an important warning for all companies using GNSS location and timing: these technologies, on which they depend, are highly vulnerable to spoofing attacks. In the two years since the experiment, companies and governments have continued to research the potential harm that can be caused by spoofing attacks and are learning more about how to defend themselves from them.

The Tesla experiment was groundbreaking because it was the first time that a level 2.5 autonomous vehicle was exposed to a sophisticated GPS spoofing attack and its behavior recorded.

We chose Tesla’s Model 3 because it had the most sophisticated advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) at the time, called Navigate on Autopilot (abbreviated NOA or Autopilot), which uses GPS to make several driving decisions. However, this experiment exposed several cybersecurity issues potentially affecting all vehicles relying on GPS as part of their sensor fusion for autonomous decision making.

NOA makes lane changes and takes interchange exits

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Regulus Cyber

Two Years Since the Tesla GPS Hack

once a destination is determined, without requiring any confirmation by the driver. Its several other features include autonomous deceleration and acceleration according to the speed limit, autonomous lane changing, and adaptive cruise control.

These features use a variety of sensors, including cameras, radar, speedometers and more. The researchers wanted to test the extent to which the Model 3 relied on its GNSS receiver to make these driving decisions and how it behaved when receiving contradicting information from its GNSS receiver and its other sensors.

The researchers used hardware and software purchased online to mimic the tools potential hackers would use. The experiment involved two software-defined radio (SDR) devices purchased online, one to spoof GPS and one to jam all other constellations, connected to an external antenna to simulate an external attack. The software used to simulate the GPS signal was downloaded from an online source, available for free.

The test included three scenarios the researchers assumed would involve usage of GNSS, each one using a different spoofing pattern: Scenario 1. Exiting the highway at the wrong location Scenario 2. Enforcing an incorrect speed limit Scenario 3. Turning into incoming traffic

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SENSOR FUSION Regulus Cyber

A TESLA MODEL 3 was remotely hacked in a test of a GPS spoofing attack

Scenario 1: Exiting the Highway at the Wrong Location

The car was driving normally at a constant speed of 95 KPH with NOA enabled. The destination determined for this ride was a town nearby and the car designated a certain interchange as the destination for an autonomous exit maneuver. The experiment began 2.5 km before the vehicle reached that interchange; however, the researchers’ fake GPS signal resulted in coordinates of a location on the same highway but only 150 m before the exit.

As soon as its GNSS receiver was spoofed, the car assumed that it had reached the correct exit and began to maneuver to the right, activating the blinker, slowing down, turning the wheel, and crossing a dotted white line to its right side, exiting to an emergency pit-stop, confusing it with the exit 2.5 km ahead.

To be clear, this would not have happened at any location along the highway, because sensor fusion with the radar and the camera enables the car to avoid physical obstacles and ensures that it does not cross a solid white line that makes a turn illegal.

The spoofing attack succeeded, in that it enabled the attacker to remotely manipulate the car’s sensor fusion and make it exit the highway at the wrong location.

Scenario 2: Enforcing an Incorrect Speed Limit

The car was driving to a random city far away on a highway, at a constant speed of 90 KPH, which was 10 KPH below the highway’s speed limit, with NOA enabled. The researchers generated a fake GPS signal, with the coordinates of a

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nearby town road that has a speed limit of 33 KPH. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle assumed the speed limit had just changed to 33 KPH and instantly began decelerating. Each time the driver attempted to accelerate using the gas pedal, as soon as he lifted his foot off the pedal the car engaged in heavy braking to quickly decelerate back to 33 KPH. To be clear, this would not have happened if NOA had been turned off. The cruise mode can be disabled by either using the touch screen or by pressing the brakes, which would allow the driver to regain full manual control over the vehicle’s speed.

Again, the spoofing attack succeeded, in that it allowed the attacker to remotely manipulate the car’s speed and made it enforce a speed limit much lower than the actual one on the highway.

Scenario 3: Turning into Incoming Traffic

The car was being driven manually on a two-lane road with one lane in each direction, the type of road on which NOA cannot be used. The researchers generated a fake GPS signal, with coordinates of a nearby three-lane highway, with all lanes in the same direction. Furthermore, the spoofed location was 150 m from a designated exit that the vehicle’s navigation system was programmed to take, requiring a left turn.

Shortly after the car’s GNSS receiver was spoofed, the vehicle assumed it was on a highway and engaged NOA. Next, it triggered the exit maneuver, which began with activating the left blinker, followed by turning the wheel to the left. The driver had to quickly grab the wheel and

SEPTEMBER 2021

SENSOR FUSION

manually drive the car back to its lane to avoid a collision with oncoming traffic.

To be clear, this kind of scenario would not be possible without the driver enabling the NOA. Once a Tesla driver enables NOA, it automatically turns on once the vehicle is on the highway with a set destination. This is why the researchers assumed that NOA would be turned on by default, and as long as NOA is activated, the vehicle is susceptible to the attacks mentioned in the experiment.

Once again, the spoofing attack was successful in that it enabled the attacker to remotely steer the vehicle into the opposing lane, placing it on a direct collision course with oncoming traffic. Out of the three scenarios described, this one proved that GNSS spoofing can endanger lives.

GPS Cybersecurity for Automotive Applications

The NOA system in the Tesla Model 3, being an ADAS, allows drivers to rely on the car and its sensors for basic driving functions. Therefore, it enables drivers to briefly take their hands off the wheel and reduces the number of actions they are required to take. Nevertheless, drivers are still required to be fully attentive to the road so that they can take control of the vehicle at any time.

However, since this spoofing attack had such a sudden and instant impact on the car’s driving behavior, a driver who is not fully attentive and aware would not be prepared to quickly take control and prevent an accident. By the time the driver notices that something is wrong and reacts, it might be too late to prevent an accident. Already drivers have been found sleeping at the wheel, driving under the influence of alcohol, and doing other inappropriate tasks with NOA engaged.

Furthermore, this situation assumes a level 2.5 autonomous vehicle as was tested. But what happens in level 3 vehicles,

See the Tesla GPS spoofing experiment from the driver’s point of view at gpsworld.com/Tesla_hack.

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THE HARDWARE used for the GPS spoofing test

Regulus Cyber

This experiment exposed cybersecurity issues potentially affecting all vehicles relying on GPS as part of their sensor fusion.

in which driver engagement is limited, or level 4 and 5, in which driver response is non-existent? This research provides us with a glimpse into the crucial importance of sensor cybersecurity and particularly of GNSS cybersecurity.

The Tesla hack experiment and its results were eyeopening for the autonomous vehicles sector – the danger is real and rising as more and more vehicles are depending on GNSS technology as part of their sensors for assisted or automated driving. Up to 97% of new vehicles since 2019 incorporate GNSS receivers and most if not all are still vulnerable to the same spoofing attacks presented in this research.

In January 2021, the UN’s World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) issued Regulation No. 155, which sets guidelines for cybersecurity in the automotive industry with the goal of addressing every possible cyber threat that it might encounter. Annex 5 of the regulation defines cyber attacks and states that in order to get approvals in the future vehicle manufacturers will need to provide solid evidence that their vehicles are sufficiently protected against them.

Among the cyber threats mentioned in the Annex is spoofing of data received by the vehicle — both sybil spoofing attacks and spoofing of messages. The Annex also lists the appropriate protection that vehicle manufacturers should implement and states that vehicle manufacturers will be required to provide evidence of the effectiveness of the mitigation measures they choose. These upcoming regulatory requirements can make the difference between life and death in situations caused by GNSS spoofing and ensure that only reliable and resilient positioning is used within vehicles, both today and in the future.

Please note: Tesla released a statement saying that it is “taking steps to introduce safeguards in the future which we believe will make our products more secure against these kinds of attacks.” Regulus Cyber researchers did not perform any further experiments with Tesla Model 3 since this research was published two years ago.

SEPTEMBER 2021

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The product makes network expansion achievable with a compact design and integrated transmitters, eliminating the need for multiple GPS antennas and maximizing the available space. It also extends the signal range between the antenna and the receiver.

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High performance, scalability, ease of use and manageability make EdgeSync suitable for data centers, finance, mobile edge computing, enterprise, smart grid, industrial IoT, process control and telecommunications. EdgeSync uses a multiGNSS receiver (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou and QZSS), PTP and Synchronous Ethernet as input references and generates PTP, SyncE, NTP and timing signals (10

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MHz, 1 PPS and Time of Day message) as outputs. It also can provide IEEE 1588-2008 (PTP) grandmaster and boundary clock functionality and leverages unique PTP algorithms to deliver stringent timing for demanding, precise applications.

Orolia, orolia.com

3. INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNITS WITH PIC TECHNOLOGY AND NEW ACCELEROMETERS

The P-1750 IMU and the P-1725 IMU complement the previously released P-1775 IMU to create a full line of IMUs with high-performance accelerometers and photonic integrated chip (PIC) technology. The P-series IMUs are offered in the same compact IMU housing design, and now offer more dynamic and accurate sensor performance, delivering improved navigation capability and more environmental robustness in vibration and shock capability for more challenging applications. PIC technology features an integrated planar optical chip that replaces individual fiber-optic components to simplify production and increase reliability.

The accelerometers used in the P-series IMUs offer greater sensitivity and accuracy in their dynamic ranges. The IMUs are designed for challenging applications on land, sea and air, including autonomous trucks and people movers, drones, autonomous underwater vehicles and platform stabilization. Industries include transportation, military, agriculture, construction and mining.

KVH Industries, kvh.com

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4. HELICAL ANTENNAS

DUAL-PURPOSE, DUAL-BAND GNSS AND ACTIVE IRIDIUM

The HC860 and HC860E active GNSS/ Iridium antennas are designed for precise positioning, covering the GPS/QZSS-L1/ L2, GLONASS-G1/G2, Galileo-E1 and BeiDou-B1 bands, including regional SBAS. The antennas also support active Iridium reception in the 1616.0-1626.5 MHz band. The HC860 housed and HC860E embedded helical antennas are designed for high-accuracy positioning.

They are packaged in a light, compact form factor suitable for a variety of applications, including autonomous vehicle navigation (land, sea and air), handheld survey devices, automotive positioning, timing and other precise-positioning applications.

Tallysman Wireless, tallysman.com

GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

AI BVLOS CRPA GNSS GPS IMU INS IoT NTP PTP RTK SBAS SWaP UAS

artificial intelligence beyond visual line of sight controlled reception pattern antenna global navigation satellite system Global Positioning System inertial measurement unit inertial navigation system internet of things network time protocol precision time protocol real-time kinematic satellite-based augmentation sys. size, weight and power unmanned aircraft system

L3HARRIS.COM

THE M-CODE TYPE II YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR The M-code Type II SSI form factor you require is now available for immediate integration. L3Harris’ M-code Type II offers a mature solution for your program — providing minimal technical risk to integration and fielding. With L3Harris, you can be assured of receiving the most compliant functionality set, including area navigation and NMEA support.

Make the upgrade right now — learn more at L3Harris.com/m-code.

LAUNCHPAD | SURVEYING & MAPPING 1 3

2 1. TABLET

RUGGED, MODULAR AND CUSTOMIZABLE

The Panasonic Toughbook G2 is a fully rugged 2-in-1 detachable tablet with optional keyboard that features an innovative modular design and userremovable expansion packs (xPAKs).

With three modular expansion areas and up to 36 xPAK combinations, users can customize the Toughbook G2 to suit their needs with options including a 4G LTE-A multi-carrier with GPS or a dedicated U-blox NEO M8N receiver. The device is backward compatible with most Toughbook 20 and G1 docks. It has a 10.1inch display, an Intel Core i5 and i7 vPro processor and runs on Windows 10 Pro. It has an 18.5-hour battery life. The 2-in-1 detachable design allows users to operate the device both in laptop and tablet modes.

Panasonic System Solutions, na.panasonic.com

2. MULTIBEAM SOUNDER

WITH GNSS/INS FOR BATHYMETRY

The WASSP S3r multibeam sounder combines data from a multibeam sounder transducer with 224 beams covering a 120° swath port to starboard along with position, heading and motion to create an accurate survey situations and environmental conditions. WASSP S3r is able to survey areas up to 10 times faster than a single-beam sounder. The S3r uses

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an SBG Ellipse-D Inertial Navigation System for its RTK + INS. The Ellipse-D allows the sounder to create accurately positioned 3D bathymetric representations of the seafloor, down to centimeter accuracy with minimal passes. WASSP has also incorporated the Ellipse-D into its S3Pr portable survey package. The SBG Ellipse-D was able to fit into a covered housing that allows quick setup on small vessels and interface with the WASSP DRX processing unit and CDX software.

Ellipse-D integrates a dual-antenna, multi-band GNSS receiver, and is capable of delivering precise heading as well as centimeter-level position accuracy in challenging GNSS conditions.

ENL group, enl.co.nz; SBG Systems, sbg-systems.com

3. LIDAR SYSTEM

DEPLOYMENT-READY LIDAR PERCEPTION SYSTEM

Voyage is a plug-and-play lidar perception system that delivers highly accurate object detection, tracking and classification capabilities. The deployment kit is equipped with SENSR2 software, lidar sensors and a lidar processing unit.

Voyage provides volumetric profiling and motion-prediction capabilities, regardless of lighting conditions, and can collect and process data from up to four sensors for insights across the sensor coverage zones.

Voyage does not capture, show or store any

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4 biometric and otherwise identifying data to maximize the protection of people’s privacy when installed as part of smart-city and security systems. The company’s sensoragnostic perception software is available worldwide and is deployed by top-tier organizations such as BMW, MercedesBenz, the Chattanooga Department of Transportation and Emart, among others.

Seoul Robotics, www.seoulrobotics.org

4. SURVEYING MACHINE HIGH-PRECISION ROBOT FOR SURVEYORS

The TinySurveyor is a high-precision instrument for the surveying and infrastructure industries, able to execute large tasks up to 10 times faster than traditional methods. The machine pairs with a GNSS receiver to accomplish largescale stake-outs, road pre-marking, asbuilt surveys and topographic surveys. Its ability to mark out existing data or collect new data at high speed and with high accuracy makes the TinySurveyor suitable for repetitive, time-consuming and laborintensive tasks. With a GNSS receiver, repeatable results ensure accuracy of 1-2 cm. The TinySurveyor integrates with any GNSS receiver and has been tested with units from Topcon, Trimble and Leica.

TinyMobileRobots, tinymobilerobots.com

SURVEYING & MAPPING | LAUNCHPAD 1. REDISTRICTING MAPS

1

FOR LOCAL AND CONGRESSIONAL PLANNING

Maptitude for Redistricting 2021 is a specialized tool for political redistricting that enables state legislatures, political and public interest groups, local governments and private citizens to create and advocate redistricting plans that meet their goals, adhere to legal requirements, and stand up to public scrutiny and legal challenges.

Unlike a general-purpose GIS, Maptitude for Redistricting streamlines the plan creation process for all types of political boundary definitions and provides all of the calculations and reports needed. It is suitable for congressional redistricting as well as state legislative districts, city councils and local school board districts.

Caliper, caliper.com

2. GEOSPATIAL ANALYTICS

POWERS MISSION-CRITICAL GEOSPATIAL APPLICATIONS

With the Luciad 2021 platform, defense, aviation, maritime and other organizations can develop effective and reliable web applications. LuciadFusion, an all-in-one server solution for geospatial data management, has two new types of data streaming, resulting in faster streaming of imagery and point cloud data. LuciadRIA supports Web Assembly to bring desktop-like calculations to the browser. Luciad 2021 also features enhancements to software development kits for desktop and on-board vehicle applications. LuciadLightspeed seamlessly integrates into JavaFX-based applications, making it easier to embed its map components into user interfaces, and now provides for high-resolution map printing. LuciadCPillar, an API for C++ and C# developers, was updated with labeling support and other new features.

2

Hexagon, hexagon.com

0.05°

0.02° HEADING

ATTITUDE

1 cm

POSITION

NEW ELLIPSE-D The Smallest Dual Frequency & Dual Antenna INS/GNSS

www.sbg-systems.com

»

RTK Centimetric Position

»

Quad Constellations

»

Post-processing Software

JOIN US at Intergeo • Hall 23, Stand B.37 SEPTEMBER 2021

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G P S W O R L D 21

LAUNCHPAD | UAV 1

2

4

5 3

1. TRANSPONDER

INTEGRATED GPS FOR MAXIMUM SAFETY

The Ping200XR integrates the capability of the Ping200X TSO Certified Mode S ADS-B OUT transponder with the high-integrity truFYX TSO-certified GPS position source into a single enclosure. The integration simplifies installation and allows the customer to choose between the installed GPS antenna or one provided with the Ping200XR. The integrated GPS ensures maximum safety by providing Source Integrity Level (SIL) 3 RTCA DO-229D and TSO-C145e Class Beta 1 performance, a requirement for Mode S and ADS-B airspace access, and for reception and processing by certified avionics and traffic collision avoidance systems in other aircraft as well as air traffic control. SIL 3 performance is not available from non-aviation certified GPS receivers, which often are used as an autopilot navigation source. uAvionix, uavionix.com

2. LIDAR FOR SMALL DRONES LIGHTWEIGHT PAYLOAD PROVIDES HIGH-RESOLUTION CAPABILITIES

The RTL-450 lidar sensor incorporates a lightweight MEMS mirror and a precision navigation system to generate accurate data for demanding aerial surveying missions.

The high-resolution, three-dimensional point clouds it creates enables operators to conduct advanced analytics of geographic and manmade features. Made in the United States, the RTL-450 incorporates patented lidar sensor technology. It weighs just

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over 4 pounds and is designed to operate independently of a drone platform, providing great flexibility for drone integration. Its modular design facilitates quick, efficient integration onto user-selected platforms.

RedTail Lidar Systems, redtaillidar.com

3. LASER SCANNER

READY FOR CORRIDOR MAPPING

The RIEGL VUX-240 is a lightweight airborne laser scanner, especially designed for use on UAS/UAV/RPAS and small manned airplanes or helicopters. With its wide field of view of 75° and a data acquisition rate of up to 1.8 MHz, the instrument is suitable for highpoint-density corridor mapping applications.

The VUX-240 uses Riegl’s Waveform-Lidar technology, allowing echo digitization and online waveform processing. Multi-target resolution is the basis for penetrating even dense foliage. A continuously rotating polygon mirror wheel enables scan speeds of up to 400 lines per second, for efficiently covering large areas when operated from fast UAVs or aircrafts. The scanner stores 1 terabyte of data internally and is equipped with interfaces for an external IMU/GNSS system to control up to four external cameras.

Riegl, riegl.com

4. HEAVY-LIFT DRONE

FLIES 2.5 HOURS WITH 4-KG PAYLOAD

The Carrier H6 Hybrid is a heavy-lift gaselectric hybrid drone powered by either the H2400 (Carrier H6 HE+) or H5000 (Carrier H6 HL) hybrid drone generator. The Carrier H6 Hybrid HE+ is equipped with the H2400

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generator providing 2400W of continuous power. The recommended payload is 4 kg allowing for up to 2.5 hours of flight. The maximum payload of 6 kg allows up to 1.5 hours of flight. The Carrier H6 Hybrid HL has a maximum payload capacity of 15 kg and can be configured to carry more robust scientific-grade sensors, such as multispectral cameras, professional DSLRs for cinematography and lidar. The H6 Hybrid HL also can be used in heavy-lift applications involving asset transportation and delivery, agricultural spraying and search and rescue.

Harris Aerial, harrisaerial.com

5.INDUSTRIAL DRONE SYSTEM AUTONOMOUS OPS FROM A DOCK

The PowerVision True Unmanned Aerial System combines the PowerEgg X 8K drone, PowerEgg Dock and the PowerVision Cloud web-based software platform. The integration provides a turnkey solution for remote, autonomous data-collection missions.

With the system, drones can be deployed at scale as data-acquisition infrastructure, instead of tools to be operated on individual missions. Powered by artificial intelligence, the system streamlines the drone’s takeoff, flight, dynamic mission and return to the charging dock autonomously. The system weighs 34.8 pounds (15.8 kg) in a 570 x 400 x 250-millimeter form factor, allowing it to be deployed by a single person without special tools or equipment. The solution can be used for powerline inspections, environmental compliance, asset inspection, facility security, GIS, surveying and mapping.

PowerVision Tech, powervision.me

TRANSPORTATION | LAUNCHPAD 1

1. EPHEMERIS SERVICE

MINIMIZES ONBOARD RESOURCE USE

The StarCourse service provides real-time extended ephemeris data for GNSS chipsets in connected mobile devices, giving them a headstart in determining position accurately and quickly. For devices with limited connectivity, typical extended ephemeris solutions have provided a headstart with 7¬–14 days of ephemeris data. StarCourse provides a 50% reduction in RAM requirements, 90% reduction in CPU cycles, and high location accuracy. Full data customization is provided to StarCourse subscribers, allowing them to create optimal solutions for their needs. The service enables autonomous positioning on connected GNSS IoT devices including asset tracking, wearables, in-dash navigation and mobile devices.

For situations where accuracy is paramount, StarCourse Premium provides ultraprecise predicted ephemeris for the first 24 hours.

Rx Networks, rxnetworks.com

2

2. FLEET MANAGEMENT

DESIGNED TO REDUCE WASTE AND COSTS

Trailer management solution FleetLocate captures data at the trailer level and translates it into actionable business intelligence to increase trailer productivity while reducing waste and costs. Telematics devices deliver core trailer insights that help automate yard checks and maximize use. Advanced trailer technologies are available, such as solar power management, tethered/untethered configurations, IntelliScan cargo sensing, cargo image capture and retrieval, door sensors, liftgate battery monitoring and more.

Spireon, spireon.com

1

2021 GUIDE TO YEAR-END FUNDS Top 5 PNT Applications for Year-End Funds

2

R.E.S.I. PNT Report Card

3

Year-End Funds 2021 PNT Wish List SEPTEMBER 2021

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COVERSTORY

Testing GNSS Receivers Requires Increasingly Sophisticated Simulators

BY Matteo

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Spirent Federal Systems

Simulating Complexity

G

NSS receivers—which were never as simple as FM radio receivers or garage door remote controls— are becoming increasingly complex. The causes for this include continuing efforts to: ■ reduce their size, weight, and power (SWAP) ■ utilize new signals from up to four GNSS constellations ■ integrate them with other sensors, such as inertial measurement units (IMUs), cameras, and lidars ■ take advantage of a growing number of public and private, global, regional, and local correction services ■ meet the requirements of booming new markets, such as autonomous vehicles ■ mitigate the threats posed by the proliferation of unintentional and intentional RF interference, the latter better known as jamming, and by spoofing.

In short, receiver manufacturers must constantly adapt to a GNSS/PNT landscape that is, as one of the respondents to this Q&A put it, “ever evolving.”

In turn, the growing complexity of GNSS receivers requires increasingly sophisticated simulators to test receivers and their integrations in controlled conditions before field testing and deployment. Increasingly, this is achieved by replacing with software what was once done in hardware. Simulation remains a vital, though often underappreciated, segment of our industry.

On the following pages, five simulator vendors briefly explain their evolution in response to changes in GNSS/ PNT, comment on the principal technical challenges they face, and outline their principal markets.

Orolia

OROLIA

LISA PERDUE PRODUCT LINE DIRECTOR, SIMULATION How has your approach to simulation changed over the years and in response to what changes in GNSS/PNT? We have transitioned away from the GNSS simulator approach of using fixed, allocated hardware that we used in our early simulators to the more modern software-defined approach we use today. Given the ever-evolving PNT landscape, it is difficult to design hardware that will support all future GNSS and PNT simulation needs.

Instead, we focus on the development of the Skydel software platform, which can then be used with the supported COTS hardware or turnkey system to generate the necessary signals.

This gives us the benefit of maximum scalability and flexibility while being truly future proof.

The software-defined approach also allows us to offer Skydel in new and exciting ways. We aim to make PNT simulation accessible to everyone and we can do that through subscription and cloudbased simulation services.

What are currently the greatest technical challenges to GNSS/PNT simulation?

Today GNSS is only a part of the PNT picture. GNSS receivers are often tightly integrated with other sensors and many times the GNSS receiver cannot be isolated to test it on its own. Other sensors must also be stimulated or simulated and included as part of testing. Correction services are becoming more common, but many are proprietary with no public specification. With no common standards available, it can be technically challenging to create a one-size-fits-all test solution.

We tackle these challenges through our plug-in feature. The plug-in architecture allows you to expand the capabilities of Skydel by adding your own features or complex integration with other systems. It allows you to exchange information with the Skydel Engine and even integrates it into the Skydel UI. With our open-source SDK, which includes example plugins, you can create your data outputs SEPTEMBER 2021

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THE BROADSIM software-defined GNSS, powered by Orolia’s Skydel GNSS simulator engine

synchronized to the GNSS simulation, such as IMU or correction services data.

In what markets and applications are your simulators used? Are they used only in labs or also in the field?

At Orolia, we say ‘Skydel Everywhere.’

Skydel is used in applications ranging from military encrypted receiver testing (SAASM, M-Code, PRS) to commercial applications supporting any of the GNSS signals available.

Skydel is used in systems that are found in labs, but you can also find Skydel at an individual engineer’s desk, or even home offices. In the field, Skydel has provided simulation and threat generation capability to authorized test ranges and field test events.

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SIMULATORS

/ RACELOGIC

How has your approach to simulation c h a n g e d ove r t h e ye a r s a n d i n response to what changes in GNSS/ PNT? Over the years, GNSS technology has changed significantly but our approach of identifying a need and creating a solution hasn’t changed since we launched our first LabSat GNSS simulator. We created LabSat because we needed a cost-effective, accurate and easy to use record and replay simulator that we could use for product development and production line testing for our VBOX Automotive and VBOX Motorsport technologies. This need could not be met by any other simulator manufacturer, so we developed our own solution, which in turn became LabSat. Although our approach has not changed, the needs of users, including our own engineers, have, so we continue to develop and improve LabSat to meet these needs.

With the increasing number of satellite launches in market segments such as communication a n d n av i g at i o n , t h e nu m b e r of requests for testing spacequalified receivers has increased dramatically. To test these kinds of scenarios, we have been making some major upgrades to simulate rocket launches and Earth orbit trajec tor ies t hat require ver y different characteristics from landbased simulation.

As the number of constellations and signals has expanded very rapidly, the number of simultaneous signals that need to be simulated

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Racelogic

JULAIN THOMAS MANAGING DIRECTOR

RACELOGIC’S LabSat GNSS simulators offer multi-constellation and multi-frequency capabilities.

has put a far greater requirement on the computing power needed to render them. We have been working very hard on optimizing our routines to make the most of the new breed of high-performance multi-core processors. The result has been a big decrease in the time taken to create a scenario, and an increase in the number of signals that can be simulated in real-time.

What are currently the greatest technical challenges to GNSS/PNT simulation?

The biggest challenge is in simulating a large numb er of constellations and signals in realtime without using dedicated, exp ensive hardware to cre ate them. The good news is that with the latest Intel Xeon processors boasting up to 40 cores and 80 threads, a much larger number of signals can now be created in real-time using off-the-shelf PC components.

In what markets and applications are your simulators used? Are they used

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only in labs or also in the field?

With the global pandemic causing national lockdowns, many engineers switched to working from home. Our largest growth i n t h e s i mu l at or m a r k e t h a s therefore been due to providing these engineers with a small, low cost, easy to use simulator that they can have on their desks at home, allowing them to continue to develop GNSS applications without having to go into the office. The markets these engineers work within are as varied as the markets that use GNSS technology.

We have also seen a big increase in the use of our simulators to test mass produced satellites used in providing global internet coverage.

These satellites are being produced in large volumes, and the need for a low cost, reliable testing method on the production line has driven strong growth in this area.

Our simulators are often used in the field to gather data for in-lab testing, as small size and battery life are very important factors in this environment.

New Echo™

Highest fidelity GNSS recording & playback solution

The first and only solution to record the entire GNSS spectrum without dividing the low-band signals E5a

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Record on the field & Playback in your lab GPS Signal analysis tool embedded SSDs Quick swap feature No recording limits, Trigger and loop recordings

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Main features: • 3 RF channels • 200 MHz sampling rate • 16-bit I&Q • 1.6 GBs speed (write & read)

Simple GUI, Remotely control, Python API available Customization on request

For more information, flash this QR code or visit solutions.syntony-gnss.com/NewEcho

T O U L O U S E - PA R I S - S A N F R A N C I S C O - N E W Y O R K - M O N T R E A L

SIMULATORS

/ SPIRENT FEDERAL SYSTEMS

PHILLIP BONILLA SENIOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER

Spirent Federal Systems

How has your approach to simulation changed over the years simulation systems must be able to keep latency and in response to what changes in GNSS/PNT? consistent to enable powerful post-processing of Spirent has provided highly accurate simulation results. With this challenge in mind, we at Spirent solutions since the early phases of GPS availability, design and manufacture our own hardware, ensuring starting with defined hardware for each signal type. precision and ultra-low latency.

As the GNSS landscape has grown, Spirent has worked Another significant test challenge posed by closely with leading developers, adding key flexibility modern applications is the growth in vehicle speed and functionality to adapt and provide a growing and maneuverability. Creating a truly realistic test product portfolio. By adopting a robustly defined system environment for supersonic and even hypersonic architecture, and employing signal-agnostic hardware, vehicles with high rates of spin and jerk places huge Spirent simulators can generate any of the available demands on a simulator. Spirent recently has introduced constellations and frequencies, the industry’s first 2 kHz update with no more than a few clicks of rate, enabling the most accurate a mouse. trajectories for the most mobile While broadening the support technologies. for the increasing number of Lastly, positioning engines constellations has been a focus, are becoming more complex. In so too has the necessity to provide addition to GNSS and inertial, us ers with hig h numb ers of vision systems and a range of available channels and auxiliary other sensors and signals-ofsimulation needs. To complement opportunity are providing GNSS simulation, significant developers greater opportunity effort is being devoted to resilient for precision and robustness. application testing, providing Therefore, a core part of Spirent’s users with flexible solutions mission statement is delivering NEW SPIRENT SIMULATOR generates alternative RF for introducing jamming and navigation signals concurrently with GNSS signals. test equipment that is designed spoofing to the test environment. to b e integ rate d into wider Our agnostic hardware supports test benches and ensuring that signal generation using software defined radio (SDR), equipment is always orders of magnitude more accurate including interference sources and user-defined than any device under test.

IQ signal data. As customer demands have grown, alternative RF and PNT sensors have been—and In what markets and applications are your simulators used? continue to be—incorporated, allowing users an Are they used only in labs or also in the field? expanded and comprehensive test environment.

Spirent simulators are used in all phases of the product life cycle across nearly all applications.

What are currently the greatest technical challenges to Receiver manufacturers use our solutions beginning GNSS/PNT simulation? with initial research and development, throughout Today, nearly all industries rely on GNSS or other product development, and well into production and PNT sources to some extent. With such varied and field testing. Along with the ability to use Spirent’s widespread use, laboratory testing is critical, and simulators for live range testing, Spirent’s GSS6450 maintaining the highest levels of accuracy, reliability record and playback system enables users to record and robustness remains one of the greatest challenges. the real world in high dynamic detail for repeatable For modern hardware-in-the-loop configurations, lab testing.

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SIMULATORS

/ Jackson Labs

JACKSON LABS

GREGOR SAID JACKSON PRESIDENT AND CTO

How has your approach to simulation changed over the years and in response to what changes in GNSS/PNT? Initially, we saw a large demand for GPS-only solutions.

We are shipping units into this market and it is growing more than 30% year over year for us. Recently, customers are looking to also supporting other constellations.

There is an emerging market for LEO simulation capability. Many LEO constellations are becoming reality, such as OneWeb, Kuiper, Starlink, Iridium, Xona, and others, and customers are more frequently asking if we can support these types of signals in our simulators. Demand also is arising for additional baseband signals to accommodate the RF signals, such as synchronized raw IMU data and other observables.

Jamming and spoofing signals also are being requested

THE STL-1400 STL-Positioning and Timing receiver, designed for battery-operated low SWaP-C applications.

and reproducing these as faithfully as possible is a big challenge for synthesized simulation. Lastly, we see demand rising for mil-type secure applications, such as M-Code, PRS (Galileo) and P(Y) code SAASM of course. The complexity of future simulators will rise See JACKSON, page 31. >>

The L1/L2 Re-Radiating Kit is designed to bring L-band signals indoors for testing purposes. * Ask about our military qualifications

SEPTEMBER 2021

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G P S W O R L D 29

SIMULATORS

/ SYNTONY

Syntony

SYLVAIN DAUBAS GNSS SIMULATORS R&D TEAMS How has your approach to simulation changed over the years and in response to what changes in GNSS/PNT? Manufacturers of GNSS receivers are targeting more precision and availability, especially in urban areas, which require acquiring more signals from more constellations and greater effort to minimize multipath errors. This confirms that an SDR design for signal generation is decisive to keep systems cost-efficient, as it directly benefits from Moore’s law. For instance, our new RTGS4-12 configuration is about four times more powerful (240 channels) than our previous standard configuration, for a similar budget level.

Regarding precision and RF quality, our simulators benefit from the same RF cards as Echo, our high-fidelity record and playback equipment, with a state-of-the-art RF front end: three channels at a 100 MHz sampling rate and a 16 bit IQ. The capacity to simulate protected signals is also crucial: with PRN Link, Constellator is ready for any present or future signal with encrypted spreading codes.

What are currently the greatest technical challenges to GNSS/PNT simulation?

Building a CRPA simulator is not an easy task, as this requires extreme levels of phase and time synchronization between several RF outputs, typically four, seven or more. This can be done in two ways: with a dedicated new RF board running with a single synthesizer for all channels or using the classical one, to which one should add a complex calibration mechanism.

SYNTONY has made the tough choice, investing more at first in a mono-synthesizer version. However, this will benefit our customers, for which the usage will be simplified and it will save them a lot of time by shortening the calibration phase. This version already is available for sale.

On another note, it is a significant challenge to keep our product and its interfaces user friendly while also enabling our clients to configure each of the more than 500 parameters available (at the last count). We also keep in mind that new signals may appear, from LEO constellations for instance, answering to new needs such as autonomous driving. Constellator is HW ready for them, only requiring a software update.

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SYNTONY’S Constellator simulator.

In what markets and applications are your simulators used?

Are they used only in labs or also in the field?

Constellator currently is mainly used in laboratories, in many market segments. Because it was initially built in partnership with spacecraft manufacturers, it benefits from the high standards of performance of space industries and includes several advanced spacededicated features.

On top of the typical usage inside the labs, two other SYNTONY simulator products that are directly derived from Constellator are used in the field: ■ ECHO Recorder & Playback is used to record the GNSS environment with ultra-high fidelity: today @ 100Mhz, and before the end of 2021 even up to @ 200Mhz. ECHO has been used by our customers in cars, trains and often in aircraft test flights. Another usage of ECHO is to detect and record scintillation phenomena, as we will soon do in Brazil.

■ SubWAVE (GNSS coverage extension for underground places) allows indoor positioning with precision, directly compatible with standard GPS receivers, which can be crucial for safety or operational reasons.

We have installed SubWAVE inside subways stations and tunnels (for example, in Stockholm, Paris and New York), in road tunnels (soon in France, in the “Tunnel du Mont Blanc”), in an underground bus terminal (also in Stockholm), in underground train stations (in Switzerland), and before the end of 2021 also in an underground mine (in Finland).

SIMULATORS

/ JACKSON

<< Continued from page 29. in lockstep with the complexity of the RF spectrum coming to us from space.

What are currently the greatest technical challenges to GNSS/PNT simulation?

A faithful reproduction of the real live-sky RF signals would rank high on this list. There are almost an unlimited number of out-of-band and in-band benign and adversary RF signals on a typical GNSS antenna these days, and more recently the sun has been acting up with solar flare activity that can disrupt GNSS signals. As GNSS receivers mature and become capable of tracking four, five or more carrier frequencies and constellations at once it becomes increasingly challenging to supply these types of signals from a simulator, and at a reasonable price-point. Sometimes, a wideband recording and playback system can do a better job at reproducing live-sky signals, however these systems are limited to playing back the same exact mission over and over again of course, and thus are not very flexible.

In what markets and applications are your simulators used?

Are they used only in labs or also in the field?

Our simulators are built for two different applications: the first is a traditional type of GPS signal simulation where a Windows application allows a user to set up static or dynamic scenarios, allows them to upload NMEA playback files, create jamming or spoofing signals, and generally tweak the RF signal in many ways, such as modifying power levels and antenna patterns and even creating space vehicle failures in real time. Our customers range from car, aircraft, and avionics manufacturers, to R&D labs, to the government and academia.

Our simulators also are used for a hardware-in-the-loop application that we call transcoding. It allows glueless retrofitting of existing GPS equipment with any and all the emerging PNT solutions such as LEO positioning and timing, celestial navigation, INS/IMU, CSAC holdover, and concurrent/multi-frequency GNSS using a 1x1-in. transcoder module. Our transcoders fly on Air Force aircraft, are used to retrofit telecom equipment, and allow deep-indoors and underground GPS reception.

Transcoders created an entirely new market for simulators.

E: precision@tallysman.com �

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COMBATTING JAMMING AND SPOOFING

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f the hundreds of papers researchers presented at last year’s annual Institute of Navigation (ION) GNSS+ conference, which took place virtually Sept.

21–25, the following six focused on combatting jamming and spoofing. The papers are available at www.ion.org/ publications/browse.cfm.

USING DIRECTION OF ARRIVAL

The author presents a scheme to combine multiple measurements for GNSS spoof detection for safety-oflife applications. The author’s algorithm combines both independent and correlated direction of arrival measurements that result in an analytic solution for the detection threshold, which can be computed online by the receiver. The scheme is validated for correlated azimuth measurements with data recorded by a dual-polarization antenna mounted on a C12 aircraft in flight, and applied to data from a live spoofing event.

Results show an increase in detections of 47% using just two sequential measurements, with equal robustness for false alerts compared to snapshot-based detection. The results also show using sequential spoof detection is a powerful way to improve the detection capability of an anti-spoof defense, costing only added computational complexity while introducing a timely component to the detection.

Citation. Rothmaier, Fabian; “Optimal Sequential Spoof Detection Based on Direction of Arrival Measurements.” https://doi. org/10.33012/2020.17538

USING NEURAL NETWORKS

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Citation. Borhani-Darian, Parisa; Li, Haoqing; Wu, Peng; Closas, Pau; “Deep Neural Network Approach to Detect GNSS Spoofing Attacks,” https://doi.org/10.33012/2020.17537

USING NETWORKS FOR TIMING

Information cross-validation can be a powerful tool to detect manipulated, dubious GNSS timing data.

Opportunistic time providers, Wi-Fi beacons and dedicated timing infrastructures provide largely available, precise sources of time information. A promising approach is to leverage time obtained over networks to which a mobile device can connect, and detect discrepancies between the GNSS-provided time and the network time. The paper investigates different options to secure augmentation time information, notably Network Time Security (NTS) and modified Wi-Fi beacons to support authentication. This scheme requires limited overhead, does not disrupt the normal operation of the Wi-Fi access points, and can be readily deployed.

Citation. Spanghero, Marco; Zhang, Kewei; Papadimitratos,

Spoofing attacks are difficult to model and counteract.

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Data-driven schemes become useful if enough training data is available. This article explores such an approach using the cross-ambiguity function delay/Doppler map as input to a deep neural network for classification purposes.

Several neural network models are trained, and their performance compared for detection and false-alarm probabilities. Results are promising, particularly with more complex neural networks, which are able to capture the nature of spoofing attacks. The method operates on a per-satellite basis.

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Panagiotis; “Authenticated Time for Detecting GNSS Attacks.”

SEPTEMBER 2021

MF3d/E+/Getty Images

RESEARCH Roundup

USING COOPERATIVE POSITIONING This paper highlights possible metrics to be checked to identify malicious attacks to the positioning and navigation systems in mass-market connected devices. The network-based exchange of GNSS data — such as GNSS raw measurements recently disclosed in Android smart devices — could offer the possibility to compare or combine such metrics to better identify spoofing and meaconing attacks.

This paper provides experimental tests and analysis toward devising an anti-spoofing strategy in connected GNSS devices.

Included are a classical spoofing approach (simplistic RF attack) and its effects on the raw GNSS observables. With two synchronized devices in a cooperative framework, possible metrics are highlighted to identify a spoofing attack to one of the devices by observing anomalies.

Also included is work on simulated meaconing of an already-developed collaborative positioning framework based on the exchange of raw GNSS measurements through the network. The different approaches of an attack to the framework are laid down, and the anomalies to be considered to detect an attack in a network of cooperating devices are presented.

This paper represents a part of a larger goal to develop an anti-spoofing detection and coping mechanism in connected commercial GNSS devices.

Citation. Rustamov, Akmal; Gogoi, Neil; Minetto, Alex; Dovis, Fabio; “GNSS Anti-Spoofing Defense Based on Cooperative Positioning.”

USING OSNMA IN THE GIANO GNSS RECEIVER In recent years, the awareness about jamming and spoofing risks has been increasing, particularly in the timing community because they may cause the disruption of critical services and infrastructures in the telecommunication, energy and finance sectors, which rely on GNSS timing to operate. To overcome these hazards, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) has funded the development of timing receivers for professional applications, with the aim to address specifically the above vulnerabilities, improving the receiver’s robustness and the accuracy and reliability of time transfer.

In this context, the GIANO (Galileo-based timing receiver for critical infrastructures robustness) project consortium, coordinated by Thales Alenia Space Italy and with the support of Deimos Engenharia S.A. (Portugal), the Space Research Centre PAS in Poznan (Poland), Piktime System SP. Zoo (Poland) and Business Integration Partner S.p.A. (Italy), has been awarded a contract in the framework of the

GSA’s “Fundamental Elements” program to develop a timing receiver for critical infrastructure applications. Besides the implementation of some interference and spoofing detection and mitigation techniques, the GIANO receiver makes use of Galileo’s authentication service OSNMA (Open Service Navigation Message Authentication), which can be employed as an added defense against some types of spoofing.

OSNMA exploits the TESLA (Time Efficient Stream Loss-tolerant Authentication) scheme, which is a protocol based on the transmission of message authentication codes generated with a key broadcast with some delay. The receiver authenticates the satellite messages through a digital signature algorithm and a public key known by the receivers, which also validates the root key of the TESLA chain, and through message authentication codes (MAC) used to authenticate specific fields of the navigation message. The receiver will also support public key renewals over the air.

This paper presents the OSNMA implementation within GIANO receiver, including the cryptographic operations required. The GIANO OSNMA capability will be extensively tested and validated with the support of the European Commission Joint Research Centre (Ispra, Italy).

Citation. Catalano, Valeria; Prata, Ricardo; Carvalho, Filipe; Nunes, Rui; Marradi, Livio; Franzoni, Gianluca; Puccitelli, Marco; Campana, Roberto; Gioia, Ciro; “Galileo OSNMA Preliminary Implementation in the GIANO GNSS Receiver.” https://doi. org/10.33012/2020.17714

USING CHIMERA AUTHENTICATION

Chimera is a signal authentication enhancement suitable for protecting the L1C GPS signal. As specified by the acronym itself (chips-message robust authentication), Chimera is based on the insertion of authentication features both at the message and spreading code levels. The data are digitally signed, while the spreading code is protected by the insertion of cryptographically generated punctures. The Chimera interface specification document was made public in 2019, while its first transmission is expected to be broadcast from the Navigation Technology Satellite 3 (NTS-3) satellite, set for launch in 2023. This paper describes the software implementation of the functions required to enable a GNSS software receiver to elaborate the Chimera authentication service. It includes a description of the development work and a detailed software profiling analysis, allowing for evaluation of the additional computational burden required by the Chimera verification and useful for providing important guidelines for receiver implementation.

Citation. Gamba, Micaela Troglia; Nicola, Mario; Motella, Beatrice; “GPS Chimera: A Software Profiling Analysis.” https:// doi.org/10.33012/2020.17717

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MARKET WATCH

Segment Snapshot: Applications, Trends & News

OEM

2

UrsaNav Trials eLoran with ADVA Grandmaster ADVA

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rsaNav and ADVA have conducted an enhanced long-range navigation (eLoran) field trial using UrsaNav’s eLoran receiver and ADVA’s Oscilloquartz grandmaster clock technology. The successful demonstration shows that eLoran offers a robust and reliable backup for GPS and other GNSS, and could be used to provide an assured position, navigation and timing (PNT) service.

The trial follows U.S. executive order 13905 aimed at strengthening national resilience through PNT services, including protecting critical infrastructure such as electrical power grid and communication networks from rising cyber threats. By harnessing ADVA’s flexible OSA 5420 series, designed with assured PNT (A-PNT) technology, UrsaNav has shown that eLoran can provide a new layer of protection and significantly boost timing resilience and security.

“The success of this field trial demonstrates how eLoran, as part of ADVA’s assured PNT solution, can serve as a crucial backup for GPS,” said Charles Schue, CEO, UrsaNav. “We have shown how our technology enables ADVA’s grandmaster clock to receive UTC timing from the eLoran system for a period of several days with the same accuracy and stability as GPS. Of course, this capability is extensible to other GNSS as well. eLoran is far less vulnerable

THE DEMO SHOWED how ADVA’s synchronization technology enables protection for critical infrastructure that needs reliable A-PNT solutions.

to unintentional jamming and spoofing disruptions or intentional attacks, thereby delivering nanosecond precision with even more resilience.”

UrsaNav’s latest trial used the OSA 5420 series grandmaster clock with built-in GNSS receiver. Timing stability from GPS was measured for several days. This was then replaced with eLoran for the same period with no loss of stability.

The test was conducted indoors where GNSS signals are not usually available, potentially extending the availability of precise UTC timing to many more environments.

Septentrio’s AsteRx SB3 Launched in Rugged Enclosure

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ASTERX SB3 FAMILY Both receivers in the new family offer triple-band sub-degree GNSS heading.

■ AsteRx SB3 Pro is a high-performance rover receiver featuring the latest core GNSS+ algorithms for maximum reliability and availability in challenging environments, such as near high structures or under foliage.

THE ASTERX SB3 PRO+ • AsteRx SB3 Pro+ adds value to the Pro is ruggedized for tough version with base-station functionality and environments. internal logging. It offers higher update rates and ultra-low latency, important for fastmoving vehicles or mechanical components in automation or guidance systems.

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Septentrio

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eptentrio has launched the AsteRx SB3 receiver family, enclosed in an IP68 housing. The receiver offers superior availability of RTK high-accuracy positioning because of its ability to track a wide variety of signals from all operating GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou).

Even in dual-antenna mode, AsteRx SB3 uses triple-frequency tracking to maximize robustness and availability of its heading angles.

The AsteRx SB3 products are pinto-pin compatible with the AsteRx SB ProDirect receiver and the AsteRx SBi3 GNSS/INS system, making it simple to change receivers.

MARKET WATCH

DEFENSE

2

Army Radar Program Receives M-Code key milestone for the Army program.

SecureSync with M-code provides enhanced resilient PNT capabilities and improved resistance to existing and emerging GPS threats, such as jamming and spoofing.

Lockheed Martin selected SecureSync in part due to its modular, open architecture – a cornerstone of the radar’s design – making integration simple and enabling upgrades.

“Making M-code available now in a readily configurable and scalable form factor is a critical step in advancing our forces out in the field, whether in the air or on the ground,” said Hironori Sasaki, president of Orolia Defense & Security.

U.S. Army

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n September 2019, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to develop the U.S. Army’s Sentinel A4 radar system, an air and missile defense radar that will provide improved capability against dynamic threats.

The following November, Orolia Defense & Security announced the availability of M-code military GPS receivers in its flagship SecureSync — the first time a server was approved by the Defense Information Systems Agency, the company said.

This May, Orolia delivered a shipment of M-code-enabled SecureSync mission timing and synchronization units to Lockheed Martin, marking a

OROLIA IS SUPPLYING SecureSync units for Lockheed Martin’s Sentinel A4 radar.

MARKET WATCH

AUTONOMOUS SOLUTIONS

2

WingtraOne GEN II Debuts with Oblique Mapping Wingtra

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new vertical-takeoff-andlanding (VTOL) drone — the WingtraOne GEN II — is now available. The GEN II offers industrial reliability and mapping versatility with an oblique camera configuration for high-quality 3D drone-mapping data capture.

Dronemaker Wingtra spent six years developing the GEN II, and tested it over 100,000 flights. Its WingtraOne is being used by professionals worldwide across many industries.

OBLIQUE PAYLOAD WingtraOne’s GEN II oblique mapping solution is designed for capturing infrastructure ranging from a single industrial plant to entire cities. It is backed by partnership agreements with Bentley Systems and Esri.

To demonstrate the power of GEN II carrying its Oblique Sony A6100 payload, the Wingtra team mapped the city of Zurich, Switzerland, in six flight hours, producing a 3D model processed with both Bentley ContextCapture and Esri’s Site Scan for ArcGIS. Bentley and Esri’s software are both recommended

THE WINGTRAONE GEN II drone was used to map Zurich and create a digital twin of the city.

for processing Wingtra oblique datasets.

INTEGRATED PPK WingtraOne GEN II features postprocessed kinematic (PPK) ability, including with Wingtra’s multispectral Altum and RedEdge payloads, which improve the quality of multispectral insights for agricultural uses such as irrigation management and pesticide mapping.

“We have studied more than 100,000 flights and all incoming customer

V

erizon, Parrot and Skyward have partnered to bring an outof-the-box 4G LTE-connected drone to the United States. The Parrot ANAFI Ai off-the-shelf drone connects to Verizon’s 4G LTE network. Verizon 4G LTE connectivity is provided to Skyward subscribers at no additional cost. The Skyward Connected Drone Solution gives enterprises one place for planning, flying, data transfer and processing data. Together, the drone and solution make complex missions simpler, safer and quicker in

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photogrammetry, mapping, modeling in construction, infrastructure, inspection, surveying, public safety and enterprise the companies said.

The Parrot ANAFI Ai features an omni-directional obstacle-avoidance system, 48 MP imaging accuracy, 4K 60 fps smooth videos, and up to 32 minutes of flight time in an airframe that weighs less than 2 pounds.

P a r r o t A N A F I A i ’s e m b e d d e d Secure Element secures the 4G LTE link between the drone and the user’s device. Parrot’s streaming software

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Verizon

4G-Connected Drone Launched

reports to understand what the limits might be so we can push them further,” said Julian Surber, Wingtra product manager. “As a result, we’ve designed many reliability tools for GEN II to guarantee uninterrupted operations.”

Wi ng t r a’s e ng i ne e r i ng te am redesigned the electronics of the GEN II from its predecessor WingtraOne for increased reliability, including a more powerful onboard computer, optimized PCB designs, and a new navigation and heading unit developed inhouse.

quickly optimizes the definition and frame rate for the connected 4G network.

The ANAFI Ai paves the way for near real-time data transfer, remote deployment and beyond-visual-lineof-sight flight operations, allowed with a waiver from the FAA.

MARKET WATCH

MAPPING

2

UgCS Updated for Lidar Mapping SPH Engineering

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PH Engineering has released a lidar toolset update to UgCS, the company’s UAV mission planning and flight control software. The lidar toolset is designed to eliminate human error in remote sensing.

Features include precise calibration, flight patterns for route planning, antishake turns, and constant line spacing and buffer.

The UgCS lidar toolset allows users to optimize time and cost-effectiveness at all stages of data collection and processing. At the flight planning stage, time is saved on mission planning, with flight patterns and turns designed specifically for lidar surveys.

At the flight stage, users can acquire high-quality laser data with preset inertial measurement unit (IMU) initialization patterns and antishake lidar turns. During post-flight data analysis, the high accuracy of

the acquired data ensures the desired results with a single trip to the field Application areas include power line inspections, road inspections, construction, mining, archaeology and forestry.

Providing the only Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing solution available today

GPSS-Sales@gd-ms.com • www.gpssource.com GPS Source, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics Mission Systems. ©2021 General Dynamics. All rights reserved.

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MARKET WATCH

SURVEYING

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UAV Lidar to Inform Carbon-Emission Reduction Policy Routescene

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specialist team at the University of WisconsinMadison (UW-Madison) used the Routescene UAV lidar system to detect and visualize forests in Northern Wisconsin, United States, as part of the CHEESEHEAD project. The objective of the project is to improve weather forecasting by understanding how vegetation and forests influence the atmosphere. This information will be used by decision makers to develop policies that more effectively enable carbon emission reductions.

PROJECT OVERVIEW The CHEESEHEAD project (The Chequamegon Heterogeneous Ecosystem Energy-balance Study Enabled by a High-density Extensive Array of Detectors) studies interactions and feedback between the land surface and atmosphere and how these results can be used to improve weather and climate models. Ultimately, the results will enable better carbon-emission reduction policy making.

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VISUALIZATION of dominant tree structures in Northern Wisconsin around the flux towers.

THE UAV LIDAR SURVEYS The UW-Madison team collected high density 3D pointcloud data of the prominent tree species in Wisconsin’s Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Routescene’s dronemounted lidar system captured the full tree structure, from the tree canopy to ground-level vegetation.

UAV lidar works well to quickly and efficiently survey and represent the type, shape and composition of a forest canopy. Surveys were carried out around eleven 100-foot flux towers within areas that ranged from 0.25 km² to 1 km².

Six forest types were identified that included aspen, pine, poplar, larch, cedar and hardwood.

“The tall canopy of 20–30 m height created difficult flying conditions,” said Christian Andresen, UW-Madison.

“It was difficult to keep a visual line of sight, so we decided to fly smaller 500 m x 500 m flights to keep sight of the drone.”

The Routescene lidar system includes a 32-laser lidar sensor providing a scan rate of up to 1.4 million points per second. Point-cloud density averaged 600 points per meter squared with a vertical accuracy of 2–5 cm.

“The Routescene system worked f lawlessly and we achieved all we had planned. Over the three days, our crew of two covered a total of 4.2 km²,” Andresen said. “We were particularly impressed with the density of overlapping flight lines and the mapping of the forest structure.”

This project contributed to the wider CHEESEHEAD experiment to generate knowledge that advances the science of surface f lux measurement and modelling, relevant to many scientific applications such as numerical weather prediction, climate change, energy resources and computational fluid dynamics.

SEPTEMBER 2021

MARKET WATCH

SURVEYING

2

GeoSLAM Launches Underground Mining Solutions

GNSSA-DCP

GEOSLAM

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eospatial mapping company GeoSLAM has expanded its mining offerings.

The company also announced an automated processing platform, GeoSLAM Connect, which provides users with the flexibility to process data to their specifications through interactive, customizable script-based workflows.

The new innovations can be used alongside GeoSLAM solutions already available, including GeoSLAM Volumes for stockpile volumetric calculations.

GeoSLAM Production Progress Mapping allows operators to make short-term decisions on newly mined production areas when coupled with the ZEB scanner and its own internal coordinate system. Once the data from each scan has been automatically processed and georeferenced using GeoSLAM Connect, it can be uploaded to compatible third-party software. Operators can overlap collected data and precisely visualize changes over time to compare with project plans.

Convergence Analysis provides mine owners with a rapid

and cost-effective way to understand the environment while keeping miners safe by measuring rock support at a safe distance.

A shaft inspection cradle is built for collecting data during inspections and analyzing change. It allows users to understand the erosion of a shaft wall, view blockages and identify hanging points for ore in hard-to-reach shafts.

©

Active Dual Circularly Polarized GNSS Antenna Receive RHCP and LHCP signals simultaneously.

Clearly detect signals which have been corrupted by diffraction and reflections.

Cover all GNSS frequencies in L band.

Technology licensed by Fraunhofer IIS | https://teleorbit.eu

SEPTEMBER 2021

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MARKET WATCH

TRANSPORTATION

2

Europe Researches Automated Map Creation

GPS & MGUE Program Update & High Dynamic Testing WEBINAR Oct 14, 1 PM ET Register: spirentfederal.com

Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) Increment 1 and Increment 2 programs

Military GPS receiver technology for weapons systems, ground and airborne platforms

Emulating high dynamic applications, such as space vehicles & hypersonic munitions

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Topcon

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vehicle trajectory (a time series of position, velocity and attitude coordinates) by integrating the manifold sensors available in a mapping vehicle.

“GAMMS will boost the development of NEXA, our trajectory determination platform, and GENA, our adjustment platform for dynamic networks, in the direction of trustworthy navigation,” said Marta Blázquez, who is responsible for GAMMS at GeoNumerics.

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) and atomic clocks will be fused with measurements of all available navigation satellites (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou), odometers, cameras and laser scanners.

GeoNumerics’ GENA and NEXA systems will be developed to include new mathematical models of sensors and improve its robust estimation methods.

Support Provided for Maritime Market

Guest Speakers: Overview of the GPS program within the Space Systems Command enterprise

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DedMityay/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

A

new European project is researching automated collection of geodata and production of highdefinition maps.

The GAMMS project is funded by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), and will take place until the end of 2023. Galileo will be the main enabler of GAMMS, given its precise, multipath-resistant measurements and its upcoming high-accuracy service.

A European consortium, led by the French map service provider GEOSAT, will investigate how the combination of self-driving mapping cars (autonomous mobile-mapping systems) and artificial intelligence-based mapping software can automate the production of high-definition maps.

These maps are used by driverless vehicles and need to be provably accurate, complete and up to date. Fast, sustainable production of trustworthy maps is the goal.

GeoNumerics is responsible for computing the mapping

op c on Po s it i on i ng Systems has entered into an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) contract with DDK Positioning Ltd. to supply GNSS hardware components to it.

I n J u l y, O c e a n e e r i n g an n ou n c e d an e xclu s ive agreement with DDK Positioning to be the new provider of products and services to the offshore maritime market, delivered through the Iridium network and with Topcon OEM GNSS products.

DDK Positioning will use Topcon components to deliver its MAX services to Oceaneering International’s clients. The clients, primarily in the marine energy sector, can achieve accuracy to less than 5 centimeters with this new service.

SEPTEMBER 2021

MARKET WATCH

MACHINE CONTROL 2

John Deere Acquires Bear Flag Robotics

MOBILE

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Swift, KDDI to Expand Precise Positioning

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wift Navigation is partnering with Tokyo-based KDDI Corp., an international telecommunications company, to help bring Swift’s precise positioning technology to the Japan market.

KDDI will also be a key partner in the global expansion of Skylark precise positioning service, which is now available across the continental United States and Europe in partnership with Deutsche Telekom.

Traditionally, precision GNSS corrections were provided using real-time kinematic (RTK) techniques, requiring a high density of reference stations and with limited fault tolerance.

By partnering with Swift, KDDI is able to utilize Swift’s patented wide-area corrections solution, a hybrid of precise point positioning (PPP) and RTK. The solution delivers widearea corrections with a low density of reference stations, fast convergence and centimeter-level accuracy from a reliable service delivered via the cloud.

The accuracy of the Skylark precise positioning service enables lane-level positioning at fast convergence times to achieve the levels of safety, reliability, integrity and availability required by autonomous, mass-market and mobile applications.

John Deere

D

eere & Company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Bear Flag Robotics for $250 million USD. Founded in 2017, Bear Flag is a Silicon Valley-based startup that develops autonomous-driving technology compatible with existing machines.

The deal accelerates the development and delivery of automation and autonomy on the farm and supports John Deere’s long-term strategy to create smarter machines with advanced technology to support individual customer needs.

Deere first started working with Bear Flag in 2019 as part of the company’s Startup Collaborator program, an initiative focused on enhancing work with startup companies whose technology could add value for Deere customers. Since then, Bear Flag has successfully deployed its autonomous solution on a limited number of farms in the United States.

The Bear Flag team consists of agriculture professionals,

engineers and technologists focused on autonomy, sensor fusion, vision, data, software and hardware. They will remain in Silicon Valley where they will work closely with Deere to accelerate innovation and autonomy for customers across the world.

ADVERTISER INDEX: COMPANIES FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE Editor’s Note: This ad/edit index is for reader convenience only.

The publisher accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions.

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CAST NAVIGATION CHC NAVIGATION EOS POSITIONING GENERAL DYNAMICS GPS NETWORKING IFEN JACKSON LABS JAVAD L3 HARRIS NOVATEL OROLIA RACELOGIC SBG SYSTEMS SPIRENT FEDERAL SUZHOU FOIF SYNTONY GNSS TALLYSMAN TELEORBIT UNICORE COMMUNICATIONS

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INSIDE FRONT COVER 35 9 37 29 13 17 INSIDE BACK COVER 19 BACK COVER 23 5 21 7, 40 38 27 31 39 15 G P S W O R L D 41

SEEN HEARD OUR SPINNING GLOBE A highlight of the opening ceremony at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics was a revolving globe above the Olympic stadium. The 1,824 Intel Shooting Star 3 drones formed a complex set of geometrical shapes before transitioning into the games’ emblem, and then a 3D representation of Earth. The Intel Shooting Star 3 drones are designed for entertainment purposes. Each drone weighs 340 grams, is equipped with four extremely bright LEDs, and features real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS for the increased positional accuracy needed for high-resolution animations, sharp imagery and dynamic 3D animations.

COFFEE BUZZ Illegal coffee plantations have appeared inside Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in Indonesia, a key habitat for the endangered Sumatran tiger and other species. Conservationist Matt Leggett noticed in satellite images the declining size of the forest, and sent a team of researchers on an undercover operation on dirt bikes with cameras and GPS receivers, reports the Aug. 11 New York Times Magazine. Leggett’s team mapped hundreds of small coffee farms and investigated the complex chain of custody, which ends with major brand names. No solution has been found, though some farmers have promised to replant the forest over the next 15 years, while others continue to clear park land.

NOW THAT’S HEAVY Seven scientific-grade GPS stations are joining a network of 65 that the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory operates on the Hawaiian Islands. As Hawaiian volcanoes erupt and grow, they add weight to the Earth’s surface, causing the Pacific Plate to flex downward and possibly causing the shelf to splinter. Earthquakes this spring in Hawaii likely were related to weight on the underlying crust and mantle from eruptions. Collecting years of data from these stations should help scientists better understand motions of the Pacific Plate, according to researcher Jeff Freymueller, Michigan State University. The first three GPS stations were installed in May; others are being installed this summer.

CAMERA UPGRADE Nikon could be launching a consumer camera equipped with GNSS instead of only GPS, providing a major upgrade for the geolocation coordinates provided with photo metadata.

Filings with the governments of Russia and Indonesia describe a camera dubbed N2014, which will be equipped with GNSS as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. A number of Nikon CoolPix digital cameras have built-in GPS, while other cameras — Nikon D-SLRs and select Nikon 1 — can use optional accessory GPS devices.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Leap Ahead To demonstrate our advanced technology, we dropped an engineer out of an airplane The PwrPak7D-E2 is a new high-performance SPAN GNSS+INS solution for reliable, continuously available position, velocity and attitude – even when satellite signals are blocked or unavailable. We put it to the test by attaching it to one of our engineers in a wingsuit. If it can work up here, it can work anywhere. novatel.com/wingsuit2020 We provide advanced GPS technology to some of the world’s leading companies to help keep them in the lead. Our quality, integration support and manufacturing capability makes us a sure path to success in the fields of autonomous vehicles, aviation, agriculture, defense, surveying, mining and construction. We can help you leap ahead, too.

Autonomy & Positioning – Assured | novatel.com