Why SatNav Challenge

Why the UK SatNav Challenge 2008?

Global Navigational Satellite Systems (GNSS), will provide the worlds most accurate position, timing, navigation system significantly enhancing the performance of the current GPS, global positioning System. The Accuracy and reliability provided by Galileo will enable almost unlimited opportunities for new applications, technologies and services. It has been estimated that more than 140,000 new jobs and a market for equipment and services worth more than €10 billion per annum could be created by 2010.

The UK SatNav Challenge into Europes SATNAV Competition aims to identify and stimulate new GNSS applications and technologies throughout Europe. It will also encourage a support network to nurture emerging ideas from concept to commercial reality.

The Europe-wide programme is an opportunity for SME’s, entrepreneurs (individuals), academia, research institutes & corporate organisations to develop ideas using Satelite Navigation for the emerging location based market, estimated to be worth over €10 billion.

The programme, now in its fourth year and running in 10 countries, has global support from by DLR, T-Systems, DHL innovation and The European Space Agency (ESA) through its European Space Incubator Network (ESINET). with the UK having partnerships with regional development Agencies, Industry, Academia, research associations and governmental departments.

Why Satellite Navigation? – Benefits and opportunities

Though current satellite navigation systems already provide a wide range of applications such as control and commercial location-based services for handheld devices, in-car systems, marine and aviation terminals, they do not offer any performance guarantees or emphasise its capability in timing. They are therefore not considered suitable for “safety of life/ Safety-critical” applications.

Existing services are based on the US GPS system which has several drawbacks:

Low availability / coverage in areas without a clear view of the open skies eg high rise urban sites and forests
Users are not informed when the signal/service is unreliable
The joint military-civil ownership of the system restricts the offer of guarantees for service performance

Being civil owned and operated, and compatible and interoperable with GPs, Galileo will overcome these drawbacks.

Poor coverage in confined areas - Galileo will deliver real time positioning accurate to within one metre in the harshest of urban and terrain conditions. This is the distance required for use in safety critical applications such as rail and air transport.

Integrity – Galileo includes an integrity message which informs users of possible errors as soon as they happen. This gives Galileo the added reliability that allows it to be used in critical, safety-of life situations.

Service Level Assurance

Galileo proposes to offer several types of new services:

The free to Open Service (OS) similar to that offered by GPS at present
The Safety of Life (SoL) Service
The enhanced Commercial Service (CS)
The Public Related Service (PRS)
Search and Rescue (SAR) services

The UK Challenge has support from the Secretary of State for Science and Innovation and Minister of State for Transport, Stephen Ladyman.

UK & European Competition:

What?

Challenging individuals, SME's, Industry, academia and research organisations to come up with new applications that utilise Satellite Navigation and/or make use of Galileo's increased capabilities.
The UK winner will represent Great Britain in the European finals later this year.
The viable entries will see their ideas supported in moving from concept to reality in time for the start of the Galileo service in 2008.

Why?

Huge Potential for new and innovative business applications resulting from the UK’s investment in the Galileo System
Satellite Navigation is the newest enabling technology following mobile technology and the internet
Opportunity to showcase the UK's innovation excellence across Europe.

Who?

HBIC manages the UK challenge for Great Britain.
HBIC is the UK's only Space Incubator (members of ESINET) members of the the Royal Institite of Navigation (RIN) and Location and Timing KTN (formerly Pinpoint Faraday), a collaboration between academics, industry and government bringing the latest Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) technologies to new and emerging markets.
Participants to include entrepreneurs, SME’s, research establishments, university departments, transport providers, Government departments, institutions, media