Australia launches positioning technology trials

The Australian Government is to invest US$9 million (AU$12 million) in a two-year program looking into the future of Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) positioning technology in Australia. The funding will be used to test instant, accurate and reliable positioning technology that could provide future safety, productivity, efficiency and environmental benefits across many industries in Australia, including transport, agriculture, construction, and resources. Federal Minister for Infrastructure
January 19, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The Australian Government is to invest US$9 million (AU$12 million) in a two-year program looking into the future of Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) positioning technology in Australia.

The funding will be used to test instant, accurate and reliable positioning technology that could provide future safety, productivity, efficiency and environmental benefits across many industries in Australia, including transport, agriculture, construction, and resources.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the program could test the potential of SBAS technology in the four transport sectors—aviation, maritime, rail and road.

The two-year project will test SBAS technology that has the potential to improve positioning accuracy in Australia to less than five centimetres. Currently, positioning in Australia is usually accurate to five to 10 metres.

The SBAS test-bed is Australia's first step towards joining countries such as the US, Russia, India, Japan and many across Europe in investing in SBAS technology and capitalising on the link between precise positioning, productivity and innovation.
Location Based Systems

Related Content

  • Volvo Group studies potential to test electric roads in a city
    May 21, 2014
    The Volvo Group is now taking the next step in the development of sustainable transport solutions. In collaboration with the Swedish Transport Administration, the Volvo Group will study the potential for building electric roads, where city buses can be charged from electricity in the road at the same time as the bus is in operation. The benefit is quieter and more climate-smart public transport. A 300- to 500-metre electric road may be built for test operations in central Gothenburg during 2015. The tech
    Read More
  • Oregon tests new mileage-base charging scheme
    August 5, 2013
    Jack Opiola from D’Artagnan Consulting LLP explains Oregon’s latest moves which mandated a trial of mileage-based road use charging. In 1919, Oregon made the 20th century’s most significant contribution to transportation funding policy, becoming the first state in America to implement a gas tax to pay for roads. This summer Oregon’s Legislature passed, and Governor John Kitzhaber signed into law, Senate Bill 810 which requires a distance-based road usage charge for 5,000 volunteer vehicles by 1 July 2015. T
    Read More
  • Government green lights road and rail improvements
    July 19, 2013
    UK Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has confirmed a £1.2 billion order for more state of-the art trains to transform rail travel on one of Britain’s busiest intercity routes. The 270 carriages will be manufactured in Britain by Hitachi Rail Europe as part of the government’s overall £5.8 billion Intercity Express Programme (IEP). The trains will operate on the East Coast Main Line from 2019 and will deliver significant benefits to passengers, including boosting capacity by 18 per cent, improving trai
    Read More
  • UK firms challenged to cut freight emissions
    September 22, 2017
    UK companies are urged to compete for up to US$20 million (£15 million) of funding to develop technology to reduce harmful emissions from freight. Roads Minister Jesse Norman has called on businesses to lead research into low emission technology for lorries, as well as cars and vans. The projects could see materials which make vehicles lighter, or improve the efficiency of engines or batteries, he says.
    Read More

Highlighted Content