Skip to main content

Test confirms Galileo increases accuracy of location based services

Tests conducted by Rx Networks and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) confirm that, when used in addition to GPS and/or GLONASS, Galileo significantly improves the accuracy of location-based services when used in challenging environments. The GSA and Rx Networks, a leading mobile location technology and services company, announced the results of tests conducted by the company measuring the performance of Galileo when used in various combinations with GPS and GLONASS.
May 28, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Tests conducted by Rx Networks and the 5810 European GNSS Agency (GSA) confirm that, when used in addition to GPS and/or GLONASS, Galileo significantly improves the accuracy of location-based services when used in challenging environments.

The GSA and Rx Networks, a leading mobile location technology and services company, announced the results of tests conducted by the company measuring the performance of Galileo when used in various combinations with GPS and GLONASS.

Tests were conducted in real-world environments, including urban canyons and indoors. These environments pose significant challenges to location accuracy due to multipath and obstructed views of satellites. Each test consisted of a three-hour data capture of GNSS signals, which was later replayed to produce hundreds of fixes using a multi-constellation GNSS receiver from 6234 STMicroelectronics.

The results showed that using Galileo with one or more other GNSS constellations provides significantly more accurate location fixes compared to GPS alone, when indoors or in urban canyons. As expected, the GPS+Galileo combination did not exceed the performance of GPS+GLONASS, due primarily to there only being four Galileo satellites available at the time of the testing. It is expected that, as more Galileo satellites are launched, the combination of Galileo with GPS will show further improvements in performance.

According to Gian-Gherado Calini, head of Market Development at the GSA, “Dual-constellation GNSS” designs are the standard for many smartphones and other devices. The combination of GPS and Galileo provides a robust solution and is expected to offer performance that will meet or exceed end-user expectations.”

Adrian Stimpson, senior vice-president of Sales and Marketing, Rx Networks said, “The results should be encouraging to any GNSS chipset manufacturer who is considering adding Galileo as a competitive differentiator.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Semi-autonomous hybrid vehicle trials show fuel, emission savings
    July 16, 2012
    The Transport Research Laboratory has unveiled an innovative semi-autonomous vehicle prototype. It offers improves in environmental performance and safety but also displays some shortcomings. Mike Woof reports. The UK's Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has been working on an innovative project to develop a prototype vehicle intended to reduce fuel consumption. Based on a Ford Escape hybrid model, TRL's Sentience vehicle uses a combination of mobile communications and mapping technologies to reduce fuel c
  • Cellint measures speed and travel time without roadside infrastructure
    April 10, 2014
    Collecting speed and travel time data without using roadside infrastructure could offer new possibilities to cash-strapped road authorities. Streaming video may be useful for traffic controllers to monitor incidents and automatic number plate recognition may be required for enforcement, but neither are necessary for many ITS functions. For instance travel times, tailbacks, percentage of vehicles turning, origin and destination analysis can all be done using Bluetooth and/or WI-Fi sensors and without video o
  • European consortium to develop positioning engine for automated driving
    January 3, 2017
    Following the launch of Galileo, the European satellite navigation system, the European GNSS Agency, GSA, has launched the European Safety Critical Applications Positioning Engine (ESCAPE), project which aims to exploit the services offered by Galileo in the field of the automated driving. The three-year, US$5.6 million (€5.4 million) project will coordinate some of the most relevant industrial and research institutions in Europe to create a positioning engine for highly automated driving. ESCAPE is l
  • App improves EU’s Galileo Green Lanes
    May 12, 2020
    More transparency ahead for better management of European Union border points