Wanted: your new ideas for navigation
It is hard to overstate the importance of knowing precisely where (and when) you are and where you are going within today’s economy and society. Do you have a promising idea to improve the current positioning state-of-the-art? Then ESA’s navigation-focused NAVISP research programme wants to hear from you, before the end of March.
The current estimate is that ‘positioning, navigation and timing’ (PNT) underpins a tenth of the European economy. The transport sector is obviously reliant on PNT, but so for example is precision agriculture, along with power, communications and banking networks and the fast-growing internet of things.
Satellite navigation, with signals from space extending across the globe, represents the single biggest source of PNT information, but these signals are not available in all locations and are vulnerable to natural or human-made interference. PNT is so important that Europe needs to hone our competitiveness in this field, and be wary of relying on a single-source solution.
That is what ESA’s Navigation Innovation and Support Programme, NAVISP, is all about. Overseen by many of the same experts who helped Europe’s Galileo satnav system to become a working reality, NAVISP is supporting cutting-edge European companies in the development of novel PNT technologies and services. Underscoring the commercial priority of this field, some 20 ESA Member States plus Canada have joined the programme.
Send us your innovative PNT ideas
NAVISP is divided into a trio of elements. NAVISP Element 1 is focused on innovation in PNT, involving novel concepts, techniques, technologies and systems along the entire value chain – often combining satnav with other solutions.
This might involve, for instance, applying AI as well as positioning sensors to driverless cars and boats, adding wifi or 5G signals to PNT fixes, or employing high-altitude atmospheric platforms to supplement satnav coverage over regions in need.
To compile its annual Element 1 workplan, NAVISP invites innovative PNT concepts from companies or academic entities across NAVISP Participating States. Element 1’s scope of activities ranges from initial feasibility studies and viability analyses all the way to full proof of concept for promising PNT systems and services.
The deadline for this year’s workplan is 31 March 2022. To start with we need only a simple 1-page description, notifying your national ESA Delegation of your application in parallel. For more information click here.
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