rithms in the GNSS receiver are aided by the INS so that the system gives a solution, even when fewer satellites are visible than are normally needed.
More sensors, such as visual techniques, RADAR, LiDAR and many others can be used; and, with advanced algorithms, sensor fusion can provide a comprehensively robust system.
Building Situation Awareness
GNSS situation awareness is needed so that you can make informed decisions on which PNT system to rely on, and those which may succumb to attack. Modern GNSS receivers can examine and report on the signals which are inaccessible to other tools as they are below thermal noise. And, as I mentioned earlier, we can now detect spoofing with open-signal receivers. Anti-jam antennas can be used to provide information on the strength and type of jamming signals, and they can give information on the direction to the jammer.
This situation awareness enables you to make informed decisions and take appropriate action; and it is an aid to being able to attribute the interference to its source.
A Layered Defense
To protect your PNT in a contested environment, we recommend a layered defense. Select the right GNSS signals to use, and use as many as you can. If you are authorized, use encrypted GNSS signals with a secure encryption key. Employ open-signal spoofing detection, as well as an anti-jam antenna. Create a robust positioning solution with complementary heterogeneous sensors. And, GNSS situation awareness also helps because understanding the environment supports you in overcoming adverse conditions.
GNSS positioning and timing is truly achievable in a contested environment; it just requires ingenuity, suitable equipment, and the right tools.
Hexagon | NovAtel Director of Marketing Neil Gerein explains how GNSS is used to solve different positioning problems in different industries. Focusing on the agriculture, automotive, and defense industries, he outlines how GNSS and its related technologies offers comprehensive solutions to deliver positioning and autonomy – assured.
Hello, and welcome to episode seven of NovAtel’s on demand webinar series on An Introduction to GNSS. My name is Neil Gerein. I’m the director of marketing at NovAtel, part of Hexagon. Thanks for joining me!
This is the final of seven episodes in our introduction to GNSS webinar series. In past episodes, we’ve explored the calculations underlying GNSS, what the GNSS signal is made of and how it’s used to calculate a position.
In this final episode, I’ll demonstrate how GNSS positioning and its related technologies are used to solve positioning problems for a variety of users across industries. I’ll cover GNSS positioning in agriculture, automotive, and defense industries.
For a more expansive view of the industries relying upon GNSS, download our Introduction to GNSS book.
How GNSS Solves a Positioning Problem
GNSS solves a user’s positioning problem. While accuracy, resiliency, and even technical requirements differ across industries, at the end of the day the goal is for GNSS to determine where you are in any environment.
In precision agriculture, GNSS technology enables farmers to improve efficiency with products and techniques that can cut unnecessary expenses on seed, fuel, agrochemicals and time. These applications can include autosteering, variable rate seeding and spray applications, auto section control and path planning.
GNSS positioning must be incredibly accurate over the region, down to the centimeter in some cases, which is possible thanks to correction services. These services, which we explored in episode four, must be reliable even as the farmer passes by trees that can block satellite signals at headland turns at the end of a field. Because of the row-based nature of planting and harvesting, the relative pass-to-pass accuracy of the positioning solution is a key metric for these users.
For the automotive industry, GNSS positioning provides everything from navigation support, to the development of autonomous vehicles. While accuracy is integral to the safety of autonomous vehicles, manufacturers are 