In 2024, we witnessed emerging trends, challenges and opportunities that significantly impacted the GNSS/PNT industry, ranging from advancements in surveying technology to ways to combat the increasing threats of jamming and spoofing. In this year in review, we highlight notable stories from 2024.

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January

Image: Advanced Navigation

Charting uncharted waters: Bathymetry in action

This article discussed advancements in bathymetric surveying techniques, highlighting three projects — from SBG Systems, CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) and Advanced Navigation — that are charting underwater environments. It showcased the exploration of the Great Blue Hole in Belize using submarine-mounted sonar, creating a digital twin flood model for China’s Yellow River using unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and UAVs and the development of an autonomous vessel for surveying wet gaps in military operations.

February

Aligning the trades: GNSS for architecture, engineering and construction

Surveying is an ongoing process on construction sites. Surveyors are the first on the site before any other work begins and the last ones there to map the project “as built.” Total stations with GNSS receivers, tablets and other mobile digital devices are their essential tools, increasingly complemented by UAVs and lidar scanners. In this story on architecture, engineering and construction (AEC), we highlighted three building projects — from ComNav Technology, CHCNAV and Eos Positioning Systems — as well as photos from Juniper Systems.

Photo: Safran Federal Systems

March

2024 GPS World simulator buyers guide

In our 13th annual Simulator Buyers Guide, we featured simulator tools, devices and software from nine prominent companies that aid GNSS receiver manufacturers in product design.

April

L5-first for improved resilience in mass market GNSS

Paul McBurney, co-founder and CEO of oneNav, emphasized the advantages of L5-first GNSS receivers in enhancing resilience against GNSS interference and jamming in mass market applications. He shared how traditional receivers prioritize L1 signals, limiting their effectiveness in high-interference environments, while L5 signals, which have a higher chipping rate and power, can improve jamming resistance by up to 15 dB. The article advocated for the development of L5-first systems to boost GNSS resilience, particularly for critical infrastructure, although challenges such as acquisition complexity and cost must be addressed before widespread adoption.

May

(Photo: CAST Navigation)

Combating jamming and spoofing: PNT on the battlefield

Jamming and spoofing continue to be the key challenges to military use of GNSS. While the production and adoption of M-Code receivers is delayed, defense contractors are developing several approaches to identify, locate and neutralize these threats — including CRPA antennas, embedded GPS inertial (EGI) navigators, software-defined radios and cryptography. In this cover story, executives from seven companies presented their perspectives on the GNSS/PNT challenges faced by U.S. and allied military forces, their market niche in this area and their latest products.

June

NextNav petitions FCC for new spectrum band

NextNav’s petition to the FCC seeks to reconfigure the 902-928 MHz band for a new terrestrial positioning, navigation and timing (TPNT) service. This service aims to complement GPS, enhancing location reliability in urban areas. The integration with 5G technology could further improve positioning services. However, the petition has raised significant concerns within the GNSS industry. Industry leaders argue that granting NextNav access to this spectrum could disrupt existing technologies that rely on the same band. The proposed higher power levels could lead to interference, jeopardizing the operational reliability of various sectors, including supply chains and healthcare. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received more than 1,700 comments highlighting concerns about harmful interference and calling for careful evaluation before any regulatory changes are made. The outcome of this petition could significantly influence the future landscape of positioning technologies in the United States, affecting both GNSS capabilities and the viability of critical applications that depend on current spectrum usage.

July

PNT without GNSS

For the fourth year in a row, the topic for our July cover story was complementary positioning, navigation and timing (PNT). The ongoing challenges of combating jamming and spoofing, as well as enhancing resilience in PNT systems, have been prominent themes in our articles and industry throughout 2024. The U.S. National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Advisory Board has been actively working on strategies to “protect, toughen and augment” GPS. The term “augment” refers to enhancements made to GPS and the integration of complementary PNT sources that can…