Photo: anyaberkut / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images On March 27, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched a proceeding on commercial technologies that would complement GPS. “Although GPS is indispensable to America’s economic and national security, it represents a single point of failure that can be vulnerable to disruption or manipulation by our adversaries,” said the FCC’s announcement, highlighting the federal government’s bipartisan call to develop complementary systems that provide positioning, […]

The Lockheed Martin Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) IIIA, Space Vehicle 08 (SV-08), prepares to be loaded to a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, for transportation to Florida, April 1, 2025. The space vehicle was successfully transferred on April 2, 2025, through a coordinated effort between Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Space Force’s Space Operations Command, and USAF’s Air Mobility Command. (U.S. Space Force Photo by Senior Airman Joshua Hollis) […]

April 14, 2025 Anglers turn to Garmin live sonar technology to help manage the invasive species population. The people who cherish the famed Flaming Gorge Reservoir are committed to protecting its trophy fish and maintaining healthy waters. While most fish in the Flaming Gorge Reservoir feed during the day and rest at night, one species follows the opposite routine: the burbot. The what? We’re talking about the invasive nocturnal burbot, dubbed the “ugliest fish in […]

BPS basics. A TV tower broadcasts the tower’s location and each communication frame’s emission time within the frame. (Graphic: National Association of Broadcasters) More than 20 years ago, in these pages, we referred to television broadcast signals as “signals of opportunity” that might be used for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT). Since then, several other signals with a different primary purpose have also been considered as sources of PNT, and some have been used routinely […]

Syntony GNSS has introduced the Echo 4RP, the latest addition to its Echo series of GNSS record and playback systems. This new model builds on the capabilities of the Echo R&P, offering advanced features designed to address the evolving needs of GNSS testing and development. The Echo 4RP expands its frequency range to include L, S, and C bands, surpassing the previous model’s coverage of 1100 MHz to 2550 MHz. This broader spectrum supports both […]

Photo: STMicroelectronics STMicroelectronics has partnered with Segway to enhance its latest range of robotic lawnmowers. The collaboration integrates precision positioning and extended satellite-signal coverage, designed to improve operational efficiency and safety. Reliable satellite navigation is essential for robotic lawnmowers that operate without boundary wires. These devices must autonomously navigate safely, even in areas where tall buildings or trees obstruct satellite signals. Uninterrupted satellite signal coverage is critical for functioning at the edge of stairs or […]

Rx Networks has introduced TruePoint | FOCUS, a high-precision, cloud-based GNSS correction service that offers instantaneous centimeter-level accuracy for a variety of applications. This service is designed to address the needs of industries requiring real-time precision, such as micro-mobility, smart agriculture, robotics, UAVs, IoT and machine control. TruePoint | FOCUS supports both Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) and PPP-RTK modes to offer flexibility and high performance. The RTK mode is hardware-agnostic, ensuring compatibility with any RTK-enabled GNSS […]

ComNav Technology has released the SV600 unmanned surface vessel (USV) for hydrographic surveying. This remote-controlled vessel incorporates adaptive water-flow straight-line and hovering technology, enhancing efficiency and ease of operation. A key feature of the SV600 is its dual-moon pool design, which allows for simultaneous deployment of various surveying equipment. This includes Acoustic Doppler current profilers, single-beam echo sounders, side-scan sonar, pipeline detectors and miniaturized multi-beam echo sounders. The vessel’s design prioritizes versatility and quick transitions […]

Photo: NASA The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) seeking public input on positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) systems and policies. While GPS is crucial for the United States’ economic and national security, its dependency as a single point of failure renders it vulnerable to disruption or manipulation by adversaries. Recognizing this vulnerability, leaders such as President Trump, Chairman Cruz, and Senator Markey have advocated for developing alternative systems to […]

A Saildrone Voyager USV equipped with hardware and software to operate in a GPS-denied environment at sea during IMX 2025. (US Navy Photo by Chief Petty Officer Arif Patani.) (The appearance of US Department of Defense (DOD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.) Saildrone has equipped its Voyager platform with new hardware and software algorithms, allowing it to operate in areas affected by GPS jamming and spoofing. The company successfully demonstrated these […]