Tech Chat | What services can GNSS provide?
In the last blog, we've learned how GNSS works and what it consists of. So after obtaining the satellite signal, what can we do with it? Or in other words, what services can GNSS provide?
Last blog: Tech Chat – How does GNSS work?
Major Satellite Systems
GNSS mainly includes various global navigation satellite systems, such as the familiar GPS of USA, GLONASS of Russia, GALILEO of European Union and BDS of China.
Except for the global navigation satellite system, there are some regional navigation satellite systems that only cover part of the earth, such as the early BDS-2 in China, Quasi-Zenith System (QZSS) in Japan and IRNSS in India.
In addition to regional navigation satellite systems, GNSS also includes satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS). SBAS is a complement and enhancement to the above-mentioned satellite systems. The existing global/regional satellite systems may not be able to meet the positioning and reliability requirements of some specific scenarios, so SBAS came into being. It increases our positioning needs by broadcasting more accurate and abundant information. The main SBAS include WAAS in the US, MSAS in Japan, EGNOS in Europe, and GAGAN in India, etc.
In summary, GNSS mainly includes global satellite navigation system (GPS/BDS/GAL/GLO), regional navigation system (QZSS/IRNSS), and enhanced system (WAAS/MSAS/EGNOS/GAGAN), etc.
Services Provided By GNSS
So what can we get from GNSS? What is the goal of GNSS technology? We mainly achieve positioning, speed measurement and timing by receiving GNSS satellite broadcast signals. Of course, there are other functions, such as Galileo's SAR function and BDS's short message function.
1. Positioning
The position of the satellite can be obtained from the ephemeris data transmitted by the satellite, and the distance from the known position of the satellite to the user's receiver can be measured. Then the data from multiple satellites can be combined to know the exact location of the receiver. Positioning services are widely used in surveying and mapping, engineering construction, monitoring, precision agriculture, personnel positioning, etc.
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2. Speed Measurement
Track the change of the user's position, obtain the speed information of the three axes of XYZ in the current coordinate system, and then navigate. Navigation services are widely used in the field of navigation, such as weapon navigation, vehicle navigation, ship navigation, aircraft navigation, personal navigation, etc.
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3. Timing
By receiving more than four satellite signals and calculating the time error between the receiving device and the satellite, the time difference between the current device and the GNSS satellite can be obtained. As long as the GNSS satellite time is kept accurate and the user equipment is aligned with the GNSS satellite time, the timing function can be realized. Timing services are widely used in astronomical observatories, communication system base stations, TV stations and other systems.
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4. SAR (Search and Rescue)
When the user is in distress, the system can immediately notify the search and rescue agency of the distress information, and the relevant search and rescue agency can carry out coordinated search and rescue activities with the shortest time delay. It currently provides effective search and rescue services for ships, aircraft and individuals worldwide.
5. Short Message
The SMS function is unique to BDS. Short message refers to the two-way information transmission between the satellite positioning terminal and the BDS satellites or ground service stations directly through satellite signals.
Short messages mean more efficient information delivery. For example, in the case that ordinary mobile communication signals cannot be covered (such as the communication base station is destroyed after an earthquake), BDS terminals can carry out emergency communication through SMS. In geological monitoring, after the layout of each monitoring point, the change data is directly transmitted to the central system for monitoring through SMS, which can respond to sudden natural disasters in time.
Now GNSS has been applied to various aspects, and has a wide range of needs in surveying and mapping, disaster monitoring, electricity, transportation (especially autonomous driving, unmanned driving), water conservancy, agriculture and other markets, and it is also subtly changing our way of life.
