New achievement for Galileo and civil aviation

Published: 
23 March 2023
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has adopted international standards for Galileo and future Satellite Based Augmentation Systems.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has adopted international standards for Galileo and future Satellite Based Augmentation Systems.

Our commitment to serving the civil aviation industry remains steadfast, and we are thrilled to announce the recent adoption of international standards for Galileo and future Satellite Based Augmentation Systems by the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This marks a major milestone in the aviation industry, as it enables us to fully leverage the potential of satellite navigation services developed in Europe in combination with GPS.

The Galileo constellation, the European Union's global navigation satellite system, will provide advanced navigation capabilities to the aviation sector, greatly improving the availability and reliability of services. With a more accurate and secure signal for positioning and timing, the risk of signal loss or interference will be significantly reduced. Additionally, the use of multiple frequency bands will enhance signal resilience, making the system more robust and reliable.

Furthermore, the evolution to EGNOS v3 will augment Galileo and enable the use of its dual-frequency bands (E1 and E5 protected for Aviation use) in combination with GPS, further enhancing vertical guidance to enable Precision approach and landing capabilities for all equipped aircraft across Europe. This will provide greater safety and reliability to the aviation industry, not only in Europe but also in other regions beyond the continent.

The adoption of these international standards is the result of the long-standing work of the European Commission DG DEFIS, in partnership with EUSPA, DG-MOVE, EASA, ESA and in coordination with the EU Member States and their ANSPs. This collaboration has played a critical role in bringing Galileo and EGNOS to the forefront of the aviation industry.

In conclusion, this adoption of international standards represents a significant step towards achieving the next level of navigation capabilities in the aviation sector, making air travel safer, more efficient, and more reliable. “We are confident that the aviation industry will benefit greatly from this development, and we remain dedicated to serving our civil aviation customers,” concluded Jean-Marc Piéplu, EUSPA EGNOS Exploitation Programme Manager.

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Updated: Mar 30, 2023