Civil GPS Service Interface Committee

International Sub Committee Meeting

Melbourne, Victoria

10th-11th February 2003

GPS Augmentation

- A Commercial View -

Presented by

OmniSTAR Pty Ltd

OverviewOverview

• History Lesson

• Current Systems

• Future Directions

In Brief:

HistoryHistory

• Loran / Shoran

• Mainchain / HiFix

• Argo

Radio navigation systems.

Early 1970’s - Hyperbolic Systems

Typically MF-HF (1-10mHz) frequencies with typical coverage to 400kms

HistoryHistory

• Trisponder

• Syledis

• Motorola

Followed within a decade by Range - Range systems:

Typically VHF-UHF frequencies still with coverage to 400kms and with improved position accuracy.

HistoryHistory

• Long range radio systems 2000kms developed

• Spot - Offshore Navigation Inc

Also developed were:

Private four satellite positioning system

• STARFIX - John E. Chance

• Gulf of Mexico

• Exploration for oil

HistoryHistory

• Startrack UDI- Marconi

• Skyfix Racal (Thales Navigation)

• Georef Geoteam

• SARGAS Western Geophysical

• ORION Wimpol

• Veripos HF / Satellite

The next decade saw the development of GPS augmentation systems. These systems were point to multipoint and conceived by Walter Blanchard.

HistoryHistory

Generally providing sub-metre to 1,500kms

Offshore construction for resource projects.

HistoryHistory

• Rack mounted mobile equipment

• Sophisticated operators

• Regional availability

• Offshore exploration and construction dependent

These systems were characterised by:

HistoryHistory

• SkyFix - Thales Navigation

• STARFIX II - Fugro

In the past decade this industry has further developed the GPS Augmentation systems available today.

Development has been in two streams.

Firstly, Offshore exploration and construction users

HistoryHistory

Characterised by:

• Very high reliability and system redundancy

• Immediate disaster recovery systems

• Sophisticated user defined parameters for the position solution

• System quality assurance indications available to the user

CurrentCurrent

Secondly, a stream for Onshore users

• OmniSTAR Fugro

• LandStar Thales Navigation

• StarFire Navcom / JPL

Characterised by:

• Low cost hardware solutions

• Simple operation

• Global availability

BenefitsBenefits

The Commercial GPS Augmentation industry provides significant benefits to the wider Australian community.

• Funding academic research

• Provides a “user benefit - user pays” environment for users in Australia

• Created an umbrella environment for Australian innovation

• Financial support to industry innovators

BenefitsBenefits

Examples of Australian Innovation:

• Satellite antenna design

• Visual guidance system in Agriculture

• GPS assisted steering for broadacre

• Rapid field asset mapping systems

These research and development projects are now Australian exports.

FutureFuture

The Future:• Continued rationalisation of commercial GPS

augmentation industry

• Significant investment in developing more accurate systems: - commercial

- academic

• Participating in developing and commercialising new navigation networks: - Galileo

• Supporting development of new GPS applications:

• Material handling robotics by GPS

• Significant reduction in infrastructure costs