INSPIRe

INSPIRe (Integrated Navigation System-of-Systems PNT for Resilience) is an 18-month project to define practical measures that could be implemented to indicate the confidence a user should have in their PNT solution.

Overview

Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) is critical for safety in maritime and other sectors – but can users trust the position, speed and heading displayed by their satellite navigation systems, and the time provided by satellite derived clocks which is used by many bridge systems?

INSPIRe (Integrated Navigation System-of-Systems PNT for Resilience) is an 18-month project to define practical measures that could be implemented to indicate the confidence a user should have in their PNT solution.

Providing a level of confidence is what we mean by integrity – ensuring that the data displayed to the user is sufficiently reliable for the manoeuvres in progress at the time, and warning the user if it is not. This has two components: system level integrity – are the raw signals transmitted by the satellites compromised? – and user level integrity – have good satellite signals been degraded at the point of use by local factors?

Trustworthy positioning and timing is critical to support the growing use of such data within the maritime sector and more so when the room to manoeuvre is reduced due to increasing offshore renewable energy production and other such infrastructure.

 

INSPRe is funded by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP) and builds on the earlier NAVISP-funded MarRINav project. This programme started in July 2022 and will finish in February 2024.

Partners

Taylor Airey Limited

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GMV NSL

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GLA Research and Development

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Imperial College London

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London Economics

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Innovate UK KTN

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NLA International

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Focus areas

The INSPIRe project comprises the following themes:

  • Integrity monitoring within the satellite navigation receiver, generally known as Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM), in various configurations.
  • Monitoring additional supporting signals provided for professional satellite navigation receivers, in this case the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS).
  • Opportunistic data to aid integrity.
  • Cost benefit analysis of the techniques developed in the project.
  • Exploitation plan for these techniques.

Programme activities

Work completed

A briefing event took place in February 2023 to explore the aims and content of the project. View slides from the event.

Work on the following technical topics has been completed. The associated deliverable reports have been approved by ESA.

Work currently in progress

Work is currently progressing on the following areas, and will be completed by end of February 2024:

  • Systems Engineering Report
  • Crowd-sourced and opportunistic signals
  • Cost Benefit Analysis
  • Design, Development and Exploitation Plan
  • Stakeholder Engagement Report

Other final review items to be delivered as part of the INSPIRe project include a Technical Data Package (final versions of all deliverable technical documents), Final Summary Report and Executive Summary (a concise summary for non-experts).

Intelligent Supply Chains

Within supply chains, digital technologies have transformed the way that we live our lives. The purpose of this strategic case is to set the context for intervention by the UK space sector and HM Government, to address opportunities to improve the supply chains ecosystem for goods and services in the UK.

By RethinkPNT

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Latest news

Preparing for a Loss of Position and Timing report published
This report, prepared by the Royal Institute of Navigation for the National Preparedness Commission, considers the consequences of losing positioning and timing services to stimulate action to improve national preparedness.

CNI PNT protection framework published
This document sets out the framework to ensure better protection for PNT supporting UK critical national infrastructure.

Updated London Economics report on the economic impact to the UK of losing GNSS
The widely-cited 2017 London Economics report has recently been updated. The estimated cost to the UK economy of the complete loss of GNSS for a week has increased to £7.6bn from the 2017 figure of £5.2bn.

Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) resilience policies and strategies report published
This July 2023 report from the University of Tokyo provides a useful comparison of resilient PNT strategy and policies in 10 leading countries and the EU.

Mark Littlewood

Our Expert

Mark Littlewood

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