Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GMCA (GNSS Monitoring for Critical Applications)
Période du rapport: 2015-02-01 au 2016-09-30
The objective of the GMCA was to provide a basis upon which Galileo can be relied upon to the same extent that GPS is currently by the aviation user community.
Satellite navigation provides continuous, real-time, reliable, accurate and globally available position, velocity and time. The technology fits important societal and market needs. The European aviation community relies heavily on GNSS and is working towards multi-constellation and multi-frequency solutions to enable a more efficient operational environment.
The aviation community has confidence in GPS and EGNOS, backed up by many years of study, data-collection and experience. Such confidence in new technologies like Galileo has yet to be established. Historically this community has been reluctant to accept new technologies and slow to adopt them.
To derive full benefits of Galileo for the aviation community as early as possible, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of what it has to offer. This includes the operational community (Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs), Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), etc).
The ICAO offers guidance in its Annex 10 relating to the use of GNSS (Chapter 2 of Volume I, paragraphs 2.1.4.2 and 2.3.1 respectively):
(a) A State that approves GNSS-based operations should ensure that GNSS data relevant to those operations are recorded. These recorded data are primarily intended for use in accident and incident investigations. They may also support periodic confirmation that accuracy, integrity, continuity and availability are maintained within the limits required for the operations approved.
(b) Aerodrome control towers and units providing approach control service shall be provided with information on the operational status of radio navigation services essential for approach, landing and take-off at the aerodrome(s) with which they are concerned, on a timely basis consistent with the use of the service(s) involved.
Regulatory authorities around the world base their regulations and approvals on Annex 10 or their own operational imperatives.
DW International (DWI) developed a GNSS Performance Monitoring System (GPMS) for airports and ANSPs in order to meet the ICAO guidance and state regulations. It allowed users to monitor and record GPS signal data at airports. Prior to the GMCA project however it did not have capability of monitoring and recording Galileo signal data. Enhancing the system to include Galileo provides users with the means to meet guidance and regulations when they start to approve Galileo-based operations. Therefore, the GMCA promotes the adoption of Galileo-based procedures when they start to be implemented. Though the system was originally intended for the aviation domain, it can be deployed in other environments where GNSS monitoring is required.
In parallel to the developments described above, greater attention is being focussed on the issue of GNSS vulnerabilities: interference, jamming, spoofing, meaconing etc. As these issues tend to be localised, the addition of detection capability to the system was deemed to be of value to users. If users can be alerted to instances of interference then they can react accordingly in order to alert their airspace users. Qascom and Chronos Technology Ltd (Chronos) had already developed sensors which can identify instances of interference affecting GPS so the GMCA was an opportunity for them to upgrade their sensors in order to be able to detect interference related to the Galileo signal. Qascom updated their SMART Sensor so that it could identify instances of spoofing and meaconing of Galileo signals; Chronos updated their existing GPS-only jamming and interference detection sensors to include Galileo.
Satellite navigation provides continuous, real-time, reliable, accurate and globally available position, velocity and time. The technology fits important societal and market needs. The European aviation community relies heavily on GNSS and is working towards multi-constellation and multi-frequency solutions to enable a more efficient operational environment.
The aviation community has confidence in GPS and EGNOS, backed up by many years of study, data-collection and experience. Such confidence in new technologies like Galileo has yet to be established. Historically this community has been reluctant to accept new technologies and slow to adopt them.
To derive full benefits of Galileo for the aviation community as early as possible, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of what it has to offer. This includes the operational community (Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs), Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), etc).
The ICAO offers guidance in its Annex 10 relating to the use of GNSS (Chapter 2 of Volume I, paragraphs 2.1.4.2 and 2.3.1 respectively):
(a) A State that approves GNSS-based operations should ensure that GNSS data relevant to those operations are recorded. These recorded data are primarily intended for use in accident and incident investigations. They may also support periodic confirmation that accuracy, integrity, continuity and availability are maintained within the limits required for the operations approved.
(b) Aerodrome control towers and units providing approach control service shall be provided with information on the operational status of radio navigation services essential for approach, landing and take-off at the aerodrome(s) with which they are concerned, on a timely basis consistent with the use of the service(s) involved.
Regulatory authorities around the world base their regulations and approvals on Annex 10 or their own operational imperatives.
DW International (DWI) developed a GNSS Performance Monitoring System (GPMS) for airports and ANSPs in order to meet the ICAO guidance and state regulations. It allowed users to monitor and record GPS signal data at airports. Prior to the GMCA project however it did not have capability of monitoring and recording Galileo signal data. Enhancing the system to include Galileo provides users with the means to meet guidance and regulations when they start to approve Galileo-based operations. Therefore, the GMCA promotes the adoption of Galileo-based procedures when they start to be implemented. Though the system was originally intended for the aviation domain, it can be deployed in other environments where GNSS monitoring is required.
In parallel to the developments described above, greater attention is being focussed on the issue of GNSS vulnerabilities: interference, jamming, spoofing, meaconing etc. As these issues tend to be localised, the addition of detection capability to the system was deemed to be of value to users. If users can be alerted to instances of interference then they can react accordingly in order to alert their airspace users. Qascom and Chronos Technology Ltd (Chronos) had already developed sensors which can identify instances of interference affecting GPS so the GMCA was an opportunity for them to upgrade their sensors in order to be able to detect interference related to the Galileo signal. Qascom updated their SMART Sensor so that it could identify instances of spoofing and meaconing of Galileo signals; Chronos updated their existing GPS-only jamming and interference detection sensors to include Galileo.
The project was successful in the update to the GPMS and sensors to include Galileo.
Initially the System Requirements were identified and then the differences between the existing system and the target system. DWI and Integricom (INT) further developed the system components to interface with new external sensors, focusing on an update to the Computational Engine by Integricom in order to digest new data streams and store the data in different formats (both standard and proprietary) for playback. In parallel, Chronos and Qascom updated their sensor hardware such that they could identify instances of jamming or spoofing. They also updated the sensor interfaces so they could transmit the data in a digestible format to the GPMS.
As this work continued, Spirent developed a test plan to determine if the updated system and enhanced sensors could meet the requirements stated at the beginning of the project. The first Build Progress Point was at the Sprient laboratory where it was demonstrated that the sensors could be integrated into the GPMS. The GPMS user interface could display Galileo signal data as well as instances of jamming and spoofing as detected by the enhanced sensors for both the Galileo and GPS signals. Subsequent, formalised testing established that the system had retained its performance and capabilities whilst also demonstrating that the new capabilities had been integrated successfully.
The principal results for each partner were:
• DWI: An enhanced GPMS capable of including additional sensors, monitoring and recording Galileo signals as well as identifying instances of jamming and spoofing for both Galileo and GPS
• Qascom: An updated SMART sensor capable of detecting instances of spoofing of the GPS and Galileo signal
• Chronos: An updated sensor capable of detecting instances of jamming of the Galileo signal
• Integricom: Partnered with DWI in the development of the GPMS, so shared the same goals as stated above. The project has also contributed considerably to the understanding of interference and spoofing detection techniques.
• Spirent: An interference and spoofing testing benchmark tailored to GMCA requirements, which may be useful in similar future projects
Dissemination to date:
Qascom issued a paper on the subject: [Fantinato 2016] Fantinato, Samuele, Stefano Montagner, Oscar Pozzobon, Stefano Ciccotosto, Bas Ober and Charles Thornberry; “Spoofing Monitoring Sensor for Critical Applications”, 2016 European Navigation Conference, Helsinki, Finland, 30 May - 2 June, 2016
• Qascom paper in coordinates magazine “Spoofing Monitoring Sensor for Airports” to be published in Coordinates magazine
• Presentation by John Wilde (DWI) “Paving the Way for Galileo…GNSS Monitoring for Critical Applications” at International Information Subcommittee of 55th Meeting of the CGSIC at the ION GNSS+ 2015 Conference, Tampa Convention Center, 14-15 September 2015
Initially the System Requirements were identified and then the differences between the existing system and the target system. DWI and Integricom (INT) further developed the system components to interface with new external sensors, focusing on an update to the Computational Engine by Integricom in order to digest new data streams and store the data in different formats (both standard and proprietary) for playback. In parallel, Chronos and Qascom updated their sensor hardware such that they could identify instances of jamming or spoofing. They also updated the sensor interfaces so they could transmit the data in a digestible format to the GPMS.
As this work continued, Spirent developed a test plan to determine if the updated system and enhanced sensors could meet the requirements stated at the beginning of the project. The first Build Progress Point was at the Sprient laboratory where it was demonstrated that the sensors could be integrated into the GPMS. The GPMS user interface could display Galileo signal data as well as instances of jamming and spoofing as detected by the enhanced sensors for both the Galileo and GPS signals. Subsequent, formalised testing established that the system had retained its performance and capabilities whilst also demonstrating that the new capabilities had been integrated successfully.
The principal results for each partner were:
• DWI: An enhanced GPMS capable of including additional sensors, monitoring and recording Galileo signals as well as identifying instances of jamming and spoofing for both Galileo and GPS
• Qascom: An updated SMART sensor capable of detecting instances of spoofing of the GPS and Galileo signal
• Chronos: An updated sensor capable of detecting instances of jamming of the Galileo signal
• Integricom: Partnered with DWI in the development of the GPMS, so shared the same goals as stated above. The project has also contributed considerably to the understanding of interference and spoofing detection techniques.
• Spirent: An interference and spoofing testing benchmark tailored to GMCA requirements, which may be useful in similar future projects
Dissemination to date:
Qascom issued a paper on the subject: [Fantinato 2016] Fantinato, Samuele, Stefano Montagner, Oscar Pozzobon, Stefano Ciccotosto, Bas Ober and Charles Thornberry; “Spoofing Monitoring Sensor for Critical Applications”, 2016 European Navigation Conference, Helsinki, Finland, 30 May - 2 June, 2016
• Qascom paper in coordinates magazine “Spoofing Monitoring Sensor for Airports” to be published in Coordinates magazine
• Presentation by John Wilde (DWI) “Paving the Way for Galileo…GNSS Monitoring for Critical Applications” at International Information Subcommittee of 55th Meeting of the CGSIC at the ION GNSS+ 2015 Conference, Tampa Convention Center, 14-15 September 2015
The GMCA development has already played a role in promoting sales of the system and a large-scale promotion campaign is planned for Q1 2017. As the issue of interference garners more attention, both within the aviation domain and beyond, it is anticipated that interest in monitoring systems in general will rise accordingly. The GMCA project has positioned the GPMS to support the requirement for monitoring GNSS, specifically Galileo, and perhaps paves the way for some mitigation of its vulnerabilities. Specifically, there has been interested voiced in the capability not only to identify instances of interference but also to locate the source, especially in the case of malicious, purposeful attacks. Further evolution of the system may be focused on addressing this concern.