The Go-To Resource for All Things GPS and GNSS Jamming
What is GNSS Jamming?
Regardless of the application, signals from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) can be jammed or disrupted through radio frequency interference (RFI), ultimately leading to inaccurate global positioning information and more.
While GNSS jamming can actually happen unintentionally, the term typically refers to intentional RF interference.
Often, GNSS jamming is considered illegal, but it can also be carried out by militaries, governments, and authorities who need to prevent satellite navigation from being used for harmful or potentially harmful purposes.
GNSS Applications
Military
While Global Navigation Satellite Systems are used for nearly everything involved with modern daily life, GNSS and GPS systems were first created for military applications.
The US Global Positioning System (GPS) provides two distinct services: the Precise Positioning Service and the Standard Positioning Service.
The Precise Positioning Service is highly encrypted, equipped with anti-jamming features, and is only available for use by the United States military and its allies. It is among the most advanced military services in the world and even has the capability to detect nuclear detonations.
The primary applications of GNSS and GPS technology for the United States Military include:
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Navigation (Land, Air, & Sea)
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Target Acquisition
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Reconnaissance
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Weapons Guidance
Maritime
Safety, efficiency, and optimization are key issues within the maritime industry that must be addressed with speed and precision. GNSS satellites support nearly all aspects of the maritime sector, from navigation to fishing, oceanography, and oil and gas exploration.
One of the most common applications for GNSS is maritime navigation, primarily supporting Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) and Vessel Tracking Systems (VTS) - both of which are used for collision avoidance and traffic control.
Several other GNSS applications exist for maritime purposes as well, including:
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Sea Level Observations
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Dredging Operations
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Locating Wrecks
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Pipeline Construction
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Search and Rescue
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Dynamic Positioning
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Oil Rig Positioning
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Satellite Launch Platform Maintenance
Aviation
Satellite navigation has played a key role in the aviation industry for years, and the adoption of GNSS in aviation has helped improve and provide additional positioning services for numerous flight phases in both commercial and leisure flying.
Planning aircraft routes, timing landings, and distancing planes correctly at the airport are all vital to commercial flight operations and human safety. GNSS systems work with extreme precision in order to help execute these processes without flaw, ultimately providing economic and social benefits in the form of efficiency.
Other applications for GNSS in aviation include:
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Altitude Determination
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En-route Flight and Area Navigation
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Performance-Based Operations
Mapping & Surveying
GNSS is an efficient tool for mapping and surveying applications, which often require extreme precision and accuracy to execute adequately - especially in urban environments.
GNSS is directly tied to our daily lives through mapping, helping cars, trucks, buses, trains, and ships to navigate their paths efficiently and effectively without incident.
Emergency response teams use GNSS systems to identify the clearest path to an incident or rescue, and their path can be tracked by dispatch, keeping emergency communications updated to the second. While GNSS mapping applications are certainly engrained in the daily lives of people and services, they also help facilitate mapping and surveying applications within other areas, including:
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Agriculture and Irrigation
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Construction and Critical Infrastructure
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Environment and Climate Research
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Academic Research
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Fitness Trackers and Smart Devices
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Drones and UAVs
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Geotagging Electronics
Companies with GNSS Jamming Detection Capabilities
