Aireon introduces a game-changing product family to identify and mitigate the impact of jamming and spoofing events in aviation
Addressing the growing and dangerous threat GPS interference poses to aviation, Aireon is introducing AireonVECTOR, a suite of tools and resources designed to help aviation stakeholders stay apprised in real-time of changes in the GPS signal reliability.
AireonVECTOR (Validation & Enhanced Calculation of Tactical Operational Routing) leverages Aireon’s global, real-time, space-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data and the precision of its advanced Iridium satellite backbone, to pinpoint the location of the aircraft independent of the onboard GPS. Using our proprietary algorithm, VECTOR provides a validated, independent source of aircraft position data for enhanced operational and safety awareness.
The Aireon algorithm uses a ground-breaking analytical technique to calculate a “reference position” based on Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) and independent kinematic modeling. Under normal conditions, this reference position aligns with the ADS-B transmitted position. However, in cases of single interference and spoofing, Aireon can detect real-time divergence between the reference and reported positions, providing an immediate indicator of degraded GPS integrity.
With that methodology, Aireon has developed a suite of capabilities that allow a range of aviation stakeholders – ANSPs, airlines, airports, safety organizations, defense and national intelligence agencies, and others — to access the data in the way and timing that suits the customers’ operational needs. From a real-time alerting framework to dashboard tools to monitor trends in a region to streaming data to fill in gaps in routes, AireonVECTOR has a solution to fit.
“GPS interference has become a significant concern for the aviation industry, driven by the rise of geopolitical tensions worldwide. Identifying GPS interference hotspots can provide valuable insights for aircraft operators, ANSPs, and other aviation stakeholders. AireonVECTOR offers a great deal of actionable information across the value chain to really drive safety and mitigate navigation challenges,” said Don Thoma, Aireon CEO.
As the only global provider of space-based ADS-B data, Aireon is the only company that can provide the accuracy, reliability, and consistency needed to derive these valuable operational data points.
AireonVECTOR products include:
- AireonVECTOR Flight: A position track of an aircraft that is generated independent of a GPS signal. AireonVECTOR Flight generates a “truth position” of the aircraft that has its basis in the timing of satellite receipt of ADS-B transmissions to produce a location that is independent of GPS-reported position.
- AireonSTREAM powered by VECTOR: Aireon VECTOR enhances AireonSTREAM by providing superior flight tracks even in the presence of high interference by combining ADS-B messages received directly via Aireon’s satellite network with AireonVECTOR’s calculated aircraft positions.
- AireonVECTOR Monitor: Leveraging a COTS visualization tool, AireonVECTOR Monitor provides detailed, real-time airspace data for ANSPs, allowing the users to perform detailed analytics into the sources and impacts of signal interference.
“Our customers consistently tell us they need trusted, actionable intelligence on GPS spoofing and interference. With AireonVECTOR, we’ve transformed the industry’s most accurate and reliable surveillance data into a breakthrough capability — one that delivers operational insight no one else can match with the quality and assurance our customers expect,” said Chris Devlin, Aireon Vice President of Product Management and Strategy.
In the coming months, Aireon will introduce more VECTOR products to the aviation market, including a real-time alerting capability and a map visualization layer for the detailed display of GPS Interference globally via API integration.
Earlier this year, Aireon released a GPS Interference metric to its Safety Dashboard product. The Safety Dashboard GPS Interference metric analyzes the trends of Position Integrity Categories, Individual Position Checks of possible spoofing, and heat maps of both values.
Additional resources:
White paper: GPS Interference, Spoofing in the Baltics
White paper: Space-Based ADS-B for GPS Independent Position Validation
