Recently, the Prime Minister of India lauded Asia’s first demonstration of Performance-Based Navigation for helicopters for a flight from Juhu to Pune using GAGAN satellite technology.
About GAGAN satellite technology:
- GAGAN is the acronym for GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation.
- It is jointly developed by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
- It uses a system of ground stations to provide necessary augmentations to the GPS standard positioning service (SPS) navigation signal.
- Itis designed to provide the additional accuracy, availability, and integrity necessary to enable users to rely on GPS for all phases of flight.
- It also provides the capability for increased accuracy in position reporting, allowing for more uniform and high-quality Air Traffic Management (ATM).
- In addition, GAGAN will provide benefits beyond aviation to all modes of transportation, including maritime, highways, and railroads.
- There are only four Space-Based augmentation systems available in the world namely India (GAGAN), US (WAAS,) Europe(EGNOS) and Japan (MSAS).
What is Performance-Based Navigation (PBN)?
- The PBN concept specifies aircraft RNAV system performance requirements in terms of accuracy, integrity, availability, continuity and functionality needed for the proposed operations in the context of a particular Airspace Concept.
- This concept represents a shift from sensor-based to performance-based navigation.
- Performance requirements are identified in navigation specifications, which also identify the choice of navigation sensors and equipment that may be used to meet the performance requirements.