GNSS & THE LAW RNSS and the ITU Radio Regulations YVON HENRI FORMER CHIEF OF SPACE SERVICES DEPARTMENT ITU BR ATTILA MATAS FORMER HEAD OF SPACE PUBLICATION AND REGISTRATION DIVISION ITU BR Radionavigation Satellite Service (RNSS) is integrated deeply in our daily life and entire world’s people – wherever they is playing a growing role within all areas of today’s mobile society. Indeed, almost live and whatever their means. Through all critical infrastructures worldwide rely on satellite navigation applications, its work, ITU protects and supports everyone’s fundamental right to com- from our cell phones with more than one billion users to precise agriculture for municate. better productivity, efficiency and environment protection, from power grid The ITU Constitution (CS), Conven- systems, banking operations, transportation systems (including hazardous or tion (CV) and the Radio Regulations (RR) contain the main principles and lay extremely valuable goods tracking), search and rescue operations, fleet and cargo down the specific regulations governing management, and from the aviation industry to the latest location based services. the following major elements: • frequency spectrum allocations to ll applications of satellite different categories of radiocommu- navigation show a strong nication services; growth. They can now rely • rights and obligations of Member on four global systems administrations in obtaining access A(GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou) to the spectrum/orbit resources; and additional regional systems, some- • international recognition of these times aiming for future global exten- rights by recording frequency sion (QZSS, NavIC). All these systems assignments and, as appropriate, and their applications rely on very lim- orbital information for a space sta- ited satellite orbit spectrum. This article tion onboard a geostationary-satel- is providing background and insights lite or for space station(s) onboard Ingo Baumann is the column on the growing pressure on this lim- non-geostationary satellite(s), in editor for GNSS & the Law, and ited resource, giving rise to proposals the Master International Frequen- the co-founder and partner of for “sharing” spectrum. How satellite cy Register (MIFR) or by their con- BHO Legal in Cologne, Germany, navigation will survive and find the formity, where appropriate, with a a boutique law firm for European high technology projects mainly necessary spectrum resources to grow plan. in the space sector. Ingo studied is reviewed in details in the following The ITU grants international rec- law at the Universities of Muen- paragraphs. ognition, a level of protection condi- ster and Cologne. His doctoral ITU is the United Nations special- tioned by the provisions of the RR and thesis, written at the Institute for ized agency for information and com- by procedures to detect and to elimi- Air and Space Law in Cologne, examined the international and munication technologies – ICTs. As such nate Harmful Interference (HI) for European law of satellite communications. the ITU allocates global radio spectrum registered assignments in the MIFR. Baumann worked several years for the Ger- and satellite orbits, develops the techni- The ITU also promotes the rational, man Aerospace Centre (DLR), including as cal standards that ensure networks and efficient, economic, and equitable use head of the DLR Galileo Project Office and technologies seamlessly interconnect, of the radio frequency and orbital CEO of the DLR operating company for the German Galileo Control Center. and strives to improve access to ICTs to positions, which are limited natural underserved communities worldwide. resources and, as such, must be avail- ITU is committed to connecting the able for use by all Member States. In 32 InsideGNSS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 www.insidegnss.com Table 1. Examples of RNSS users this regard, the ITU gives special con- AGRICULTURE and FORESTRY MARITIME and WATERWAYS sideration to the future use of these Forest area and timber estimates. Navigation on the high seas. resources by developing countries. Identifying species habitats. Search and rescue. The fact that the ITU CS and CV Fire perimeters. All weather harbour approach navigation. Water resources. Vessel traffic services. and the RR that complement them are Locating property boundaries. Dredging of harbours and waterways. intergovernmental treaties ratified by Ploughing, planting and fertilizing without Positioning of buoys and marine governments means that those govern- operators. navigation aids. ments undertake: AVIATION Navigation for recreational vessels. • to apply the provisions in their coun- Oceanic and en route navigation. Location of commercial fishing traps and gear. tries; and Non-precision and precision all-weather approaches. Offshore drilling research. • to adopt adequate national legislation Direct routing of aircraft for fuel savings. Monitoring deflections in dams as a that includes, as the basic minimum, Improved aircraft separation standards for result of hydrostatic and thermal stress the essential provisions of this inter- more efficient air traffic management. changes. national treaty. Airport surface traffic management. Ice breaking and monitoring icebergs and Monitor wing deflections in flight. flows. Wind shear detection. Observing tides and currents. RNSS Users Precise airfield and landing aid locations. Harbour facility management. RNSS receivers are used today for a Seamless (global) air space management. Location of containers in marine terminals. wide range of applications, including Less expensive avionics equipment. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION safety-of-life, critical navigation on Monitoring aircraft locations in flight. Bus fleet on-the-road management. land, at sea, and in the air (see Table Precision departures. Passenger and operator security 1 Missed approach applications. monitoring. ). According to GNSS Market Report Enhanced ground proximity warning 2017, available at http://www.gsa.euro- RAILROAD system. Railroad fleet monitoring. pa.eu/market/market-report RNSS is Automatic dependent surveillance. Train control and collision avoidance. used around the globe, with an estimat- ELECTRIC POWER Facility inventory control and ed 5.8 billion RNSS devices in use in Synchronization of power levels. management. 2017. This number is expected to grow Event location. RECREATION to 8 billion by 2020. EMERGENCY RESPONSE Hiking and mountain climbing. Ambulance, police, and fire department Measuring at sports events. dispatch. Setting lines on sports fields. RNSS and definitions from the ITU RR Road service locating disabled vehicles. The following main definitions from the SURVEYING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Electronic bench marker providing ITU RR apply to the RNSS: Hazardous waste site investigation. absolute reference of latitude, longitude No. 1.43 radionavigation-satellite service Ground mapping of ecosystems. and altitude. (RNSS): A radiodetermination-satellite Oil spill tracking and cleanup. High precision surveys in minutes by service used for the purpose of Precise location of stored hazardous anyone. radionavigation materials. Real-time dam deformation monitoring. No. 1.59 safety service: Any HIGHWAY and CONSTRUCTION Hydrographic surveying. radiocommunication service used for Intelligent vehicle-highway system Efficient and accurate photo surveys. the safeguarding of human life and operation. Measuring areas without triangulation. property Highway facility inventory and Oil and mineral prospecting. No. 4.10 Member States recognize that maintenance. National spatial data infrastructure. the safety aspects of radionavigation Accident location studies. TELECOMMUNICATIONS and other safety services require special Highway construction. Precise timing for interlacing messages/ measures to ensure their freedom from Navigation for motor vehicle drivers. network synchronization. harmful interference; it is necessary Truck fleet on-the-road management. therefore to take this factor into WEATHER, SCIENTIFIC and SPACE Monitoring status of bridges. account in the assignment and use of Use as weather balloon position frequencies. LAW ENFORCEMENT and radiosonde. No 1.166 interference: The effect of LEGAL SERVICES Measurement of sea level from satellites. unwanted energy due to one or a Tracking and recovering stolen vehicles. Navigating and controlling space shuttles. combination of emissions, radiations, Tracking narcotics and contraband Placing satellites into orbit. or inductions upon reception in a movements. Monitoring earthquakes and tectonic radiocommunication system, manifested Maintaining security of high government plates. by any performance degradation, officials and dignitaries while travelling. Measuring ground subsidence (sinking). misinterpretation, or loss of information Border surveillance. Measuring atmospheric humidity from which could be extracted in the absence Measuring and recording property ground. of such unwanted energy. boundaries. Precise global mapping of ionosphere. No 1.167 permissible interference: Observed Tort claim evidence in aviation and or predicted interference which complies maritime accidents. www.insidegnss.com JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 InsideGNSS 33 GNSS & THE LAW ly improved performance characteristics (accuracy, availability and continuity). GNSS operations in widely spaced mul- tiple frequency bands is necessary to support improved ionosphere correc- tions and phase tracking capabilities, which are essential for robust and pre- cise navigation. An RNSS system using higher code