Test shows the usefulness of combining GPS and Glonass with Galileo

Tests show that combining the American GPS and the Russian Glonass with the European Galileo navigation system leads to more accurate positioning. The results should persuade smartphone chip manufacturers to build support for Galileo.

The tests were conducted by the European GNSS Agency and service provider Rx Networks in real-world environments that make accurate positioning difficult, such as between and inside buildings. The tests captured data from GNSS signals for three hours and then used a receiver to create hundreds of fixes.

The results indicate that combining Galileo with another GNSS increases accuracy over GPS alone. The results of the combination GPS and Glonass were again better than those of GPS and Galileo, but that is because only four Galileo satellites have been placed in orbit around the earth, Gps World writes. As more satellites can be used for European GNSS, the ratio should improve.

The European GNSS Agency and Rx Networks hope that makers of gnss chips will start building in support for Galileo, so that smartphones and other devices that can be used for navigation can accurately locate the position in the future by combining the different gnss services .