Qualinx is partnering with the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) under the Fundamental Elements EU R&D funding mechanism to develop a consumer-grade, low-power GNSS receiver for the agency’s GNSS authentication service.
The free Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) service is designed to provide a guarantee to users that they are receiving data from Galileo satellites.
It has been introduced in response to a growing number of spoofing incidents from malicious actors, which have disrupted GNSS services. Qualinx secured the project after a 6-month selection process by EUSPA.
Qualinx’s Digital Radio Frequency (DRF) technology converts most of a wireless chip’s analog functions into digital circuits. The DRF functions can then be tailored to each application in software.
Compared with traditional GNSS receivers, the technology boasts 10X power reduction to extend the operating life of battery-powered navigation devices, and smaller, lower-cost packages.
Tom Trill, Qualinx CEO, said, “This partnership with EUSPA is a powerful endorsement of Qualinx’s DRF technology and the benefits it delivers in GNSS applications. Our relationship with EUSPA developed via the European Commission’s CASSINI initiative to support space-related, deep-tech startups. This project is a perfect fit for DRF. It will keep Qualinx at the leading edge of next-generation GNSS technology and we’ll deliver robust, reliable, low-power GNSS receivers for this vital security service.”
On behalf of EUSPA, Fiammetta Diani, head of the Market, Development and Innovation unit added, “Qualinx’s proven core technology and adaptability without significant hardware redesign were a crucial factor for low-powered consumer-grade receivers building on our innovative OSNMA service. We look forward to partnering with them to bolster Galileo’s service resilience for all users.”
