Galileo High Accuracy Service: Benefits of Galileo for Precise Positioning

16. Jan 2025 Eltehs SIA Company

Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS): Benefits for Users and Businesses

Galileo is Europe's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), providing a new and reliable alternative for users who were previously dependent on the American GPS or Russian GLONASS systems. Galileo provides high-precision positioning and timing information, and it is under civil control, which is a significant advantage compared to other systems.

Why is Galileo important?

GNSS systems, including Galileo, have become indispensable tools for many sectors and daily activities. We often take GNSS for granted, but if these signals were suddenly turned off, it would cause disruptions in emergency services, transportation systems, financial transactions, communication, and more. Galileo helps minimize such risks and ensures higher reliability.

Benefits of Galileo High Accuracy Service:

Higher Positioning Accuracy: Galileo improves location accuracy through multi-constellation receivers and dual-frequency capability, offering enhanced precision and resistance to interference.
Resistance to Interference: Galileo’s dual-frequency capability significantly improves resistance to jamming and enhances positioning accuracy in difficult environments.
Everyday Use: Products like in-car GPS systems and mobile phones benefit from the increased accuracy that Galileo offers.
Support for Emergency Services: Galileo is critical for emergency response services, such as fire departments, police, and medical teams, providing them with fast and precise location data in critical situations.
Safety and Efficiency on European Roads and Railways: Galileo helps make Europe’s transport systems safer and more efficient.
Innovation and Market Growth: Galileo drives European innovation by enabling the creation of new products and services, boosting the economy, and creating jobs. The market for added-value services in this sector is forecast to reach EUR 166 billion by 2029.

Geographic Coverage and Limitations

Galileo High Accuracy Service is available globally, excluding certain regions defined by the following coordinates:

Latitudes: 60ºS to 60ºN
Longitudes: 90ºE to 180ºE and 125ºW to 180ºW

Users in the excluded regions can still use Galileo HAS corrections, but the Minimum Performance Levels (MPLs) apply only within the service area.


DETAILS ON COMMITTED ACCURACY
Figure of merit	MPL target	Conditions and constraints
HAS orbit corrections	≤ 20 cm (95%) for Galileo ≤ 33 cm (95%) for GPS over the instantaneous constellation average (computed as RMS)	- Calculated over a period of 30 days - All HAS-corrected and valid Galileo/GPS satellites in view from any point in the Service area
HAS clock corrections accuracy	≤ 12 cm (95%) for Galileo ≤ 15 cm (95%) for GPS over the instantaneous constellation average (computed as the RMS)
HAS code biases accuracy	≤ 50 cm (95%) for both Galileo and GPS over the instantaneous constellation average (computed as RMS)
DETAILS ON COMMITTED AVAILABILITY
Figure of merit	MPL target	Conditions and constraints
HAS corrections availability	≥ 87% Galileo only	- 5 degrees elevation mask - Calculated over a period of 30 days - At least 5 HAS-corrected and valid satellites in view - At the Worst User Location (WUL) of the Service area
HAS corrections availability	≥ 95% Galileo + GPS	- 5 degrees elevation mask - Calculated over a period of 30 days - At least 8 HAS-corrected and valid satellites in view - At the WUL of the Service area
DETAILS ON TYPICAL PERFORMANCE – POSITIONING ACCURACY (GALILEO ONLY)
Figure of merit	Typical performance	Conditions and constraints
HAS horizontal positioning accuracy	≤ 25 cm Galileo only	- 68th percentile confidence level - Over any 24 hours period - For the signal combinations supported by the HAS - Using the HAS performance characterisation user algorithm (HAS-UA) - At least 5 HAS-corrected and valid satellites in view above 5 degrees elevation under open sky conditions - Static user - Applying orbit and clock corrections and code biases for the involved signals - At the Average User Location (AUL) of the Service area - Usage assumptions as per HAS-SDD
HAS vertical positioning accuracy	≤ 30 cm Galileo only
DETAILS ON TYPICAL PERFORMANCE – POSITIONING ACCURACY (GALILEO + GPS)
Figure of merit	Typical performance	Conditions and constraints
HAS horizontal positioning accuracy	≤ 15 cm Galileo + GPS	- 68th percentile confidence level - Over any 24 hours period - For the signal combinations supported by the HAS - Using the HAS performance characterisation user algorithm (HAS-UA) - At least 8 satellites in view above 5 degrees elevation for Galileo + GPS users under open sky conditions - Static user - Applying orbit and clock corrections and code biases for the involved signals - At the Average User Location (AUL) of the Service area - Usage assumptions as per HAS-SDD
HAS vertical positioning accuracy	≤ 20 cm Galileo + GPS
DETAILS ON TYPICAL PERFORMANCE – POSITIONING AVAILABILITY
Figure of merit	Typical performance	Conditions and constraints
HAS positioning availability	≥ 90 %	- Fulfilling both horizontal and vertical positioning accuracy targets as per HAS-SDD- Calculated over a period of 30 days - For the signal combinations supported by HAS - Using the HAS performance characterisation user algorithm (HAS-UA) - Under open sky conditions- At least 5 HAS-corrected and valid satellites in view above 5 degrees elevation for Galileo-only users - At least 8 HAS-corrected and valid satellites in view above 5 degrees elevation for Galileo + GPS users - Static user - Applying orbit and clock corrections and code biases for the involved signals - At the Average User Location (AUL) of the Service area - Usage assumptions as per HAS-SDD