FDC News...

"GEOTRANS MD" project labeled by SYSTEMATIC

Dec. 2012

The "SYSTEMATIC Paris region" cluster labeled the GEOTRANS MD project on November 27th 2012. Presented to SYSTEMATIC by FDC, this project aims at developing an Information and Communication System (ICT) for the transport of hazardous material. The corresponding ICT system needs to be secure and reliable, multi-actors, multi-sensors, multi objects with strong anonymization and access control requirements.
FDC is one of the key partners of this project led by Novacom Services and promoted by the CETE du Sud-Ouest. A dossier has been submitted to the FUI (Fonds Unique Interministériel) 15 call for projects managed by the DGCIS (La Direction Générale de la Compétitivité, de l'Industrie et des Services).

FDC at the European Space Expo in Cyprus

Dec. 2012

The European Space Expo was deployed in Larnaca (Cyprus) during the period 12 - 18 November 2012, at the occasion of the Second Space conference.
The expo welcomed more than 14000 visitors. FDC and its partners supported the Expo through the organization and implementation of an animation programme aiming at presenting the European GNSS programmes (Galileo / EGNOS) and the European Earth observation programme (GMES) to the public.


For more information on the European Space Expo and its next venues, please visit:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/space/expo/index_en.htm

The ERDF helps FDC for R&D activities on secure GNSS

Dec. 2012

Thanks to the support of the European Regional Development Fund, FDC has performed a feasibility analysis of low cost security technologies for trusted GNSS. The European fund allowed FDC to increase its Intellectual Property and prepare the future of European GNSS.
FDC explored the potential contribution of civil cryptographic technologies for the development of secure GNSS devices. This encompassed a user needs collection phase and a technological and regulatory analysis, but also the preliminary design of the corresponding receiver architecture. Finally a market study and business plan has been produced for the targeted applications.

Projet cofinancé par l'Union européenne. L'Europe s'engage en ile de france avec le Fonds européen de développement régional (FEDER).

Trusted PVT Module Development for Road Applications

Mar. 2012

TACOT is a project co-funded by the European Commission in the frame of FP7 (Galileo area) and managed by the European GNSS Agency (GSA). Led by FDC, it involves all European Digital Tachographs manufacturers, users' representatives, GNSS and sensor fusion specialists and law experts. The project promotes the use of EGNOS and Galileo by the road transportation industry through the development and implementation of a Trusted GNSS function to be used by the Digital Tachographs (DT) and other road applications.
FDC is in charge of the design of this trusted GNSS function that will supply Position, Velocity and Time (PVT) information with a reliable confidence indicator. Basically the Trusted PVT module will perform a smart merge with innovative technics of several constellations and sensors to analyse the information consistency.
To demonstrate the capability and interests of the Trusted PVT function in the DT and for other applications, a prototype will be developed and tested on truck board with a Fleet Management System.

FDC promotes Galileo on French TV News

Nov. 2011

GNSS Applications realizing the Ambitions of EU2020

Oct. 2011

Galileo Services position paper "Satellite Navigation Applications Realizing the Ambitions of EU2020" is consecutive to the European Parliament Resolution of 7 June 2011 on Transport applications of Global Navigation Satellite Systems, and coincides with the preparation of the future "Horizon 2020" programme for research and innovation.
The paper details how satellite navigation, positioning and timing applications can act to take up EU challenges and to reach EU2020 ambitions. It reiterates the necessity to make EU public funding accessible to GNSS applications Research and Development and states the budget required. It identifies the critical GNSS technologies, applications and services that will be boosted by EU public funding and provides a set of recommendations for the preparation of "Horizon 2020" in the GNSS R&D domain.
FDC encourages all other organizations convinced of the urgent necessity to boost GNSS applications R&D in Europe to convey their views towards European Institutions representatives.
For more information, please visit: http://www.galileo-services.org

Job offers!

Jun. 2011

FDC is looking to strengthen its engineering team by recruiting new colleagues.

Look at our job opportunities!

New GNSS Applications Markets Survey on Sale!

Jun. 2011

The global GNSS Applications Market exceeds 50 billion Euros according to the new Markets Survey released by FDC.
This market analysis is mainly focused on the mass market segment but is also addressing major professional markets. It includes a detailed review of existing GNSS markets for equipments and services: identification of the main actors per market, representative products, unit price, market evolutions over time per world region, innovative business models, value chain analysis - chipsets, hybridization, digital maps, smartphones, LBS - , most promising applications, barriers and potential enablers to market development. This report is available for sale (in French version). If you are interested, download the report extract and the order form and send it back by e-mail (emmanuelle.weil@fdc.eu) or by Fax (+33 1 53 66 11 00).

GSTI is now available !

Apr. 2011

Within the European TESTCASE project, FDC has coordinated the development and the implementation of the European GNSS Simulation and Testing Tools Infractructure (GSTI).
This platform, which is available at http://www.gnss-test-portal.eu intends to support both developers of GNSS applications or equipments, and providers of GNSS testing and simulation tools or test beds. GSTI access is free and already proposes a broad range of tools covering most of testing and simulation needs when developing.
GSTI provides:

• Latest’s news related to simulation and testing tools,
• General information on tools and characteristics,
• Access to detailed tools’ information,
• Search functions, which guide users to the tools adapted to his needs,
• Forum dedicated to discussions between experts and users,
• Restricted Working Group areas,
• Download areas (open and restricted) to get useful documentation.

New videos present the GMES programme

Mar. 2011

In the context of SWIFT, a project coordinated by FDC and funded by the European Commission, FDC has supervised the production of 6 videos presenting the GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) programme and its different services, dedicated respectively to the monitoring of the Earth's subsystems (land, oceans, atmosphere), to the monitoring of climate change and to emergency management. The executive production of the films was placed under ESN's responsibility, a Belgian partner of FDC on this project.

Galileo/PRS Receivers: Paving the way towards the development of working prototypes

Mar. 2011

The PROGRESS project successfully completed its activities on 8th February 2011 with a final workshop titled "Setting up a Standardization Framework for Galileo PRS".
With presentations from the European Commission, the European GNSS Agency (GSA), European organisations and Industrialists of the field, and with the participation of more than 50 key invited experts, this workshop was the opportunity to discuss options for the future PRS User Equipment standardization and certification processes. PROGRESS work on PRS receivers and Security Module was presented, with an emphasis on security and safety issues. During the event, Olivier Crop, Head of the GSA Security Department, said "We are very happy with the results of this initiative", " We know that several companies are already working on designs for the PRS receiver, so it is very important that they can see the results of this project and know in which way we are going."
The PROGRESS consortium led by FDC, involved QinetiQ, Septentrio, Thales Communications, Thales Avionics but also EADS/APSYS, CASSIDIAN and Thales Alenia Space.

For more information, see also the article on GSA website.

Dual constellation & dual use GNSS Rxs for State aircrafts

Feb. 2011

FDC has recently started a study to provide EUROCONTROL with appropriate analysis, concept and roadmap for the implementation of dual constellation and dual use GNSS receivers for State aircraft using governmental robust signals (GPS PPS and Galileo PRS).
This work will contribute to SESAR project WP 9.27 "Multi-constellation GNSS Airborne Navigation Systems". It considers WP 15.3.4 "GNSS baseline study" results and orientations in order to align as far as practicable the initial development of GNSS receivers for State aircraft on the basic options retained for commercial aviation to ensure the required interoperability between civil and governmental aviation assets.
FDC coordinates the project, which involves Rockwell Collins UK. Final results and recommendations are planned to be released by fall 2011.

GNSS Downstream Research is in Danger!

Nov. 2010

European Industry and Research players are carrying since early 2010 an important lobby campaign towards national and European decision makers to stress the critical situation of GNSS Research in Europe.
The drastic cut in the budget initially allocated within the EC FP7 for GNSS applications R&D may indeed prevent EU Research players to pursue initiated work for GNSS applications and services development and/or to start new activities in the coming years - ad hoc budget being exhausted until 2014.
A manifesto signed by several hundreds of key GNSS Research and Industry players including FDC and widely disseminated over Europe, urges European Institutions and the Member States of the European Union to restore the initial GNSS R&D budget within FP7 (reallocation of 250M€) and to increase this funding through FP8 in order to match other continents public R&D investments in this strategic domain. FDC is actively supporting the on-going lobby campaign led by the Galileo Services Association.

Galileo SAR prototype beacons available for field tests!

Nov. 2010

The SARBACAN project successfully completed its activities on 17th November 2010 with the delivery to the EC of the Galileo SAR prototype beacons developed in the frame of the contract.
SARBACAN outcomes pave the way for next generation SAR beacons development:

• Three types of beacons for maritime, aeronautical and personal use implementing the Galileo SAR service and in particular the Return Link Service (RLS) have been developed and successfully demonstrated and are now available for on the field demonstrations.
• Innovative solutions to improve the beacons performance have been proposed.
• The benefits of the Galileo RLS service has been largely promoted towards SAR key players (including Cospas-Sarsat and RTCM).
  These achievements are the fruits of a good European and Canadian collaboration to which CNES, CRC, Kannad, Cobham, U-blox, Novatel, EPFL and PIAP jointly contributed to, under FDC leadership.
  

GMES presented at the Toulouse Space Show 2010

Jul. 2010

In the context of the SWIFT project, a Coordination and Support Action funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme, FDC has coordinated the presentation of the GMES Programme at the Toulouse Space Show exhibition, which took place from 8 to 11 June 2010.
The EU-funded projects that are developing the first GMES services were hosted on the GMES stand prepared by FDC and its partners on behalf of the European Commission.
Numerous attendees coming from different types of organisations (institutional bodies, industry, SMEs, universities,etc.) and also from different parts of the world (EU of course but also USA, Canada, Japan, China, Morocco, Israel, etc.) have had the opportunity to learn more about GMES by visiting the stand and meeting the GMES projects' representatives.
The GMES stand was also honoured to welcome Valérie Pécresse, French Minister of Higher education and Research, accompanied by Yannick d'Escatha, CNES President, and Marc Pircher, Director of the Toulouse Space Centre.

TEST CASE project Kicked Off

Avr. 2010

On April 15th 2010, the TEST CASE (Towards a European Simulation and Testing Centralised Access SystEm) project was officially kicked off in Brussels for a 18 months period. Funded under EC FP7 funds, the TEST CASE project is the follow on activity of SCENIC which intended to define the European GNSS Simulation and Testing Infrastructure (GSTI).
TEST CASE will translate the previous SCENIC activities into the provision of a dedicated platform and associated services (so called GSTI) benefiting to users of European GNSS simulation and testing facilities while federating the major tools providers and operators in this GSTI facility.
The TEST CASE project is coordinated by FDC and also involves CTAE, GRACE, IfEN, Telespazio France, Telespazio SpA and ETSI.

New contract to progress EGNOS/Galileo Standardisation!

Avr. 2010

The SUGAST project was kicked-off with the EC on 23rd March 2010 in Brussels. Led by FDC, this two years contract aims at carrying on the standardisation process already started for EGNOS and Galileo in key application areas. SUGAST will cover specific aspects of aviation (SBAS L5), address new areas of LBS applications using TETRA, DVB and WIMAX telecommunication support.
It will also complete and amplify the existing work in the Road and Rail domains and develop performance standards for non-safety applications. The SUGAST consortium includes Thales Alenia Space, GMV, INECO, AENA Internacional, ETSI, NSL, NATS and SWECO in addition to FDC.

Final demonstration of the GEODatage product at CNES HQ

Mar. 2010

On March 10th 2010, FDC performed with its partner Pecasys a succefull demonstration of the GEODatage product. The event gathered 20 participants among which reprensentatives from CNES, the French Ministry of Economy, the French Ministry of Transport and end-users.

FDC presents GEODatage at Galileo Application days

Feb. 2010

FDC has developed an autonomous and fully secure Trusted Time Stamping Authority called GEODatage. This solution relies on cutting edge EGNOS and GPS technologies and takes full benefit of existing security products.
FDC will present the GEODatage product and perspectives during the "technologies for applications/secure technologies" session of the Galileo Application Days on March 5th 2010 from 09:30 to 10:15.

FDC joins the NEREUS Network!

Jan. 2010

Convinced of the crucial role that Regions can play in the GMES and GNSS programmes and in the development of their applications, FDC is pleased to join the Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies (NEREUS) as Associate Member.
NEREUS aims to explore the benefits of space technologies for Regions and their citizens and to play an active role in the construction and development of space technology markets. As a strong voice for the regional dimension of European Space Policy, NEREUS wants to increase and enhance the participation of citizens and companies in European Space Policy and Programmes. Ultimately, it strives for an adequate representation of end users' needs in terms of space applications and services.

First GMES services are now available

Nov. 2009

In the Parliament Magazine's Research Review, FDC reports on the first GMES services available to users.
GMES, the European Earth observation system, will provide policy makers, public authorities and more generally EU citizens with reliable and up-to-date information on environment and security. The GMES services are being developed by projects co-funded by the European Commission. They address land, ocean and atmosphere monitoring as well as emergency response and security.
In an article published in the November issue of the Parliament Magazine's Research Review, FDC reports on the first GMES services which are now available and indicates how these services can be accessed. More information on GMES can be found on www.gmes.info the web portal operated by FDC in the framework of the SWIFT project, a Coordination and Support Action funded by the European Commission DG Enterprise and Industry.

A Sustainable Future for Transport

Nov. 2009

FDC actively contributed to the high-level conference on the Future of the European Transport System organised by the European Commission on 20th November 2009. As panellist of the round table on the role of technologies, the speech of Pascal CAMPAGNE, FDC CEO, focused on space technologies contribution to transport applications development.
The conference, opened by European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani, aimed at identifying policy measures that stakeholders would like to see in the next Commission's White Paper on transport covering the decade 2010 to 2020. The conference assembled some 500 participants representing a variety of stakeholders including among others transport operators, transport authorities, national, regional and local authorities, academics and user associations.

FDC involved in the PRS Pilot Projects definition

Nov. 2009

The PRS Pilot Projects definition study awarded by the European GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA) to Logica, QinetiQ and FDC has successfully achieved its objectives: several European Member States agreed to launch and or participate to a series of Projects forming together a pre-operational validation of the Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS) technical features and security management.
FDC actively supported the definition of the PRS Pilot Projects, specifically in terms of mission objectives and participants. In particular FDC organised and managed dedicated face to face meetings with Member States to support their understanding and to help them expressing their interest and plans.

SCENIC Workshop in Nice on 19th June 2009

Jun. 2009

In the context of the SCENIC FP7 project, FDC (SCENIC project coordinator) organized the “European GNSS Simulation and Testing Infrastructure (GSTI) Workshop” in ETSI premises (Nice - France) on 19th June 2009. The objective of this event was to pave the way towards the definition of the GSTI concept.
This forum was targeting major European stakeholders involved in the design, development and operation of GNSS simulation tools intended to support the GNSS downstream segment.

Spatial AIS moves on…

Feb. 2009

With the start of the EC project Pasta Mare in February 2009, FDC participates in an important step towards the development of space AIS services.
This project will provide an increased understanding of the potential performance of space-based AIS and will assess the potential effectiveness of this tool to support the maritime policy of EU while improving efficiency of governmental and commercial activities.
To achieve this goal, project partners will collect comprehensive AIS / LRIT data, perform Space and Airborne tests, develop optimized receiver payload and deliver recommendations for AIS services development.

FDC supports ATM Civil-Military Interoperability in SESAR

Feb. 2009

On 4^th Dec. 2008 FDC actively participated to the EUROCONTROL Workshop on the Civil-Military Dimension in SESAR. This Worksop gathered over 130 participants from a wide range of organisations including Military Authorities, Procurement Agencies and Defence Industry. FDC presented the results of the study performed for EUROCONTROL DCMAC and DAS/APN on military airworthiness certification of navigation systems against ATM standards. This study involved experts from the French and British CAAs, NATO, the French military ATM Directorate and the EASA. The OCCAr, the NETMA and AIRBUS also collaborated to this successful achievement.