Jan/Feb 2004

Although more accurate satellite-based global navigation and tracking seem in prospect with the roll-out of Galileo, Europe's answer to GPS, consultancy Frost & Sullivan warns that there is currently a lack of policy coordination between the two systems.

It says coordination between Galileo (described in the last m.logistics) and the existing US-based Global Positioning System, always envisaged as a feature of the roll-out, will be essential to ensure full exploitation of the technology; and it warns that apparent problems in this regard threaten to result in the regionalisation of global navigation system standards.

As an example, it cites the aviation business, which it says is facing the possibility of disagreement between the EU and United States over international standards for air traffic management.

Assuming these problems are not insurmountable, Frost & Sullivan is bullish about prospects for Galileo. It sees particular growth in end-user applications sectors such as aviation, emergency services, location-based services, telecommunications, telematics, leisure, maritime, road traffic management and surveying. Several of these markets are expected to reach a growth rate of 18 per cent by 2012.