Mysterious GPS interference hinders shipping and air traffic
Incidents in which the satellite navigation system is deliberately disrupted are becoming more frequent in the Baltic Sea region. Experts call these actions GPS jamming. Scientists at the DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation are also working on countermeasures.
The NDR reports large-scale disruptions from the Baltic to eastern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The background is still largely unclear. In these incidents, ships lose their GPS signal, making them difficult to steer and threatening collisions and groundings. The authorities suspect so-called GPS jamming as the cause. This is a deliberate attempt to interfere with the signals sent by navigation satellites in the vicinity of the receiver. Other transmitters are used to send these jamming signals.
The DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation also deals with such failures. The Neustrelitz-based "Nautical Systems" department, headed by Dr. Ralf Ziebold, simulates such failures and establishes systems that offer alternatives or supplements. Together with Poland, Sweden and Denmark, a land-based positioning system is being set up around the Baltic Sea (R-Mode Baltic). Existing infrastructures such as old antenna systems are also being used and expanded with new receivers on the ships. This will enable safe shipping even if the satellite navigation system fails.
Work is also currently underway to quickly identify sources of electronic interference in order to warn ships and aircraft.
>> Department Nautical Systems of the Institute of Communications and Navigation