ESA-funded GIDAS helps protect critical systems

Schematic of the GNSS interference detection and analysis system GIDAS. (Image: OHB Digital Solutions)

In September 2020, the first GIDAS monitoring stations were installed at the Czech airport in Brno.

GIDAS — GNSS Interference Detection and Analysis System — enables continuous 24/7 monitoring of the GNSS frequency bands within a defined region to automatically detect, classify and localize intentional interference from jamming and spoofing.

GIDAS can raise the alarm in real time, identify the type of interference, and then pinpoint the location of these dangerous portable devices causing the interference so the authorities can take immediate remedial action. It considerably improves safe and robust operation of GNSS receivers, terminals and applications.

GIDAS was developed by OHB Digital Solutions and Joanneum University of Applied Sciences through ESA’s Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP).

The system works autonomously and is designed to be easily deployed. It is scalable and flexible; it can be used as a standalone monitoring station or upgraded to a network of stations.

Recent GNSS interference attacks include:

• shutdown of navigation equipment at Newark airport
• GNSS attacks of North Korea against South Korea
• 117 incidents within one day at Kaohsiung airport in Taiwan
• a U.S. military drone forced to land
• a 65-meter yacht drifting off course during field trials
• failure of emergency pagers, traffic management systems and ATMs in San Diego caused by U.S. Navy jamming.

“In recent years, GNSS applications have increasingly become the target of intentional interference attacks, since GNSS is widely used in safety and value-critical applications,” said Andreas Lesch, CEO of OHB Digital Solutions. “GIDAS detects, classifies and localizes GNSS interference signals and thus reduces the already existing threat of receiving worse accuracies or even denial of service.”

The GIDAS system user interface helps to pinpoint interference. (Image: OHB Digital Solutions)

GIDAS monitors the GNSS L1/E1 frequency band and reliably detects and classifies intentional and unintentional interference sources using sophisticated algorithms. GIDAS consists of a high performance data processing unit including antenna and RF front-end, and a sophisticated software solution.

GIDAS is able not only to monitor GNSS-based position, velocity and time solutions, it monitors the received signal and baseband processing.

The system is composed of the following software modules:

• Software-defined GNSS radio
• Position, baseband and C/N0 monitoring
• Jammer and spoofing parameter estimation
• Localization capabilities through synchronization of several GIDAS systems
• Graphical user interface

Initial GIDAS reports show an average of seven GNSS interference events per day. GIDAS was able to successfully classify the signal type in 96% of jamming cases that have occurred.