Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) technologies are now ubiquitous in everyday life: they are incorporated in electronic devices and are used by the public, surveyors, and geoscientists on a regular basis. In developing countries in particular, GNSS applications offer cost-effective solutions that make it possible to foster economic and social development without neglecting the need to preserve the environment, thus promoting sustainable development.
Current GNSS include the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) and the European Satellite Navigation System (Galileo). There are also two regional systems, the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system and the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), as well as various augmentation systems designed to improve one or more GNSS qualities, such as accuracy, robustness, and signal availability.
The availability of GNSS and other space-based systems is creating an unprecedented opportunity, bringing benefits in the areas of emergency management, marine and land monitoring, or fleet control to name a few. Due to this availability, the development of integrated applications is an area in rapid expansion. To address a wide array of GNSS applications for socioeconomic benefits and to focus on initiating pilot projects and strengthening the networking of GNSS-related institutions in the region, a Workshop on the Applications of GNSS will be held in Helsinki from 23 to 26 October 2023. This workshop is being organized by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in cooperation with the National Land Survey of Finland. The workshop will be hosted by the National Land Survey of Finland on behalf of the Government of Finland.
