Resilient GNSS positioning performance: Is the problem solved?

The proliferation of smartphones capable of utilising GNSS raw measurements establishes the firm ground for significant improvements and advancements in GNSS positioning performance, the GNSS accuracy, and availability in particular. Application-tailored position estimation methods in the navigation domain optimise the GNSS performance to the requirements of particular systems and services depending on GNSS. Furthermore, the emerging 5G mobile networks offer comparable positioning accuracy and more reliable availability of positioning signals, thus becoming a strong GNSS competitor. Here we examine GNSS positioning performance as derived from smartphone-based raw GNSS observations obtained in various critical positioning environments, and processed with the suitably configured single- frequency Multi-GNSS Software-Defined Receivers. The GNSS positioning performance is compared with the GNSS application requirements in selected scenarios to allow for an insight into GNSS’s capacity in the provision of the required positioning accuracy and availability. A self- adaptive distributed GNSS positioning process is proposed as the result of the study that goes beyond the limitations of the GNSS receiver architectures. It extends the prospects of the GNSS Navigation Domain - GNSS Application integration for the provision of the Positioning- as-a-(Personalised) Service, through bespoke positioning environment effects mitigation model, as well as through self-adaptiveness of the position estimation method deployed. The potential risks emerging from GNSS utilisation are identified, with the mitigation methods applied in distributed computing environments proposed as a solution for a resilient GNSS service provision for the benefits of the society and economy.