What is Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS)?

A Satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) is a system that supports wide-area or regional augmentation through the use of additional satellite-broadcast messages. Such systems are commonly composed of multiple ground stations, located at accurately-surveyed points. The ground stations take measurements of one or more of the GNSS satellites, the satellite signals, or other environmental factors which may impact the signal received by the users. Using these measurements, information messages are created and sent to one or more satellites for broadcast to the end users. For example, neither the USA’s GPS nor Russia’s GLONASS meet the operational requirements set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for use during the most critical phases of aircraft flight, in particular final approaches. To solve it, ICAO decided to standardise several GNSS augmentation systems including SBAS.

ANAND GAUTAM