Navygatio : Weather4D/SailGrib's 5th dimension

Navygatio – web home page

From NavigationMac by Francis Fustier

The latest update of Weather4D Routing & Navigation brings a major novelty : Navygatio (¹), a web interface which will allow to record the navigations on a server as time goes by, to add photos, to share own page with relatives, to compare the tracks, to analyze performance, and many more things to come.

A real " cloud at the unique service of Weather4D Routing & Navigation users with iOS and SailGrib WR with Android.

Developed for over a year jointly by Henri Laurent (SailGrib) and Olivier Bouyssou (Weather4D) this new interface already allows the recording of all navigation data, either in cellular connection (real and / or deferred time), either in satellite connection with Iridium GO! (deferred) (²).
Tracks, data from connected instruments, and, icing on the cake : automatic data recording in alogbook !

Several trips grouped together in the outbound journey 

Implementation

In Navygatio website we create an account, exclusively with a Google email address (Gmail) or Apple (Apple Store account address).
We enter the information about the boat, then we create an activity.
It can be a cruising voyage, a training, a regatta, etc.

We can create as many activities as we have navigations, cruises or regattas, to perform.
In the same activity, several trips can be recorded if necessary.
We can then group the trips together in a single journey to replay it on the screen.

Once the account has been created on the website Navygatio, we connect to it in Weather4D Routing & Navigation via a new entry in the "Navigation" menu.

Connection with Weather4D Routing & Navigation

Select the email address used in Navygatio, the name of the boat, and the current activity to choose from a list of activities.
When leaving, after activating the navigation mode in Weather4D, just activate "Data transfer".
They will be synchronized, either in real time with an internet connection (cellular connection near the coast), either deferred as soon as a connection is available (cellular or satellite) (²).

 

 
We see the track and the transferred data displayed on the screen, all available data attached to the route is recorded.

By clicking on a data label in Navygatio, a graph traces its evolution over time.
We can move forward or back in time, you can also click anywhere on the track line to bring the boat back to it and read the data at that point in time, for example when tacking.
You can also display average values ​​over time.

At the end of a course, just turn off data transfer to stop recording.
Like this, several successive tracks can be recorded for the same cruise, or several stages of the same regatta, by reactivating the transfer at each new start.

A new trip begins… 

… registered in Navygatio

You can share a public link with your loved ones to your Navygatio page for a single course, and better, you can invite " followers ", or other users registered in Navygatio, who will be able to access all your journeys.
Your competitor-friends will be able to analyze your performance data, compare with theirs, and many other things.

Other important feature, functionlogbook will evolve in the near future.
In addition to data transfer in the "Logbook" tab of the web interface, input fields will allow you to add textual notes.
Thereafter, a real Logbook interface will be available, in the same way as the Instruments page, in half screen.
Also, the possibility will be offered to subscribers to GeoGarage maps to display the nautical charts on the screen Navygatio, to see more precisely the journeys made.
Finally, the identifiers of the Navygatio account should soon be unified for the weather subscription account and the GeoGarage account., in order to simplify its use.

It goes without saying that access to Navygatio is free for all Weather4D Routage users.
& Navigation with iOS and SailGrib WR with Android.
It also provides them with a real free tracking solution thanks to the "Public link" function for the attention of relatives.

Other more advanced functions will be added later, mainly for the attention of racers, race and rally organizers.

Note :

The function data transfer to Navygatio is completely independent of the function AIS data sharing that can be activated in the General Settings > Navigation > AIS settings.
This last, when activated, only feeds information from AIS targets, voluntarily shared by Weather4D users, displayed on the application (light blue ship icons) (³).
Simultaneous broadcasting of the two streams is not incompatible.

Pending the update of User Guide, the Navygatio user manual is available at this link in PDF format : NAVYGATIO.
To download without moderation.

–––
(¹) Domain name, anglicized (Navy instead of Navi), from Navigatio which means "Navigation" in… Latin ! Comes from the wordnāvigō‎ (navigate), formed withnāvis‎ (ship) andagō‎ (make).
(²) Function awaiting validation.
(³) See User Guide Weather4D Routing & Navigation pages 131-132.

 

Links :

• Henri in live with Navigatio

New Zealand (Linz) update in the GeoGarage platform

 

4 nautical raster charts updated & 1 new chart added

see GeoGarage news

Deep-sea fish with lightbulb on its head mysteriously washes ashore in California

From LiveSciences by Rachael Rettner

The nightmarish fish is rarely seen outside of the deep ocean.

A nightmarish fish that typically dwells thousands of feet below the ocean's surface recently washed ashore on a California beach, according to news reports.

Anglerfish 

If you've seen 'Finding Nemo', you will know exactly what an anglerfish looks like 

The deep-sea fish, known as an anglerfish, is rather elusive and rarely seen outside of the deep ocean, according to The Guardian.
But earlier this month, the intact body of an anglerfish was spotted at Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County, California, by beachgoer and fisherman Ben Estes, The Guardian reported.

Exactly how the fish got there is a mystery.
"To see an actual anglerfish intact is very rare, and it is unknown how or why the fish ended up on the shore," staff at the Crystal Cove State Park wrote in a post on their Facebook page.

The bizarre creature is normally found at ocean depths of around 3,000 feet (914 meters), the post said.
More than 200 species of anglerfish are found worldwide, and park officials determined that the specimen in this case is most likely a Pacific football fish.

The fish's mouth sports a number of sharp, pointy teeth; and the top of its head features a long, protruding stalk with a bioluminescent bulb at the end, which is used "as a lure to entice prey in the darkness" of the deep ocean, the Crystal Cove State Park post said.
(A depiction of the creepy fish makes a memorable appearance in the 2003 movie “Finding Nemo.”)

Female football fish can grow up to 2 feet (0.6 meters) long, while male football fish are only about an inch long, park officials said.
And the fish's method of reproduction is unusual to say the least.
"Males latch onto the female with their teeth and become 'sexual parasites,' eventually coalescing with the female until nothing is left of their form but their testes for reproduction," staff said on Facebook.

The unusual specimen in this case may be transferred to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles to become part of the museum's collection, according to The Guardian.
It is currently being held by officials with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, according to CNN.

"Seeing this strange and fascinating fish is a testament to the diversity of marine life lurking below the water's surface in California's MPAs [marine protected areas]," the Crystal Cove State Park post said.

"And as scientists continue to learn more about these deep-sea creatures, it's important to reflect on how much is still to be learned from our wonderful ocean."

 

Links :

• Related: In photos: Spooky deep-sea creatures
• LA Times : Weird-looking deep-sea fish washes ashore in Newport Beach
• CNET : Strange fish with teeth 'like pointed shards of glass' washes up on shore 

What is GNSS spoofing?

Figure 3: European Galileo satellites provide an open authentication service on the E1 signal and a commercial authentication service on the E6 signal. (Image courtesy: European Space Agency)

From GIM Int by Gustavo Lopez, Maria Simsky

 
How Spoofing Affects Survey and Mapping

With spoofing attacks on the rise, survey-grade GNSS receivers need to be protected by interference mitigation technology utilizing the latest security techniques to ensure reliable positioning.

The survey and mapping industry has been benefiting for years from GPS/GNSS precise positioning technology.

While GNSS spoofing is recognized as a real threat for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or ‘drones’), its influence on survey and mapping equipment is still underestimated.

Reliable data capture is important across various mapping use cases, from man-based surveying and mobile mapping all the way to UAV photogrammetry.

Ensuring dependable positioning requires the use of robust equipment, designed in such a way that alleviates all possible vulnerabilities.

The use of GNSS receivers which are robust against jamming and spoofing is key to trustworthy data capture anytime, anywhere. 

GPS/GNSS Spoofing vs Jamming

Both jamming and spoofing are a type of GNSS radio interference that happens when weak GNSS signals are overpowered by stronger radio signals on the same frequency.

Jamming is a kind of ‘white noise’ interference, causing loss of accuracy and potentially loss of positioning.

This type of interference can come from adjacent electronic devices or external sources such as radio amateurs in the area.

Spoofing is an intelligent form of interference which fools the user into thinking that he/she is in a false location.

During a spoofing attack, a radio transmitter located nearby sends fake GPS signals into the target receiver.

For example, even a cheap software-defined radio (SDR) can make a smartphone believe it’s on Mount Everest (see Figure 1)!

GNSS users are experiencing ever-more cases of jamming, and spoofing events are on the rise too – especially in recent years since it has become easier and more affordable to create malicious spoofing systems.

There are plenty of examples, from Finland – which experienced a week-long spoofing attack in 2019 – to China where multiple vessels have been the target of a spoofing attack.

Hence, jamming and spoofing protection is no longer a ‘nice to have’ feature but a critical component of a GNSS receiver.

Spoofing Incidents are On the Rise

C4ADS, an NGO conducting data-driven analysis of conflict and security matters, concluded that Russia has been extensively using spoofing to divert aerial drones from entering airspace in the vicinity of governmental figures, airports and ports.

And some of the most enthusiastic spoofers are fans of the augmented reality mobile game ‘Pokémon Go’, who use SDRs to spoof their GPS position and catch elusive Pokémon without having to leave their rooms.

Such attacks usually target a specific receiver.

However, the spoofing transmission will actually affect all GPS receivers in the vicinity.

For example, an SDR can affect all GPS receivers within a 1km radius of the spoofing source, and the signal can be amplified for further propagation.

This means that survey or mapping jobs in densely populated areas are at a higher risk of such ‘indirect’ spoofing attacks.

 

Figure 1: Even a cheap SDR can overpower GNSS signals and spoof a single-frequency smartphone GPS into believing it is on Mount Everest.

How to Spoof-proof a Receiver

A spoofer can either rebroadcast GNSS signals recorded at another place and time, or generate and transmit modified satellite signals.

Therefore, to combat spoofing, GNSS receivers need to be able to distinguish spoofed signals from authentic signals.

Once a satellite signal is flagged as spoofed, it can be excluded from positioning calculations.

There are various levels of spoofing protection that a receiver can offer. Using the analogy of a home intrusion detection system, it can be based on a simple entry alarm system or a more complex movement detection system.

For added security, the home owner could decide to install video image recognition, breaking-glass sound detection or a combination of the above.

An unprotected GNSS receiver is like a house with an unlocked door; it is vulnerable to even the simplest forms of spoofing.

Secured receivers, on the other hand, can detect spoofing by looking for signal anomalies or by using signals designed to prevent spoofing, such as Galileo OSNMA and E6 or the GPS military code.

Advanced interference mitigation technologies, such as the Septentrio AIM+, use sophisticated signal-processing algorithms to mitigate jamming and flag spoofing.

For spoofing detection, AIM+ checks for various anomalies in the GNSS signal, such as unusually high signal power.

It also works together with RAIM+ integrity algorithms to ensure range (distance to satellite) validity by comparing range information from various satellites.

AIM+ won’t even be fooled by an advanced GNSS signal generator, Spirent GSS9000.

Even with realistic power levels and actual navigation data within the signal, it can still identify it as a ‘non-authentic’ signal.

Other advanced anti-spoofing techniques such as using a dual-polarized antenna are currently being researched.

 

Figure 2: GNSS spoofing could be used to manipulate movement of aerial drones.
Satellite Navigation Data Authentication

Various countries are investing in spoofing resilience by building security directly into their GNSS satellites.

With Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA), the European Galileo is the first satellite system to introduce an anti-spoofing service directly on a civil GNSS signal.

OSNMA is a free service on the Galileo E1 frequency that enables authentication of the navigation data on Galileo. Such navigation data carries information about satellite location and, if altered, will result in wrong receiver positioning computation.

As a close partner of ESA, the European GNSS manufacturer Septentrio has been contributing to the design and testing of the Galileo system since its inception.

Today, as the OSNMA system is entering its testing phase, Septentrio receivers have successfully been used to test the OSNMA signals.

The US GPS system is also experimenting with satellite-based anti-spoofing for civil users with its recent authentication system called Chimera.

Advanced Interference Mitigation Technology

OSNMA is a part of the puzzle comprising the AIM+ interference defence system.

The anti-jamming component suppresses the widest variety of interferers, from simple, continuous narrow-band signals to the most complex, wideband and pulsed transmissions.

The anti-spoofing component consists of signal anomaly detection, OSNMA, RAIM+ as well as other algorithms. 

Future-proof GNSS Receivers

Interference mitigation technology such as AIM+ protects accurate positioning today.

To ensure the best protection for tomorrow too, GNSS manufacturers are offering future-proof technology which allows users to take advantage of new GNSS security services like ONSMA and Chimera as soon as they become available.

Utilizing future-proof GNSS receivers in survey, mapping and UAV equipment enables integrators to reduce their time to market with resilient products.

Secured GNSS means trustworthy precise positioning and peace of mind for everyone who relies on this technology.

Links :

• TheEconomist : Why vessels passing near Iran may have trouble staying on course
• Septentrio  :https://www.septentrio.com/en/advanced-interference-monitoring-mitigation-aim /https://septentrio-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/p/marketing/EU99N82bWyZPsvd4Dp9g5lwBEwqQLgeT8i7wtW64TEk-tw?e=S0fGFD
• GeoGarage blog : Tests of Galileo OSNMA underway / Understanding GPS spoofing in shipping ... / IXblue unveils The Cetos Suite, an AI Based ...  / Chinese GPS spoofing circles could hide ... / Report: Russian GPS spoofing threatens ... / GPS jamming and spoofing: when good ...

Imray layers update in the GeoGarage platform

64 nautical raster charts added

see GeoGarage news