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Recently, under the supervision of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a private jet landed using GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) for the first time in India, marking an important milestone in the adoption of satellite-based navigation for civil aviation.

About GAGAN

GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) is India's Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS), jointly developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and ISRO. It enhances the accuracy, integrity and reliability of GPS signals, enabling aircraft to navigate and land with greater precision, particularly where conventional ground-based navigation systems are limited.

Objectives

GAGAN aims to provide highly accurate satellite-based navigation services for civil aviation, improve air traffic management across Indian airspace, and ensure seamless navigation by remaining interoperable with other international SBAS networks.

How GAGAN Works

GAGAN functions through an integrated ground segment and space segment. A network of 15 Indian Reference Stations (INRES) continuously monitors GPS signals and detects errors caused by ionospheric disturbances, satellite orbit deviations and clock inaccuracies. These observations are processed at the Indian Master Control Centre (INMCC), which generates correction and integrity messages. The corrections are then transmitted through the Indian Land Uplink Station (INLUS) to geostationary satellites, which broadcast the corrected navigation signals to aircraft equipped with compatible receivers.

The space segment comprises the geostationary satellites GSAT-8 (2011), GSAT-10 (2012) and GSAT-15 (2015), each carrying GAGAN payloads to relay these correction messages over the Indian region.

Significance

GAGAN significantly improves the accuracy and safety of aircraft navigation and precision landings, particularly during poor weather conditions. It enhances air traffic management, reduces dependence on costly ground-based navigation aids, optimizes flight paths to save fuel, and aligns India's aviation infrastructure with global satellite-based navigation standards.