Strengthening EU Border Security: Meeting of the Galileo-enabled Asset Tracking Demonstrator Pilot Project
On 25 November, Frontex and EUSPA organised the Innovation Cells Meeting of the Galileo-enabled Asset Tracking Demonstrator Pilot Project in Bucharest, Romania.
The event has brought together 100 experts from border management, satellite navigation, cyber-security and operational coordination to discuss the future of secure and resilient tracking capabilities at the EU’s external borders. It served as an important milestone in the evolution of next-generation positioning technologies for border security.
The event was divided into two parts, the first being an informative session providing the strategic context behind the EUSPA-Frontex joint pilot project and the relevance of Galileo robust services for the EU’s long-term border-management security objectives.
In this session motivations for launching the project were discussed, underlining the growing need for trustworthy, interference-resilient position information in complex operational environments. The advantages offered by Galileo, particularly the Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA), which enhance detection and protection against spoofing and strengthen the reliability of position data used in border-surveillance operations were covered.
During the morning session, the project team introduced the Galileo-enabled Asset Tracking Demonstrator, outlining how the pilot project explores the use of the European GNSS constellation to deliver a secure, resilient, real-time tracking capability.
Participants received an overview of:
- Why the pilot project is being conducted, and how it aligns with EUROSUR system developments and Frontex’s innovation agenda;
- The benefits of Galileo and OSNMA, how authenticated signals support more secure asset-tracking operations and best practices to further increase the overall trustworthiness of the position for such mission-critical operations;
- The results of the test campaign conducted in the Black Sea in collaboration with the Romanian Border Police, where the demonstrator was deployed on two operational vessels;
- Lessons learned and possible way forward to operationalise Galileo in Frontex Joint Operations, also addressing system robustness, and interoperability needs.
In the second part of the event, an interactive discussion was held, engaging all the participants in three separate thematic discussions aimed at defining a roadmap for the Galileo integration into Frontex and its Member States’ capabilities:
- Security Aspects: Enhancing Asset Tracking and Fleet Coordination;
- Operational Benefits: Leveraging Asset Tracking and Fleet Coordination and;
- Technological Innovations: Advancing Asset Tracking and Fleet Coordination.
As risks linked to GNSS jamming and spoofing continue to increase, the development of protected positioning solutions will become even more crucial. Galileo, with its authenticated signals, offers a truly European robust capability that supports operational integrity and technological sovereignty.
The pilot project, a joint effort between Frontex, EUSPA, the Romanian Border Police, and FDC has successfully tested a Galileo-based asset tracking demonstrator on two vessels. These real-world deployments allowed the project team to evaluate system performance under operational conditions and generated valuable insights for future development.
“This pilot shows how European space capabilities, especially Galileo, can directly support critical missions such as border surveillance, demonstrating how authenticated and resilient Galileo signals can translate into real operational benefits. It confirms the value of OSNMA in strengthening the security, trust and robustness of the positioning data on which border-management operations rely,” underlined Rodrigo da Costa, EUSPA Executive Director.
“Our research and innovation initiative to integrate Galileo-based Assets Tracking into Joint Operations, leveraging the Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) protocol, is a significant step forward in enhancing our resilience to GNSS interference threats. By harnessing the power of EU-made technology, we're strengthening our ability to respond effectively to emerging threats and ensuring the integrity of our operations, thanks to the secure and trusted navigation provided by Galileo's OSNMA, “ said Aija Kalnaja, Deputy Executive Director for Capabilities at Frontex.
The positive results of this pilot will help to shape the next steps toward an operational use of Galileo within the Frontex Positioning System.
About Galileo
Galileo, the EU´s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), provides improved navigation, positioning and timing information. More than 4 billion users are already benefitting from Galileo.
The Galileo Programme is owned by the EU. The European Commission, as the Programme Manager, oversees the implementation of all activities. EUSPA is responsible for the operational management of the services, ensuring that they are delivered with the defined performance and without interruption. Galileo's system design and system evolution are entrusted by EUSPA to ESA .
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