False GPS Signals Could Put Pilots to the Test and the Aviation Industry at Risk
False GPS signals are generating chaos in the skies, leading to dangerous incidents and unnecessary evasive maneuvers, warn pilots and aviation agencies. Find out more here!
In the world of aviation, a growing problem is associated with false GPS signals. These misleading signals are causing confusion in the navigation systems on board aircraft, making pilots' work even more difficult, particularly in conflict areas.
The growing threat in the skies from false alarms
In regions close to the conflict areas, as in Ukraine after the Russian invasion, the Eastern Mediterranean and the air corridor over Iraq, pilots and officials of the aeronautical industry have reported an increase in false GPS signals, apparently of military origin. These adulterated signals can lead aircraft to receive false coordinates, times and altitudes, resulting in false danger alerts and ultimately giving rise to unnecessary emergency maneuvers.
A Boeing 777 pilot and member of the Syndicat National des Pilotes de Ligne (SNPL), the main French pilots' union, reported incidents in which the plane received collision alarms in the cockpit. In this one, evasive maneuvers were ordered, even when the aircraft was at a high altitude. For a moment, the aircraft's navigation systems misinterpreted the position of the aircraft, which gave rise to collision alerts with obstacles that were not present.
These false GPS signals are therefore one of the causes of immediate confusion, but they can also affect the trajectory of the aircraft hours later, when it approaches the destination. This may result in modified trajectories or even in changes of destination, if it is impossible to land safely due to interference in navigation systems.
Response strategies and international cooperation for air protection
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) warns, in fact, of the increase of these interferences in GPS signals since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, which affects not only conflict zones, but also areas further from central Europe, such as Finland to the north and the Mediterranean to the south. It is estimated that up to 3.7 flights out of 1,000 are being affected by this type of phenomenon.
Faced with this growing threat, EASA and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced a partnership to combat the spoofing of GPS jamming. Both organizations point to the need to collect and share, in a coordinated way, GPS security data, universal guidelines for GPS incidents and the commitment of States to maintain traditional navigation systems as a backup.
Traditional navigation systems, such as headlights or ground transmitters that emit radio signals, are becoming increasingly important as an alternative in case of interference with GPS systems. This collaboration between different regulators, industry and airlines is essential to face this threat and ensure the safety of passengers and aviation as a whole. It is clear that urgent measures are necessary to mitigate the risks presented by false GPS signals and protect the integrity of air navigation systems.