▲ Conceptual diagram of Aeronautical Satellite Service (KASS) (Image source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)


Korea Aerospace Research Institute, “GPS positioning error confirmed to be reduced to 1–1.6m”
Commercialization expected in the first half of the year following the start of verification in the drone and in-vehicle navigation sectors

Once precise positioning signals from the Korea Augmentation Satellite System (KASS) are provided, testing and verification using KASS signals will begin in fields such as drones and in-vehicle navigation, and it is expected that commercialization in some sectors could begin as early as the first half of next year.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 13th that it plans to provide KASS signals for the first time on December 15 to provide precise location information services across the country by drastically reducing GPS location errors to the level of 1 to 1.6 meters.

KASS is a Korean satellite navigation correction system that has been registered as the world's seventh international standard, providing precise positioning in real time by reducing GPS positioning errors from 15m horizontally to 1m and from 33m vertically to 1.6m.

It was announced that following the successful launch of the first aeronautical satellite last June, processes such as phased linkage testing and performance verification between ground systems have been carried out, and prior to the commencement of aviation services at the end of 2023, KASS signals will be provided first to be tested and utilized in various fields such as location-based industries and academic research.

Prior to the first provision of KASS precision position signals, the supervising organizationWe conducted performance tests to improve positioning accuracy using vehicles in collaboration with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, a former organization, and confirmed that the error of the GPS has been reduced to the level of 1 meter.

In addition, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has been thoroughly reviewing the readiness for providing KASS signals with various relevant experts through the 'KASS Project Promotion Policy Committee,' composed of experts in the field of satellite navigation, since December 8.

The 'KASS Project Promotion Policy Committee' was organized under the supervision of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and consisted of approximately 15 experts in the field of satellite navigation, including government agencies such as the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, as well as the Korea Institute of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Technology, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, the Korea Transport Institute, Konkuk University, Kookmin University, and Korean Air. Since 2018, it has continuously discussed and monitored the major progress of the KASS project and matters of cooperation and support among related organizations.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is making every effort to ensure the stable provision of KASS services and is working to revitalize KASS by forming the 'KASS Alliance' with industry, academia, research institutes, and relevant government agencies to enable its utilization in general industrial sectors. With the first provision of KASS signals, the Ministry plans to discuss more specific utilization methods.

The KASS Alliance consists of approximately 80 members across six divisions: aviation (UAM, drones), roads (autonomous vehicles, navigation), railways and oceans, location information (mobile phones, carriers, maps, chipsets), geodetic surveying, and safety (public security, firefighting, etc.).

Once KASS precision positioning signals are provided, participating companies are expected to begin testing and verification using KASS signals in fields such as drones and in-vehicle navigation, and commercialization in some sectors is projected to begin as early as the first half of next year.

In the smartphone-based location-based service industry, it is believed that “if KASS signals are applied to smartphones, location accuracy in navigation, parking, and taxi-hailing services will be significantly improved.”"It will be possible," he stated, adding, "It is expected that more precise location information will be utilized not only in mobility industries such as drones, urban air mobility (UAM), and autonomous vehicles, but also in fields that use GPS, such as emergency rescue and agriculture."

Going forward, KASS plans to provide full-scale KASS signals starting from the end of 2023 after going through processes such as gathering user feedback, stabilizing the system for aviation services, and obtaining aviation certification in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. It also plans to designate a separate specialized operating agency to carry out the implementation on consignment for systematic management and operation.

The provision of aviation services enables the selection of flexible aircraft approach and landing routes, and is expected to have effects such as reducing flight delays and cancellations and improving safety.

In particular, it is expected that approach procedures using KASS will become available for regional airports, such as Ulsan, where the installation and operation of Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) is impossible due to mountainous terrain or other factors.

Joo Jong-wan, Director General of Airport Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, “Starting with the provision of KASS precision positioning signals, we will actively cooperate with the location-based industry and others to ensure that the general public can utilize highly accurate location information, and we will do our utmost to ensure the successful establishment and stable operation of the Aeronautical Satellite Service (KASS).”

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