u-blox demonstrates navigation using Chinese BeiDou satellite system

Swiss-based u-blox, a provider of GPS/GNSS and wireless semiconductors, has achieved successful satellite positioning using China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.

The company has now demonstrated compatibility with all globally deployed positioning systems: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and now BeiDou. User demonstration of the technology will begin during the first quarter of this year.

“As the technology leader in global positioning electronics, we are thrilled to have achieved this milestone only three weeks after the BeiDou specification was published,” said Thomas Seiler, u-blox CEO. “China will become the world’s most important single market for devices relying on embedded satellite navigation, and u-blox plans to be a major player in this market.”

BeiDou-2, also known as Compass, currently has 15 satellites in orbit, providing navigation and positioning services to users in China and Southeast Asia. It will ultimately consist of 35 satellites providing worldwide positioning capability over its open service to within 10 m accuracy.