After being shrouded in esoterica for a long time, Global Navigation Satellite
Systems (GNSS) have become part of everyday life, especially the Global Positioning
System (GPS). Having spent 40 years involved with the subject, it
became clear to me that it would be useful to have a book about the business
aspects of these systems. This idea was the result of two endeavors: a course I
taught for many years called “The Business of GNSS”; and the writing of a
chapter for a different book: “GNSS Markets and Applications,” in Understanding
GPS: Principles and Applications, Second Edition, edited by Elliott Kaplan
and Christopher Hegarty (Artech House, 2006). The chapter’s 25-page limit
could not do justice to the topic, so I undertook to write this book and have
completely focused on the topic of the markets and applications of GNSS.
While there are many highly technical books already written about GNSS and
thousands of articles about applications and companies, there did not exist a
book that I could find about the business itself.
Most known for GPS products, the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) industry is poised for dramatic growth. Many GNSS business experts are predicting ten-fold growth over the next decade to make GNSS a $300-billion industry. This book provides a detailed, accurate picture of the current GNSS marketplace, offering keen insight into future trends. This comprehensive resource provides complete descriptions of all major market segments, highlighting risks and opportunities for growth. Applications have been driving this industry's expansion, and this book discusses promising new applications for both the commercial and defense sectors. Taking a global perspective on GNSS business, this authoritative volume shows how the industry is being influenced worldwide by systems developed in the U.S., European Union, India, China, and Japan. It also details how government policy is shaping markets in the U.S. and E.U.