The Federal Government is about to sink AU$12 Million into a two year test of new, more-accurate Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) that could mean increased safety, productivity, and efficiency in logistics and other sectors.

Currently, positioning technology in Australia is accurate to within five to ten meters.  But the new SBAS promises to bump that up to accuracy within fewer than five centimeters.

"SBAS utilises space-based and ground-based infrastructure to improve and augment the accuracy, integrity and availability of basic Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, such as those currently provided by the USA Global Positioning System (GPS)," said Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester to Lloyd's List Australia.  "The future use of SBAS technology was strongly supported by the aviation industry to assist in high accuracy GPS-dependent aircraft navigation.

"Positioning data can also be used in a range of other transport applications including maritime navigation, automated train management systems and in the future, driverless and connected cars."

Geoscience Australia with the Collaborative Research Center for Spatial Information (CRCSI) next year will call for organizations to take part in the test bed, seeking partners in maritime, agriculture, aviation, construction, mining, rail, road, spatial, and utilities to participate.