Why in news?
Flights landing at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport experienced disruptions when aircraft received misleading Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. Air traffic controllers reported that some planes momentarily lost accurate positioning, prompting them to revert to alternative landing procedures. The incidents drew attention to the growing threat of GPS spoofing to civil aviation.
Background
The Global Positioning System provides location and timing information by transmitting signals from satellites to receivers on earth. GPS spoofing occurs when a device transmits fake satellite signals that overpower or confuse genuine signals, tricking receivers into calculating a wrong position. Unlike jamming, which blocks signals entirely, spoofing feeds false data while maintaining signal strength. Spoofing incidents have been reported in conflict zones and around border areas, including along the India–Pakistan frontier.
Impact on aviation
- Navigation errors: A spoofed signal can cause an aircraft’s flight management system to display an incorrect location, altitude or heading. Pilots rely on GPS for precision approaches when Instrument Landing Systems are unavailable.
- Safety risks: Although aircraft have inertial navigation and radio‑based backups, sudden loss of GPS integrity may increase pilot workload and lead to missed approaches or diversions.
- Global trend: According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), there were over 4 lakh instances of GPS jamming and spoofing reported worldwide in 2024, a 62 percent rise from the previous year.
Defensive measures
- Signal authentication: Aviation authorities are working with satellite providers to develop encrypted signals that are harder to spoof.
- Multi‑sensor fusion: Modern aircraft integrate data from inertial measurement units, radio navigation aids and visual sensors to cross‑check GPS information and detect anomalies.
- Pilot training: Crews are trained to recognise spoofing symptoms, such as sudden jumps in indicated position, and to switch promptly to alternative navigation methods.
Source
India Today – GPS spoofing disrupts flights at Delhi airport