Analysis and Suggestions on the Latest Trend of “BDS +” Application Development

LI Qi,SUN Dongzhi,SUN Tianyang,MA Yinhu,REN Yu

Test and Assessment Research Center of China Satellite Navigation Office,Beijing 100094

Abstract:The indigenous developed global BeiDou Navigation System (BDS-3) was formally commissioned,marking the completion of the three-step BDS development strategy,and a new era for BDS to better serve people from all walks of life.In this paper,the recent progress and main characteristics of BDS technology fusion and industry integration are analyzed.The discussion on the latest development on“BDS+”application starts from“BDS+Technology”and“BDS+Industry”,through to the future prospective BDS applications.

Key words:BDS,satellite navigation,5G,Internet of Things

1 INTRODUCTION

The annual output value of China’s satellite navigation and location-based services industry exceeded RMB 400 billion in 2020.Most domestic smart phones support the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) function,and tens of millions of vehicles and ships are equipped with BDS compatible terminals.With the further development of the application of“BDS+5G”,“BDS+Electricity”and“BDS+Transportation”,new concepts like“BDS Spatio-temporal Watch”,“BDS Magic Box”and“BDS Car-hailing”have sprung up.The further advancement of“BDS+”application enhances the development of the BDS application industry,promotes the construction of a BDS industrial chain,and makes BDS serve all walks of life supporting the national economy more widely,which is an important direction for the next stage of BDS development.

2 BDS AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES DEEPLY INTEGRATED,INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS FLOURISHING

The BDS application includes positioning and navigation,precise timing,short message communications,and the combination of big data,5G communications,Internet of Things (IOT),artificial intelligence,block chainand other emerging technologies,which will lead to unlimited possibilities.Practically,application enhancements are not just a simple“plus”relationship,but more likely have a“multiplication”effect or even“power”relationship,where the economic and social benefits can become unlimited as well.

2.1 “BDS+5G”Realizes the Integration of Ubiquitous Perception and Communication &Navigation

At present,“BDS+5G”has two main application modes.One is using the space-Earth integrated positioning technology,which takes advantage of space-based ultra-wide network coverage and ground-based ultra-dense network coverage,and uses 5G and BDS signals for precise positioning,so as to achieve seamless switching between indoor and outdoor positioning and navigation and ubiquitous sensing applications,anywhere and anytime.Second,network integration technology,where integration of navigation and positioning and the highspeed communications network is further enhanced,greatly improving the performance of communications and navigation,and furnishes more abundant application scenarios for smart cities,earthquake monitoring,precise weather forecasting,remote control,remote driving and other fields.In 2020,as the world’s first smart high-speed rail,the Beijing-Zhangjiakou highspeed railway successfully applied the“BDS+5G”mode to achieve 350 km per hour automatic control,from the automatic start to the arrival point,automatic operation over the journey,automatic parking at the arrival station,automatic door opening,along with door and platform linkage came into realization,achieving a parking accuracy of better than 10 cm,saving about 15% electricity.

2.2 “BDS+Big Data”Digs Deeper into Spatio-temporal Information

The precise spatial and temporal information provided by BDS is an important source for space-time situational big data analysis,proving a vital base for data mining,association analysis and knowledge graphical construction.“BDS+Big Data”applied to the field of public management,enables gathering of considerable high-value information and provides essential support for macro-decision-making for economic and social development.Chongqing Geographic Information Center took the lead in trying to use the data of BDS RTK trajectory information to establish BDS user trajectory data,analyze and judge the degree of development and social development status in various regions in Chongqing Municipality.The analysis results could be used as an important decision-making reference in management of civil planning,surveying and mapping geographic information.

During the prevention period of COVID-19 epidemic,the vehicle networking platform based on“BDS+Big Data”technology can control the space-time situation of special vehicles such as medical rescue,patient transfer,material distribution,community security,garbage removal and so on at all levels under the epidemic prevention command,which makes an important contribution to China's epidemic prevention work.

2.3 The Application of“BDS+IOT”Is Constantly Innovating and Developing

With the arrival of the IOT era characterized by the interconnection of all things across the globe,it has provided a huge stage for BDS.BDS,a ubiquitous spatio-temporal perception infrastructure,has laid an important cornerstone for the prosperity and development of IOT.The continuous maturity of BDS and IOT enabled the continuous innovation,development and deeper integration of“BDS+IOT”applications.At present,there have been applications with unmanned aerial vehicles(UAV),unmanned vehicles,unmanned machinery,unmanned ships and other equipment.In addition,unmanned logistic systems,unmanned express services and new unmanned equipment and concepts in other business areas,are still emerging daily.Shared bicycles,traffic warning signs,farming machinery and other application services have emerged,and new application scenarios are still innovating and developing.

3 DEEPENING THE INTEGRATION OF BDS AND TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIES TO ENABLE INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS

The technological development of BDS,communications,information and other fields has brought new opportunities for the innovation and development of traditional industries,promoting a deeper integration of BDS with traditional industries,triggering new formats and new industries.

3.1 Application of BDS in Transportation Has Been Preliminarily Popularized

Since 2018,various BDS special projects and civil demonstration projects have been launched in China.The BDS-based automatic driving test system is being widely promoted.Beijing,Shanghai,Wuhan,Hangzhou and other cities are conducting pilot applications for automatic driving based on BDS high-precision positioning.In China,tens of millions of operating vehicles,thousands of ships,hundreds of general aviation aircraft and dozens of passenger aircraft have been modified with BDS positioning and tracking equipment.The satellite navigation and positioning technology of BDS is used to realize the autonomous control of global positioning and tracking.

3.2 Application of BDS in the Field of Electric Power Has Been Further Deepened

In recent years,the application of integrated technology“BDS+Electric Power”has been further expanded,and a power intelligent solution based on BDS has realized more than 20 applications such as intelligent power line patrol,intelligent substation operation,intelligent infrastructure management,which greatly improves operational efficiency,reduces operating costs,and improves the user experience.The application of this frontier technology“BDS+Electric Power”has developed rapidly.New power facilities such as wind power generation,photovoltaic power generation,small hydropower,wave power generation,tidal power generation and new energy vehicle charging stations have adopted BDS positioning,timing and short message services as one of their basic functions.

3.3 BDS Helps Precision Agriculture to Gain New Development

Based on BDS technology,precision agricultural machinery management has enabled new management service applications such as those for operational monitoring,operational statistics,dispatch status,maintenance etc,hence the cultivated land area using precision agricultural machinery management services now exceeds 100 million mu.Precision agricultural solutions cover nearly 30 types of farming,such as rotary tillage,transplanting,rice and wheat harvesting,subsoiling,plant protection,seeding,plowing and so on,supporting dozens of types of agricultural machinery,such as tractors,harvesters,transplanters,loaders,and dryers.BDS grazing platform helps Chinese herdsmen realize remotely visual grazing,and BDS Short Message grazing systems have started in the Kent and Central Province of Mongolia,which obtained a wide favorable reception by the local population.

4 PROPOSALS ON“BDS +”APPLICATION AND DEVELOPMENT

With the completion of BDS-3 constellation network,the program began to shift its focus from construction &deployment to operation &optimization.The future development of“BDS+”application should focus on the following aspects:

4.1 Establish BDS Service Operation Platform (BDS SOP),Developing Deeper into Market Demand and Promoting Technology Integration

BDS SOP is an important kernel for the application and development of“BDS+”.With further development,the satellite navigation system technology,data,operation,as well as services will gradually become more prolific,so we should speed up the development of a unified and standardized BDS SOP and associated operational institutions.An open and competitive market environment will be established,further improvement of the regulatory system,while simultaneously tapping more widely and deeper into the market demand.Technology infusion and innovative business models will provide users with a differentiated BDS application service experience.

4.2 Deep and Meticulous Cultivation Will further Promote Terminal Miniaturization,Industry Application Customization Plus Operation and Maintenance Intellectualization

Further refinement of BDS service technology is an important driving factor for the application and development of“BDS+”.In order to better apply the service to all kinds of platforms and integrate it into all walks of life,miniaturization,low power consumption and low cost BDS terminals should be further developed.In parallel developing customized application technology according to the special needs of various industries.In view of the low degree of automation and intelligence in the monitoring,assessment,operation and maintenance of BDS,we should not only continuously improve and tackle our own technical problems,but also constantly break down barriers and continually introduce new technologies.

4.3 Accelerating the Formulation and Promotion of International,National,Local,Industry and Technical Standards for BDS

Standardization system is an essential guarantee for the application and development of“BDS+”.The establishment of an open and thorough standardizaed system will further protect the marketing and standard of the BDS service.At present,a series of international and national standards for BDS have been domestically established,and standards for ground-based enhancement,specialized terminals and industrial applications are being formulated.It is necessary to further promote the establishment of BDS-related technical integration standards and industrial integration standards,so as to provide a basis and reference for eliminating technical barriers and industrial barriers.