Aviation sector seeks urgent solutions for GPS interference

LONDON/WASHINGTON: The aviation industry will press regulators this week for urgent action to help tackle GPS “spoofing” amid a surge in such activity, which can send commercial airliners off-course, due to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

International trade body IATA and European regulator EASA have organised a meeting in Cologne, Germany, on Thursday that will bring together airlines, plane manufacturers and aviation technology firms, as well as national and regional regulatory bodies, to discuss the issue.

Spoofing might involve one country’s military sending false Global Positioning System (GPS) signals to an enemy plane or drone to hinder its ability to function.