Sateliot has launched a project with the European Space Agency (ESA) to break GPS dependency and open its satellite IoT offering to military applications.

The R&D project for the development of 6G technology aims to increase the resilience of IoT terminals against possible GPS signal interference by third parties, as well as reducing costs and consuming less energy.

The Spanish satellite telecommunications operator for 5G IoT connectivity will test the system that allows its satellites to connect with IoT devices without relying on satellite navigation systems (GNSS) such as the American GPS.

This breakthrough opens opportunities in sectors such as defence and security, where Europe’s technological autonomy and operation in GNSS-denied environments are priorities.

Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, such as the one developed by Sateliot, provide coverage in areas beyond the reach of terrestrial networks – over half of the planet’s surface. However, until now, they depended on GNSS, increasing both the energy consumption of devices and terminal costs.

The Free GNSS Network project, signed with the ESA (www.esa.int) and led jointly with Spanish private capital group GMV (www.gmv.com), eliminates this dependency using algorithms that let devices calculate their position directly from the satellites’ signals. This maintains a stable and accurate connection even under complex conditions such as wartime scenarios.

According to the company, this project lays the groundwork for developing 6G technology, in which Sateliot actively contributes within the 3GPP framework.

The project aims to enable device positioning with an accuracy of approximately 10m and provides precise time synchronisation services of 50ns.

The system is being tested in laboratories that replicate real satellite communication conditions and will be demonstrated in orbit with prototype satellites and terminals, sending positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) data directly to IoT devices.

“This project positions Spain as a benchmark in satellite innovation and connects the European industry to new IoT and 5G service markets,” said Jaume Sanpera, CEO of Sateliot (sateliot.space). “With this research, Europe gains coverage and connectivity where there was none before, and Spain demonstrates its ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions. It is a dual-use technology, for both civil and defence applications, that enables greater autonomy, resilience and energy efficiency.”