Legend : In the center, Xavier LEBLAN, Head of Development, and Giuseppe ROTONDO, Technical Director, accompanied by their Data Scientists, Alex GAUTIER and Gabin PROST.
Emitech Group announces the acquisition of Guide-GNSS, an independent COFRAC-accredited testing laboratory specializing in the validation of satellite-based geolocation system (GNSS) performance. This strategic move marks Emitech’s entry into a rapidly growing field and complements its expertise in functional, regulatory, and environmental testing.
A unique expertise in GNSS metrology
Founded in 2010, Guide-GNSS is now a recognized European leader in the evaluation, validation, and certification of GNSS Based Positioning Terminals (GBPT). Accredited to ISO 17025 with a level 3 flexible scope—a rare case in Europe—the Toulouse-based laboratory relies on precise, tailored, and proven methods to conduct tests in real-world conditions or on test benches using real or simulated GNSS signals. These positioning systems play an increasingly essential role in critical functions, particularly in sectors such as automotive, rail, aerospace, maritime, and agriculture.
Guide-GNSS’s services include:
• GNSS performance testing (accuracy, integrity, resilience to GNSS attacks),
• Design of customized test scenarios and modelling of synthetic environments for digital simulation,
• Consulting in GNSS engineering and advanced metrology. Guide-GNSS is also a co-author of the EN 16803 series of standards, underscoring its role as a technical reference in its field.
A strategic asset for Emitech Group
The integration with Guide-GNSS brings Emitech Group unprecedented competencies and high-value-added services, enhancing its traditional offerings (EMC, radio, electrical safety, environmental testing, etc.). This integration will enable:
• Expansion into critical applications: Geolocation technologies are now central to innovations in embedded systems for autonomous vehicles, drones, trains, and agricultural machinery. With Guide-GNSS, Emitech becomes a reference player in evaluating the accuracy, reliability, and resilience of these systems under representative operational conditions.
• Enhanced support for the aeronautics and defense sectors: GNSS applications are strategic for aeronautics (precision approaches, ADS-B, EGNOS, embedded GNSS systems) and defense (localization in degraded environments, resilience against jamming and spoofing threats). Guide-GNSS possesses unique expertise in testing the performance of these systems, including simulating 1/3 complex environments and measuring the impact of radiofrequency attacks (jammers/spoofers). Emitech Group can thus support equipment manufacturers and armed forces in qualifying critical GNSS-integrated solutions, complementing its EMC, environmental, and mechanical testing services. These capabilities align with the growing needs of dual-use (civil and military) applications, where positioning reliability is crucial for operational safety.
• Implementation of integrated multi-physics testing: Emitech Group already operates extensive testing infrastructures for embedded equipment (EMC anechoic chambers, vibration benches, climatic chambers, etc.). By integrating Guide-GNSS’s resources (GNSS signal record and replay systems, constellation simulators), Emitech Group will be able to conduct test campaigns combining physical tests (vibrations, EMC, shocks) with GNSS performance validation. This integrated approach is particularly relevant for the aeronautics and defense sectors, where system robustness (avionics, drones, military vehicles) depends on the interaction of multiple factors (mechanical and radiofrequency environments, positioning quality, radio link security, etc.).
• Opportunities in R&D and innovation: The combination of Emitech’s and Guide-GNSS’s R&D expertise opens new perspectives, notably for the innovative development of primary navigation solutions (high precision, enhanced reliability, sensor hybridization, protection against radio cyber-attacks).
As industries seek to optimize their processes and reduce development cycles by combining physical testing and simulation, the advent of digital twins and virtualized testing becomes a reality. Powered by AI (Artificial Intelligence), the models developed by GUIDE GNSS can realistically replicate the GNSS environment and its constraints, while EMITECH experts can model the vibratory, thermal, and EMC interference environments encountered. The combination of these skills enables the creation of representative virtual environments to test positioning reliability in various operational configurations. These joint efforts will support strategic projects of industries and public authorities in smart mobility and defense.
A booming GNSS market
According to analyses by EUSPA (European Union Agency for the Space Programme), GNSS technologies are set to play a central role in the mobility of tomorrow. The growing adoption of automation (ADAS, autonomous driving), stricter regulatory requirements (ITS, ISO 26262), and new agricultural or industrial applications are driving the emergence of operational positioning solutions. With this acquisition, Emitech Group positions itself as a key player in this transformation, capable of evaluating not only compliance but also the real performance of equipment embedding critical geolocation functions.
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