report of the action team on global navigation satellite systems (gnss)

288. A common concern for surveyors is that existing GNSS surveying receivers are <strong>the</strong> mostcomplex and <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong> most expensive on <strong>the</strong> market. This requires that equipment must beuseful for several years so that return on investment can take place. This is especially true forprivate surveying companies and in developing countries. Therefore, <strong>the</strong> cost to upgradeequipment to take advantage <strong>of</strong> new developments is a significant issue for surveyors and willeffect how quickly new GNSS capabilities will be taken up and applied. This could be magnifiedby <strong>the</strong> fact that many current surveying users are already getting good performance from <strong>the</strong>capabilities <strong>of</strong>fered by GPS as it is at <strong>the</strong> present moment.The role <strong>of</strong> FIG in GNSS development289. FIG can play a number <strong>of</strong> roles in progressing <strong>the</strong> goals <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> United Nations ActionTeam on GNSS. FIG is well placed to help for <strong>the</strong> following reasons.290. FIG is already committed to assisting with issues concerning developing countries andhas several MoU with key United Nations Organizations.291. National delegates to many FIG Commissions are working in GNSS applications everyday and at various levels <strong>of</strong> accuracy. FIG’s national delegate network could be very useful fornew users to contact existing educated users in <strong>the</strong>ir countries or regions.292. FIG Commissions can assist with implementing and publicising <strong>report</strong>s and road mapsthrough its existing network <strong>of</strong> contacts and through its existing outreach activities such asregional conferences in regions with developing countries.293. In relation to GNSS education, FIG has a Surveying Education Database with over 240institutes <strong>of</strong>fering 425 courses, in 64 countries. Given <strong>the</strong> prominence <strong>of</strong> GNSS as a tool forsurveyors, many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se courses will include GNSS content. Importantly, that content will betailored to deal with local issues such as dealing with <strong>the</strong> current geodetic reference frame in agiven country or region.294. FIG is also working closely with IAG on issues such as Reference Frame matters and iswell placed to help GNSS users understand <strong>the</strong> concerned issues.Final comment295. As a final comment, FIG supports <strong>the</strong> need for a global GNSS Co-ordination Board under<strong>the</strong> auspices <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> United Nations.E. United Nations Programme on Space Applications296. The Office for Outer Space Affairs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> United Nations Secretariat is responsible forplanning and managing <strong>the</strong> United Nations Programme on Space Applications. The Programmewas established in 1971 to create awareness <strong>of</strong> policy makers and interested government agencies<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> benefits that could be derived from space applications. The Programme also developedtraining and education programmes to enable <strong>of</strong>ficials from developing countries to gain practicalexperience in <strong>the</strong>se applications. The mandate <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Programme was expanded by <strong>the</strong> Secondand Third United Nations Conferences on <strong>the</strong> Exploration and Peaceful Uses <strong>of</strong> Outer Space, heldin Vienna, Austria, in 1982 (UNISPACE 82) and 1999 (UNISPACE III), respectively. Theactivities <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Programme on Space Applications are funded by regular budget <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> United52