China launches a new satellite of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 9, 2020, only one step away from completing the whole global system. (Xinhua/Guo Wenbin)

BEIJING, Mar. 16 -- The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) officially released the first international standard for testing ship-borne receiver equipment of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), known as IEC 61108-5:2020, on March 11, 2020.

It stands for Maritime Navigation and Radiocommunication Equipment and Systems-Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)-Part 5, which specifies the minimum performance requirements, methods of testing and required test results for BDS shipborne receiver equipment when using BDS signals in order to determine position.

The standard serves as the basis not only for the type approval of the BDS shipborne equipment’s application by classification societies around the world, but also for the design, production, and testing of maritime product manufacturers in global satellite navigation, which would fulfill the prerequisite for the BDS to enter the international maritime field for extensive application.

Since 2017, with the strong support of national standards institute and competent authorities of industry, the 20th Research Institute under China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), as a leading unit and together with other advantageous units at home, has been working on this IEC standard formulation project. After nearly 3 years of development, the standard has recently been completed and officially released worldwide.

Two new categories of requirements have been added in comparison with the shipborne receiver equipment testing standards of the GPS and Galileo system previously released by the IEC: on one hand, requirements for the presentation of navigation-related information , including positioning accuracy, capture time, and sensitivity, to reflect the performance of the BDS; on the other hand, new contents as ship bridge alarm management, in compliance with the new requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Such new development makes IEC 61108-5:2020 a pilot leading to the subsequent revision of other shipborne receiver equipment standards in satellite navigation, and also ensures the BDS shipborne receiver equipment conform to the current development of international maritime electronics.