State-of-the-art navigation system demonstrates ‘high positioning accuracy, integrated route determination’
Suparco. PHOTO: PTV
Pakistan successfully launched a new navigation device, ‘Pak-SBAS’, during the Cholistan Rally 2026, based on an advanced navigation device based on the Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS), marking what it described as a milestone in navigation technology, according to a press release issued on Sunday.
In the press release, SUPARCO said, “The ‘Pak-SBAS’, based on the concept of Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS), achieves a new milestone in navigation technology on the occasion of Cholistan Rally 2026.”
The statement said that the advanced device was tested in the challenging desert conditions of Cholistan, where high speeds, unpredictable routes, and the lack of visual markers require extremely accurate positioning and unwavering reliability.
Pak-SBAS demonstrated “high positioning accuracy, integrated route determination and signal stability” throughout all phases of the rally. “By utilising SBAS corrections, the system has significantly reduced positioning errors compared with standard GNSS”, the statement said.
It added that the technology provides rally drivers and navigation teams with reliable route tracking, calling it “a key element for competitive desert racing”.
Read: Pakistan successfully launches its second indigenous Earth Observation Satellite
The press release added that Pak-SBAS has far-reaching implications for public interest and national infrastructure: “It will help improve relief operations during disasters through accurate tracking of rescue teams and affected areas, enhance transport efficiency through vehicle positioning, and provide safer navigation in the aviation sector”.
In the field of surveying and mapping, the system will not only reduce positioning errors but also lower project costs, the statement said.
This advanced system is expected to play an important role in further strengthening public safety, operational efficiency, and technological self-reliance in Pakistan.
On February 12, Pakistan marked a significant milestone in its space programme with the successful launch of its second indigenous Earth Observation Satellite (EO-2) from China’s Yangjiang Seashore Launch Centre.
Also developed by SUPARCO, the EO-2 satellite is expected to enhance Pakistan’s earth observation capabilities, providing high-resolution imagery for critical applications such as national development planning, natural resource management, and environmental monitoring.
The successful development and launch of EO-2 underline Pakistan’s growing technical expertise and self-reliance in advanced satellite technology, marking a key step in the country’s space journey.
