Maritime shipping has embraced GNSS to improve safety and efficiency, but the availability and reliability of such systems have in recent years declined. The Maritime Alternative PNT Solution (MAPS) activity aims to demonstrate an Alternative PNT (APNT) solution based on the maritime VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) and the maritime Medium Frequency R-Mode service.

The ambition in phase 1 of MAPS is to develop a solution using both terrestrial VDES base stations and DGNSS medium frequency beacons and add one LEO VDE-SAT R-Mode satellite. The solution will be used to perform demonstrations and measure performance of current techniques, whilst experimenting with newer techniques and how these could be embedded in future evolutions. Phase 2 is a scale up activity with up to 24 satellites that delivers an APNT maritime service in the service area of Northern Europe covering the Baltic region and the Nordic regions as far as the North Pole.