Business grows as public services adopt system
The Beidou Navigation Satellite System is being used extensively by public services in China, according to the China Satellite Navigation Office.
More than 10 sectors — such as transportation, forestry, weather forecasting and finance — are currently using the space-based network. At least 40 million enduser devices have been distributed or sold to these sectors to facilitate operations, according to statistics provided by the office.
The system is being used by more than 4.8 million taxis, buses and trucks nationwide, in addition to at least 40,000 fishing vessels. In the past five years, more than 10,000 fishermen have been rescued or received assistance by using a Beidou device to call for help.
Most of the shared bicycles in China’s cities now employ Beidou-based positioning services, and about 40 percent of smartphones in the domestic market are able to access the satellite system’s services.
In Beijing alone, at least 1,500 trucks, 33,500 taxis and 21,000 buses have been fitted with end-user devices that allow them to access real-time positioning and navigation data, according to the navigation office.
Beidou’s positioning and navigation services enable police to respond to distress calls and emergencies faster than before, and also allow local authorities to provide help more quickly in the event of dangerous incidents or disasters, the office said.
Moreover, farmers from about 12 provincial-level regions such as Jiangsu, Hubei and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have begun installing Beidou-based positioning instruments on agricultural machinery to improve efficiency and save manpower, it added.
All of this has seen the satellite system become big business, creating more than 450,000 jobs nationwide and becoming involved with 14,000-plus companies.
In 2016, the system accounted for at least 70 percent of the country’s 212 billion yuan ($33 billion) spacebased positioning and navigation business.
However, Li Donghang, a researcher for the Global Navigation Satellite System and Location-Based Services Association of China, said compared with GPS-based services, those that are reliant on Beidou are less effective in terms of technological capability, coverage and user base.
Li suggested that the government should provide more support to leading businesses that research and develop products based on the services Beidou provides to help promote their brands and attract a larger number of consumers.