[3] The Airports Authority of India (AAI)'s efforts towards implementation of operational SBAS can be viewed as the first step towards introduction of modern communication, navigation and surveillance / air traffic management system over the Indian airspace.
[7] The goal is to provide navigation system for all phases of flight over the Indian airspace and in the adjoining area.
It is applicable to safety-to-life operations, and meets the performance requirements of international civil aviation regulatory bodies.
As a part of the programme, a network of eighteen total electron content (TEC) monitoring stations were installed at various locations in India to study and analyse the behaviour of the ionosphere over the Indian region.
The FSAT (Final System Acceptance Test) for GAGAN-TDS was completed on 14-15th August, 2007 using the signal-in-space (SIS) from INMARSAT-4 F1.
[4] According to a report, however, told the problems faced due to this can be eliminated by using "dual-frequency multi-constellation (DFMC) GAGAN approach".
[13] To begin implementing a satellite-based augmentation system over the Indian airspace, Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) codes for L1 frequency and L5 frequency were obtained from the United States Air Force and the United States Department of Defense in November 2001 and March 2005.
[4] United States defence contractor Raytheon has taken part in the project to establish the required systems.
A GAGAN-based flight management system will be able to save time and money of operators by controlling climb, descent, and engine performance profiles.
By establishing more exact terminal area procedures with parallel routes and environmentally optimized airspace corridors, it will also improve reliability and decrease delays.
GAGAN will greatly improve safety, reduce congestion and enhance communications to meet India's growing air traffic management needs[19]In 2012, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) received a "miniaturised version" of the device with all the features from Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS).
The module weighing just 17 g (0.60 oz), can be used in multiple platforms ranging from aircraft (e.g. winged or rotor-craft) to small boats, ships.
The certification enabled aircraft fitted with SBAS equipment to use GAGAN signal in space for navigation purposes.
The spacecraft employs an optimised I-1K structure with a power handling capability of around 1660W and a lift off mass of 1,425 kg (3,142 lb), and is designed for a nominal mission life of 10 years.
[citation needed] Currently all seven satellites are in orbit but in 2017 it was announced that all three rubidium based atomic clocks on board IRNSS-1A had failed, mirroring similar failures in the Galileo constellation.
Karnataka Forest Department has used GAGAN to build a new, accurate and publicly available satellite based database of its forestlands.