Satellite navigation system's growth gains momentum

From smart driving, precise positioning to measuring the height of Mount Everest, the BeiDou satellite navigation system has been applied in various aspects of economic and social development.

The BeiDou West Hongqiao Base, China's first BeiDou industry park in operation and service, has garnered about 100 companies relevant to BeiDou navigation and global positioning application.

The industry based on the BeiDou application is gaining momentum in Qingpu District.

Fruitful results have been achieved by a number of leading industry companies, such as Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology, Lianshi, Ubi Navi and High Gain.

Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology has been based at the BeiDou West Hongqiao Base since 2014, and a number of companies at the park have cooperated with Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology, significantly improving their efficiency.

"We have formed very close cooperative relationships with many companies, and we hope to work in tandem with other companies in the industry to turn Shanghai into a center for China's BeiDou industry," said Piao Dongguo, president of Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology.

At present, BeiDou West Hongqiao Base is home to 70 percent of Shanghai's companies engaged in BeiDou navigation and positioning.

It has congregated the whole industry chain of BeiDou navigation, and companies regardless of scale are jointly expanding the industry.

"Crossover and integrated development is a priority of the industrial park," said Yu Wenxian, the base's chief scientist. "A platform for crossover and integration was established after two years of the park's opening to promote the cooperation of companies at the base in different industries such as unmanned systems, express delivery and big data logistics," said Yu.

The base has established three academic and expert service centers, bridging high-end intelligence resources and company innovation.

The BeiDou West Hongqiao Base will be further developed, and companies are encouraged to contribute to the building of an innovative development plateau of China's BeiDou industry, according to a three-year action plan for Shanghai's BeiDou industry development released recently.

"Qingpu District has very good conditions for developing the industry, and the base will expand to more areas in the Yangtze River Delta region in the future, achieving clustered development with an output value of 100 billion yuan (US$15.4 billion) compared with the current 10 billion yuan," Yu said.