SKT teams with Swift to offer precise location-based services

• Swift Navigation partners with SK Telecom to deliver precise positioning services in Korea
• Skylark Precise Positioning Service enhances GNSS accuracy by up to 100 times, enabling centimetre-level precision
• The partnership aims to accelerate the deployment of AI-powered, location-based products across various industries in Korea

In a move that aims to reshape the landscape of location-based services in South Korea, Swift Navigation, a provider of precise positioning technologies, has announced a strategic partnership with SK Telecom, the country’s largest mobile carrier. The collaboration aims to accelerate the deployment of AI-powered, location-based products and services across various industries with Swift’s Skylark Precise Positioning Service.

Under the partnership, SK Telecom and Swift have designed, deployed, and are jointly operating a carrier-grade network to deliver Skylark across Korea. Skylark is a cloud-based service that enhances the positioning accuracy of standard global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) by a factor of 100, reducing the margin of error from several metres to just a few centimetres. This level of precision is critical for a wide range of applications, including connected and autonomous vehicles, unmanned aerial aircraft, vehicle tracking solutions, and robotic equipment.

“SK Telecom shares our vision to build a safer and more productive future by changing the way we navigate the planet,” stated Holger Ippach, executive vice president of product and marketing at Swift Navigation. “Together our two companies offer a robust set of positioning solutions backed by real-world experience, deploying mission-critical technology for some of the largest companies in the world. We are thrilled to have them as a partner.”

As part of the partnership, SK Telecom is introducing Skylark to its customer base in South Korea, which includes the Korea Forest Service. The government agency conducts high-precision surveying for forest management and road design in the country’s challenging mountainous areas, where accurate positioning is essential.

Skylark’s performance was validated by SK Telecom during a 24-day, 8,000km test drive across South Korea. Using in-vehicle receivers and smartphones equipped with Skylark, the service maintained lane-level positioning for more than 99% of the drive with the former and 92.61% with the latter on open roads: The in-vehicle devices maintained lane-level positioning integrity 99.99999% of the time, according to the duo, a testament to Skylark’s reliability and accuracy.

“SK Telecom is ready to provide precise GNSS positioning services for various mobility platforms, including unmanned air mobility (UAM), autonomous vehicles and smartphones by collaborating with Swift,” said Takki Yu, VP and head of the infra tech office at SK Telecom. “We will continue our research to improve the services with AI technology and offer this innovative and high-integrity service to our customers in Korea.”

Skylark, which is ISO-certified to meet the most stringent functional safety and cybersecurity standards for road vehicles, is already available across North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia. The service underpins production deployments for more than 20 automotive manufacturers and suppliers, as well as thousands of companies that manufacture robots and build innovative location-based products to enhance safety and efficiency across industries.

- Joana Bagano, Contributing Editor, TelecomTV