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Start with the GNSS receiver or chipset inside the device, not the device’s brand name. Xona identifies receivers that use the L1 or L5 band as the initial compatibility class, but band support alone does not prove that a particular model and firmware can process Pulsar. Confirm the exact receiver, firmware and integration with the manufacturer or Xona, then check whether Pulsar service is available where you will operate.
What “Pulsar-compatible” means
There are three separate questions behind “Will my device work with Pulsar?” Keeping them separate prevents the most common false positive: finding an L1/L5 specification and assuming the product is ready for Xona’s signals.
| Question | What to establish | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Can the receiver hear the relevant signals? | The GNSS receiver or chipset uses the L1 or L5 band. | This is Xona’s published first-level device-compatibility criterion. |
| Can this exact product process Pulsar? | The model, hardware revision and current firmware have Pulsar support or an integration path confirmed by the manufacturer or Xona. | Two products using the same frequency band can differ in firmware, signal-processing capability and interfaces. |
| Can it receive service at the operating site? | Pulsar coverage and the relevant constellation are available in the location and at the time of use. | Hardware capability does not create satellite coverage where service has not yet been deployed. |
Xona’s public pages do not provide a current, model-by-model list of receiver part numbers and firmware versions that can be used to approve an unnamed product. Treat compatibility as a confirmation task rather than a label you can infer from a generic product description.
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Step 1: Identify the GNSS receiver or chipset
Find the component that actually computes position. A device may be sold as a tracker, drone, robot, survey instrument or phone accessory, while its GNSS function comes from a separate receiver module. The product name alone is therefore not enough.
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Where to look
- Technical specifications: Search for headings such as GNSS, positioning engine, navigation module, receiver, chipset or supported constellations.
- Service or diagnostic screens: Some equipment exposes the receiver part number, firmware build and enabled signals in an information, status or about menu.
- Manufacturer documentation: Installation manuals, integration guides and regulatory filings may identify the module even when the retail specification does not.
- Physical inspection: For an embedded product, the module label or board marking can reveal the receiver family. Do not open safety-certified equipment unless the manufacturer permits it.
- Vendor support: Give support the exact model, hardware revision, serial-number range and current firmware. A receiver family name without its revision can still be ambiguous.
Record the receiver’s full identifier before contacting anyone. Also record the antenna arrangement, because a receiver that supports a band still needs an antenna and RF design capable of receiving it.
Step 2: Check for L1 or L5 support
Xona’s Pulsar product information lists “GNSS receivers using L1 or L5” under device compatibility. Use that statement as an eligibility screen: locate the receiver’s supported-frequency table and verify that L1 or L5 is explicitly listed.
How to read a specification
- L1: The specification may show a frequency around 1575.42 MHz, often alongside GPS L1 or other GNSS L1 signals.
- L5: The specification may show a frequency around 1176.45 MHz, often alongside GPS L5 or safety-of-life signal terminology.
- Band versus signal: A document that says only “multi-band” is not sufficient. Ask which bands are enabled in the installed firmware and which are available through the receiver’s data interface.
- Single-band hardware: L1-only hardware can pass the initial band screen, but it still requires model-specific confirmation that its signal-processing software accepts Pulsar.
L1 or L5 support does not establish Pulsar operation by itself. The receiver may need a firmware feature, an assisted-data format, a configuration change or an integration supplied by the manufacturer. Do not describe a generic L1/L5 receiver, antenna or accessory as Pulsar-compatible without confirmation for that exact product.
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Step 3: Check firmware and integration status
Ask whether the current firmware can ingest and use Pulsar signals, not merely whether the silicon is capable of tuning to L1 or L5. Xona states that many receivers can ingest Pulsar through firmware updates and describes upgrading existing GNSS devices with Pulsar capabilities through a firmware update.
Questions to send the manufacturer
- What is the exact GNSS receiver or chipset model and hardware revision in my device?
- Does that revision support Pulsar on L1, L5 or both?
- Which minimum firmware version enables Pulsar processing?
- Is the update released, in beta testing or still under development?
- Does the update require a new configuration file, assistance data, antenna, RF front end or host-software change?
- How is Pulsar output exposed: standard NMEA messages, a vendor protocol, an SDK or another interface?
- What test procedure should be used to confirm reception and navigation performance after updating?
Request the answer in writing and keep the firmware file, release notes and rollback instructions. A firmware update can change navigation behavior or certification status, so follow the manufacturer’s installation process rather than loading an image intended for a similar-looking receiver.
When the receiver is already deployed
Capture the current firmware build before making changes. If the device is used in a fleet, test one unit first and compare its position, timing and status outputs with an unchanged unit. Preserve logs from before and after the update so the manufacturer can diagnose a failure without guessing which software was running.
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Step 4: Look for Pulsar Verified status
Xona’s Pulsar Verified program is a validation route for products whose integrators want documented confirmation. Xona says verification is not required to receive or use Pulsar signals, so the absence of a Verified badge is not proof that a receiver cannot work. Conversely, a claim that a product is “L1/L5 ready” is not equivalent to Xona verification.
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What the verification process involves
- Access the SDK: The integrator obtains the software-development resources needed to connect the product to Pulsar.
- Agree on requirements and a test plan: Xona’s integration team and the product team define a plan aligned with the product’s goals and the expectations for Pulsar verification.
- Submit test results: The integrator runs the agreed tests and provides the resulting data to Xona.
- Join the ecosystem if verified: Products that satisfy the agreed criteria can be included in the Pulsar Verified ecosystem.
For an end user, the useful evidence is the exact product identity covered by the verification, including hardware revision and firmware where those details are specified. A receiver family may contain both verified and unverified variants.
Step 5: Separate hardware capability from service availability
A receiver can be technically ready while the service is not yet available at a particular site. Xona describes Pulsar-0 signals as being received and tested across regions of the United States and Canada. The company also describes full-constellation rollout as planned over the next few years. Those statements describe a changing deployment status, not a permanent coverage guarantee.
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What to confirm for your location
- The country and operating area in which the device will be used.
- Whether Pulsar-0 or another currently operating signal is available there.
- Whether your application needs continuous service, occasional corrections or a development-only test signal.
- Whether the expected satellite geometry, visibility and environment meet the manufacturer’s test conditions.
- Whether service, licensing or account activation is required for the intended receiver and deployment.
Ask Xona for the current service status for your operating area immediately before deployment. A device that passes the receiver and firmware checks may still show no Pulsar-derived result when operated outside the current test or service footprint.
How to compare two existing devices
Use the same evidence categories for every candidate. Do not rank products on the number of supported GNSS constellations or on L1/L5 wording alone.
| Comparison criterion | Evidence to record | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Receiver or chipset | Full part number, hardware revision and board/module identity. | Different revisions can have different RF and firmware capabilities. |
| L1/L5 support | Explicit frequency or band listing in the technical documentation. | Passes the initial screen; it is not model-level proof. |
| Firmware | Installed build, minimum Pulsar-enabled build and update method. | Shows whether the capability is usable now or depends on future work. |
| Manufacturer confirmation | Written response tied to the exact model and firmware. | Stronger evidence than a generic marketing statement. |
| Pulsar Verified | Product identity and version covered by Xona’s verification. | Independent validation route, but not a mandatory requirement. |
| Local availability | Current service status for the deployment region and date. | Determines whether the ready receiver can actually receive service on site. |
If a value is not documented, mark it as “not stated” and ask for clarification. Do not fill the gap with assumptions based on a similar receiver.
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What Xona’s published performance figures do—and do not—tell you
Xona’s current Pulsar page presents the following company-stated figures. They describe the service or planned system; they do not certify the performance of every receiver.
| Published item | Value and qualification | Practical meaning for a device check |
|---|---|---|
| Position accuracy | 2 cm horizontal by 4 cm vertical, stated as expected performance for the full constellation in open sky. | Use it as a service-level target, not as a result your unverified device will automatically achieve. |
| Timing accuracy | Less than 10 nanoseconds, as stated on Xona’s current Pulsar page. | The receiver and application must expose and use the relevant timing information correctly. |
| Signal strength | Up to 100 times GPS L1 C/A signal strength, as stated by Xona. | Strong advertised signals do not remove the need for suitable RF hardware, antenna installation and firmware. |
| Planned constellation | Approximately 300 satellites planned. | This is a plan, not a completed satellite count or a promise of present coverage. |
Open-sky figures are not a guarantee for indoor, obstructed, urban-canyon, foliage-covered or interference-heavy environments. Ask the receiver manufacturer which test conditions apply to its Pulsar implementation.
Integration path for manufacturers and engineering teams
If you make the device rather than simply operate it, the fastest route is a joint integration project instead of treating Pulsar as a checkbox in a purchasing spreadsheet.
- Characterize the product: Document the receiver, RF front end, antenna, processor, operating system, timing architecture and navigation outputs.
- Obtain Xona integration resources: Use the SDK and technical material needed to connect the receiver and host application.
- Define application requirements: Agree on accuracy, timing, continuity, startup behavior, environmental conditions and failure handling.
- Build a test plan with Xona: The plan should match the product’s intended use rather than relying on a generic demonstration.
- Run repeatable tests: Record firmware versions, antenna configuration, signal conditions, satellite visibility and raw or processed outputs.
- Submit results: Provide the agreed evidence for review and address any failures or missing data.
- Document the released configuration: If verification is achieved, identify exactly which hardware and firmware combination is covered.
An ESA NAVISP project page describes a hardware-in-the-loop testbed collaboration involving Xona entities and QinetiQ, including work to enhance a Q40 GNSS receiver for Pulsar. That example shows why receiver integration and testbed work can be substantial engineering projects; it is not a blanket approval for every Q40-based product.
Troubleshooting a device that does not show Pulsar
| Symptom | Likely explanation | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| The specification has no L1 or L5 entry. | The receiver may fail the initial compatibility screen. | Ask the manufacturer for the installed receiver part number and supported bands. Replace the unit only after that confirmation. |
| L1 or L5 is listed, but support says “not compatible.” | The firmware, RF path or host integration may not support Pulsar. | Request the minimum firmware, hardware revision and any required integration package. |
| An update installs, but no Pulsar status appears. | The wrong build, configuration or assistance data may be loaded, or service may be unavailable at the test site. | Verify the exact build and configuration, capture logs, and ask the manufacturer to interpret the receiver’s diagnostic codes. |
| The device works in one location but not another. | Regional service availability, satellite visibility or local interference differs. | Check current Pulsar availability for both locations and repeat a controlled outdoor test. |
| A seller advertises “multi-band Pulsar ready” without a receiver part number. | The claim cannot be tied to a verifiable model and firmware. | Request written confirmation for the exact SKU, revision and software before purchase or deployment. |
| A product has no Pulsar Verified listing. | Verification is optional, or the product has not completed the program. | Ask Xona and the manufacturer for direct compatibility evidence; do not treat the missing listing as either approval or rejection. |
Licensing information and why old references need caution
A 2024 UNOOSA-hosted Xona presentation states that Pulsar licenses are activated by the customer or come pre-installed with the receiver. That is historical licensing context, not proof of the commercial terms, activation process or price that apply to a current product. Confirm present requirements directly with Xona and the receiver manufacturer.
A printable compatibility checklist
- Write down the exact device model, SKU, hardware revision and serial-number range.
- Identify the installed GNSS receiver or chipset.
- Confirm that the receiver documentation explicitly lists L1 or L5.
- Record the current firmware build and the manufacturer’s minimum Pulsar-enabled build.
- Ask whether the antenna, RF front end and host interface are supported.
- Obtain written model-and-firmware confirmation from the manufacturer or Xona.
- Check whether the exact product and version has Pulsar Verified status.
- Confirm current Pulsar service availability for the deployment region.
- Run a controlled test and retain logs, configuration files and test conditions.
- Document the approved hardware-and-software combination before updating a fleet.
The reliable answer to “Can my device use Pulsar?” is therefore a documented match between the receiver, firmware, integration evidence and operating location. L1 or L5 support tells you where to start; it does not finish the check.
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