The number of incidents of GPS interference has increased significantly around Finland's eastern border area as well as in the Gulf of Finland since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) monitors GPS interference, but declined to comment on whether the incidents were intentionally or unintentionally caused.
The agency did note however that the number of incidents has multiplied over the past two years.
Around 600 such incidents of GPS interference were registered by Traficom last year, while more than 200 have been recorded so far this year. This is a notable increase on the figures from 2020 and previous years, when the numbers totalled a few dozen.
The data is provided by the GPSJam website, which generates maps of likely GPS interference based on aircraft reports of their navigation system accuracy.
GPS, or global positioning system, is a network of satellites and receiving devices used to determine the location of something on Earth.
Jari Pöntinen, Director of Traficom with responsibility for air traffic safety, told Yle that while GPS positioning is widely used in the aviation industry, parallel systems are also available to ensure an aircraft's safe positioning.
In practice, this means that an aircraft approaching an airport can use ground-based technology instead of satellite positioning. In addition, air traffic control will provide navigation guidance if necessary.
Incidents of interference might be intentional, according to Suvi Juurakko-Lehikoinen, Head of Digital Connectivity at Traficom, but imay also be accidental.
Traficom reported last week that it has detected a huge rise in the number of motorists in Finland using GPS jamming devices to hide their tracks.
These devices can also interfere with the GPS location systems in their immediate vicinity, even if there was no intention to do so, Juurakko-Lehikoinen said.
"It's good to be aware that disruptions can happen as a matter of course. You should not rely blindly on any technology," she said.
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