Royal Institute of Navigation


The Royal Institute of Navigation is a learned society, aimed at furthering the development of navigation on land and sea, in the air and in space. It was founded in 1947 as a forum for mariners, pilots, engineers and academics to compare their experiences and exchange information. It holds conferences about new developments in traffic separation and satellite navigation. It has charitable status and a Royal charter.

History

The organisation was formed in 1947 as the Institute of Navigation and was patterned after the US Institute of Navigation. Both organizations had been influenced by the role navigation had helped in moving troops and supplies during Second World War. Emerging technology such as radar and LORAN increased in the years following the war. The Institute sought to provide a forum where academics, engineers, mariners, and pilots could learn, exchange information, and share personal experiences.
The Institute's founding membership included several notable professionals in the field. From the field of astronomy Sir Harold Spencer Jones, the Astronomer-Royal was the first president. The first two vice-presidents represented the field of aviation in Air Chief Marshal Sir John Slessor and the development of radar in Sir Robert Watson-Watt. Marine navigation was represented by Michael Richey who became the first Executive Secretary. The following year Richey would found the Institute's official academic publication, the Journal of Navigation.
The Institute expanded its focus in the 1950s and 1960s to also address issues of safety and began collaborating with similar organizations in Europe. In 1972, at its 25th anniversary, its work was recognized by Her Majesty the Queen and it became entitled to the "Royal" prefix and was renamed the Royal Institute of Navigation.

Activities

The Institute sponsors conferences, publications, and reports related to navigation. In 2017 its international conference included contemporary topics as artificial intelligence, cyber threats, and machine learning. It also co-sponsored a report to the UK government on the economic impact of a 5-day loss of geopositioning systems.