On April 30, 2026, the national standard GB/T 47520-2026, “Information Technology—Real-time Positioning Systems—Ultra-Wideband Positioning Air Interface Protocol,” jointly issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China, was officially released and will take full effect on November 1, 2026.

     This standard is administered by the National Technical Committee on Information Technology Standards (TC28), led by the China Electronics Standardization Institute, and drafted by companies such as Locaris Technology in collaboration with multiple research institutions. As the first domestic company to independently develop UWB technology, Locaris Technology made significant contributions to the creation of this standard, leveraging its 16 years of technical expertise.

     It is the first national technical standard for air interface protocols in China’s ultra-wideband real-time positioning system sector. In other words, this marks a historic turning point for the industry, shifting from “everyone working in isolation” to “speaking a common language.”

     I. The Essence of the Standard: From “Islands” to a “Common Language”

     Over the past decade or so, UWB technology has been widely adopted in fields such as industrial safety, smart manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, smart mining, and public security and justice, thanks to its four core advantages: “centimeter-level positioning accuracy, strong anti-interference capabilities, low power consumption, and high security.”

     However, one unavoidable bottleneck has persisted: products from different UWB vendors are unable to interconnect.

     In real-world scenarios, when users select a positioning base station from a particular brand, they are limited to using tags compatible with that specific system. Once a project enters a second-phase expansion or system maintenance phase, there is virtually no room or possibility to switch to products from other suppliers. Essentially, what the industry lacks is not products, but a unified “common language”—a standard protocol that any brand can understand and communicate with.

    The significance of GB/T 47520-2026 is self-evident. It resolves the “device silo” issue at its source. This standard systematically regulates the three core technical aspects of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) positioning systems: it establishes a reference model defining the overall architecture and functional composition of UWB positioning systems; it defines the physical layer protocol, including protocol formats, modulation schemes, and RF specifications; and it clarifies the MAC layer specifications for core positioning methods such as uplink/downlink TDOA, TOF, and AOA. Whether in scenarios utilizing Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) positioning, Time of Flight (TOF) solutions seeking ultimate precision, or specific applications relying on angle measurement, this standard lays the groundwork for interoperability across all these scenarios.

    II. Beyond Standards: Competition Shifts Toward “Depth” and “Convergence”

     The greatest value of standards lies not in setting performance ceilings, but in establishing industry baseline requirements. Once all companies’ products can interconnect, a core question inevitably arises: Why should customers choose you?

     The answer no longer lies in “compatibility”-level bundling but depends entirely on the capabilities of the product itself.

     This means the UWB positioning sector will accelerate its transition from “selling hardware” to “selling system capabilities.” Companies with true depth in underlying technology will gain greater bargaining power and the ability to define the market; meanwhile, participants stuck at the level of simple OEM manufacturing may face the reality of shrinking market share.

     According to the latest report from market research firm MarketsandMarkets, driven by demands for real-time asset tracking, personnel management, and smart facility operations, the UWB indoor positioning market segment is projected to grow from $1.65 billion in 2025 to $4.94 billion in 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.5%.

    The growth market is right here; the key question is who is qualified to seize it.

     III. Sixteen Years of Dedication: Locaris’s Technological Accumulation and Industry Strategy

     In an era when the industry had yet to reach a consensus on standards, choosing a path of independent UWB R&D “starting from scratch” required not only technological foresight but also the perseverance to endure solitude. Since its establishment in 2010, Locaris Technology has consistently focused on UWB high-precision positioning technology. Leveraging its robust R&D capabilities, the company has been honored with numerous accolades, including National High-Tech Enterprise, National Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative Enterprise, and the Henan Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award, solidifying its position as the industry’s recognized leader in UWB positioning technology.

     The company has filed over 100 domestic and international patents, with invention patents accounting for more than 60% of the total. It has established provincial and municipal-level R&D platforms such as the “Zhengzhou Engineering Research Center for Wireless High-Precision Positioning,” the “Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Optimization and Intelligent Control Technology,” the “Henan Provincial New R&D Institution,” the “Zhengzhou New R&D Institution,” the “Bingtuan High-Precision Indoor-Outdoor Integrated Positioning Technology Innovation Center,” and the “Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Indoor-Outdoor Integrated High-Precision Positioning.” The company’s R&D investment consistently remains at a high level of 30%–40% of total revenue.

     In terms of products, Locaris Technology has developed a comprehensive portfolio ranging from the U-Loc indoor centimeter-level real-time positioning system to all-domain high-precision solutions integrating BeiDou, Bluetooth, and 5G. Notably, the team has leveraged the characteristics of cutting-edge technologies—such as 5G’s high bandwidth, ultra-low latency, and massive MIMO—to innovatively develop an integrated communication and positioning deployment solution. This solution enables a single network to simultaneously handle business data transmission and real-time personnel/device positioning, significantly reducing both system construction and operational costs for clients.

     To date, Locaris Technology has integrated into the core supply chains of leading enterprises such as China National Petroleum Corporation, State Grid, Hikvision, and China Mobile. Its products have not only been deployed across multiple provinces in China but have also expanded into markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. This year, dozens of overseas smart construction projects for power plants and chemical plants are expected to be implemented.

     IV. From “Working in Isolation” to “Collaborative Progress”

     The release of GB/T 47520-2026 marks the transition of China’s UWB real-time positioning industry from a period of chaotic competition to a new phase of standardization, regulation, and interoperability.

     For the industry, a unified protocol means cross-brand deployment becomes possible, device compatibility issues are easily resolved, upgrades to existing systems become more flexible, and maintenance costs are significantly reduced. Following the implementation of the standard, the core logic of market competition and cooperation will shift from “closed compatibility” to “open performance.”

     For “pioneers” like Locaris Technology—which possesses a comprehensive technical ecosystem and has long been deeply rooted at the industry’s forefront—the standard is not a constraint, but rather a long-awaited new arena reserved for those who have truly dedicated themselves to the field. Now that the industry has just begun to “speak a common language,” the true focus of competition has quietly shifted—whoever can speak with greater depth and address the genuine needs of each specific industry will seize the initiative for the next decade.

     With the implementation of these standards, the journey has only just begun.