How Many Satellites Are Required for RAIM? A Comprehensive Guide

Navigating safely through the skies requires more than just a GPS receiver—it needs systems that can verify the accuracy of positioning data. For pilots and aviation professionals, RAIL (Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring) provides this essential verification layer, but its effectiveness depends on satellite availability. The minimum satellite requirement for basic RAIL functionality is five visible satellites with good geometric distribution, while the more advanced Fault Detection and Exclusion capability requires at least six satellites to both identify and isolate problematic signals.