Airlines grapple with spike in GPS interference. Experts say it's collateral damage from global conflicts ( www.cbc.ca )

Inside the air traffic control tower at Tallinn Airport in Estonia's capital, a team tracks pilots in training as they fly above the Tartu airport, which lies about 200 kilometres south of Tallinn, and about 45 kilometres west of Russia.

As the screen displays the location of the flights underway, a voice comes over the radio asking for permission to descend from the 1,800 metres she is currently flying at, because the GPS signal used for navigation has suddenly disappeared.

"Jammers are working pretty much 24/7," said Mihkel Haug, head of the air traffic control department with Estonian Air Navigation Services.

However, there is more worry about the increase in GPS spoofing, which is being seen in Europe and in the Middle East. Spoofing is when fake signals can trick navigation systems into thinking they are somewhere else, potentially directing a plane off course.

Aviation groups say the significant rise in GPS disturbance can pose a safety risk, and the industry is grappling with how to mitigate the challenges that have spiked as result of global conflicts.