GLOBAL regulators, aviation security specialists and manufacturers failed to reach an agreement on a quick technical fix to the problem of GPS spoofing near war zones, Reuters reports.

At a recent meeting, instead calling for better training of pilots to deal with the issue, according to sources briefed on the talks.

Airlines have been urging quick action after a series of incidents where navigation systems were disrupted to show a false location or wrong time, though aircraft flight controls remained intact, said the report.

Spoofing might involve one country's military sending false Global Positioning System (GPS) signals to an enemy plane or drone to hinder its ability to function.

GPS jamming and spoofing have grown worse in Eastern Europe, the Black Sea and the Middle East, according to industry group OpsGroup.

GPS is a growing part of aviation infrastructure as it replaces traditional radio beams used to guide planes towards landing.

The first international meeting bringing together the sector was held recently in Cologne organised by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and international trade group the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

GPS interference "can pose significant challenges to aviation safety", and requires that airlines increase data-sharing on jamming and spoofing events, EASA and IATA said in a joint statement.

"We need coordinated collection and sharing of GNSS (global navigation satellite system) safety data; universal procedural GNSS incident guidance from aircraft manufacturers," said IATA director general Willie Walsh.

Also needed, he said "is a commitment from states to retain traditional navigation systems as backup in cases where GNSS are spoofed or jammed."

A long-term solution also discussed was developing a second layer of authentication that would help check whether a GPS location is being spoofed.

This technology has been developed under Europe's Galileo programme, but is not yet in broad use. Regulators indicated it was unlikely that any change would be made in the pace of certification for certain technologies.