GPS World

Tag: Oceaneering International Inc.

  • Topcon and DDK Positioning to provide GNSS hardware for maritime market

    Topcon and DDK Positioning to provide GNSS hardware for maritime market

    Photo: arild lilleboe/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
    Photo: arild lilleboe/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

    DDK Positioning will provide services and Topcon hardware to Oceaneering International

    Topcon Positioning Systems has entered into an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) contract with DDK Positioning Ltd. to supply GNSS hardware components.

    In July, Oceaneering announced an exclusive agreement with DDK Positioning to be the new provider of products and services to the offshore maritime market, delivered through the Iridium network and with Topcon OEM GNSS products.

    Image: Topcon
    Image: Topcon

    Topcon OEM GNSS components will be used by DDK Positioning to deliver its MAX services to Oceaneering International’s clients. These clients, primarily in the marine energy sector, can achieve accuracy to less than 5 centimeters with this new service.

    Founded in 2016, DDK Positioning has combined technical ingenuity with the Iridium satellite network to create a robust, resilient and completely independent GNSS-augmenting positioning solution.

    Oceaneering recently conducted an extensive review of how it delivers positioning services to its clients and evaluated the significant advances made in communications infrastructure and services over recent years.

    “Our extensive research of receivers in the market, and the performance of Topcon, made the decision for our route going forward,” said Kevin Gaffney, CEO of DDK Positioning. “Topcon’s experience, their extensive support network and leadership will allow us to effectively support multiple clients, in addition to Oceaneering. We see this as a long-term partnership. Both companies worked tirelessly to bring this together.”

    “With Topcon Positioning System’s extensive history in precise positioning, providing high performance and quality GNSS boards, antennas and receivers to the OEM industry for over 20 years, the company is well-positioned to supply DDK Positioning with the hardware needed to support their clients globally,” said Ian Stilgoe, vice president of Topcon emerging business. “Working closely with DDK Positioning and Iridium was key to meet the requirements of Oceaneering and the maritime market. Topcon is pleased to be part of this effort to bring the latest positioning technology to this market segment.”

  • Oceaneering and DDK Positioning enhance C-Nav positioning solutions’ offerings

    Oceaneering and DDK Positioning enhance C-Nav positioning solutions’ offerings

    Photo: arild lilleboe/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
    Photo: arild lilleboe/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

    Oceaneering International Inc. and DDK Positioning Limited have entered into an agreement for the provision of GNSS augmentation service and all associated software and hardware supporting Oceaneering’s C-Nav Positioning Solutions group offerings.

    Oceaneering provides engineered services and products primarily to the offshore energy industry. C-Nav uses precise point positioning corrections with worldwide accuracy of better than 5 cm horizontally and 15 cm vertically.

    DDK Positioning’s services are delivered through the Iridium satellite communications network coupled with hardware developed by partner Topcon. This pairing will enhance the ability of Oceaneering’s customers to precisely position their assets globally. The unified solution offers several benefits to Oceaneering’s positioning customers, such as two-way communication enabling machine control and feedback, and redundancy to cover potential signal losses.

    From launch, DDK Positioning will provide its MAX service to Oceaneering clients, which can achieve accuracy to less than 10 cm (2 sigma). The MAX service uses GPS, Galileo, and GLONASS constellations with further systems to be added within a year.

    “Significant advances have been made in communications infrastructure and satellite positioning technology over the last several years,” said Eric Smith, director of Survey Services at Oceaneering. “With this agreement, Oceaneering will be able to offer enhanced positioning technology allowing us to build on our strong industry track record while continuing to serve the positioning needs of our clients now and into the future.”

    “We are absolutely delighted to have signed an agreement with Oceaneering to provide our precise and reliable GNSS positioning solution to Oceaneering’s customers in the maritime energy industry,” said Kevin Gaffney, CEO at DDK Positioning. “This agreement demonstrates the need for an alternative GNSS augmentation service that increases the reach of services from pole to pole, with the added benefit of Iridium’s resilience and reliability.”