GPS World

Tag: Reach

  • Emlid launches GNSS receiver line to simplify precision positioning

    Emlid launches GNSS receiver line to simplify precision positioning

    Emlid has introduced a new generation of all-band RTK receivers including the Reach RX2, Reach RS4 and Reach RS4 Pro. They are built for surveyors, GIS specialists and construction teams seeking reliable, high-accuracy positioning with consumer-level ease of use. This EU-based developer of high-precision GNSS receivers and software is on a mission to make professional-grade precision simple, fast and scalable.

    The Reach RS4 and RS4 Pro mark a significant step forward from previous Emlid models, combining rugged engineering with faster workflows and uncompromised accuracy. The flagship Reach RS4 Pro introduces innovative camera-vision technology that blends traditional RTK with visual positioning to cut survey time and simplify work in complex environments.

    Image: Emlid
    Image: Emlid

    Both receivers support all-band RTK reception (L1/L2/L5/L6) across every major satellite constellation, ensuring consistent performance even under canopy or in urban canyons. An integrated antenna system with diversity LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth provides a clean GNSS signal and stable fix, while the Emlid multi-band radio system — up to 2W and interoperable with third-party gear — offers flexible correction transmission at 450MHz and 915MHz for both licensed and licence-free use.

    Further enhancements include next-generation IMU tilt compensation that initializes up to five times faster than before, a durable magnesium alloy body with IP68 protection, and Made for iPhone certification enabling smooth integration with iOS applications such as Esri ArcGIS. A new quick-release survey pole mount ensures fast and accurate setups, even when tilted.

    AR-based stakeout and measurement from images. Building on the RS4 platform, the RS4 Pro adds dual factory-calibrated full-HD cameras that enable augmented reality (AR) stakeout and measurement from images. The AR interface projects geometries directly in the Emlid Flow app, guiding users intuitively to stakeout points. The image-based measurement feature allows for accurate coordinate capture from photos, which is ideal for hard-to-reach places such as facades or active roadways. Together, these vision-based tools streamline fieldwork and reduce reliance on total stations in difficult conditions.

    For users prioritizing mobility, the Reach RX2 delivers professional RTK performance in a compact, plug-and-play format. Like its larger counterparts, it supports all-band RTK signals and features a second-generation IMU tilt compensation system for level-free measurements. A new quick-release mount enables rapid setup in the field.

    Designed for GIS, construction and asset management teams managing multiple projects, the Reach RX2 integrates seamlessly with Esri ArcGIS for data collection and Pix4Dcatch for mobile terrestrial scanning.

    Complete field-to-office workflow. Emlid’s product ecosystem — including the Emlid Flow mobile app and Emlid Flow 360 cloud platform — creates a complete field-to-office workflow for professionals who value simplicity without sacrificing precision. The system enables companies to assign surveying tasks to non-surveyor teams, reducing training requirements while maintaining professional accuracy standards.

  • L1 receiver, UAV help discreet survey of private island

    L1 receiver, UAV help discreet survey of private island

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    Images courtesy of Luke Wijnberg.

    3DroneMapping completed a project under tight time and space constraints — surveying a tiny tropical island without disturbing guests.

    The 15-hectare island three kilometers from the Zanzibar coast is isolated from the rest of the world. Surrounded by coral reefs and sandbars, the island is home to an exclusive resort, but its limited space is threatened by erosion from changing currents.

    Developers are concerned that proposed structures will be washed out to sea in a few years. Because no plans or maps of the island have ever been drawn or surveyed, they felt it was important to provide scale and dimension to architects for a master plan.

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    Images courtesy of Luke Wijnberg.

    The survey needed to include existing structures, pathways, major trees, visible services, high-tide marks, levels and contours. It needed to be done in a tight timespan, before the island closed for renovations in three months. Also, the survey could not disturb any guests.

    Using a custom-built multi-rotor drone with a high-resolution camera allowed 3DroneMapping to obtain images with good detail but taken far enough from guests to not bother them. Control points were located strategically, in places not visible to the public.

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    Images courtesy of Luke Wijnberg.

    Luke Wijnberg, CEO of 3DroneMapping, conducted the survey with the L1 Reach by Emlid. “Such a survey could not have been possible without drones and Reach kit,” Wijnberg wrote in a blog. “Using this technology kept the pricing low for the customer, kept time on the ground and disturbance to guests to a minimum and provided a very quick turnabout time.”

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    Images courtesy of Luke Wijnberg.

    After fieldwork was completed, the photogrammetric process was a fairly simple affair with 600 images collected and control added to the model. A high over and sidelap was required to obtain ground strikes between the vegetation.

    The ground strikes were then extracted from the dense point cloud using specialized 3D point cloud editing and classification software. Other features were exported to a CAD program.

    All files were handed to the client via an online GIS platform with AutoCAD files for the master planners.

    Learn more about the project on the 3DroneMapping website.

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    Images courtesy of Luke Wijnberg.