RapidFlight has been awarded a $10 million contract from the United States Department of the Air Force (DAF) under the AFWERX Autonomy Prime program. Under the contract, RapidFlight will develop and produce the SPX, a customizable, autonomous fixed-wing aircraft system.
The project objective is to design and produce the SPX UAV, featuring a 12 lb. payload capacity, 150 nm range, and a modular payload bay. The RapidFlight Common Avionics 2.0 will be used to support autonomous flight with various payloads.
During the initial phase of the 36-month contract, RapidFlight will design SPX UAVs for testing at the Autonomy Prime Proving Ground. This will be followed by a contractor-owned, contractor-operated (COCO) demonstration at the RapidFlight facility in Manassas, Virginia. Comprehensive training for USAF operators is also included.
Each SPX system includes four airframes, a ground control station, a field kit and a compact launcher. The system’s modular design supports a range of payloads, sensors and autonomy packages for rapid and economical real-world flight testing.
Safran Federal Systems has released a line of tactical-grade inertial measurement units (IMUs). These units are engineered to address the evolving needs of unmanned applications and space-based operations.
The IMUs include Iconyx, a high-performance HRG-based IMU that significantly outperforms legacy technologies, the company says. It offers improved accuracy and reliability for demanding navigation needs. It also features a small tactical IMU (STIM) ideal for applications requiring lower size, weight and power (SWAP).
The company is also upgrading its Geonyx inertial navigation system (INS), which is based on HRG technology, to incorporate M-Code capability. The fully integrated solution can perform in GPS-denied or spoofing environments, offering reliable navigation in challenging environments.
Safran Federal Systems unveiled these IMUs at the Joint Navigation Conference (JNC) 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Attendees are invited to visit Safran Federal Systems at Booth A to learn more.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted Amazon Prime Air permission to operate UAVs beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). This allows Prime Air to expand its UAV delivery service to more customers and scale operations across the U.S.
Prime Air’s BVLOS operations rely on detect-and-avoid technology, which allows UAVs to autonomously navigate obstacles for safe flight operations. Amazon provided the FAA with detailed engineering data and conducted flight demonstrations, which included real-world scenarios involving planes and hot air balloons, to validate the system’s safety.
With this FAA approval, Prime Air will extend its delivery area in College Station, Texas, using its MK-27 UAV. The service will integrate into Amazon’s existing delivery network, with UAVs deploying from facilities adjacent to same-day delivery sites.
Prime Air received an Air Carrier Certificate in 2020. The recent BVLOS approval further extends its capabilities, allowing Amazon to access more densely populated areas. The UAVs aim to deliver packages within 30 minutes or less.
Aircraft operating near Seoul, South Korea spoofed to points in the ocean 28 to 30 May 2024. (Image: SkAI Data Services)
On the morning of May 30, 2024, Benoit Figuet posted on X that 40 aircraft operating into and out of South Korea had been spoofed over the previous 18 hours.
Professor Jiwon Seo at South Korea’s Yonsei University reports that the interference has, as of June 3, entered its fifth consecutive day.
Benoit Figuet is the co-founder of SkAI Data Services in Zurich, Switzerland. In collaboration with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, SkAI created the world’s first public Live GPS Spoofing Tracker website. The site uses ADS-B data to detect and display in near-real time, aircraft being spoofed around the world.
South Korean military authorities have identified North Korea as the source of interference.
While the spoofing exhibits many of the same traits as interference in the Black Sea and elsewhere, Figuet has noted some differences. “We even see aircraft impacted at low altitudes,” he said. “We have observed this happening below 5,000 feet and even affecting an aircraft taxiing on the ground at the airport. The source must be at a reasonably high elevation or fairly close by.”
North Korea has a history of engaging in hybrid, non-kinetic warfare by interfering with GPS in the South, though this is the first large-scale event since one lasting from March 31 through April 5, 2016.
During the 2016 event, five different locations along the border of South Korea were identified as sources of interference. One is at an elevation of approximately 740 m and only 30 km from Inchon International Airport.
Another unique feature of the ongoing interference, according to Figuet, is the dynamic nature of the spoofed location. Unlike previously observed “circle spoofing,” the reported locations generally appear as tracing a figure eight pattern in the ocean near a point where the territorial seas of both countries meet.
Some of the spoofed locations have also been observed drifting over the North Korean border.
Local media have reported that the interference seems to be in conjunction with maritime maneuvers being conducted by the South Korean Navy and police vessels. The North has complained about intrusions into its territorial sea during these operations, a claim disputed by South Korea.
To help counter the effects of the North’s interference, South Korea has added to and upgraded its eLoran system. It has also included the eLoran upgrade in a comprehensive resilient PNT architecture that includes television signals and plans for a regional positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) satellite system.
According to Pyo-Woong Son, Ph.D., “South Korea is set to enhance its navigation and service reliability with the fully operational and established eLoran system. This system is expected to ensure that ships can navigate safely even during large-scale GPS signal disruptions, like those the country has recently experienced.” Son is a Senior Researcher at the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering.
“In addition to maritime applications, eLoran will significantly contribute to the reliable operation of autonomous vehicles, such as urban air mobility (UAM), which are rapidly gaining popularity as future modes of transportation.”
“Furthermore, eLoran will play a crucial role in enhancing the reliability of public and private sector services, including broadcasting, telecommunications, and finance, where precise timing synchronization is essential,” according to Son.
Loran-C was used in many aircraft for decades before the advent of GPS. While eLoran signals are available across most of the Far East, receivers are not included in the navigation suites of commercial aircraft.
Aircraft operating into and out of Incheon International Airport have, so far, been able to use local terrestrial aviation-specific navigation aids to safely approach, land and depart.
Mr. Dana A. Goward is President of the Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation and is a frequent contributor to GPS World.
VIAVI Solutions has launched its altGNSS geosynchronous orbit (GEO) SecureTime services designed to deliver nanoseconds-accurate UTC timing through L-Band and Ku-Band satellite signals. It is ideal for critical infrastructure including 5G networks, transportation, data centers, smart grid, high-frequency trading, military and first responder communications and satellite terminals.
The company said that operating independently of traditional GNSS, VIAVI’s altGNSS GEO service is difficult to jam or spoof and offers broad global coverage, further improving resistance to attacks.
SecureTime adds to the portfolio of solutions VIVAI offers for resilient PNT, and features navigation message authentication (NMA), which uses encryption to detect spoofing in any of the signals received from all sources — including GPS that does not support NMA. It builds on VIAVI’s existing multisource assurance, combining signals from government and commercial constellations across GEO, low-Earth orbit (LEO) and medium-Earth orbit (MEO).
These services have been tested and proven in live-sky battlefield scenarios, providing assured PNT in a simulated warzone with complete denial of GNSS signals.
VIAVI will integrate these services into its products and offer receivers for third-party solution providers to integrate into their systems. VIAVI’s SecurePNT 6200 hardware platform is powered by space and terrestrial SecureTime Services and TrustedPNT multisource fusion technology.
VIAVI is showcasing these solutions at the Assured PNT Summit on May 29-30 in Washington, D.C. and the Joint Navigation Conference (JNC) held June 3-6 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Safran Federal Systems will host a simulation training seminar on July 16, 2024, at The Westin Huntsville in Huntsville, Alabama.
Attendees are invited to engage in interactive training and hands-on sessions guided by experts for PNT and NAVWAR simulation using Safran Federal’s BroadSim and Skydel software.
Training topics include:
BroadSim fundamentals, M-Code, and automation
GNSS jamming and spoofing
NAVWAR simulation – bringing PNTAX to life
How to test CRPA antennas
Each attendee will earn a certificate to recognize participation and completion of the training. Click here to learn more and register.
“Seen & Heard” is a monthly feature of GPS World magazine, traveling the world to capture interesting and unusual news stories involving the GNSS/PNT industry.
Photo: ESA
Detecting dark matter with atomic clocks
A team of researchers from Belgium’s Royal Observatory, SYRTE in Paris, the Université Côte d’Azur and the European Space Agency have used atomic clocks to search for dark matter transients in space. The team focused on a network of passive hydrogen masers (H-masers) on board the fleet of Galileo satellites to detect these transient variations. They presented a new technique that interprets fluctuations in fundamental constants as a specific kind of frequency modulation — a discrepancy in the expected times indicated by the satellite clocks. The findings are detailed in a paper titled “Searching for large dark matter clumps using the Galileo Satnav clock variations.”
Photo: H2L Robotics
Gardening Robots
H2L Robotics has deployed fully autonomous agricultural vehicles enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) across farmlands in the Netherlands. The robots are tasked with spotting and eliminating diseased tulip bulbs ahead of the country’s financially significant spring tulip bloom. The Selector180 robot uses GNSS to autonomously drive through tulip fields, and onboard cameras to take thousands of photos. An AI model then sorts the images, looking for potentially diseased bulbs. Finally, the Selector returns to the fields and removes diseased bulbs to prevent disease from spreading.
Photo: DoorDash
Deliveries from the sky
DoorDash has expanded its partnership with Wing to bring its UAV delivery pilot to the United States. DoorDash users who are near the Wendy’s fast food restaurant located at 2355 N. Franklin Street in Christiansburg, Virginia can order eligible menu items from the restaurant. They will see the new delivery option on the checkout page. Once they select the “drone” option, their order will be prepared and delivered via a Wing UAV within 30 minutes.
Photo: USGS
Earthquake strikes Taiwan
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern coast of Taiwan on April 3, according to the United States Geological Survey. USGS has released a ShakeMap providing near-real-time maps of ground motion and shaking intensity following the earthquake. According to USGS, the earthquake and aftershocks were strong enough to be felt across the island nation and parts of mainland China and Japan.
A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the May 2024 issue of GPS World magazine.
SURVEY & MAPPING
Photo: Virtual Surveyor
UAV With planimetric survey capabilities
The Virtual Surveyor version 9.5 now allows users to quickly and accurately survey 2D features from UAV orthophotos and add them to the 3D topographic model generated from the same data set.
True 2D features, for example, include the paint striping that delineates parking lot spaces and road lanes. Other objects that exist in 3D on the ground but can be surveyed in two dimensions include building footprints and tree canopies. These features are designed to offer a new level of efficiency to the UAV surveying process in Virtual Surveyor.
Virtual Surveyor provides users with an end-to-end workflow to conduct 3D surveys from UAV imagery. The integrated Terrain Creator app photogrammetrically processes UAV photos to build survey-grade digital surface models (DSMs) and orthomosaics. No third-party software is needed to create surveys from UAV data. The system is ideal for users in construction, surface mining and excavation projects.
Positioning System Incorporates an anti-jamming and interference monitoring system
SXblue GLOBE merges GNSS and GIS to deliver positioning accuracy, efficiency and reliability in challenging field conditions using a 448-channel GNSS board.
Its advanced multipath mitigation aims to reduce the effects of signal reflection and ensure the integrity of positioning service, even in GNSS-challenged environments. The SXblue GLOBE incorporates an anti-jamming and interference monitoring system, safeguarding against disruptions and offering uninterrupted operation in any scenario.
The system uses global or local coverage of correction services, satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), and real-time kinematics (RTK) with an update rate of up to 100Hz. This seeks to provide users with enhanced accuracy and reliability in positioning activities. Sxblue GLOBE features a Wi-Fi connection, which allows its parameters to be easily configured via a web user interface.
3D Mapping Software With expanded visualization tools
The Surfer mapping and 3D visualization software now features upgraded 3D visualization capabilities. The upgrades are designed to give users a complete picture of collected subsurface data. The expanded visualization tools in the latest Surfer version make it easier to create 3D grid files for viewing and analysis of drillhole data.
Surfer can be used for environmental consulting, water resources, engineering, mining, oil and gas exploration and geospatial projects.
With these upgrades, users can render 3D grids as a series of blocks, which can be colorized by a select variable. Images of cross sections, profiles and other features can be imported directly into 3D View and oriented in any direction or angle. To isolate certain features in the 3D grid, users can assign NoData to portions of the grid with a variety of methods. This allows users to eliminate unwanted data in a 3D grid outside of field boundaries, well locations, or above or below specific surfaces, such as a water table, topography, or lithologic layer.
Digital Twin Platform Shows roadway incidents in real time
The Flow RT is a real-time digital twin platform designed to provide agencies with instantaneous alerts and insights for better decision-making. The platform allows traffic managers to view traffic conditions, signal operations and roadway incidents in real time, at scale across entire regions.
Flow RT integrates seamlessly with the company’s solutions, including traffic signal management, roadway safety management and mobility management. Powered by connected vehicle data from industry-leading partners, including TomTom, the platform offers up to five times higher vehicle data penetration rate than the previous industry standard. Flow RT also provides alerts and notifications while offering data-driven decision support, ensuring agencies can make the best decisions using the most accurate, reliable and instantaneous insights with and without infrastructure connectivity.
INS With an integrated acoustic resonance air speed sensor
Inertial Labs has integrated the FT Technologies FT743-D-SM acoustic resonance air speed sensor into its inertial navigation systems (INS).
This integration aims to improve the accuracy of horizontal air speed estimation for multi-rotor UAVs, even in GNSS-denied environments. The FT743-D-SM airspeed sensor is a digital anemometer-based solution that can estimate airspeed incoming from any direction using acoustic resonance technology, which is immune to vibration and external acoustic noise. The airspeed magnitude and direction allow the INS to estimate horizontal air speed in the longitudinal and lateral axes.
The INS receives aiding data from the dual-axis airspeed sensor and experiences significantly less position drift compared to a dead reckoning alternative in GNSS-denied environments, the company said. The system can be used in mission-critical roles in multiple military or defense applications, as well as in civilian applications such as wind energy, marine navigation, UAVs and dynamic positioning systems.
The SE868K5-RTK module is a GNSS receiver capable of centimeter-level accuracy. It is designed for seamless operation near cellular or other radios and is suitable for precision applications.
At 11 x 11 mm, the module’s compact form factor offers adaptability in size-constrained scenarios and easy migration within the xE868 product family. It is designed to offer high-performance navigation, even in challenging RF conditions. The solution can be integrated into applications such as wearables, UAVs, robots, fleet tracking and precision agriculture.
The SE868K5-RTK is a multifrequency and multi-constellation positioning receiver module with RTK capabilities that enhance positioning accuracy. By harnessing dual frequencies — L1/E1 and L5/E5 — the module offers improved location precision and reduces multipath effects.
In partnership with Swift Navigation, the SE868K5-RTK module utilizes local base stations or Swift’s Skylark precise positioning service for corrections, which offers reliable centimeter-level accuracy across an extensive coverage area. The integration and Telit Cinterion’s cellular modules and NExT connectivity services offer continuous and accurate correction data delivery to the GNSS module.
Upgraded Click Board Now with an integrated GNSS receiver module
The Septentrio mosaic-X5 GNSS receiver has been integrated into the MikroElektronika (MIKROE) Mosaic Click board.
Mosaic Click is compatible with mikroBUS socket standard, allowing plug-and-play prototyping and reduced time-to-market. The mosaic-X5 receiver uses triple-band GNSS technology to achieve centimeter-level RTK accuracy, even in challenging environments. Its anti-jamming and anti-spoofing technology protects the receiver from malicious or accidental radio interference. It is ideal for applications where safety is a concern, as well as autonomous and mission-critical applications of systems such as UAVs or industrial robots.
The mosaic-X5 receiver tracks all available GNSS constellations and is protected by Septentrio’s AIM+ anti-jamming and anti-spoofing technology. Full GNSS raw data and positioning are delivered at a high update rate of 100Hz and with low latency, which is critical for autonomous movement and maneuvering.
RTK Positioning Module Supports all GNSS constellations
The Linnet mosaic-X5 is a multi-band module featuring the Mosaic-X5 receiver by Septentrio. It receives signals from all major constellations and can be used both directly on the rover and as a base station. The system can achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy and attain precise positioning even in low-coverage zones and harsh vibrations and shocks.
The mosaic-X5 module is a 448 channels all-in-view receiver that supports all GNSS constellations, SBAS and QZSS, as well as built-in on-module support for other L-band correction services. The Linnet Mosaic-X5 features anti-jamming protection and anti-spoofing built-in and embedded spectrum analyzer.
The module can be used in a variety of applications, including tracking, surveying, autonomous navigation, ground robotics, precision agriculture and machine control.
Geo-hNAV is a rugged, hybrid dual-GPS-aided INS. It offers consistent position and attitude measurement accuracy whether the platform is static or moving. The Geo-hNAV combines the Geo-iNAV INS with the Geo-Pointer dual-antenna heading system.
For stationary or slowly moving platforms, precise heading is derived from GPS measurements using two GPS antennas rigidly mounted on the platform, separated by a typical distance of 1 to 3 meters. In dynamic conditions, the combination of GPS and IMU seeks to provide enhanced position, velocity and attitude measurements. The system can be used for geo-positioning onboard sensors on static, low and high dynamic platforms such as aerostats, boats and tanks.
The C631 is a multi-GNSS, multi-frequency smart antenna. The C631 provides robust performance and high precision in a compact and rugged package. With multiple wireless communication ports and an open GNSS interface, the C631 can be used in a variety of operating modes.
C631 can be used as a precise base station sending RTK to existing rover networks. Users can turn the C631 into a lightweight rover by connecting it to a base via UHF radio or Wi-Fi network. The built-in web user interface can be used to control and manage the receiver status and operation and upgrade the C631 with new firmware and activations.
Atlas is a global correction service that can be added as a subscription to the C631. Atlas delivers worldwide centimeter-level correction data over L-band communication satellites.
The YEGB000Q1A and YEGN000Q1A active GNSS L1 and L5 antennas are designed to tap into L1 and L5 frequency bands for advanced navigation applications. These antennas, operating within the 1164-1189 MHz and 1559-1606 MHz frequency bands, are designed to support a variety of installation methods, catering to diverse application needs with options for screw mount, adhesive mount, magnetic mount and various cable connections.
The antennas are part of a broader release that includes the YEMN016AA and YEMN017AA 5G 5-in-1 combination antennas, which also feature GNSS capabilities.
These GNSS antennas are crucial for applications that require high levels of navigation accuracy, such as autonomous vehicles, UAV delivery systems and precision farming.
The TW5387 industrial-grade smart GNSS antenna integrates the Quectel ST TESEO V GNSS receiver chipset onto the Calian compact smart GNSS antenna platform. It is designed to offer dual-band GNSS, eXtended filtering, low phase center variation, low signal-to-noise ratio and dual feed and patch for strong multi-path rejection.
The TW5387 comes with RTK rover capability and a built-in IMU for sensor fusion. It is designed to minimize RF impairments that affect the performance of the GNSS receiver and provide GNSS coordinates to the host system over a robust digital interface for noise resilience.
TW5387 is suited for automotive, UAV, robotics and defense applications that require high precision location and timing. TW5387 is compatible with N-RTK correction services such as Point One Navigation’s Polaris and Swift Navigation’s Skylark. It tracks GPS, Galileo, BeiDou and L1/L5 band operation and is housed in an industrial-grade IP69K enclosure.
The PEANGPS1005 is an active GPS/GNSS multi band L1/L2/L5 antenna with 47.5 dBi overall gain. It is IP69K rated, light weight and designed for surveying. This GPS/GNSS antenna is suited for harsh operating environments where stability and reliability of GPS/GNSS signal is required.
This antenna operates in the 1.164-1.3GHz and 1.525-1.615GHz bands, meeting GPS L1/L2/L5, GALILEO E1/E6/E5a/E5b and GLONASS L1/L2/L3 requirements. The PEANGPS1005 antenna has an integrated LNA with 2 dB noise figure and LNA gain of 40 dB.
The antenna has an axial ratio of 3 dB and can track visible satellites under extreme conditions, which is ideal for UAV navigation, autonomous tracking or GIS surveying.
Paving and Mining Solution Meets DOT smoothness standards
The MC-Max asphalt paving and MC-Max milling solutions offer modularity, simplified configurations and advanced feature sets to increase productivity in asphalt paving and cold milling applications.
The MC-Max Asphalt Paving and MC-Max Milling systems, which are made up of , total stations, displays and other high-precision sensors, are built with the new MC-X machine control platform. Users can choose from entry-level 2D systems that follow a reference, such as a string or a curb, or automated solutions that track a paver or miller in 3D.
Contractors can pave and mill at variable depths while meeting smoothness standards mandated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) smoothness standards. The solutions also include MC-X licensing options. The technology is compatible with OEM CAN-based systems and has expanded to include compatibility with additional aftermarket systems.
It is equipped with Topcon Virtual Ski intelligence software designed to simplify workflows in specific resurfacing applications, such as rural roads where there are fewer fixed points or intersections to match up to.
Reality Capture Platform Generates detailed 2D and 3D models
This UAV reality capture platform collects data through FlytBase UAVs and generates detailed 2D and 3D models on SkyeBrowse, a UAV reality capture platform.
The platform uses SkyeBrowse’s videogrammetry technology to quicly convert UAV video footage into 2D maps and 3D models, making it ideal for emergency response scenarios where rapid documentation is critical. The platform integrates seamlessly with beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) systems, enhancing both the speed and quality of data-driven strategies in critical operations.
The E400 fixed-wing VTOL ISR UAV now features a 360° camera option. Partnering with NextVision, the Event 38 UAV now offers a range of EO/IR Gimbal camera options for seamless integration with the E400 platform.
NextVision’s gimballed EO/IR cameras capture visual and thermal imagery and video. The UAV provides live streaming directly to ground stations for continuous monitoring capabilities.
The 360° EO/IR camera integrated onto the E400 ISR can be used for search-and-rescue missions, suspect pursuit, emergency management and disaster response. The E400 ISR, built with a military-grade carbon fiber frame, offers durability for rugged field applications and allows for extended flight durations without the need for frequent recharging. It is suited for surveillance and security applications. It features electric propulsion and minimal noise emissions for discreet flight operations.
Enhanced BVLOS System Offers situational awareness to UAS operators
IRIS Terminal now features Echodyne radar technology designed to enhance Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) applications.
The integration seeks to provide situational awareness to UAS operators by visualizing all airspace movement, cooperative and noncooperative, to ensure safe and reliable UAS operations.
IRIS Terminal, now in its second generation, has been adapted from its defense origins to the enterprise UAS sector for visualizing airspace traffic, as well as controlling uncrewed systems in its GCS format. Airspace traffic is visualized inside IRIS Terminal’s multiple viewing configurations, along with features such as detect-and-avoid (DAA) sensor footprints, terrain awareness and potential conflict warnings.
The Inertial Labs’ RESEPI lidar remote sensing payload instrument GEN-II has been integrated into Sony’s Airpeak UAV.
The partnership seeks to enhance Airpeak’s ability to produce detailed aerial maps and 3D models.
Tailored for professionals, the lidar system integrated into Sony’s Airpeak UAV will significantly enhance workflow efficiency and data accuracy, particularly in sectors such as construction, agriculture, and filmmaking, according to Inertial Labs. The system allows for extensive data handling and facilitates longer durations of data collection without frequent offloads. The UAV can be used for surveying, mapping and cinematic videography.
The Grimaldi Satellite Autonomous Berthing (GSAB) project, funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) Navigation Innovation and Support Program (NAVISP) program, has developed a system for automatic, high-precision port berthing operations in large (200m) carrier ships. The system offers ship captains and crew with an overview of ship conditions in real time port settings, including detailed information on maneuvering operations.
Project leader Grimaldi Euromed, in collaboration with two divisions of Kongsberg, conducted the research and development of the new system, including integrating various sensors to provide accurate positioning and ranging data with high integrity. The GSAB system suggests the best path for berthing based on all available and relevant information sources, while augmented reality (AR) goggles provide an intuitive method of visualizing critical berthing information.
System subcomponents include an inertial navigation system (INS) where GNSS measurements are fused with motion/attitude data from the Kongsberg motion gyro compass (MGC). This allows the system to deliver robust and precise data on vessel location, velocities and acceleration. A perception system includes a camera-based sensor for determining steel-to-steel distances from the vessel to any obstruction and quays.
Kongsberg illustrated increased efficiency using to the new system, including a clear reduction in the time required to enter and exit from a port, and a corresponding decrease of emitted pollutants.
Radiolabs, a non-profit research organization, recently joined the GSAB consortium. It focuses on investigating and prototyping a new ground truth reference system, which integrates and fuses GNSS, IMU, and lidar-derived data to provide highly accurate positioning and ranging.
At the recent final presentation of the GSAB project, hosted by ESA, Federica Pascucci of Radiolabs described the results of the project, based in part on previous work in the automotive sector. She said the GSAB work was promising, having verified the effectiveness of Radiolabs’ lidar-based system for positioning, with adaptations necessary for application in maritime scenarios.
The GSAB project demonstrated significant potential cost and time savings benefits and improved safety and environmental performance. The partners will continue their work in the framework of a new ESA NAVISP-funded project, GSAB2, to demonstrate the system’s use in increasingly autonomous vessels and apply newly developed, advanced algorithms based on artificial intelligence.
ComNav Technology has launched the M100X GNSS receiver. It is built with the Quantum-III SoC Chip, designed to provide full-constellation and multi-frequency capabilities, specifically engineered for high-accuracy vehicular positioning and heading.
The M100X features GNSS+INS integrated technology to provide real-time high-precision positioning, velocity and heading data, even in challenging environments.
The receiver is designed to provide accurate positioning and heading information across various applications, including autonomous mining trucks, intelligent ports, mapping and autonomous buses. It is designed to safeguard vehicles as they pass through areas with poor signal reception, even in obstructed environments such as urban canyons, city overpasses underground garages, tunnels and parks.
The M100X has a data update rate of up to 100Hz, allowing it to perform well in dynamic, high-speed environments, such as vehicles traveling at high speeds. This rapid update capability enables continuous and real-time tracking of vehicle positions for reliable computation and instant updating of navigation information. It also facilitates quick responses to changes in vehicle dynamics during travel. These features are essential for maintaining seamless operation in high-speed environments and ensuring high levels of safety and performance.
Constructed with aluminum alloy and rated IP67 for water and dustproof, the receiver is built to withstand harsh operational environments. It also features a shock-resistant design, capable of surviving a drop from 1 m without damage. It can connect to 4G, LAN, Bluetooth and multiple I/O ports for seamless integration with various systems and networks.
ComNav has also released Navigation Master software, an Android app for quick device configuration and effective remote management. Using Bluetooth connectivity, users can easily configure their M100X devices for optimal performance. Additionally, its cloud platform, NaviCloud, offers instant access to projects and data from any location.
American Aerospace, an Iridium partner, has received a waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct UAV surveillance of critical infrastructure in California’s San Joaquin Valley for Chevron, an oil and gas company.
Enabled by Iridium’s global L-Band satellite connectivity, AATI’s AiRanger UAV will conduct remote aerial surveillance of the energy company’s pipeline and production facilities. Iridium’s network offers beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) connectivity, including remote command and control (C2) and detect and avoid (DAA) capabilities. The UAV will send information via Iridium satellites to conduct routine inspections.
Iridium partner Blue Sky Network customized and integrated its SkyLink 7100 voice, data and BVLOS terminal on the UAVs. The SkyLink 7100 offers continuous tracking and C2 capabilities for aviation and UAV operations.
The AiRanger is the first UAV to comply with industry standards for the DAA system and meet FAA BVLOS operation requirements. This achievement aims to pave the way for broader use of BVLOS UAVs to enhance situational awareness, reduce inspection costs and maximize value.
Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Vice Adm. Brendan McLane is rung in upon his arrival to the establishment ceremony for Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 3 (USVRON 3) on Naval Amphibious Base Coronado May 17, 2024. The squadron is comprised of unmanned Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Crafts (GARCs). The 16-foot GARCs built by Maritime Applied Physics Corporation enable research, testing, and operations that will allow integration throughout the surface, expeditionary, and joint maritime forces. (Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Claire M. DuBois)
The U.S. Navy has created Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron (USVRON) Three at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. The squadron, equipped with Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Crafts (GARCs), aims to enhance the Navy’s capabilities by integrating unmanned systems into surface and joint maritime operations.
GARCs, developed by the Maritime Applied Physics Corporation, facilitate research, testing and operations for seamless integration across surface, expeditionary and joint maritime forces. These crafts will be used for various missions, including operations with carrier strike groups and surface action groups. Additionally, the squadron will introduce a new robotics warfare specialist rating to oversee and operate these systems.
The mission of USVRON Three is to provide the most powerful unmanned platforms in the maritime domain. The squadron will play a key role in establishing the knowledge needed to operate and maintain sUSV. It will develop tactics, techniques and procedures for small unmanned surface vessel (sUSV) operations and sustainment. USVRON Three’s motto is “Victory Through Ferocity.”
