Author: GPS World Staff

Opening presentations at ITSNT focus on PNT resilience

Speakers and topics at the Nov. 13–16 International Technical Symposium on Navigation and Timing opening session have been announced. They focus on comprehensive approaches for obtaining resilient PNT, supported by mega-constellations, and with new concepts to improve reliability.

Logan Scott, a U.S. consultant specializing in radio frequency signal processing and waveform design, will speak on “Towards a Comprehensive Approach for Obtaining Resilient PNT.”

As precise positioning and timing becomes ever more deeply embedded into worldwide critical infrastructure, numerous attacks have already been seen and the sophistication of attacks is growing. A layered defense with flexible responses provides the best hope for meeting the challenges of maintaining required navigation performance under adverse conditions.

No single defense or offense, no matter how good, is capable of dealing with all threats.

A comprehensive and integrated civil policy is needed that takes into account the nature of the threats, their motivations, their likely evolution, and the costs and approaches for mitigating them. This talk explores not only the technical countermeasures available to civil users but also the legal and social engineering approaches that can militate against jamming and spoofing. The importance of penetration testing is illustrated via real-world examples of what happens when receivers meet a threat for the first time. Effective strategies for civil applications are fundamentally different from those suitable for military applications. Specific and actionable recommendations at the policy, receiver and systems level will be made.

Francis Soualle, a French engineer specializing in GNSS architectural concepts, orbit determination, signal design and receiver performances at Airbus Defense and Space, will address “Perspectives of PNT Services Supported by Mega-Constellations.”

The development of so-called “Mega-Constellations” composed of several hundreds of spacecrafts, if not thousands, comprising low-Earth orbit (LEO)satellites among others, initially designed to provide communication services, could also support positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) applications.

The architectural and technological specificities of LEO-based PNT systems could represent meaningful differentiators with regard to GNSSs and enhance their attractiveness. Hence, Doppler-based positioning techniques already proven in operational space systems, such as Argos or Cospas-Sarsat, shall strongly benefit of the geometry (i.e. velocity) and the large density of lines-of-sight. By combining range and range-rate positioning techniques, the availability for instantaneous and accurate positioning will thus be enhanced.

The newly introduced Satellite Time & Location (STL) system, based on the Iridium constellation, and offering a global and resilient Timing and Position service will support this discussion.

Finally, the main architectures for LEO-PNT systems will be described with special focus on the primary and ancillary payload units, but also on the supporting ground segment infrastructures.

Karen van Dyke, director of PNT & Spectrum Management at the U.S. Dept. Of Transportation, will speak about “Resilient Positioning, Navigation, and Timing” and radiofrequency spectrum management services essential to critical infrastructure applications, including transportation for safety-of-life applications such as the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), Positive Train Control, and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).

Increasing occurrences of unintentional and intentional interference to GPS, including the spoofing of the signal have been observed. It is important to increase awareness of vulnerabilities of GPS, evaluate the impact, and to research complementary sources of PNT to increase resiliency and make intentional jamming and spoofing less desirable. Also, best practices should be adhered to for implementation and installation of GPS receivers in critical infrastructure applications.

With an increased focus on autonomous vehicles for all modes of transportation, there is a need to focus on multi-sensor navigation technologies to ensure reliable operation of vehicles without a human in the loop. This research should be aligned with National PNT Architecture recommendations to overcome capability gaps predominantly resulting from the limitations of space-based PNT.

As the civil lead for GPS, the U.S. Department of Transportation also has been conducting the GPS Adjacent Band Compatibility Assessment to understand the power levels that can be tolerated in the radiofrequency bands adjacent to GPS, given increasing demand for use of those adjacent frequency bands for non-space commercial applications. Van Dyke will address resilient PNT from the standpoint of both protecting GPS and GNSS from interference, as well as increasing resiliency by implementation of best practices and utilization of other PNT technologies.

Matteo Paonni, scientific officer at the Joint Research Center of the European Commission in Italy, will deliver “New Concepts and Ideas to Improve the Reliability of PNT Services.”

With early Galileo services already underway and full operational capability coming in 2020, a strong need for R&D activities in the field of navigation signal engineering has been identified by various programme stakeholders. Considering the long process required for introducing new signals and features in a system that is already deployed and finds itself in the exploitation phase, early R&D activities become essential to investigate potential evolutions and new concepts to improve the Galileo signals and services in the short, medium and long term.

The presentation will provide some examples of recent R&D initiatives in this context. In particular, technical solutions developed in the context of the Future Navigation and Timing Evolved Signals (FUNTIMES) project will be presented. FUNTIMES is a European GNSS mission evolution study funded by the European Commission within the Horizon 2020 Framework for Research and Development. Main goals of the project was to identify, study and recommend mission evolution directions and to support the definition, design and implementation of the future generation of Galileo signals.

August 7, 2018
Trimble RTX achieves greater than 2-cm horizontal accuracy, company says

The Trimble RTX GNSS corrections technology can now achieve horizontal accuracies of better than two centimeters, according to Trimble.

Start-up times, commonly referred to as convergence, have also improved.

(Photo: Trimble)

Users can now achieve full accuracy in less than 15 minutes, and as fast as one minute in select areas where RTX Fast network infrastructure is available, the company added.

This performance is achievable using Trimble’s premier correction service, CenterPoint RTX, delivering RTK-level accuracy outside traditional Virtual Reference Station (VRS) networks, considered the gold standard for high-accuracy corrections.

Trimble’s RTX network is available throughout most of the world, with the RTX-Fast network coverage available in select geographies in the U.S., Canada and throughout most of Europe when using Trimble RTX compatible GNSS receivers.

Trimble RTX provides a satellite-delivered correction source. In addition, corrections are available via an Internet or cellular connection, adding to its versatility.

With satellite-delivered Trimble RTX corrections, users can perform a variety of positioning fieldwork in some of the most remote locations, without relying on traditional ground-based VRS networks or a local RTK base station to receive high-accuracy positioning data.

By powering on an RTX-capable receiver or display, customers can start working quickly with only a minimal convergence period, Trimble said. As long as users have line of sight to the sky they can work freely without being constrained by the geographic boundaries of a VRS network.

Offering a suite of correction services, Trimble RTX provides users the flexibility to choose the level of accuracy to suit their application needs from meter to centimeter level. It is designed for a variety of applications including agriculture, survey, mapping, construction, automotive and any location-based service that could benefit from greater precision.

Trimble RTX also powers Trimble xFill technology, a feature that enables RTK and VRS users to continue working if their primary correction stream is not available. xFill, delivered via satellite, “fills in” for RTK corrections in the event of temporary radio or Internet connection outages. As a result, users can experience fewer interruptions and less downtime.

“Trimble RTX performance and reliability are changing the positioning game for users who never considered a satellite-delivered correction service for applications traditionally requiring RTK-level accuracy,” said Patricia Boothe, vice president of Trimble’s Advanced Positioning Division. “Trimble RTX offers a global solution delivering similar performance to VRS where terrestrial networks are not available.”

Subscriptions are available through Trimble’s Authorized Business Partners or Trimble’s online store.

August 6, 2018
PCTEL announces Trooper II antenna for public safety

PCTEL Inc. has announced the next generation of its Trooper antenna, the company’s flagship multi-band platform for public safety fleets.

The new Trooper II provides optimal wireless communications performance through the antenna’s 4-port 4G LTE connections and 4×4 802.11ac Wi-Fi MIMO capability, the company said. It also incorporates PCTEL’s newest high rejection multi-GNSS technology for high precision tracking and asset management.

The Trooper II antenna. (Photo: PCTEL)

“The Trooper II antenna enhances PCTEL’s successful Trooper platform, with expanded multi-band RF and GNSS capability in a robust, aerodynamic housing,” said Rishi Bharadwaj, senior vice president and general manager of PCTEL’s Connected Solutions group. “Its slender new design with a single cable exit accommodates installation restrictions often encountered on modern public safety vehicles.”

“Our Trooper antennas have been broadly deployed on public safety fleets, notably in support of the leading FirstNet public safety broadband network systems. The Trooper II is also ideal for many Industrial IoT deployments,” Bharadwaj added.

The rugged Trooper II (part #GL9X1AX-TRB) features PCTEL’s new proprietary high rejection multi-band technology, which supports GPS L1, GLONASS and Galileo for high precision tracking.

In addition to public safety applications, the antenna is suitable for tracking and communications support for industrial internet of things (IoT) and other fleet management applications, including farming tractors for precision agriculture, utility service fleets and railway positive train control systems.

PCTEL will display the Trooper II antenna Aug. 6-7 at APCO 2018, Booth 1719, along with its portfolio of antennas for the public safety industry and grid testing solution for in-building public safety networks.

The Trooper II antenna is available for pre-order now. First shipments are expected in early fall.

August 6, 2018
Venezuelan assassination attempt highlights need for UAV security
Two drones armed with explosives detonated near Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Aug. 4 in an apparent assassination attempt that took place while he was delivering a speech to hundreds of soldiers, while the speech was being broadcast live on television, according to press reports.

The footage of this apparent assassination attempt can be viewed below.

Drone security solutions company DroneShield issued a statement about the incident.

“The history of commercial drone incidents involving heads of state goes back to September 2013 when the German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s public appearance was disrupted by a drone, which was apparently a publicity stunt by a competing political party,” said Oleg Vornik, DroneShield’s CEO.

“Yesterday’s apparent drone assassination attempt on Venezuelan President Maduro is the first known drone attack on a head of state. An attempted drone assassination of a sitting sovereign leader demonstrates that, sadly, the era of drone terrorism has well and truly arrived,” Vornik said.

“Technological progress cannot be reversed, and going forward, the security of any asset whose perimeter is protected two-dimensionally on the ground will need to be also protected in the third dimension — from attacks from the air,” Vornik added.

DroneShield supplies counterdrone (counter unmanned aerial system/counter unmanned aerial vehicle/c-UAS) products, which have been successfully deployed in a variety of situations by third parties.

The company’s products have been deployed for counterdrone security at, among others:
- an ASEAN meeting of heads of state,
- several Boston Marathon events over the years,
- the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics and
- the 2018 XXI Commonwealth Games.
Also, a Middle Eastern ministry of defense recently placed a multi-million dollar order for DroneShield’s anti-drone equipment.

The company expect that this latest incident involving a head of state will result in governments around the world accelerating their implementation of anti-drone mitigation measures.
August 6, 2018
US wildfires mapped and placed in context
An Esri Storymap provides a quick snapshot of the raging fires across the United States and provides context to the severity of the California fires.

The interactive map can be explored by panning and zooming. Click on a fire and information about that particular fire is displayed including the start date, containment and links to the latest news and social information.

Esri Story Maps let users combine authoritative maps with text, images and multimedia content. It harnesses the power of maps and geography to tell a story in an easy and understandable format, the company said.

The Story Map uses the ArcGIS Javascript API and is linked to interactive timelines and magnitude displays. The cartography uses AGOL Firefly symbology — radial gradients — and a dark basemap.

The fires and perimeters are a service of the GeoMAC community that uses the Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination, an internet-based mapping application that is designed for fire managers to access online maps of current fire locations and perimeters in the United States.

Members of GeoMAC include:
- U.S. Geological Survey
- National Interagency Fire Center
- National Weather Service
- Bureau of Land Management
- Remote Sensing Application Center
- National Geophysical Data Center.
The data is updated manually based on information from a host of sources including those on the ground. Typically, the data is fresh to about 24 hours, but there is variability because it is a carefully curated process.

Diving deeper for information

Esri has updated the app based on feedback from many different groups including firefighting professionals, those directly affected by fires, and those concerned about loved ones affected by fires. Some of the updates include the addition of the National Weather Service (NWS) animated smoke risk forecast, visualized to more directly represent smoke (see below).

The NWS animated smoke risk forecast is now integrated into Esri’s Story Map app. (Screenshot: Esri)

Another is the addition at finer scales of satellite-detected hot spots to indicate fire direction — sensors. Many Earth-observing satellites contain sensors capable of detecting the infrared energy released by fires. Not only can the hotspots be located, but areas of burned land can also be identified based both on their thermal characteristics and visible appearance. In Esri’s ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World, the MODIS Thermal Activity layer provides daily updated global hotspot locations.

In the U.S., the USA Wildfire Activity layer in the Living Atlas provides a more quality controlled version of the data. It shows only wildfires submitted to the USGS by fire agencies, as opposed to all of the other events that can cause an automated satellite-based hotspot detection. However, since this layer relies on human analysis, sometimes it doesn’t update as frequently as the MODIS hotspots. The layer also contains the perimeter of the fire area. Both current (active) and older (inactive) fires are included.

While the weather-focused satellites from NOAA and NASA provide high temporal resolution fire data, really detailed analysis of the fire impact is often left to moderate resolution multispectral imaging satellites such as Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2, or commercial high-resolution satellites. That is the benefit of the multispectral capabilities of the Sentinel-2 satellite, now available in the Living Atlas. Sentinel-2’s infrared sensitivity (Channel 12; 2.19 micron band) provides the ability to identify areas of active fires, much like NOAA-20 or Aqua/Terra, but at 20m resolution.

In addition to visualizing active fire areas, multispectral imagery is also effective at assessing burn scars. Besides the ecosystem impact, denuded vegetation along sloped areas can lead to landslides, especially when combined with heavy rains.
August 5, 2018
Komatsu partners with Propeller on drone analytics for construction

Komatsu America Corp. and Propeller Aero Inc. are partnering to boost the efficiency of construction job sites using drone-powered mapping and analytics software.

With drones becoming an increasingly common worksite tool, Komatsu has identified aerial mapping and analytics as a key component of its Smart Construction initiative — a range of integrated hardware and software products designed to offer an end-to-end workflow for each phase of construction.

Komatsu America Corp. spent several years testing various commercial drone mapping and analytics products in North America. In Propeller, Komatsu found a robust product suited to meet the needs of modern construction operations. Propeller expertly balances ease-of-use with survey accuracy and reliability, Komatsu said.

Propeller’s processing machinery crunches thousands of drone images in hours, and delivers the results as a cloud-based 3D model to the user’s desktop or tablet. From there, powerful collaboration and analysis tools let users perform height, volume and slope calculations, and measure change over time to confirm that a project is on track, the companies said.

(Image: PRNewsfoto/Propeller Aero)

Propeller’s technology platform supports multiple coordinate systems, including local site calibrations. This allows personnel to capture up-to-date survey data expressed in the specific geospatial coordinates they already use on that job site. Local grid support is crucial for ensuring drone-captured maps and models match up with plans and previous surveys.

“A Komatsu Smart Construction jobsite by definition is technology enhanced and production optimized,” said Jason Anetsberger, senior product manager at Komatsu America Corp. “Adding Propeller Aero as one of our key partners gives our North American distributors and customers exceptional capabilities to achieve this standard in the aerial mapping space. Propeller combines simple, yet powerful analysis tools with accurate and fast site visualization.”

“Worksites are starting to see the real business value of accurate, up-to-date drone data,” said John Frost, vice president of business development at Propeller. “We drive that value through workflows that enable everyone to understand who’s moved what material, how much, and where. It’s all about empowering worksites with the information they need to make data-driven decisions to reduce costs, ensure quality, and use resources efficiently. Now more than ever, stakeholders on site, or in the head office miles away, can stay up-to-date with exactly what’s happening on the ground.”

“Anyone can fly a drone — it’s what you do with the data that makes an impression,” said Chris Faulhaber, smart construction business manager at Komatsu Equipment Co. “Propeller provides fast, accurate data processing via a web platform that is unparalleled. The platform is easy to use, facilitates healthy collaboration and delivers vital information quickly — so everyone can work together better and faster than anticipated.”

August 2, 2018
Quantum Spatial lidar surveys provide volcano eruption insights
Looking southwest towards Leilani Estates with Fissure 8 erupting in the background. (Image: Ron Chapple/GEO 1)

High-resolution lidar surveys help first responders, scientists and government agencies monitor Kilauea conditions and predict future lava flows.

Independent geospatial data firm Quantum Spatial Inc. (QSI) has conducted high-resolution lidar surveys of areas surrounding the Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii.

The emergency response effort was part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Rapid Response Imagery Products (RRIP) in support of the Kilauea’s 2018 East Rift Zone – Remote Sensing Acquisition Requirement.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), along with emergency responders, government agencies and academics, will use the data to better understand the conditions and characteristics of the Kilauea volcano, which has been continually erupting since May 3.

Data also will assist planners in modeling potential lava flows, which may better predict and respond to future flows and enhance safety of residents.

The USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP) selected QSI to perform the first of two planned surveys over the active volcanic area. The QSI team, which included GEO1 and Windward Aviation, deployed within days to acquire high-resolution lidar at point densities averaging from 40 to 80 ppsm, with up to 150 ppsm in select areas and 100-mp digital imagery using a Riegl dual VUX-1 LR sensor pod equipped with ABGPS/IMU mounted on a Hughes 500D helicopter.

Five distinct locations, covering an area of 57 square miles, were targeted:
- Kīlauea Summit Caldera
- Pu’u O’o Crater and flow
- Chain of Craters Road / Kaoe
- Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV)
- Western Leilani Estates lava field.
The project required 11 missions over the course of six days, operating at times as low as 500 feet above the ground and above active flows and nearby erupting calderas. With a need for a quick turn around, QSI deployed an analyst with the flight crew to post process each mission within hours of collection.

The data was uploaded to the Geospatial Repository and Data Management System (GRiD) interface, developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), where additional data products have been developed and provided to the response team that includes FEMA, Hawaii’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and the Hawaii County Civil Defense.

After data collection, QSI measured topographic shifts during the processing by comparing new data with a 2011 lidar collection from the same area. Survey specialists and USGS experts confirmed within hours of processing QSI’s lidar data that areas within the site had shifted up to 1.5 meters east, 2 meters to the north and 1 meter in elevation.

USGS scientists will continue to examine the new topographic data to better understand the nature of these shifts, and integrate it into lava flow models for more accurate predictive modeling.

“Airborne lidar and imagery remote sensing surveys are invaluable tools for understanding the effects of active volcanic eruptions, which change the topography as fissures emerge and lava flows extend to the ocean,” said Michael Shillenn, vice president at QSI. “We were honored to work with the USGS and others on this critical project. We believe that data and analysis provided by the QSI team will provide insights into future scenarios, enabling emergency responders to protect the surrounding community.”
August 1, 2018
Laser rangefinder speeds up faltering survey project

Photo: Laser Technology

A survey consulting firm accustomed to using drones to capture data in the field recently found that data gathering was taking too long, and after just one day, the field manager knew the project wasn’t going to meet budget.

“Some of the areas were more congested than we originally planned, and we had to consider other tools to do it better and faster,” said Mike George of Downtown Design Services Inc. (DDSI).

The company turned to an laser rangefinder and got the job back on track.

To learn more about the exact processes involved in Integrating a professional measurement and mapping laser to your GIS toolbox, both saving time and enabling collection of additional attribute data attend GPS World’s free webinar on Thursday, Aug. 16: LaserGIS: Your Gateway to Collect More GIS Data in Less Time.

George used the Laser Technology TruPulse 360 rangefinder as a first walk-around to obtain site data for the company’s drone, identifying the peak above ground level, establishing ground control points, and setting the pre-programmed grid for the flight. The laser rangefinder significantly sped up the process without sacrificing any measurement accuracy.

“As the project went along and we started processing data,” George added, “we realized that the drone didn’t capture everything, and that some data wasn’t as high-quality as we had hoped.” Many of the smaller trees in the area were difficult for the drone camera to pick up. “We needed to know they were there. We could shoot them using the LTI laser, mark them in the field notes, and have the drafters add them in later when creating the plats for review.”

After the drone mission, the field team used the laser to quickly survey the remaining landscape. With the appropriate heights and widths, DDSI could use the missing line routine with the built-in compass as well as the height routine to get the additional measurements they needed.

“The laser rangefinder was a huge time-saver because some of these sites had up to 100 trees, and trying to identify some of these smaller ones from the drone imagery proved very tough.”

The company also saved time from not having to make a second trip to each site. “You don’t know what you’re going to get until you get back to the office. It often takes four to six hours to process the drone imagery. But after processing and analyzing data for this project, we didn’t have to go back and fill in the gaps, because we knew we had what we needed.”

After surveying only 1.5 sites on the first day, switching to a laser rangefinder brought the team up to four sites a day, and the project was completed on time and on budget. DDSI also delivered comprehensive, high-quality documentation to its client, an architectural and engineering firm.

“When we turned our imagery over to the A&E team, they had high-resolution ortho-imagery instead of only the typical black-and-white deliverables,” George said. “The team found that invaluable.”

Register for GPS World’s free Aug. 16 webinar, titled “LaserGIS®: Your Gateway to Collect More GIS Data in Less Time,” here.

August 1, 2018
58th CGSIC meeting agenda features address by Brig. Gen. Shaw

Brig. Gen. John E. Shaw is Director of Strategic Plans, Programs, Requirements and Analysis, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. (Photo: USAF)

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Coast Guard Navigation Center are preparing for the 58th annual Civil GPS Service Interface Committee (CGSIC) meeting.

The meeting will be conducted Sept. 24-25 at the Hyatt Regency Miami in Miami, Florida, in conjunction with the Institute of Navigation’s ION GNSS+ 2018 conference.

CGSIC meetings are free and open to the public.

Subcommittees of the CGSIC for Timing, International Information, and Survey, Mapping, and Geosciences will hold meetings Sept. 24, and a summary of these meetings will be presented to the CGSIC plenary session Sept. 25.

The meeting includes important briefings on the status of ongoing GPS programs and a keynote address by Brig. Gen. John Shaw, director of strategic plans, programs, requirements and analysis for the Air Force Space Command.

The CGSIC agenda in development can be found at gps.gov.

July 31, 2018
Nevada launches Drone Center of Excellence to support public safety

The Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS) has launched of the Nevada Drone Center of Excellence for Public Safety (NDCOE), according to the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.

NDCOE’s mission is to save lives and reduce air hazards from drone incursions by empowering a shared safety vision with the the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) integration of drones into the commercial air traffic system.

Located in Las Vegas, with facilities donated by technology infrastructure company Switch, NDCOE will provide safety incursion research data, drone technology best practices and educational materials.

The new center will conduct public workshops that promote and protect the public’s safety and privacy in an open and ethical manner.

Over the last decade, UAS, more commonly referred to as drones, have experienced an unprecedented boom within aviation. Coinciding with the increase in popularity, incidents involving drones in tourist areas, as well as risks to larger manned aircraft are on the rise and present high-liability risks to property owners.

Safe and successful UAS operations rely on quality training, end user education and maximizing public safety processes. To protect and educate residents and visitors, the center seeks to protect against drone users who pose a public safety hazard due to inexperience or malicious drone operations. Such hazards include drones hitting people or that have the potential to cause an airline disaster, and drone operations that violate safety, privacy or drone laws near high-traffic public places, at airports, near military bases or near critical infrastructure.

NDCOE will also advance drone surveillance, detect and avoid (remote sensing), wildland firefighting, gas-leak detection, and time-sensitive medical delivery technologies for life-saving medical equipment and organs.

“In addition to fostering major advances in UAS technology with testing partners like the FAA, NASA and Switch, Nevada is also home to the most registered drone users in the nation in Las Vegas,” said Paul Anderson, executive director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development. “This dynamic makes such a program as the Nevada Drone Center of Excellence for Public Safety a natural step as drones increasingly become a bigger part of our daily lives.”

In a recent state-wide Nevada Drone Industry survey by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and NIAS, the NDCOE received support to open the first center of its kind in the U.S. In the survey, almost 80% of respondents were concerned about a recreational drone hitting an airline and causing an airline disaster, and almost 90% were concerned about aerial drones illegally penetrating FAA airspace without authorization at outdoor events such as sports stadium, concert or at large events.

“We are taking an aggressive approach toward solving the complex UAS Industry challenge of mitigating drone incursions into the National Airspace System — one of the toughest FAA challenges today,” said Chris Walach, senior director, NIAS and the FAA-designated Nevada UAS Test Site. “What we are doing in Nevada will be of immense value to the DOT, FAA, DHS, DOJ, commercial airlines, visitor venues, and the UAS Industry. This new center will help advance infrastructure protections, drone detection innovations, enhance air safety, and expand air commerce in Nevada.”

NIAS and the FAA-designated Nevada Unmanned Aviation Test Site lead the growth of the Nevada UAS industry through business teaming relationships, collaborating with primary research institutions on UAS research and development, and enhancing the Nevada UAS Industry knowledge base to attract new and permanent business and create jobs in the State of Nevada.

July 31, 2018
Boosting EGNOS for better precision farming

Precision agriculture depends on the precise positioning of augmented GNSS. In Europe, this augmentation is provided by the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS).

Although EGNOS is widely available in Europe, coverage is lacking in remote and rural areas.

To help fill the needs of farms in these areas, the Horizon 2020 AUDITOR project, funded by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), is developing a ground-based GNSS augmentation system that will deliver high-performance and cost-efficient services and applications for the agriculture industry.

“The purpose of this project is to develop an improved GNSS ground-based augmentation system using modern and proven algorithms in highly configurable, cost-effect receivers,” said Project Coordinator Esther Lopez. “As a result, AUDITOR will enable cost-effective precision agriculture services for farmers, especially those with small and mid-sized farms in areas where EGNOS availability is limited.”

The AUDITOR system is based on a radio frequency (RF) dual-band multi-constellation GNSS front-end and an embedded digital processing platform. The front-end receiver acquires the GNSS signals and embeds all analog and digital hardware required to convert the RF signal to digital samples.

The digital processing platform then converts and customizes the signals for the AUDITOR systems. The system serves as the basis for providing higher level services for the end user via cloud-based web and mobile applications.

Autonomous Future. With AUDITOR applications, farmers will be able to accurately measure spatial variability in soils and crops. Yield maps will allow farmers to precisely apply fertilizer, water and pesticides, reducing production costs and environmental impact.

AUDITOR’s high-accuracy positioning will also enable the use of autonomous mobile robotic units for identifying weeds, pests and diseases, GSA said.

“Producing precise maps of the soil and crops, as well as the spatially varying application of fertilizer that these maps enable, is completely dependent on the availability of an augmented GNSS signal,” Lopez said. “Thanks to AUDITOR, even areas in Eastern and Southern Europe that once were unable to get the required precise GNSS signal can reap the benefits of precision agriculture.”

With the ever-increasing requirement for augmented yield and profitability and energy and cost savings, the future of farming is precision agriculture. By focusing on providing the augmentation needed to enable existing precision agriculture applications in Europe alone, Lopez is confident that AUDITOR will be well-positioned to compete on the market.

This article is reprinted with permission of the European GNSS Agency (GSA).

July 31, 2018
ITSNT to explore navigation and timing topics

The International Technical Symposium on Navigation and Timing, also known as the ITSNT, will be held Nov. 13–16 in Toulouse, France.

ITSNT is an annual event organized by the French space agency CNES and Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile for professionals and researchers working with or interested in navigation and timing technologies and their use.

The ITSNT preliminary program is now available, with experts discussing PNT resilience, multi-sensor navigation, autonomous/automated vehicles and much more. Also included are tutorials, exhibits and networking opportunities.

For more information, visit www.itsnt.fr or email [email protected].

July 31, 2018