Author: GPS World Staff

QZSS satellites benefit Western Australia industries, study shows

Curtin University researchers found the launch of new Japanese satellites has boosted satellite positioning capabilities in Western Australia (WA), offering huge potential benefits across numerous industries including mining, surveying and navigation.

New research, published in the journal GPS Solutions, found signals from the recently launched Japanese QZSS satellites provide centimeter-level positioning accuracy, and thus significantly enhanced positioning capabilities in WA, thereby improving accuracy, reliability and availability.

Lead researcher Professor Peter Teunissen, of Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said these results will improve further when the QZSS signals are combined with those from other satellite systems such as the Indian NavIC system.

Teunissen said the analyses done by Curtin’s GNSS Research Centre demonstrated the highly accurate centimeter-level positioning capabilities that can now be achieved.

“Such improved positioning, accuracy and reliability would offer great benefits when applied in fields such as open-pit mining, surveying, hydrography, automated navigation, structural health monitoring, and subsidence and tectonic deformation monitoring used in the geospatial industry,” Teunissen said. “The benefits are not only restricted to positioning, but cover the whole range of satellite signal applications, including atmospheric sensing (ionosphere and troposphere) as used for climate change and space weather studies, and numerical weather prediction.”

Teunissen said WA was in the fortunate and unique geographical position of being located beneath the flight paths of both the Japanese QZSS and the Indian NavIC regional satellite systems.

“Using both satellite systems, QZSS and NavIC, offers huge benefits to users in Australia – and this is an opportunity to work on future developments with such technologies,” Professor Teunissen said.

“The United States of America, for example, can’t use these signals the way we can in Australia, so this places us in a position of great advantage when it comes to the understanding, modelling and analyses of these satellite signals and their many practical applications.

“The tracking and analyses were done using Javad GNSS receivers and Curtin’s theory of integer ambiguity resolution, which enables millimeter-level satellite ranging, and was achieved with the use of only the four currently available QZSS satellites.”

The results bode well for the future, with the Japanese system being further developed from the current four-satellite system into a mature seven-satellite system that is expected to be operational by 2020.

The report, “Australia-First High-Precision Positioning Results with New Japanese QZSS Regional Satellite System,“ is available online.

July 30, 2018
OEM module makes light work of mapping

The BYes “GetYourSpace” service collects and analyzes lighting in urban environments using a GIS-based approach and the Trimble MB-TWO GNSS module.

One of the most visible services provided by cities and municipalities is the illumination of streets and public spaces. To optimize the use of public funds, cities need timely, comprehensive information on how their lighting systems are working. Operators use the data to monitor system performance and plan maintenance, repairs and upgrades.

Gathering data on street lighting is often performed manually. Technicians carrying photometers and clipboards visit individual light poles to collect information on the lighting output. The work, which must be performed at night, is slow and labor-intensive and can pose safety issues for the field technicians.

GetYourSpace debuts

GetYourSpace platform: The white G-Nav smart antenna contains the Trimble MB-TWO GNSS module. (Photo: Trimble)

The French company Bouygues Energies & Services (BYes) provides solutions that help cities operate efficiently. The company recognized the need for a mobile, automated system to collect lighting data and produce results accessible by a variety of users.

The opportunity evolved into the BYes “GetYourSpace” service, which collects and analyzes lighting and other facets of urban environments. It uses a GIS-based approach to provide mapping and visualization functions.

BYes set out to develop a compact platform that could detect and measure sources and characteristics of light. To present information using GIS, the GetYourSpace platform needed to include reliable geolocation. BYes called on Cadden, a French developer of location systems for marine and industrial applications, to provide the positioning component for the GetYourSpace platform.

Reliable geolocation

MB-Two module by Trimble.

For the GetYourSpace collaboration, Cadden proposed a version of its G-Nav smart antenna, a product from Cadden’s GEOD brand. The G-Nav is built around a Trimble MB-TWO compact OEM GNSS module, an advanced GNSS receiver in a compact form designed for easy integration. The MB-TWO provides a range of GNSS configuration options, which allowed Cadden to produce a positioning system tailored to the BYes requirements.

The communications ability of the MB-TWO enabled Cadden to streamline the development process. The module provides multiple input/output options and can be configured and controlled using a web interface as well as a simple ASCII command set. Cadden leveraged the module’s small size and low power requirements to embed it into a compact, robust GNSS unit that combines power and data into a single connection.

High-speed data collection

Heat map of lighting data collected by GetYourSpace. Accurate geolocation is essential to producing easy-to-use results. (Image: BYes, Trimble)

Cadden’s implementation of Trimble GNSS provided key enabling technology for GetYourSpace. With an area of 1 square meter, the mobile platform includes the GNSS, light and environmental sensors, system controller and data logging.

The MB-TWO rapid update rate (up to 50 Hz) enables the GetYourSpace platform to capture accurate information even while moving at high speed. The low-power, lightweight platform can be mounted on a small car or towed behind a bicycle and requires minimal interaction with the operator or driver.

July 26, 2018
GMV and Tecnobit to tailor Skydel SDX GNSS simulator for Europe

GMV, Tecnobit and Skydel are aiming to provide corporations, universities and research labs with a reliable, advanced simulation system that closely follows the latest Galileo capabilities.

“Together with our partners at Tecnobit, and taking advantage of SDX’s unique software-defined architecture, we are currently working to add Public Regulated Service (PRS) support to Skydel SDX,” said Manuel Toledo, head of the GNSS Advanced User Segment Solutions Division at GMV. PRS provides position and timing data for sensitive applications that require the highest level of service continuity.

Skydel and GMV are also joining efforts on developing SDX’s capabilities for signal authentication with Galileo Commercial Service and Open Service. The goal of such authentication is to increase the safety level of signals and to avert their falsification or fraud. It is currently a unique feature that only the Galileo constellation can provide, the companies said.

Skydel and GMV are also collaborating on projects that aim to provide signal simulation solutions for Galileo’s second generation (G2G). Galileo’s second-generation satellites are scheduled to be launched in 2025 and beyond.

“With Galileo’s full operational capabilities approaching soon, we must focus on the system’s upcoming G2G services,” said Pierre-Marie Le Véel, business development director at Skydel. “Skydel’s top priority for the European market is to provide simulation tools for the design of these next-generation GNSS devices.”

The partnership among the three companies unites the unique strengths of each organization, GMV said. While GMV brings its expert knowledge of both the European market and the Galileo system and Tecnobit brings its expertise as developer of cryptographic systems, Skydel adds its versatile and extensible GNSS simulator, resulting in a solid technical and commercial synergy for establishing an improved GNSS service offering for Europe.

July 26, 2018
Latest satellite launch extends Galileo’s global reach

News from the European Space Agency

Four more Galileo satellites were launched July 25 by an Ariane 5. Their arrival in orbit brings the Galileo constellation to 26 satellites, extending the global coverage of the constellation.

Ariane 5 flight VA244, operated by Arianespace under contract to ESA, lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 11:25 GMT (13:25 CEST, 08:25 local time), carrying Galileo satellites 23–26. The first pair of 715 kg satellites was released almost 3 hours 36 minutes after liftoff, while the second pair separated 20 minutes later.

They were released into their target 22 922 km-altitude orbit by the dispenser atop the Ariane 5 upper stage.

In the coming days, this quartet will be steered into their final working orbits by the French space agency CNES, under contract to the Galileo operator SpaceOpal for the European Global Navigation Satellite System Agency (GSA).

There, they will begin around six months of tests by SpaceOpal to verify their operational readiness so they can join the working Galileo constellation.

“Galileo is ESA’s largest ever satellite constellation, built up to its present size in rapid time, with 22 Full Operational Capability satellites added within just the last four years,” remarked Jan Wörner, ESA’s director general.

“We must thank our industrial partners OHB (DE) and SSTL (GB) for the satellites, as well as Thales Alenia Space (FR/IT) and Airbus Defence and Space (GB/FR) for the ground segment and all their subcontractors throughout Europe for their continued support to the programme. Together with ESA, the entire industrial team has worked hard for the point at which we now are and this cooperation have proven to be very successful, as we can show in the excellent performance of Galileo.”

Paul Verhoef, ESA’s director of navigation, added, “Galileo has been providing Initial Services on a worldwide basis since 15 December 2016, and today has more than 100 million users, and rapidly increasing. Today’s satellites will increase the global coverage of Galileo with a performance that is widely recognized as excellent.

“This is the end of the current phase of Galileo deployment, but our pace is not slacking. A further 12 Galileo ‘Batch 3’ satellites are in preparation as in-orbit spares and as replacements for the oldest Galileo satellites, first launched in 2011, in order to keep the system working seamlessly into the future.

Photo: ESA

July 25, 2018
Cluster Averaging with ease for the surveyor

Javad GNSS, makers of the Triumph-LS Rover receiver and the Triumph-1 and -2 base units, is offering a software procedure called Cluster Averaging, which takes advantage of its six different RTK engines and the J-Field receiver firmware.

While a typical survey point collected by RTK methods requires multiple occupations to verify the integrity of the location and elevation, Javad GNSS’ J-Field program significantly reduces survey by collecting multiple sets of survey data through each RTK engine, the company said. During the data acquisition process, the receiver automatically forces a loss of satellite lock and restart to ensure multiple sets of independent data are collected for redundancy and quality assurance.

Four groups of surveyed points. (Image: Javad GNSS)

As the surveyor returns for another set of redundant data, Cluster Averaging will recognize the previous surveyed points to provide error analysis using their chosen parameters for quality assurance. The surveyor may allow the J-Field software to average all of the data points or pick and choose those needing specific verifications. Also, the surveyor can specific different precisions for varying types of data collection (for example, control points vs. topographic data).

(Image: Javad GNSS)

Point numbering and data attributes are also automated during the cluster averaging processes. Once the operator has designated both number and field code, this information is reused each time to eliminate potential conflicts.

Reports from the J-Field program documenting the locations with multiple occupations are easy to generate and informative, Javad GNSS said. By reviewing the results of the clusters, data integrity can be decided at the time of the survey and save time by later office verification. The surveyor can confidently complete the survey task knowing proof of accurate data for the project is at his/her fingertips.

(Image: Javad GNSS)

Cluster averaging within the J-Field program simplifies the redundant task of point verification, with a user-friendly interface and report, the company added.

July 23, 2018
How geospatial data can improve US elections
A voter enters a polling place. (Image: iStock.com/YinYang)

With the mid-term elections coming ever nearer, states are turning to geographic information systems (GIS) to help manage them.

Digital geographic representation of precinct boundaries within a GIS allow for transparency and ease of use for voters, candidates and electoral management, according to the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC).

GIS also enables the optimal siting of polling places for both voter access and the cost efficiency of operating polls.

Finally, GIS provides a platform for automated quality-control processes that ensure accurate voter precinct assignments.

“An electoral system with integrity — enhanced by accurate, authoritative geographic data and presented clearly and transparently — has never been more important,” said NSGIC President Andy Rowan.

Why GIS is an improvement over address files

NSGIC’s Geo-Enabled Elections project brings together geographic information systems (GIS) leaders in state government, local elections officials and state elections offices, national GIS and elections organizations, and federal partners to identify opportunities to integrate GIS into elections systems across the country.

The overall goal is to strengthen elections management and citizen engagement. The project aims to provide the impetus for replacing non-spatial “address file” tables with the visual and analytical advantages of election precinct and voter data in a natively GIS format.

Geo-enabled elections overcome the four fundamental challenges with the existing address list approach to precinct management, according to Rowan.

In the address list approach, Rowan said,
- No actual boundaries are stored explicitly in the systems,
- Quality control is difficult without a method to visualize precinct assignment using aerial photography and boundary information that can change frequently,
- There is no efficient method for applying large-scale precinct boundary updates, and
- The process is usually not aligned efficiently with other state and local address or boundary-management processes.
To this end, the project conducted a nationwide survey on elections data in the first half of this year. More than two-thirds of states responded.

Here are key takeaways from the baseline survey.

Addresses

The survey found that 55 percent of responding states confirm voter registration addresses against a database of known addresses such as a driver’s license or state ID database, a statewide point address set, a master address database used for 911 call routing, or a commercially available address database.

“The results indicate a need to advocate for coordination between state agencies (such as the state elections department and the department of motor vehicles) and encourage integration of the voting system and other systems,” said Jamie Chesser, the Geo-Enabled Elections project manager.

Election Precincts

More than half of responding states indicated they maintain statewide mapping of precincts. Within this group, 40 percent also maintain a layer of sub-precincts in digital mapping systems.

“There remains a need to develop local precinct data content and procedural standards to examine the relationship between precincts, local and state boundaries, and residential structures,” Chesser said.

Other Data

In all, 82 percent of states keep up-to-date spatial data of city and county boundaries, which is essential for computer-based mapping of precincts.

“Statewide spatial data — especially city, county, school, and special district boundaries – are essential to mapping precinct boundaries across the state,” Chesser said. “The survey reflected, however, that accuracy of current city and county boundary mapping varies
considerably.”

A substantial majority, 79 percent of respondents, confirm their mapping of state-level district-based elected offices are accessible online in a digital mapping format.

Survey responses were coordinated by state government representatives who focus on the development and deployment of mapping data and systems across state agencies and local governments.

Later this year, NSGIC will release the results of a study probing the spatial approach to elections management from the perspective of state elections officials.

The two-year Geo-Enabled Elections project, underwritten by the bipartisan Democracy Fund Voice, convenes a wide variety of stakeholders to explore ways geographic information systems and related processes can enhance elections management and citizen engagement across the U.S.

Download the full report here.
July 18, 2018
DJI will unlock geofencing for enterprise drone users

Streamlined application and 30-minute response improve unlocking process.

DJI’s Matrice 200 drone. (Photo: DJI)

Drone maker DJI is introducing improvements to its geofencing system. Professional drone pilots with authorization to fly in sensitive locations can now use a streamlined application process to receive unlocking codes within 30 minutes.

DJI’s geofencing system uses GPS and other navigational satellite signals to automatically help prevent drones from flying near sensitive locations such as airports, nuclear power plants and prisons. These improvements are carefully designed to help expand the beneficial uses of drones in sensitive areas that have been restricted in DJI’s geofencing system.

While those areas will remain restricted to more casual drone pilots, DJI now staffs its global authorization team around the clock in order to process applications and provide unlocking codes quickly.

Professional drone pilots can apply to unlock restricted zones at www.dji.com/flysafe/custom-unlock. This portal page allows pilots to easily enter information about their aircraft and controller, as well as authorization documents supplied by the controlling authorities in areas where they wish to fly.

Enterprise users can for the first time include multiple aircraft in a single unlocking request.

“DJI now processes most requests within 30 minutes, though requests involving unusual circumstances or requiring additional documentation may need additional time,” said Michael Perry, managing director of North America at DJI. “By making it easier for authorized pilots to put drones to work in sensitive areas, DJI is once again showing why professional drone operators choose our aerial platforms for the most important tasks.”

“DJI first implemented geofencing in 2013, and it is now established as an important tool to help our customers make thoughtful flight decisions, while also addressing legitimate concerns about safety and security by helping prevent unauthorized flights in the most sensitive locations,” said Brendan Schulman, vice president of policy & legal affairs at DJI. “These improvements illustrate DJI’s ongoing commitment as the industry leader to continually improving the safety features we implemented years ago, while enabling beneficial applications for our technology.”

For more information about how enterprises are using DJI products to work safer, faster and more efficiently, visit enterprise.dji.com.

July 17, 2018
Eos, Laser Technology and Esri Introduce Laser Mapping Workflow for Esri’s Collector for ArcGIS

From left: Esri Program Manager Doug Morgenthaler, Laser Technology Sr. Product Manger Derrick Reish and Eos CTO Jean-Yves Lauture. (Photo: Eos Positioning)

The three-way partnership will enable field crews to collect centimeter-accurate 3D data in GNSS-impaired environments.

GNSS receiver maker Eos Positioning Systems has released a laser offset solution within the Esri Collector for ArcGIS workflow.

When combined with Laser Technology Inc.’s (LTI’s) laser rangefinders, the solution will allow field crews to capture centimeter-accurate 3D locations of hard-to-reach assets and in GNSS-impaired environments.

“By combining the high-accuracy of the Eos Arrow Series GNSS receivers and the laser capabilities of LTI, we can empower field crews to capture highly accurate XYZ coordinates from a safe distance,” LTI Senior Product Manager Derrick Reish said. “This eliminates the need for physically occupying every point. It also provides more accurate location data, with a more affordable mobile asset-management workflows.”

The Arrow Gold. (Photo: Eos Positioning)

The solution has been in the works for months, as demand has grown for hard-to-reach, high-accuracy mapping within the Collector workflow.

“Eos is extremely grateful to be a part of this initial release in high-accuracy asset location data with LTI’s laser rangefinders and Esri’s Collector mobile app,” Eos CTO Jean-Yves Lauture said. “Enabling this kind of accuracy means even the most budget-conscious field crews will be able to access the location of their hard-to-reach assets.”

All three teams have been working closely to ensure a seamless integration with Collector and ArcGIS Online. When using an LTI laser rangefinder and an Eos Arrow Series receiver with Collector, a field worker can easily shoot, capture and share high-accuracy 3D location data that is streamed into ArcGIS Online in real-time.

Image: Eos Positioning

The solution is expected to be particularly useful in urban corridors, highway settings, forested (or wetlands) areas, and other areas where assets are hard or dangerous to occupy. This will both increase accuracy and efficiency, as well as decrease safety liabilities in dangerous situations, the companies said.

“Esri is extremely pleased that Collector can now support the capture of high-accuracy asset locations from afar, leveraging our unique partnership with both Eos and LTI,” Esri Product Manager Jeff Shaner said. “This is a game changer for asset management.”

Prior to this release, field crews challenged with capturing high-accuracy 3D locations for hard-to-reach assets would need to use a total station with a different software workflow and then mesh the data back in the office, a clumsy and inefficient workflow requiring lots of additional training and expertise. With the new workflow, field crews can operate in GNSS-impaired environments at a high-accuracy level without leaving the Collector/AGOL environment, creating a highly efficient workflow.

The solution has been designed to provide several offset-mapping methods.

“The implementation of several measurement methods gives users the freedom of choice, so they can pick the right laser option which meets their accuracy needs,” Reish said.

Eos will unveil its offset measurement solution for Collector at the upcoming Esri User Conference in San Diego. For a field demonstration of how the solution works, attendees can visit Eos at booth #1019 during the conference, and attend the session “LaserGIS for Everyone: How to Combat Costly and Tedious Data Collection Workflows” at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

July 16, 2018
V6 of Virtual Surveyor provides streamlined workflows with drones
Image: Virtual Surveyor

The newly released version 6 of the Virtual Surveyor drone surveying software offers a faster, more efficient workflow and better overall user experience in a more stable platform, according to the software maker.

Version 6 offers new capabilities, an improved licensing system and an extended free application.

“Surveyors who have used the Virtual Surveyor package in the past will be amazed at how easily they can manipulate data and how quickly the software renders results of even the most complex topographies,” said Tom Op ‘t Eyndt, managing director of Virtual Surveyor nv in Belgium.

Virtual Surveyor leverages the expertise and interpretation skill of a land surveyor and combines it with the computing power of the computer, the company said.The software generates an interactive onscreen environment through orthophotos and digital surface models, generated from the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), where the surveyor selects survey points and breaklines to define the topography.

Image: Virtual Surveyor

Virtual Surveyor enables land surveyors to complement traditional fieldwork with UAV imagery to generate highly accurate topographic products up to five times faster than otherwise possible. It bridges the gap between UAV photogrammetric processing software and engineering computer-aided design (CAD) packages.

“The focus of Version 6 development has been to streamline the workflow — from the importing of drone data to exporting topo information into CAD — to make the surveyor more productive,” Op ‘t Eyndt said.

Key enhancements in Virtual Surveyor 6 include the following:
- Easier editing – The new editing functions allows users to quickly select, delete or move individual point and lines placed by the computer during the automated creation of elevation points. The associated Undo/Redo function allows reversing all edit operations.
- Better CAD integration – The addition of Descriptor functionality means that point descriptions remain with the point during export to CAD, working the same way as the land surveyor collects data in the field.
- 3D geometry retained – All points, lines and other data imported into the software, either from a UAV or field surveyed data, retain elevation values and integrate seamlessly into the merged scene. This allows a surveyor, for example, to collect point values from a ditch bottom that may be obscured by vegetation in the drone image and have the bottom points accurately represented in the topography.
- Improved drawing tools – Users can now densify (drape) lines and boundaries to map current surface conditions. Individual vertices are now adjustable in all directions and exact X, Y and Z locations can be specified as well. Sub-surface modeling is now possible with these new improvements. Created features can then be exported to CAD for profile or alignment creation.
- Extended free plan – Referred to as the Valley version, the free Virtual Surveyor suite has added functionality, including the ability to import photogrammetric data.
- Improved licensing – We better honor our principle: “The license follows the user”. With an improved licensing system based on a Virtual Surveyor Identity (email) the user will be able to work where he or she wants.
“The enhanced user experience will continue to appeal to professional land surveyors, who are our core client base,” said Op ‘t Eyndt. “And the seamless integration with CAD and advanced drawing tools will make Virtual Surveyor more attractive to design engineers.”

Virtual Surveyor is available in a free 14-day trial.
July 16, 2018
Research Online: Sensor-based collision warning systems

By Gustavo Lee and Mathieu Joerger, Aerospace and Mechanical Department, The University of Arizona Presented at ION/IEEE/PLANS 2018

This paper describes the design and implementation of a new safety risk evaluation method for a sensor-based automotive collision warning system using vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. It provides an overview of the V2V basic safety message (BSM) format and of surrogate measures of safety (SMS) used to parameterize a vehicle encounter. BSM and SMS are then employed to quantify risk of collision and risk of false alerts. Preliminary simulations illustrate the methodology in an example multi-sensor intersection movement assist system.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has allocated 75 MHz of licensed spectrum in the 5.9-GHz band for use by Intelligent Transportation Systems vehicle safety and mobility applications. In addition, in the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J2735 Standard, the DSRC committee specifies a set of messages and their formats to support vehicle-based applications. Of particular relevance to this work is the BSM, which conveys critical vehicle-state information that includes vehicle position, positional accuracy, speed, heading, braking status and size.

V2V communications using DSRC have an operational range of about 300 meters. Within this range, V2V applications have the potential to significantly reduce occurrences of crashes through real-time advisories, alerting drivers to imminent hazards. GPS and GPS/INS-based relative positioning using V2V is subject to alteration and loss of GPS signal. But unlike vehicle-resident sensors (such as cameras and lidars), GPS/INS/V2V is not affected by weather, light or dust, and can sense out-of-sight vehicles occluded behind other vehicles or around building corners. This capability addresses scenarios where an oncoming vehicle emerges from behind a truck or from a blind alley. In those situations, GPS/INS /V2V can sense threats that a radar or camera cannot.

Available online via www.ion.org/publications/browse.cfm.

Image: Lee and Joerger

July 16, 2018
Persistent Systems provides drone tracking for battlefields

Persistent Systems LLC has introduced the Auto-Tracking Antenna System, a new portable ground-to-air antenna that operates on the Wave Relay mobile ad hoc network (MANET).

Designed to incorporate aircraft into the MANET, the Auto-Tracking Antenna System is a complete portable ground-to-air system for tracking aircraft, including drones. Army, Navy and foreign customers can use it for better airborne communications relay and full-motion video camera/sensor data transmission, Persistent said.

Photo: Persistent Systems

“The Auto-Tracking Antenna System represents a major step towards achieving the vision of a truly networked battlefield,” said Herb Rubens, CEO of Persistent Systems. “The tracking antenna rotates to follow air assets, keeping them connected to the MANET. “The air platforms orbit over our users on the ground, extending the MANET bubble and keeping soldiers connected to the enterprise. High throughput, low latency connectivity empowers the warfighter and decreases the dependence on SATCOM, which both reduces cost and increases network availability.”

Designed for ease-of-use, quick assembly and portability, the Auto-Tracking Antenna System can be assembled and deployed in less than 15 minutes, the company added.

The portable and lightweight design is completely collapsible, with the main five-foot parabolic dish breaking down into eight individual petals.

The entire system fits into most standard-sized SUVs for easy transport and compact storage.

Photo: Persistent Systems

Mimicking the MPU5’s modular RF structure, the Auto-Tracking Antenna System has interchangeable S-band, L-band and C-band MIMO feeds that allow it to cover all frequencies where Persistent’s five radio modules operate.

The antenna feeds twist-lock into place for quick and simple installation. An Automatic Heading System enables the tracking antenna to self-calibrate prior to operation for greater precision and less than one-degree pointing accuracy.

“Our customers require a system that is simple to put together, turn on, and works,” said Louis Sutherland, vice president of business development at Persistent Systems. “They want to extend the Wave Relay MANET out to aircraft and achieve high data-rates and reliable HD video transmission. The Auto-Tracking Antenna System truly delivers.”

The large parabolic dish enables video streaming out to distances of 130 miles (over 200 kilometers) while maintaining high throughput and strong signal strength.

Photo: Persistent Systems

Combining the precisely aimed tracking system with the MPU5 radio and Wave Relay MANET achieves optimal connectivity and reliable communications for manned and unmanned aircraft to communicate further than ever before.

The antenna is IP67 rated and built to endure harsh environments and weather, so it can be setup and left out for as long as the mission requires.

July 12, 2018
Galileo satellites viewed in smartphone app

The European Space Agency (ESA) has released an augmented reality view of Galileo satellites in the sky close to its technical centre in the Netherlands.

The image comes from a Galileo-focused satnav app for Android smartphones, developed by ESA engineers. ESA ran an internal competition for its trainees to develop an app capable of making positioning fixes using only Galileo satellites.

“As part of our support for the competition, we developed our own app on a voluntary basis to serve as a benchmark,” said Paolo Crosta of ESA’s Radio Navigation Systems and Technology section. “We included this augmented reality view, so users can ‘see’ the satellites their smartphone is using as they hold it up to the sky.”

Galileo satellites viewed in smartphone app. (Photos: ESA)

The positioning calculations and assistance data functions for the app were developed by Paolo, with telecom engineer Tim Watterton contributing the main structure of the app, together with how it looks and its user interface.

“The satellites are overlaid in real time on the camera view in their predicted positions in the sky, based on ‘ephemeris’ information, assistance data that describes the current satellite orbits with high precision,” Watterton said. “When a signal is being received, the satellite is shown in green, overlaying the predicted position. The satellite shown in red is one of the two placed in elongated orbits, but these satellites are expected to be used soon in the operational constellation. Satellites colored orange are transmitting, but the signal is not detected, which may be due to obstruction by terrain or buildings.”

Panning the phone around to position the crosshair over a green-colored satellite adds additional information, such as its signal status, pseudorange (the uncorrected distance the signal has traveled to reach the receiver) plus the satellite’s manufacturer and launch date, among other items.

The reference app is now being tested with the hope of making it publicly available on the Google Play Store. Following the competition, the trainees are also testing their own apps with the goal of releasing them.

There are 22 Galileo satellites in orbit, with four more satellites set for launch on July 25.

July 11, 2018