Gladiator Technologies has introduced a three-axis, inertial rate system gyroscope. The G300D gyro is 0.67 cubic inches, low power and high speed, making it suitable for image stabilization applications, the company said.
The G300D has message timing under 150 microseconds and output data rates up to 8 kHz with external sync. A micro-electro-mechanical gyroscope, it has an ARW of <0.0028 degrees/sec/√Hz and an option for both 24 and 32-Bit LSB for exceptional resolution.
Users can configure the G300D to their desired configuration using a software development kit or through software protocols to simplify the integration process.
“The G300D, with a 250-Hz bandwidth, allows user to replace more complicated and expensive gyros for image stabilization applications,” said Rand Hulsing, chief scientist at Gladiator Technologies. “The three-axis package is also convenient for mounting in any orientation for tight space requirements.”
“The G300D product is a good example of our SX-series architecture, which has enabled Gladiator to extend our sensor fusion technologies into high speed applications with message latency under 150 usec,” said Lee Dunbar, chief software architect at Gladiator Technologies. “This output offers minimal phase lag like an analog sensor by virtually eliminating typical signal processing and digital conversion overheads.”
Airgain Inc. has released its Multimax FV 6-in-1 and 5-in-1 antennas.
The compact Multimax FV family is available in a range of configurations, supporting multi-constellation GNSS. The antennas also support up to dual MIMO LTE (including Band 14 for the FirstNet public safety network), 3×3 MIMO Wi-Fi or 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi.
Airgain is a provider of advanced antenna technologies used to enable high-performance wireless networking across a broad range of devices and markets, including connected home, enterprise, automotive and internet of things.
With a small footprint and a strong, bolt-mount aluminum base, the Multimax FV family provides protection against natural hazards threatening vehicles, including vibration, ice, salt, car washes and tree sweeps.
In addition, the elegant shark-fin design allows fleet owners to add style to their vehicles without compromising performance.
The new products include high-gain antennas that deliver a larger cellular footprint alongside high rejection GNSS technology with coverage for multiple satellite systems including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou.
“Not only does reliable connectivity matter to fleet owners, but also aesthetics and the antenna form factor,” said Reed Pangborn, Airgain’s vice president of Channel Sales for North America. “Our new Multimax FV family is uniquely designed to deliver in each of these key areas. Owners can rely on our commitment to providing class-leading performance across cellular, Wi-Fi and GNSS as well as our industry-best reliability, but all built into a new, sleeker design that complements today’s fleet vehicles.”
The Multimax FV family of antennas can be ordered in either black or white and are available now.
Photo: iStock.com/NiseriN via the Federal Aviation Administration
In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is establishing restrictions on drone flights up to 400 feet within the lateral boundaries of National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) facilities.
The temporary flight restrictions — specific to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) — apply to three NGA facilities in or near St. Louis:
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) West
NGA Next West
NGA Arnold
In June, the FAA responded to federal agency requests and restricted drone operations over penitentiaries and Coast Guard bases.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is using its existing authority under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations § 99.7 — “Special Security Instructions” — to address concerns about drone operations over national security-sensitive facilities.
The changes, which are highlighted by FAA NOTAM FDC 8/7350, are pending until they become effective on Aug. 30.
Only a few exceptions permit drone flights within these restrictions, and they must be coordinated with the individual facility and/or the FAA.
Operators who violate the flight restrictions may be subject to enforcement action, including potential civil penalties and criminal charges.
To ensure the public is aware of restricted locations, the FAA website also provides an interactive map, downloadable geospatial data and other important details. The restrictions also are depicted in the FAA’s B4UFLY mobile app. Broader information regarding flying drones in the National Airspace System, including frequently asked questions, is available on the FAA’s UAS website.
The FAA continues to consider additional requests by eligible federal security agencies for UAS-specific flight restrictions using the agency’s § 99.7 authority as they are received. Additional changes to these restrictions will be announced by the FAA as appropriate.
The commuter rail industry is making progress installing and implementing positive train control (PTC), according to an analysis by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), an advocate for the advancement of public transportation programs and initiatives in the United States.
The advancements reflect the commuter rail industry’s commitment to safety and implementing PTC by the Dec. 31 statutory deadline, APTA said in a statement.
PTC is a complex signaling and communications technology that commuter rail agencies are installing to offer a critical safety overlay on top of an already safe industry. In fact, rail is the safest surface transportation mode and traveling by commuter rail or intercity rail is 18 times safer than traveling by automobile.
The Federal Railroad Administration issued a PTC progress report in July, with the infographic below.
Chart: Federal Railroad Administration, Jan-March 2018
This is in contrast to a previous PTC infographic, released in June 2016.
Chart: Federal Railroad Administration, June 2016
According to APTA, as of June 30, 2018:
91 percent of spectrum has been acquired;
85 percent of 13,698 pieces of onboard equipment have been installed on locomotives and cab cars etc.;
79 percent of 14,083 wayside (on track equipment) installations have been completed;
78 percent of back office control systems are ready for operation;
74 percent of 14,847 employees have been trained in PTC; and
34 percent of commuter railroads are in testing, revenue service demonstration, or are operating their trains with PTC.
“Every year, 30 commuter railroads across America safely carry passengers on 501 million trips,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “With safety as our number one priority, the commuter railroads are making strong and continuous progress in implementing Positive Train Control.”
Under current law (49 U.S.C. 20157), commuter railroads are required to meet the following milestones by Dec. 31. As defined in 49 U.S.C. 20157(a)(3)(B), they are to have:
Installed all PTC hardware (wayside and onboard equipment);
Acquired all necessary spectrum for PTC implementation;
Completed all employee training;
Initiated testing on at least one territory subject to the PTC requirement (or other criteria); and
Submitted a plan and schedule to the Secretary of Transportation for implementing a PTC system.
Upon reaching these milestones by the end of 2018, the commuter railroads must implement PTC as soon as practicable and no later than December 31, 2020.
“Positive Train Control is a critical commuter rail safety enhancement,” said SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel, general manager of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). “Implementing PTC at SEPTA, during a challenging period of capital funding, has been an authority-wide commitment. Throughout this effort, our in-house team has been working continuously with Amtrak, our freight partners, and third-party contractors to address technical and interoperability challenges. SEPTA trains on all 13 regional rail lines are equipped and operating with PTC, and SEPTA is proud to have implemented this safety technology for our customers and employees.”
“Implementing Positive Train Control in Chicago’s dense and busy railroad network has been very challenging, but Metra is right where we said we’d be in terms of finishing the job,” said Jim Derwinski, CEO/executive director of Metra, the Northeast Illinois commuter rail system. “Working with our freight partners, we expect to have PTC implemented or in revenue service demonstration on six of our 11 lines by the end of 2018, and to complete the job by 2020.”
The commuter rail industry is moving aggressively to implement PTC as it faces considerable technical and financial constraints. At a time when the national transit state of good repair backlog stands at an estimated $90 billion, the commuter railroad industry’s cost to implement PTC will exceed $4.1 billion, diverting funds from other critical infrastructure priorities.
Since Congress mandated PTC, the federal government has awarded $272 million in PTC grants. Another $250 million was made available in May 2018.
PTC is an unparalleled technical challenge in scale, complexity, and time required. The challenges include:
a limited number of PTC-qualified vendors simultaneously in demand by both the passenger and freight railroad industries to develop, design and test this complex safety technology;
diagnosing and resolving software issues,
securing adequate access to track and locomotives for installation and testing, and
achieving interoperability, as commuter rail systems operate in mixed traffic with other freight and passenger railroads.
NovAtel Inc. has launched its TerraStar-C PRO correction service with multi-constellation support, including the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou constellations.
Combined with NovAtel’s OEM7 positioning technology, TerraStar-C PRO cuts initial convergence times by nearly 60 percent and offers 40 percent better horizontal accuracy than the current TerraStar-C service, the company said.
NovAtel’s TerraStar-C PRO offers a robust multi-constellation solution that provides greater positioning accuracy, availability and reliability than before, the company added. With the growing number of operational GNSS satellites, TerraStar-C PRO offers benefits in challenging signal conditions such as multipath, shading, interference and scintillation. High-rate TerraStar-C PRO corrections provide reconvergence in less than 60 seconds following brief GNSS signal interruptions.
According to NovAtel, TerraStar-C PRO corrections are generated using TerraStar’s proprietary global network of more than 100 strategically located GNSS reference stations. The correction data is delivered worldwide through overlapping geostationary satellites directly to a NovAtel receiver or via cellular IP network.
With OEM7 triple L-band support, TerraStar-C PRO correction signals from up to three satellites can be tracked and used simultaneously, providing continuous correction data reception when the primary satellite signal is blocked.
“TerraStar-C PRO enables higher operational efficiency by allowing users to start operations sooner and continue to work through challenging conditions without interruptions,” said Sara Masterson, NovAtel’s positioning services segment manager. “We continue to build our TerraStar portfolio of services and with the addition of TerraStar-C PRO customers can trust that they have not only a highly-reliable precise positioning solution, but also services that immediately translate to increased productivity.”
TerraStar-C PRO is available immediately as a termed subscription service for agriculture, unmanned, airborne and land applications, such as survey, mapping and GIS and supported on compatible OEM7 products with firmware version 7.05 and later.
U.S. Department of Defense interference events, designed for training in GPS-denied environments, also can affect civilian aircraft.
In April 2016, a business jet lost all GPS signals because of an interference event and was forced to enter a Dutch Roll, resulting in an emergency descent.
Pilots and air traffic controllers in the National Airspace System want to better understand the operational impacts of the intentional interference, which has risen from 43 in 2012 to 127 in 2017.
Interference Contours from the YPG 17-02 GPS interference event in January 2017. (Source: FAA)
An RTCA Tactical Operations Committee composed of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry experts in March issued a report with recommendations to change the current Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs).
Along with a description of the event, NOTAMs show contours that represent an area outside of which operators should expect no interference impact. Both operators and the FAA agree that most aircraft experience no interference impact even inside the contours.
Operators recommend that the FAA provide pilots and controllers improved understanding of where to expect interference impacts based on different equipment capabilities, so that operators could integrate such information in their flight planning processes.
Impact varies widely, depending on aircraft, avionics, position, time, location and terrain. Effects could include complete loss of GPS navigation, position errors, loss of ADS-B or impact to GPS-dependent systems.
Operators are encouraging thte FAA to conduct outreach with civil aviation stakeholders around significant interference events so they better understand the impact.
The FAA says it is studying the committee’s 25 recommendations.
Automotive technology provider ERM Advanced Telematics has launched the StarLink Tracker with Wi-Fi, which integrates advanced vehicle tracking, driver behavior monitoring, theft prevention, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 4G cellular capabilities in a single device.
The company’s products have been installed in more than 1.5 million vehicles worldwide, the company said.
The StarLink Tracker with Wi-Fi is the first product under ERM’s new Wireless Connect strategy, which aims to use wireless technologies to provide its partners — vehicle fleet management companies, vehicle manufacturers and importers and car insurance companies — with a competitive edge.
The StarLink Tracker is a modular solution that is designed for installation both in vehicles on the production line and in the aftermarket, for vehicles that have left the production line. It turns any vehicle in which it is installed into a connected car.
The modularity of the product allows the addition of capabilities anytime through the use of add-on products provided by ERM or by a third party. This can be done on demand and without any need to replace the StarLink Tracker device, which keeps functioning as the central tracking and communications unit under any such solution.
The StarLink Tracker with Wi-Fi took about a year to develop, and ERM has already received its first orders to supply the product from customers in the United States, India and Australia.
The 120-gram tracker creates Wi-Fi hotspots in the vehicle for up to eight devices. It features a GPS/GLONASS/Galileo location module and an ability to navigate inside underground parking lots or in mines; a 4G cellular modem; internal antennas, emergency button support and built-in data logger.
Other capabilities are internal management of up to 500 driver IDs, remote immobilization, wireless connectivity to a wide range of additional ERM and third-party products and many other features.
As the core infrastructure for a Connected Car applications, the product can integrate to full range of the vehicle’s internet connectivity needs, which are provided by the use of the tracking unit’s SIM card without the need for any additional SIM card, the company said.
The StarLink Tracker with Wi-Fi and products that ERM Advanced Telematics will launch in the future under its Wireless Connect strategy, can be installed using the installer’s standard smartphone which communicates through Bluetooth connection in order to configure the product and perform any required adaptations. All this can be much faster compared to many other telematics devices and with much less hassle that might have arised due to the need to hook-up and hide wires.
The StarLink Tracker with Wi-Fi is also equipped with a microphone and loudspeaker to initiate and receive calls and dial emergency numbers. One application for this can be E-Call (Emergency Call), such as in the European Union or just as an Emergency Call application.
When pressing the location unit’s emergency button or immediately after an impact above a certain intensity, the unit will allows conversation between the vehicle’s occupants and the emergency center personnel, who can hear what is happening in the vehicle and identify events such as threats against the driver or accidents.
The product will also provide information about the driver’s behavior, including careless driving, accidents, off-road driving, acceleration during turns, speed violations and more, information that can be used by the manager to significantly improve fleet management capabilities, performance and can decrease operational expenses.
UgCS, a provider of mission planning software for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and public safety and disaster response UAS expert Airborne Response have developed a comprehensive search capability for drones that will allow remote pilots to more effectively conduct search-and-rescue operations using the UgCS platform.
The software enhancements will provide users with customizable search patterns such as the “expanding square” and “creeping line” that can be easily deployed in emergency and non-emergency situations.
Based on the flight altitude input by the operator, the UgCS software will automatically calculate key variables such as the course heading and track spacing necessary to provide the prescribed coverage area for a search target.
Tom “Oaty” Oatmeyer is an air rescue expert with 28 years of experience piloting helicopters for both the U.S. Air Force and the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue department. As an aircraft commander, Oatmeyer is credited with saving more than 150 lives during emergency and disaster response operations.
Oatmeyer worked directly with the UgCS development team to bring the new features to fruition.
“As first responders, we are trained to develop an emergency search plan using time-tested and proven tactics,” said Oatmeyer, chief pilot, Airborne Response. “The new enhancements to the UgCS mission planning software will allow remote pilots at every skill level to quickly plan and implement a professional search mission with a UAS.”
Airborne Response and UgCS will be hosting a joint web conference on Thursday, Aug. 16, at 2 p.m. ET to officially unveil the new search features of the UgCS mission planning software. Register here.
Also, Airborne Response and UgCS have reached an agreement for Airborne Response to offer the UgCS mission planning software and associated training to public safety and emergency response professionals throughout the U.S.
“When lives are on the line, every second counts,” Oatmeyer said. “UgCS now represents another valuable link in the UAS technology chain to enhance the public safety mission.”
“The new UgCS search feature is designed to make searching for a target with a drone as simple and reliable as possible,” said Janis Kuze, sales director at SPH Engineering. “We look forward to continue working with the Airborne Response team to further enhance the software capabilities and implement additional search pattern features.”
CHC Navigation has acquired the business assets and personnel of AMW Machine Control Inc. The business will now be conducted by AMW Machine Control Solutions Inc. as a subsidiary of CHC Navigation.
AMW Machine Control Solutions has more than 30 years of advanced machine guidance, machine control and GNSS experience. Its topographic and machine-control software solutions include grade, dirt, ditch, pipe, landfill and road. AMW Machine Control Solutions offers cost-effective solutions designed for equipment operators, the company said.
The offerings of AMW Machine Control Solutions will be based on turnkey, wireless CHC Navigation Android industrial tablets and CHC Navigation’s RTK GNSS receivers.
AMW Machine Control Solutions has appointed Phil Gabriel as president. Gabriel has more than 25 years of experience in the positioning industry. He previously served as president of Hemisphere GNSS Inc. and is currently serving as the general manager for CHC Navigation North America.
With these changes, CHC Navigation said it is poised to significantly grow its global market share in the agriculture civil engineering and construction industry, with products catering to small, medium and large enterprise farming and construction equipment users.
“Our customers really like CHC Navigation’s positioning products and their new Android tablets,” said Mark Williams, founder of AMW and now director of product management. “We have redeveloped our popular applications from the ground up to run Android while being more intuitive and wireless, wherever possible. With standardized hardware, AMW Machine Control Solutions will be able to better support our existing customers and to attract new ones.”
“AMW has been innovating in-machine control for many years. We are pleased to combine forces to offer the market incredible value and simple to use products,” Gabriel said.
A GPS-like ground-based technology teamed with inertial measurement and driving robots to deliver the necessary accuracy when obstructions knocked out GPS as a reliable sole sensor.
By David Aylor, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Andrew Pick, Anthony Best Dynamics Ltd. Paris Austin and Martin Parry, Oxford Technical Solutions Ltd.
Consumer information organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) design test procedures to compare different automobile manufacturers’ safety systems. The test equipment must be repeatable and as independent as possible of time of day, weather conditions or test-driver behavior.
In 2015 IIHS completed a $30 million expansion of the Vehicle Research Center (VRC), its centerpiece a 5-acre fabric-covered track, to allow testing to continue rain or shine. It is complemented by an outdoor track for a total area of 15 acres.
IIHS rates crash prevention systems such as Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), and looks at how well those systems can identify road users like pedestrians and bicyclists.
To simulate real-life potential crashes for safe, accurate and repeatable testing, the Institute has been researching robotic equipment to automate some of the driving tasks.
While the covered track offered much needed all-weather testing capability, it introduced a challenge for the standard high-accuracy GPS/GNSS equipment used for testing. IIHS operates a multi-frequency GNSS base station with real-time corrections. High-accuracy position, velocity and time (PVT) and other relevant parameters from these GPS units are required for testing and are essential for operating robotic test equipment.
However, tests on the covered track clearly showed the equipment was not delivering the required accuracy, reliability and repeatability: the steel trusses of the covered track roof were a sufficient obstruction to GNSS signals.
Locata.Locata provides an RTK GPS-like positioning capability utilizing ground-based transmitters which precisely time-synchronize to one another using their proprietary ranging signals without the need for cables or atomic clocks. This delivers centimeter-level accuracy with very high reliability, in networks of strategically placed, static LocataLites (LLs).
The IIHS Locata network was deployed with 16 LLs covering both open and covered test tracks (Figure 1). The network meets two key requirements: accuracy of 10 cm or better at 95% confidence and a very high degree of repeatability with a service availability (defined as meeting the above requirement) of better than 95% of the time.
FIGURE 1. VRC Locata Network and HDOP Quality in Locata Service Area. (Figure: D. Aylor, A. Pick, P. Austin and M. Parry)
AB Dynamics. Anthony Best Dynamics supplies driving robots for the design, development and testing of automotive technology. Driving robots precisely and accurately control the vehicle steering wheel, brake and throttle pedals with a level of repeatability that vastly exceeds that achieved by human test drivers. When coupled with an accurate position measurement sensor the possibility of centimeter accurate path-following control becomes reality.
In ABD path-following control software, motion data is collected from a Locata/INS integration unit at 100 Hz and fed back to the robot’s path-following controller. The path-following controller employs a speed-dependent look-ahead algorithm that not only maintains the vehicle heading but allows centimeter-accurate path control.
OxTS.Oxford Technical Solutions specializes in the design and manufacture of GNSS-aided inertial navigation systems (GNSS/INS) for automotive testing.As well as one-centimeter position accuracy, OxTS systems measure movement in all vehicle-axes at up to 250 Hz.
Systems that only rely on inertial measurements are also prone to drift with time, so OxTS products are GNSS-aided; several other inputs can be used alongside the inertial measurement platform to create a hybrid system where each technology mitigates weaknesses in others.
The Locata network and associated receivers are configured to use the same time and coordinate frame as GPS so the measurements are identical to that of a GPS receiver. The OxTS system then uses this information as it would normally and is able to output accurate and reliable vehicle measurements while maintaining excellent position accuracy.
Measurements can be utilized by other equipment such as driving robots or logged for post-processing. Raw measurements are also logged internally so the data can be downloaded and reprocessed post-test, to test different scenarios or make other changes.
The driving robots have steering and pedal actuators that can be quickly installed without the need to make modifications to the vehicle as shown in Figure 2. Even with the robots installed, the steering wheel, throttle and brakes remain accessible to a human driver. At the heart of the robot is a dedicated real-time controller, which coordinates the steering and pedal robots and captures data at 1000 Hz.
FIGURE 2. Driving robot. (Figure: D. Aylor, A. Pick, P. Austin and M. Parry)
Locata and OxTS units were installed in a rear passenger seat. The Locata antenna was roof-rack-mounted on a ground plane, approximately aligned with the centerline of the vehicle. The roof rack contained a second Locata antenna connected to a second Locata receiver. This was used for post-processing accuracy analysis of the fixed baseline (distance) between the two Locata antennas.
Test procedure
The automation kit enables the vehicle to be driven in manual mode and record scenarios for later replay. Drive scenarios can also be created in the user interface using basic geometric shapes and designate start, end or special maneuvering points within drives.
A local two-dimensional coordinate frame can be created with or without alignment to a global coordinate system. Each scenario may be replayed at various speed settings. For instance, most scenarios described later were replayed multiple times at different speed settings, often incrementing in fixed steps from a low speed such as 10 Km/hr.
The demonstration platform was driven in various driving patterns on both test tracks. Figure 3 shows these patterns as a map derived from reported vehicle positions during the repeats of each scenario.
FIGURE 3. Test Scenarios.(Figure: D. Aylor, A. Pick, P. Austin and M. Parry)
The Double Lane Changes (DLCs) conducted on both tracks resemble the driving pattern needed for testing most collision-avoidance and lane-change features. The S-curve is a driving pattern used for the IIHS headlight evaluations.
Analysis and results
Data analysis was focused on characterizing the accuracy and repeatability of the automated test setup as a complete system first and then Locata alone as the core positioning system. As the first step, data from two full days of testing were reduced to repetitions of the various driving patterns shown in Figure 3. Start and end times of each repetition were extracted from AB Dynamics systems and corresponding Locata system data was further processed to generate the results shown here.
The foundation for highly repeatable control system and positioning accuracy is to have a highly reliable network that delivers repeatable DOPs and number of ranging signals at any given track location. Repeatability of the numbers of LLs seen and the HDOPs were investigated for this purpose. Shown in Figure 4 is the actual number of LLs observed and the resulting HDOP during the five repeats of the DLCs done at 45 km/h in the covered track.
FIGURE 4. HDOP & LL Count in Double Lane Change at 45 km/h (Covered Track). (Figure: D. Aylor, A. Pick, P. Austin and M. Parry)
The number of LLs used remain constant at seven as expected and the HDOP change resulting from the motion repeats for each of the repetitions. Shown in Figure 5 are similar plots for the seven repetitions of the Lap scenario done at 20 km/h in the open track. In these, the LLs used vary between 8 and 9, with the drop happening at one end of the lap. Although slight variations can be seen in the times of the drops due to the varying speed of the vehicle during the turns, the HDOP pattern repeats consistently for all seven repetitions.
FIGURE 5. HDOP & LL Count in Lap at 20 km/h (Open Track). (Figure: D. Aylor, A. Pick, P. Austin and M. Parry)
Analysis of the 48 DLC repetitions from the covered track is presented in Figure 6. Locata position data from all repetitions were averaged along the drive path to estimate a best fit path and the deviation from this was estimated (top subplot). The best fit path allows the estimation of the run-to-run deviation of the vehicle path. The middle subplot shows the mean and standard deviation of cross track error (or spread) of all the repetitions compared to the best fit path.
FIGURE 6. Covered Track Double Lane Change Performance Statistics. (Figure: D. Aylor, A. Pick, P. Austin and M. Parry)
Despite the 48 DLC repetitions being carried out across a range of speeds (10-45 km/h) a high level of repeatability was measured. In straight segments the control system was able to repeat all the runs with below 4 cm of mean deviation from each other. This increases to 5 cm during turns due to the increasing lateral acceleration at higher speeds. The standard deviation also follows the same pattern, remaining below 3 cm during the straight-line segments and increasing up to 5 cm during the turns. The bottom plot shows the mean and standard deviation of the baseline error measured between the two Locata antennas on the vehicle.
Locata baseline error from repetitions of all scenarios were then used to estimate a probability distribution function (PDF) to assess the Locata positioning system performance alone. This included close to 180,000 data points from around 5 hours of automated driving in various parts of the IIHS tracks. Resulting PDF is shown in Figure 7.
FIGURE 7. [Brown] Locata position accuracy ±3 cm (95%) using the fixed baseline between two independently operating antenna-receiver pairs in the vehicle (5 hrs of automated driving on both tracks). [Blue] ABD system repeatability ±6 cm (95%) using across track error from 48 repetitions of the Double Lane Change maneuver on the Covered Track. (Figure: D. Aylor, A. Pick, P. Austin and M. Parry)This baseline error PDF gives a positioning accuracy of ±3 cm at 95% for the Locata position system, exceeding the IIHS requirement for positioning of 10 cm at 95% (Figure 8). The control system repeatability itself shows ±6 cm at 95%, better than IIHS expectation for positioning system alone.
FIGURE 8. Covered track automated double-lane change (DLC) test. Fully automated path following with two back-to-back lane changes through traffic delineators set 15 cm from the sides of the vehicle. Drop-in control system repeatability of ±6 cm (95%) achieved using Locata positioning accuracy of ±3 cm (95%) through 48 repetitions at speeds ranging from 10 to 45 km/hr. (Figure: D. Aylor, A. Pick, P. Austin and M. Parry)
Conclusion
The IIHS, one of two organizations in the United States that issue public crash safety ratings, is using Locata, a GPS-like local positioning system, under a canopy-covered test track that doesn’t have RTK-capable GNSS signal visibility.
Precise positioning from Locata integrated with INS by OxTS demonstrates automated path following with centimeter-level repeatability using driving robots from AB Dynamics. The authors thank and acknowledge the Locata team for the excellent support provided throughout the project.
A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the August 2018 issue of GPS World magazine.
OEM
IP Solution
With multi-constellation GNSS for internet of things (IOT) devices
The Dragonfly NB2 is a highly integrated and modular IP (internet protocol) solution optimized for Cat-NB2 (3GPP Release 14 eNB-IoT) that can seamlessly be incorporated into chips and modules by the multitude of companies looking to address the large and fast-growing cellular IoT space. GNSS hardware package. For customers developing NB-IoT products that also require GNSS capabilities, Ceva-Dragonfly NB2 includes a new power-optimized GNSS hardware package, with GNSS RF receiver and multi-constellation digital front-end. The GNSS package speeds up both acquisition and tracking tasks by up to 8 times compared to Ceva-Dragonfly NB1, enabling a host of popular NB-IoT use cases, including people, livestock and asset tracking and geofencing.
Provides timing accuracy and stability when GNSS signal is lost
Photo: Oscilloquartz
Oscilloquartz has launched its enhanced primary reference time clock (ePRTC) system to enable a high level of timing accuracy and stability, even when the GNSS signal is lost. The system provides a timing source for mission-critical transport systems, such as utility networks, government infrastructure and radio access networks, and provides the strict synchronization needed for LTE-A and 5G applications. Featuring the OSA 3230B ePRC atomic cesium clock connected to an Oscilloquartz clock combiner and grandmaster, the new solution offers the extremely stable frequency of a cesium clock with the UTC-traceable signal provided by GNSS. When combined with the OSA 5430, the OSA ePRTC system provides full hardware redundancy and multiple fan-out options including PTP over 10 Gbit/s.
The SE878Kx-A series of GPS and GNSS integrated antenna receiver modules offer high performance, maximum reliability and low power consumption for consumer and business applications. The SE878K3-A and SE878K7-A are compatible with GPS, GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo and also enable device vendors to develop quickly and cost-effectively location-based IoT solutions for use in virtually any country worldwide. The SE878Kx-A series supports dual internal-external antennas to ensure connectivity when one is broken or compromised, along with a SAW filter to maximize jamming immunity. The modules are designed for mission-critical applications and other use cases where reliability is key, such as alarms, stolen cars or high-end asset tracking. The series also provides seamless integration with Telit’s cellular modules, including eCall/ERA-GLONASS compliant solutions.
The Spresence main and extension boards are designed for internet of things (IoT) applications. The main board uses a multi-CPU structure equipped with Sony’s GNSS receiver (GPS+GLONASS) and high-resolution audio codec. A variety of systems for applications such as drones and other IoT devices can be built by combining the boards and developing the relevant applications. The boards’ software and hardware is available via open platform, allowing for a wide range of developmental possibilities. The main board can be used to control a drone using GPS positioning and a high-performance processor, voice-controlled smart speakers and low-power consumption sensing cameras. It also can be combined with sensors for use in systems that detect errors in production lines on the factory floor.
Designed for geopositioning, construction and mapping
Photo: Topcon
The T-18 handheld controller has a 3.7-inch sunlight-readable display, a 1-GHz processor and 1 GB of internal storage. For field data collection using Topcon’s MAGNET software, the T-18 offers a durable ergonomic solution with fast processing, excellent connectivity and a long (10-hour) battery life. It has a 3.5G cellular modem for connectivity with Topcon MAGNET solutions for sending and receiving data to the cloud company account. The modem also can be used for real-time kinematic (RTK) correction services. Other features include Bluetooth and an IP65 rating for dust and water protection in demanding job-site conditions.
The SXblue ToolBox is an Android application for SXblue GNSS receivers, enabling users to view and analyze the position data and metadata related to its location. The user can send commands that enable or disable some features, including systems in use, mask angle or differential angle, and constellation in use, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and SBAS. The SXblue ToolBox is also an NTRIP client capable of connecting to a NTRIP server for real-time kinematic (RTK) corrections, allowing the receiver to issue very accurate location information. The application can record, save and transfer raw data from the GNSS receiver, allowing post-processing on computers for surveying and geomatics professionals.The toolbox has been developed with special consideration for modern mobile devices and attention to user and dealer feedback. It includes a series of configurable audible and visual alarms for determining the thresholds of the information provided by the SXblue GNSS receiver.
The Leica RTC360 laser scanner is equipped with edge computing technology to enable fast and accurate creation of 3D models in the field. It combines high-performance laser scanning, edge computing and mobile app technologies to preregister captured scans quickly and accurately. With the push of a button, two million points per second of high dynamic range imagery can be captured to create a full-dome scan in under two minutes. It features a visual inertial system that automatically tracks movements between setup positions. The scans captured can be combined and preregistered on a mobile device, where they can be viewed and augmented with information tags.
Location technology allows users to see rooms, gates and offices
Screenshot: Esri
ArcGIS Indoors is designed to enable interactive indoor mapping of corporate facilities, retail and commercial locations, airports, hospitals, event venues, universities and more. The solution applies the latest location technology to allow users to see and share where assets, rooms, departure gates and offices are located. It uses data streams, real-time processing and location intelligence tools to help businesses and other organizations understand how to better coordinate space and other resources with their facilities and campuses. Insights from sensor networks deliver real-time information to managers and executives through interactive dashboards, while visitors and employees can find useful information about the buildings they occupy. The solution also allows users to quickly access and explore critical business information, such as the location and status of fire extinguishers and their last inspection dates.
Meets demands for continuous, accurate vehicle location
The ASM330LHH module. (Photo: STMicroelectronics)
The automotive-grade ASM330LHH six-axis inertial sensor is designed for super-high-resolution motion tracking in advanced vehicle navigation and telematics applications. It lets advanced dead-reckoning algorithms calculate precise position from sensor data if satellite signals are blocked, such as in urban canyons, tunnels, covered roadways, parking garages or dense forests. Its advanced, low-noise, temperature-stable design enables dependable telematics services such as e-tolling, tele-diagnostics and e-Call assistance. Precision inertial data in six axes also meets the needs of advanced automated-driving systems. Automotive component manufacturer Magneti Marelli has selected the ASM330LHH for advanced telematics systems, to be fitted as original equipment by global automotive groups in upcoming vehicle ranges.
Esri and Waze smart cities partnership grows. (Image: Esri)
The free crowdsourced traffic and navigation app Waze is now fully supported by ArcGIS Online, where its live feed of mapped traffic alerts and other information, such as accidents, congestion and street damage, can be used in applications in minutes. Waze Live Alerts, available in ArcGIS Marketplace, is free to members of the Waze Connected Citizens Program. The program, a two-way sharing of publicly available traffic and road condition information, offers governments a stream of data, constantly updated in real time. This enables personnel to make data-driven infrastructure decisions and improves the efficiency of incident response.
Traffic engineers can use the data to analyze problems on the road and create targeted solutions.
Open-source platform for autonomous delivery and other iot
The AGL platform provides Mercedes-Benz Vans with the ability to create autonomous delivery robots. (Image: Daimler)
Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) is a collaborative cross-industry effort to develop an open platform for the connected car. Mercedes-Benz vans are using AGL as a foundation for a new onboard operating system for its commercial vehicles. The Mercedes-Benz “adVANce” initiative focuses on connectivity and internet of things (IoT) applications, innovative hardware solutions, new on-demand mobility and rental concepts, and fleet management solutions. The AGL platform provides Mercedes-Benz Vans with the flexibility to rapidly create tailored solutions for customers, including adding and connecting any kind of IoT component to the vehicle, such as sensors, automation controls and actuators. The new AGL-based operating system will debut on various Mercedes-Benz Vans prototype projects later this year.
eCyber is an integrated hardware-software product that protects vehicles against ransomware and other cyber-attacks. It can be installed in a vehicle by authorized parties, such as vehicle importers and fleet managers, in the aftermarket stage after the vehicle has left the factory, as well as by the OEM itself during manufacture. eCyber, a combined hardware and software solution in a compact box, is installed between the vehicle’s external communications device and the vehicle’s CAN (Controller Area Network) bus. It provides a secure gateway for outside communications to the CAN bus, allowing only communications with predefined parameters and values to go through. It blocks any unrecognized communications to and from the CAN bus, so no malicious digital communications can disrupt vehicle function.
Engineered for UAV-imaging missions, the iXM 100MP is a high-productivity metric camera with a range of high-resolution lenses. It is ready for integration with various UAV platforms, including Phase One’s DJI Matrice 600 Pro. The camera incorporates a medium-format sensor with backside-illumination technology, enabling high light sensitivity and extended dynamic range. Phase One also offers four new RSM lenses — with focal lengths ranging from 35mm to 150mm — to fit the new sensor’s 3.76 μm pixel size and 33 x 44 mm frame size. The lenses are available with either fixed-focus or motorized-focus functionality. The fixed-focus 35mm and 80mm lenses are especially suitable for surveying applications.
For quick approval of flights over controlled airspace
Screenshot: Skyward
Commercial drone operators in California and Hawaii — as well as a few areas in Nevada, Utah and Arizona — can get quickly authorized to fly in controlled airspace using the LAANC (Low Altitude Airspace Notification Capability) platform. Skyward is an FAA-approved airspace vendor. With Skyward, pilots with a Part 107 license can get permission to fly in regulated airspace in seconds compared to manual authorizations that can take months. This makes it significantly easier for businesses of all sizes, particularly in the construction and warehousing industries, to manage a fleet of drones to access valuable, cost-saving data. Skyward’s LAANC expansion includes airspace in the busy metro areas of Los Angeles, the Bay Area, San Diego, Las Vegas and more than 50 smaller air markets.
GNSS positioning algorithms combined with automotive-grade GNSS chipsets, inertial measurements and GNSS corrections services from a ground network of reference stations can deliver instant lane-level accuracy.
By Tasha Wong Ken and Sara Masterson, Hexagon Positioning Intelligence
Autonomous technology is reshaping the future of the automotive industry and Hexagon’s Positioning Intelligence Division (Hexagon PI) is developing cutting-edge positioning solutions to support the growth of this rapidly changing industry.
Hexagon PI is working with GNSS chipset manufacturers like STMicroelectronics to deliver automotive-grade, multi-frequency GNSS chipsets that combine our positioning algorithms with automotive-grade GNSS hardware to deliver solutions for connected cars, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving applications.
In June, Hexagon PI introduced TerraStar X GNSS correction technology, which enables lane-level vehicle positioning in under a minute, using automotive-grade chipsets and the Hexagon PI positioning engine. Built on the company’s latest precise point positioning (PPP) algorithms, TerraStar X leverages existing Hexagon capabilities in ground network infrastructure, correction data generation, and data packaging for delivery.
FIGURE 1. TerraStar X correction data generation and delivery to the vehicle. (Image: Hexagon PI)
By combining Hexagon PI’s software positioning engine with GNSS measurements from automotive-grade chipsets and inertial measurement unit (IMU) data, TerraStar X GNSS correction services can deliver instant lane-level accuracy positioning.
TerraStar X combines existing TerraStar global clock and orbit data with regional ionospheric correction data from Hexagon’s vast network of SmartNet reference stations. This forms the technology foundation for future correction services on connected cars, ADAS and autonomous driving markets, including integrity and authentication for safety-critical applications.
FIGURE 2. The Hexagon PI positioning engine achieves seamless position accuracy by taking GNSS measurements from the Teseo V GNSS receiver, combining it with their positioning algorithms, GNSS+INS coupling, and TerraStar X correction technology. (Image: Hexagon PI)TABLE 1. Cumulative distribution of horizontal errors from testing on German roads. (Table: T. W. Ken and S. Masterson)
HxGN SmartNet consists of a large operational reference station network, consisting of more than 4,500 stations with continuous quality monitoring and support. Correction data generation takes place at Hexagon processing centers where service reliability, redundancy and 99.999% guaranteed service uptime ensure corrections are available for users 24/7/365.
While TerraStar X utilizes the stations already available, the algorithms are flexible and will accommodate the rollout of new service areas with increased station separation, enabling continental-scale coverage.
TerraStar X technology will deliver correction data to vehicles and end users through hybrid delivery channels, including both cellular network and satellite. Combining TerraStar X technology with multiple delivery channels ensures that vehicles, UAVs, industrial vehicles, trains, and more will operate safely, securely, reliably, and efficiently.
TerraStar X testbeds are being utilized for several advanced automotive development programs in North America and Europe, TerraStar X commercial services will be available in 2019. Interested customers can request access to any of the testbeds through Hexagon PI.
Positioning Engine. Hexagon PI’s positioning engine architecture enables a flexible integration with different GNSS receiver chipsets, augmentation sensors and processor environments, providing automotive manufacturers with additional flexibility when it comes to sourcing components and subsystems of ADAS and autonomous driving solutions.
The positioning engine is being developed to Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL)-B standards and will include a proprietary GNSS integrity solution to ensure safe positioning within defined protection limits tailored to the customer’s application requirements.
Recent test results
Hexagon PI conducted demonstrations in Michigan and Germany using an automotive platform that combined automotive-grade GNSS hardware with TerraStar X technology and the software positioning engine to demonstrate instant lane-level accuracy with correction data delivered over the cellular network to test vehicles.
The results are from the most recent demonstration performed in urban conditions in Germany. The route consisted of a mix of controlled-access highway and light urban roads in the city. In this case, the positioning engine using TerraStar X and GNSS+INS coupling deliver 1-meter accuracy through 95% of the dataset.
FIGURE 3. Cumulative distribution of horizontal errors from tests on German roads. (Figure: T. W. Ken and S. Masterson)
Throughout the data collection, position accuracy improves by almost 70% when TerraStar X and the positioning engine is used. In some areas, it was found that the position solution can improve up to 95% with the Hexagon PI positioning solution over the standalone Teseo V, an automotive-grade GNSS receiver from STMicroelectronics.
FIGURE 4. Horizontal position errors from testing on German roads. (Figure: T. W. Ken and S. Masterson)
Looking ahead in automotive
Hexagon PI continues to demonstrate the benefits of precise positioning on automotive-grade chipsets using augmentation sensors, our positioning engine, and TerraStar X technology in a variety of environments worldwide. Our goal is to develop a solution for mass-production that provides accurate and functionally safe positioning to enable the advancement of autonomy in the automotive industry.
![FIGURE 7. [Brown] Locata position accuracy ±3 cm (95%) using the fixed baseline between two independently operating antenna-receiver pairs in the vehicle (5 hrs of automated driving on both tracks). [Blue] ABD system repeatability ±6 cm (95%) using across track error from 48 repetitions of the Double Lane Change maneuver on the Covered Track. (Figure: D. Aylor, A. Pick, P. Austin and M. Parry)](https://stage.globalpositioningnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Figure7_chart-W.jpg)
