The UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (UK CSM) will undertake a seabed mapping survey – CSM2026 – to explore and map the seabed along the UK’s southwest coastline.
The research survey takes place between April 20 and May 19. It consists of two survey legs, starting in Lowestoft, Suffolk, and ending in Falmouth, Cornwall. Throughout the four-week survey, using cutting‑edge survey technology deployed from the Research Vessel Cefas Endeavour, a team of 26 scientists from across the field of maritime research began collecting vital hydrographic, geological and environmental data when they set sail from Lowestoft next week.
The survey represents an unprecedented level of collaboration within the maritime sector. By combining skills and capabilities in a single survey, the team aim to secure data to deliver the UK government’s commitments and make advances in how the seabed is mapped, understood and managed.
UK CSM includes more than 30 public sector organizations commited to collect and share high-quality marine data. For the coastline mapping project, the 11 involved are the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA); the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO); British Geological Survey (BGS); Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas); Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), The Crown Estate; Historic England; Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC); Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Northern Ireland (AFBI); Natural England and the Royal Navy.
Over the course of the survey, the scientists on board will have the opportunity to work with experts from other public sector organizations, share skills, and source key seabed mapping data that supports a wide range of applications including offshore energy and infrastructure, marine ecosystem science, safety at sea, marine policy, and defense.
CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) has released the AlphaAir 6, a flagship airborne lidar system designed for UAV-based laser scanning, drone lidar mapping, and aerial surveying in high-relief and complex terrain.
Combining prism scanning technology with a high-grade inertial navigation system (INS), the AlphaAir 6 delivers a maximum ranging capability of up to 2,100 meters and supports efficient data capture at typical flight altitudes of 400 to 600 meters above ground level.
The AlphaAir 6 integrates an upgraded laser engine and a high-grade IMU with 0.3°/h bias stability to improve trajectory accuracy and point cloud quality. This design removes the need for pre-mission IMU calibration and supports stable, efficient data collection for topographic mapping, corridor mapping, and wide-area aerial survey workflows.
The AlphaAir 6 combines fifth-generation real-time waveform processing with advanced multi-period technology to capture richer, denser, and more precise lidar data across complex terrain, vegetation, and built environments. According to CHCNAV, even at an ultra-high pulse repetition rate of 2,000,000 pulses per second, it continues to support real-time point cloud output, giving operators immediate in-flight visibility and a faster path to survey-grade 3D results.
To meet different project requirements, the AlphaAir 6 is available in single-camera and dual-camera configurations. Both options use large-format CMOS sensors to deliver high-resolution imagery, while the dual-camera version adds an ultra-wide field of view to improve image coverage and increase mapping efficiency.
With an integrated design and a weight of 1.35 kg, the AlphaAir 6 reduces payload burden on UAV platforms and helps extend flight endurance. Open interface protocols support integration with mainstream multirotor and fixed-wing UAVs, giving surveying and mapping professionals more flexibility across different mission types.
Joint venture between DroneDash and Geodnet targets oil palm, sugarcane and broad-acre operations across Southeast Asia, the United States and South America.
DroneDash Technologies and Geonet are forming Geodash Aerosystems Pte. Ltd. — a Singapore-incorporated joint venture to develop a new class of agricultural spraying drone for large-scale, industrial farming operations. Commercial deployment is set for Q3 2026.
Unlike conventional agriculture drones that require repeated manual pre-mapping before each deployment, Geodash Aerosystems’ platform uses real-time AI vision and centimeter-accurate RTK positioning to perceive, navigate, and adapt dynamically during flight. The result is faster deployment, lower operating costs, and continuous agronomic intelligence from the same system that does the spraying.
Credit: DroneDash
Most agricultural spraying drones in operation were adapted from general-purpose UAV platforms. Before each deployment, operators must manually survey and map the field, generate static flight plans, and repeat the entire process whenever terrain, planting patterns, or canopy profiles change. In oil palm plantations and large-scale row-crop environments, this mapping overhead directly limits how many hectares a team can cover and how quickly they can respond to emerging crop conditions.
The operational constraints are compounded the larger the estate. Manual pre-survey and field mapping is required before each deployment. Static flight plans must be recreated when terrain or canopy profiles change. Plans have limited adaptability to uneven terrain and mixed-age crops, when erosion or other changes occur.
Geodash Aerosystems’ drone architecture removes pre-mapping from the deployment workflow entirely. Using DroneDash’s proprietary AI vision system, the aircraft performs real-time perception of plantation structure, canopy height, and terrain features during flight. Geodnet’s RTK correction network delivers centimeter-level positional accuracy throughout each mission.
This combination enables:
deployment without pre-mapping or manual mission surveys
dynamic interpretation of rows, trees and operational zones
continuous altitude and spray-rate adjustment over variable terrain
rapid redeployment after replanting or field reconfiguration
tree-level and zone-specific variable-rate application.
Situational awareness is generated dynamically during flight — not through a separate pre-deployment process. Each aircraft maintains geofencing controls, safety constraints, and full operational data logging for regulatory compliance and audit traceability.
Agronomic Intelligence Layer
Each GEODASH Aerosystems drone is integrated with DroneDash’s AI Smart Farming backend, which transforms every operational flight into a continuous data-collection activity. Spraying missions generate field data used to produce:
canopy density and uniformity analysis
crop stress and anomaly detection
zone-level health scoring
spray effectiveness validation
terrain and drainage profiling
historical trend analysis across blocks and seasons.
Backend AI analytics then deliver actionable decision support to plantation managers and agronomy teams: early indicators of pest, disease, or nutrient stress; identification of underperforming zones; optimized spray timing and dosage; and data-informed planning for replanting and fertilization. The drone functions as a continuous aerial intelligence layer, not a standalone spraying machine.
Geodash Aerosystems targets industrial agriculture markets where deployment speed, terrain adaptability, and precision matter most: oil palm plantations in Southeast Asia; sugarcane, soybean and corn operations in the United States; and palm, sugar and broad-acre estates in South America.
Pilot deployments and system validation have been conducted throughout 2025 and into early 2026 in collaboration with plantation operators. Commercial deployment is targeted for Q3 2026, following completion of manufacturing readiness and regulatory approvals.
Observations suggest a major melting event at the Ross Ice Shelf was connected to atmospheric turbulence.
The Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica typically melts on its underside as warmer ocean water flows beneath. But in January 2016, an unusual melting episode occurred on its topside.
A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Haystack Observatory used data from existing GNSS stations, in conjunction with 13 stations installed on shelf, to examine the turbulent state of the atmosphere. Key were delay differences at each station and between stations that showed the strength (or rockiness) of atmospheric turbulence over the ice shelf.
Wind, water vapor, and temperature variations drawn in by warm and humid air caused the surface to melt, with turbulence four times greater than usual during the 2016 surface melting event.
The study also demonstrated a novel application of the GNSS station data to remotely observe unusual atmospheric conditions.
The open-access study was published Feb. 27 in Geophysical Research Letters.
PlanetiQ has been awarded a $15 million, 48-month Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) contract by the U.S. Air Force. The program will support the development and launch of spacecraft equipped with next-generation GNSS radio occultation (GNSS-RO) and GNSS polarimetric radio occultation (GNSS-PRO) instruments and the delivery of high-value weather data to the U.S. Air Force.
The mission will focus on advancing GNSS-RO, GNSS-PRO and GNSS reflectometry (GNSS-R) capabilities. The program includes the development of advanced data assimilation techniques to integrate enhanced GNSS-PRO data into numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, improving forecast accuracy and enabling new insights into atmospheric conditions.
After spacecraft commissioning, PlanetiQ will provide on-orbit data delivery during the contract period. This will support multiple applications across the Department of the Air Force, including artificial intelligence (AI) model training, data assimilation, and performance evaluation.
As the largest commercial provider of GNSS-RO data, PlanetiQ operates a global constellation of satellites, including spacecraft equipped with advanced receivers capable of capturing high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) GNSS-RO and GNSS-PRO measurements. GNSS-PRO has demonstrated strong efficacy for measuring precipitation, a key capability for improving severe weather forecasting.
This STRATFI award will enable the development of a next-generation receiver that adds GNSS-R capabilities, supporting new applications such as ocean surface wind measurement, sea state characterization, and soil moisture monitoring over land.
“This award represents a major step forward in delivering more advanced, actionable weather information to the warfighter,” said Ira Scharf, CEO of PlanetiQ. “By combining GNSS-RO, PRO and R measurements in a single platform, we are unlocking a more complete picture of the atmosphere and Earth’s surface. We are proud to partner with the U.S. Air Force to accelerate these capabilities and bring next-generation environmental data into operational use.”
Thales has launched the TopStar Smart Receiver, a three-in-one ultra-compact solution designed to provide land forces with resilient positioning, navigation and timing capabilities, while maintaining radio communications in increasingly contested electronic warfare environments.
The TopStar Smart Receiver can be integrated into land vehicles, drones and munitions.
Key features
Dual-constellation GNSS receiver. The receiver integrates signals from military constellations, Galileo PRS and civilian GPS, and provides resistance to spoofing with enhanced accuracy and availability.
Anti-jamming function. Its adaptive controlled radiation pattern antenna (CRPA) reduces interference from jammers, and enables operation at distances up to 30 times closer than with a conventional GPS receiver.
High-performance clock. The clock ensures synchronization of tactical radios for up to 48 hours following GNSS signal loss, versus 30 minutes with conventional equipment.
Produced entirely within a sovereign European industrial base, the TopStar Smart Receiver is assembled at Thales’ site in Valence, France. The receiver is now available for testing in real-world conditions.
“Powered by cutting-edge technologies, the TopStar Smart Receiver delivers resilient, high-performance PNT capabilities for land platforms, drones and munitions,” said Florent Chauvancy, vice president of avionics and flight activities, Thales. “Innovative, reliable, competitive and compact, it ensures mission continuity in the most demanding operations, showcasing Thales’ expertise and commitment to innovation in support of the armed forces.”
Taoglas will showcase its latest antenna technologies at the 2026 European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP) in Dublin, Ireland, taking place April 19-24, in the Dublin convention center. Taoglas will display at Stand 52.
At this year’s exhibition and conference, Taoglas will underline the increasing complexity of antenna integration in electronic systems, where performance depends on interactions between the antenna, PCB, enclosure and multi‑radio environment.
The company also will host a “GNSS Evolution Masterclass: Bridging Theory and Field Performance” on April 21, 15:50-17:30. The session will cover the evolution from single‑band to multi‑band GNSS and provide practical guidance on antenna characteristics, performance metrics, correction services and evaluation methods for real‑world positioning performance.
At its booth, Taoglas will highlight its AI-driven Antenna Product Recommendation Engine, designed to help users identify antenna options based on needs. It complements Taoglas’ existing design and configuration tools, including the Antenna Integrator for PCB placement, which adds new features and antenna models frequently, enabling a seamless path from initial selection through to integration.
In the technical conference programme, Taoglas will also present new antenna design work, including a poster on innovations in tri‑band Wi‑Fi antenna integration and a paper on compact antennas for LPWA and IoT devices.
“EuCAP is a unique opportunity to connect cutting‑edge research with real‑world engineering challenges,” said Dermot O’Shea, co‑founder and CEO of Taoglas. “With Taoglas’ roots in Ireland, it is especially rewarding to highlight local RF and antenna expertise while engaging with the global engineering community.”
Taoglas is supporting EuCAP 2026 as a gold sponsor. Visitors can meet the Taoglas team at the event or visit www.taoglas.com for more information.
Deepen AI has released its latest targetless calibration platform, built to simplify and accelerate calibration for complex autonomous vehicles, automotive ADAS and robotics sensor suites.
The platform supports a wide range of configurations including GNSS receives, multiple lidars, radars, cameras and inertial measurement units (IMUs). It processes all inputs in one pass using a single continuous dataset such as a ROS bag.
As sensor stacks become more sophisticated, traditional calibration methods are increasingly becoming a bottleneck in deploying autonomous systems at scale. These approaches are often manual, iterative and dependent on physical targets. Deepen AI’s solution introduces a fully automated and unified approach that calibrates all sensors simultaneously.
The platform estimates intrinsic, extrinsic and temporal parameters across the entire sensor suite in a single streamlined workflow, removing the need for sensor-by-sensor calibration. This approach streamlines operations while delivering high performance, achieving up to 0.05° angular accuracy and 0.7 cm positional accuracy, exceeding traditional target-based calibration techniques.
Capabilities include:
Simultaneous calibration across all sensors using a single dataset
Support for multi LiDAR, camera, radar, IMU, and GNSS configurations
Accuracy of up to 0.05° and 0.7 cm
No strict requirement for loop closure or fixed driving patterns
“Calibration has traditionally been one of the most time-consuming, complex and fragmented steps in deploying autonomous systems,” said Mohammad Musa, founder and CEO of Deepen AI. “With this release, teams can move to a system level approach that delivers both speed and precision using real-world data.”
The system is designed to work without controlled environments or rigid data collection protocols, allowing teams to seamlessly integrate calibration into existing workflows for both research and large-scale production deployments. It requires only simple and practical conditions, with calibration possible in locations such as parking lots, garages or quiet streets, provided the environment is mostly static with minimal moving objects. A minimum of 30 seconds of continuous driving data is required.
The platform is already being deployed with customers working on highly complex sensor configurations, where multiple lidars and cameras need to be calibrated together as a single system. In one such deployment, the full sensor stack was calibrated during a normal drive in a parking garage, parking lot, or a small residential street, without any special driving patterns or looped trajectories.
Using only a short duration of driving data, Deepen AI simultaneously performed intrinsic, extrinsic and temporal calibration across all sensors in a single workflow. This unified approach not only simplifies operations and improves consistency, but also delivers accuracy that surpasses traditional target-based calibration methods, making it well suited for both research and production environments.
Project Manager Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PM PNT) has announced the Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground award of two Other Transaction Authority (OTAs) via a C5 prototyping project for a mounted PNT NorthStar solution to IS4S and GPS Source.
With an estimated value of up to $41 million and 36-month period of performance, the OTAs enable the selected vendors to develop next generation of mounted Assured PNT capability that’s modular and upgradable for Army 2040 ground-based platforms.
“We’re excited to move into the next phase of NorthStar with this award,” said Chris Jais, project manager, PM PNT. “We’re confident that with our vendor partners, we’ll introduce an affordable, MOSA-compliant product with next-generation capability into our family of open solutions and continue to bring upgradable and scalable APNT products to soldiers in the field.”
PM PNT’s Modernization product office introduced the NorthStar effort in August 2023 via a virtual event and release of an RFI that received 27 vendor responses. These responses informed PM PNT’s decision to solicit industry for the design of tiers of capability that would offer a range of non-radio frequency technologies to outpace the threat of Army 2040; the responses, combined with tech evaluations and review of white papers, also led to the organization deciding to ultimately award a NorthStar OTA to more than one vendor.
“Awarding to multiple vendors encourages competition, speeds up implementation and integration of new technology to meet emerging threats, and reduces cost of engineering change proposals,” said Erik Scott, product manager for PNT Modernization. “Prioritizing a modular system design for hardware and software ensures the best value for the government and the best solution for our warfighters.”
Contract kickoffs with each vendor are scheduled for next month with design review and a soldier touchpoint to follow.
For more information on PM PNT, visit the PM PNT page on the Capability Program Executive Intelligence and Spectrum Warfare website.
The Indian government has approved development of an indigenous, runway-independent combat search-and-rescue UAV for the Indian Air Force.
The drone will be used to rescue pilots and crew, and deliver supplies in extreme terrains, tasks to be accomplished without risking manned aircraft. For instance, snowbound heights are difficult for helicopters to traverse.
The UAV will be developed under the government’s Make-I category with 70% funding, and will operate up to 16,000 feet in the air. It will carry payloads up to 400 kg and support autonomous missions within a range of 200 km and a 45-minute loiter time.
Low-Earth-orbit signals add increased signal strength, geometry diversity and robustness to GNSS.
U-blox, a global leader in positioning and short-range communication technologies for automotive, industrial and consumer markets, is exploring how the introduction of low-Earth-orbit (LEO) signals can complement and integrate with existing GNSS to support mass-market positioning solutions.
The announcement comes following the launch of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) first Celeste LEO-PNT demonstration satellites (IOD-1 and IOD-2) on 28 March 2026, marking a key milestone in bringing LEO-based signals into the operational positioning environment and ESA’s first step toward extending satellite navigation into low Earth orbit.
As the positioning ecosystem evolves, LEO-based signals are emerging as a complementary layer to established GNSS. Designed to augment systems such as Galileo, LEO satellites introduce a new building block characterized by lower orbital altitude, increased signal strength, and rapidly changing satellite geometry. GNSS remains the foundation of global positioning, delivering proven coverage and consistency at scale.
This evolution is not only about additional signals, but about how positioning systems behave over time. The dynamic geometry of LEO satellites introduces new system characteristics that influence convergence speed, robustness, and performance in challenging signal conditions.
Under its Navigation Innovation and Support Program (NAVISP) Element 2 (EL2) project, co-funded by ESA, u-blox is conducting a technical assessment of the role of LEO signals in multi-layer positioning architectures. This work forms part of a broader effort to bring LEO-PNT capabilities to mass-market GNSS receivers, combining emerging LEO signals with established GNSS systems.
This includes early integration work on u-blox’s X20 GNSS platform, exploring how different signal types and frequency bands can be optimally incorporated into u-blox’s positioning systems. The scope of work includes:
Observation and characterization of emerging LEO signal transmissions
Analysis of interactions between LEO signals and GNSS measurements
Evaluation of the impact of dynamic satellite geometry on positioning performance
Exploring different system-level approaches for integrating LEO signals into future platforms
“U-blox is committed to advancing positioning technologies through focused research and collaboration,” said Jani Käppi, head of technology positioning at u-blox. “Our work within the ESA NAVISP framework allows us to better understand how emerging signal sources can complement GNSS and contribute to robust and reliable positioning performance.”
U-blox expects to contribute to the development of the new LEO satellite ecosystem with significant innovation in the positioning solution, collaborating with key partners like ESA.
The Celeste initiative
The Celeste mission is ESA’s initiative for LEO-PNT (Low Earth Orbit Positioning Navigation and Timing) and is in its in-orbit demonstration phase. This first phase features a demonstration constellation of 11 satellites that will fly in low Earth orbit to test innovative signals across various frequency bands. Its goal is to advance satellite navigation concepts for resilient positioning and timing services.
The Celeste in-orbit demonstration phase was approved at ESA’s Council at Ministerial Level of 2022. The fleet is being developed through two parallel contracts respectively led by GMV in Spain with OHB in Germany as core partner, and by Thales Alenia France as prime and Thales Alenia Italy as space segment responsible and involving over 50 entities from more than 14 countries.
Celeste was further supported in ESA’s Council at Ministerial Level of 2025 (CM25), towards the implementation of the next phase: the LEO-PNT In-Orbit Preparatory phase.
Celeste also contributes to one of the three core pillars of ESA’s new European Resilience from Space (ERS) initiative, endorsed at CM25. ERS addresses critical security and resilience needs for Member States while laying the groundwork for future European strategic space capabilities.
New test capability supports device manufacturers preparing for Xona’s commercial LEO navigation constellation.
Rohde & Schwarz is providing signal simulation capabilities supporting Pulsar, the next-generation satellite navigation service developed by Xona.
The new functionality enables manufacturers to test Pulsar capabilities in production settings using Rohde & Schwarz signal generators, providing an accessible pathway for validating and scaling devices with next-generation positioning, navigation and timing (PNT).
As demand grows for more precise and resilient navigation technology, the industry is preparing for a new generation of satellite signals. Xona’s Pulsar constellation, operating in low Earth orbit (LEO), is designed to complement existing GNSS infrastructure such as GPS by delivering stronger signals, improved accuracy, and enhanced resilience against threats and interference.
The capability will be available as a new software option for the R&S SMBV100B and R&S SMW200A vector signal generators, allowing engineers and manufacturers to test receiver compatibility with Pulsar signals as the new constellation enters scaled deployment. By adding Pulsar simulation to its test portfolio, Rohde & Schwarz enables device developers and manufacturers to begin validating compatibility with the emerging service.
“Navigation technology is entering a period of rapid evolution,” said Matt Hammond, North America satellite technology manager, Rohde & Schwarz. “By adding Pulsar signal simulation to our signal generator portfolio, Rohde & Schwarz is preparing our customers for the next evolution of satellite navigation. Our goal is to provide the scalable test infrastructure needed to bring these innovations from development into deployment.”
“Pulsar is designed to upgrade the global navigation infrastructure while remaining compatible with GNSS devices already in use today,” said Bryan Chan, co-founder and VP of strategy at Xona Space Systems. “Test and measurement solutions play an important role in enabling device manufacturers to evaluate compatibility as new signals become available. Rohde & Schwarz brings deep expertise in precision signal generation that helps make this possible.”
The R&S SMBV100B and R&S SMW200A vector signal generator will soon join Pulsar’s verified ecosystem program recognizing devices and testing solutions validated for compatibility with Pulsar signals. Rohde & Schwarz will showcase its navigation test solutions at Space Symposium 2026, taking place April 13-16 in Colorado Springs.
