On Dec. 20, the Linux Foundation announced its AgStack Project, which will host an open-source code base, along with a fully automated, continuous computation engine that will maintain a global dataset of boundaries for agricultural fields. The AgStack Asset Registry dataset will aid food traceability, carbon tracking, crop production, and other field-level analytics.
This ‘registry’ is designed to continuously update using data from satellites and real field registrations that contain boundary information, which will train machine learning models to ascertain more boundaries, among other capabilities.
Agricultural datasets are rarely public information. By using computer science and artificial intelligence (AI), users can create global field boundaries as a digital open source for public use, which can help farmers, agricultural companies, and the public manage crop production, study management practices, assess levels of productivity, monitor the spread of pests and diseases and more.
The AgStack project seeks to enable all types of agricultural data and services by combining computing and AI expertise with a global network of partners in an open-source software system. All code is being contributed under an open-source license and will be governed by the AgStack community, within the Linux Foundation.
A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the December 2022 issue of GPS World magazine.
AUTONOMOUS
Flight Controller
Turns a UAV into a connected autonomous system
Photo: Auterion
Skynode reference-design hardware is built with Remote ID in mind, enabling UAV users to comply with the FCC rule Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft (Part 89). A built-in connectivity stack with 4G, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enables automatic real-time data transmission from the UAV to the cloud. Built on open standards, Skynode is flexible and extensible, allowing users to leverage a variety of compatible software and hardware components. The connections enable automatic sending of logs, images and real-time video streams from the field to remote experts.
The VoloDrone is a fully electric, heavy-lift utility UAV with a range of up to 25 mi carrying a carrying a 440-lbs payload. The rotor area has a diameter of 30 ft, and the vehicle is 7.5 ft high. It can be remotely piloted or can fly autonomously on preset routes. Loads can be carried between the legs of the landing gear on standard rack mounts or slung below, or a tank and sprayer could be fitted for agricultural applications. The 18-rotor multicopter platform uses swappable lithium-ion batteries and an in-house flight control system, and benefits from existing development and test of the Volocopter air-taxi.
With a wingspan of 4.20 m, the BOREAL NRM remotely piloted aircraft integrates efficient photogrammetry devices for mapping large areas, even in areas inaccessible to traditional mapping aircraft. Its flight-control system is designed for image-capture management and optimal coverage of areas greater than 20,000 ha. The BOREAL NRM offers an overall and precise view of cultivated areas (1 cm to 3 cm per pixel), simplifying crop monitoring and facilitating human intervention in places that require it (such as water stress, treatment of pests).
The IRIS unmanned vehicle command-and-control system provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) interoperability — essential aspects of any military operation. The IRIS system integrates unmanned vehicles with other command-and-control systems for monitoring and gathering information for a variety of operational scenarios. IRIS uses each unmanned vehicle’s own communication systems and 5G technology to provide situational awareness for decision makers before and during operations. A simplified interface allows integration of sensors and platforms into a command-and-control network, providing interoperability with other command, control, communication and computer ISR (C4ISR) systems. IRIS performed well during NATO’s REPMUS 22 (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping Augmented by Maritime Unmanned Systems) exercise in September.
The AtlasNEST UAV system features a docking station to provide fully autonomous 24/7 readiness for infrastructure inspections, emergency situations and security missions requiring shared situational awareness and management. Using the AtlasSTATION interface, an operator sets a target destination, and the lightweight UAV deploys in less than three minutes. Sending a drone to collect visual data and reveal possible problems can help prevent putting personnel in unsafe circumstances. AtlasNEST has built-in artificial-intelligence technologies, including autonomous battery swapping. Using the AtlasSDK, AtlasNEST can be incorporated into current security systems.
Turf Tank is an autonomous, GNSS-guided line-marking robot built specifically to paint lines on athletic fields. More than 550 Turf Tank robots are deployed across the United States, painting athletic fields at public schools, major colleges and universities, amateur and professional soccer clubs, local parks and recreation departments, and at two National Football League stadiums. The Turf Tank robots can paint a full soccer field in less than 30 minutes, compared to two or three hours for manual painting. Similarly, the robot can paint a football field in two or three hours compared to eight to 10 hours to paint a football field. The robots are eco-friendly — they’re powered by rechargeable batteries and use far less paint than most older paint machines.
The Autel EVO II Pro Series combines Carlson’s software and hardware surveying and mapping solutions with a UAV from Autel Robotics. The Carlson suite is designed to take professionals throughout a project’s lifecycle: setting ground control points with the Carlson BRx7 GNSS receiver and RT4 data collector with SurvPC field software, the drone flight, PC photo and data processing, and creating finished plans in CAD.
The GPS 5 Click is a compact add-on board that provides users with positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services. The board features the M20050-1, a GPS module using the MediaTek MT3333 flash chip and an Antenova GNSS receiver for optimum performance. The receiver tracks three GNSS constellations concurrently (GPS + Galileo + GLONASS or GPS + Galileo + BeiDou) and has configurable low-power modes operating from a 3.3V power supply. In addition to the possibility of using an external antenna, backup power, and various visual indicators, the M20050-1 has an accurate 0.5 ppm TXCO ensuring short time-to-first-fix and multipath algorithms that improve position accuracy in urban environments.
Modules GT-100, GT-9001 and GT-90 are time-synchronization GNSS receiver modules compatible with all GNSS systems. The three modules deliver nanosecond precision for 5G mobile systems, radio communications systems, smart power grids and grandmaster clocks. Each suits different applications based on supported frequency bands and output signals. GT-100 supports concurrent L1 and L5 reception and delivers three outputs including 1 pulse per second (1 PPS) synchronized with UTC as well as user-programmable frequencies. The outputs can be set to 10 MHz, 2.048 MHz and 19.2 MHz, reducing time to market and saving costs through reduced component needs. GT-9001 supports L1 and delivers high-stability 1PPS and programmable clocks on three channels. GT-90 supports L1 and provides a 1 PPS high stability output. All models have time stability of 4.5 ns (1 sigma) and are equipped with multipath mitigation to minimize degradation of performance in urban areas.
The latest firmware update for the u-blox ZED-F9R high-precision GNSS module adds support for Japan’s QZSS CLAS correction services (ZED-F9R-03B). The ZED-F9R also now supports u-blox SPARTN 2.0 correction data.
The TW5390 smart antenna has IP network and L-band augmentation service capability. Along with a Tallymatics antenna, it has a high-precision u-blox F9R GNSS receiver and DS9 L-band receiver modules. The combination delivers a reliable and convenient smart antenna yielding <6-cm accuracy, with precise point positioning/real-time kinematic (PPP/RTK) augmentation services via the PointPerfect subscription service. The antenna provides superior multipath rejection with Tallysman Accutenna technology, a low noise amplifier, Tallysman’s eXtended Filtering (XF) technology, which mitigates saturation from nearby RF signals (targeting LTE and Ligado), a tight, measured phase-center offset and low axial ratio, enabling accurate and precise positioning, direct decoding of PointPerfect, SPARTN formatted augmentation packets (u-blox specific)
Tracking enables potential applications and projects
Photo: TE Connectivity
The Lembas LTE/GNSS USB modem provides plug-and-play GNSS tracking as well as LTE and CAT4 network connectivity via a robust USB interface to a variety of small-board computers utilizing the ARM chipset. Through a single-command setup process, users can have GNSS access to a wide variety of projects. The modem has been tested with Raspberry Pi Model B, Odroid XU4 and N2, ASUS Tinker Board, and NVIDIA Jetson Nano.
The universal construction site supervisor system is designed to help contractors manage all their job site activities. It includes the SiteMetrix Grade and the multi-frequency, multi-GNSS F631 RTK base and rover. SiteMetrix is user friendly, easy to understand and portable. Contractors can use the Futtura system to localize sites, check grade, configure base stations, set stakes and calculate volumes of material removed. Users will see the benefit of seamlessly performing data collection and layout, all in one easy-to-use application, the company says. The F631 GNSS receiver is powered by SureFix RTK technology, which offers a real-time dual-solution point verification. The F631 GNSS receiver is powered by Hemisphere GNSS’ Athena RTK technology. With Athena, F631 provides state-of-the-art RTK performance when receiving corrections from a static base station or network RTK correction system. With multiple connectivity options, the F631 allows for RTK corrections to be received over radio, cell modem, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or serial connection. F631 delivers centimeter-level accuracy with virtually instantaneous initialization times and robustness in challenging environments.
The Trimble GFX-1060 and GFX-1260 next-generation displays for precision agriculture applications enable farmers to complete in-field operations quickly and efficiently while also mapping and monitoring field information in real time with precision. Both displays feature an Android-based operating system and enhanced processing power for controlling and executing in-field work. The new flagship GFX-1260 is a 12-in (30.5 cm) display, while the GFX-1060 is a 10-in (25.6 cm) display, and both are compatible with the Trimble NAV-500 and NAV-900 GNSS guidance controllers. The displays are ISOBUS-compatible, which allows one display or terminal to control ISOBUS implements, regardless of manufacturer. The displays enable farmers to set up and configure their equipment through Trimble’s Precision-IQ field software, including manual guidance, assisted and automated steering, application controls, mapping and data logging, equipment profiles and camera feeds from attached inputs and other internet-based apps.
Enables affordable smart construction upgrades for fleets
Photo: Komatsu
The Smart Construction Retrofit kit turns a conventional Komatsu excavator “smart” with 3D guidance and payload monitoring. With a kit installed, an operator is no longer required to set up a laser or bench every time the machine moves. The kit’s GNSS receiver determines where a machine is on the job site and what the target grade is. The need for additional labor is reduced because the technology collects and delivers information directly to the operator. Designed to improve grading performance and provide more time- and cost-management tools, Smart Construction Retrofit kits can bring 3D to most Komatsu excavators in a fleet. The kit gives operators the latest design data, measures payload volumes and load counts, and allows managers to monitor production from the office by integrating Smart Construction applications. The payload meter helps prevent overloading trucks by promoting proper loading weights for on- and off-road vehicles, to reduce the potential for equipment damage and other risks.
The SAgro10 GNSS is an upgradeable entry-level guidance system for precision agriculture, which can be easily upgraded to the SAgro100 automatic steering system. Equipped with a high-precision GNSS module, the SAgro10 tracks all constellations. For users with network coverage or a UHF base station, the SAgro10 system provides centimeter-level accuracy navigation in real-time kinematic mode. In the absence of base stations, it can still provide sub-meter navigation accuracy in single-point smoothing mode. The system is compatible with most agricultural tractors and can be installed in 15 minutes. It supports a 10-in sunlight-readable touchscreen with a clear graphic interface. The SAgro10 software can intelligently manage the work area and simplify user operations, such as recording the completed work area and planning the work route.
CyArk, a California-based nonprofit, used UAVs, lidar and GNSS equipment to scan Big Basin Redwood State Park in Santa Cruz, California and create a model of it. The model shows drastic changes from climate change and the after-effects of the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire.
CyArk was contracted by the California park system and Google Art & Culture to document climate-related changes in the state forest, including the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire, which burned more than 97% of the oldest park in California, destroying historic structures and most of the park. The fire was detrimental to the park’s landscape, which is still plagued by drought.
DJI quad-rotor UAVs, a fixed-wing senseFly UAS, lidar and photogrammetry data brought in by RealityCapture software, and Topcon Positioning Group GNSS receivers among other technologies were used by CyArk to map the large-scale project.
The model created from the flyover of the Big Basin can be seen here.
CyArk digitally documents culturally historical places around the globe in 3D to preserve each site’s story using GNSS and lidar technology. They have worked at more than 200 sites in more than 40 countries.
TinyMobileRobots’ has introduced TinyLineMarker to the field painting market. TinyLineMarker is designed to accurately paint field lines in stadiums using GPS technology.
In addition to GPS signals, the robot receives corrections signals from an RTK network in order to accurately trace the markers onto the field. Even if the GPS signal is disrupted, the numerous RTK network reference stations make it possible for the robot to correct its position and continue painting.
As TinyLineMarker is compatible with handheld tablets, the robot will begin painting in accordance with the markers when it is started from a tablet. Once the robot completes a line marking job, the line pattern can be saved to the cloud and saved for future use. Line patterns can also be updated or changed from a tablet as needed.
Guidance and precision control, the base elements of modern machine control for construction, have continued to evolve since broad productization began in the mid-1990s. However, the value proposition has become even sweeter since, with value being realized beyond the return on investment (ROI) of the general contractors and the total project price tag for the clients. While the majority of equipment globally is still non-digital, new levels of simplicity and affordability are helping to fill that gap.
The roots of machine control stretch back a century. The Historical Construction Equipment Association (HCEA) posits that the A.W. French & Co. “utility grader” of the 1920s, a crawler-mounted unit that used stringline control, may be the very first example — and this before electronics and computing. However, it was the advent of real-time kinematics (RTK) for GPS in the mid-1990s that brought machine control as we know it to the construction site, and coincidentally to precision agriculture.
Initially, the focus was on guidance. Then it moved to precision control, such as blade control, and later propagated to more classes of motorized equipment, improved with further sensor integration.
The impact on construction and agriculture has been undeniable: productivity gains, less rework, more efficient handling of materials, shorter timelines, site safety improvements, and more. These benefits are as obvious to clients and operators as they were in the early days of adoption, gains from nearly three decades of innovation.
What form have these growing benefits taken, and who is realizing them? We sought insights from industry experts to find out.
Grading and Excavation
Automation is not just about speed; it is also about better control of the load and stress on the equipment and moving just the right amount of materials so as not to place a burden on it. (Photo: CHCNAV)
These two activities, as each of our interviewed experts attest, represent the lion’s share of realized productivity gains.
While not the complete picture of overall value, the sheer volume of equipment that has been, or could be, automated speaks, well, volumes. “Apart from the skid steer systems, there are more excavators manufactured than all the other equipment types combined,” said Daniel Sass, product manager of machine control at Hemisphere GNSS. “Excavators are the workhorse. And people use them differently, and they use other pieces of equipment to complement excavators somewhat differently. Certainly, the bulk of our sales is excavators, and in fact a key part of our value proposition is focused on compact machines, but also all the way up to mining shovels. Certainly, by volume it is excavators and compact excavators.”
Numbers help tell the story. “In the United States, at least in a three-year period from 2019 to 2022, about 253,000 excavators were sold, for which I have pretty reliable data, but only 61,000 dozers and only 7,000 scrapers,” Sass said. “That’s North America, where we also use a lot of dozers and scrapers. If you go to Europe, where they use excavators for many other tasks, the proportional impact might be higher.”
Operators can easily gauge the ROI of going digital for individual pieces of equipment such as excavators, but part of the incentive could be that general contractors are requiring subcontractors to be equipped and ready to fit into a more complete digital site. “Some definitely require it,” said Randy Noland, vice president of global sales at Hemisphere GNSS. “A lot of … larger sites. I wouldn’t say everybody mandates it yet, but that it is growing.”
“Operator assistance is not only helping someone cut to grade faster, but is also the best way to cut to grade,” said Cameron Clark, earthmoving industry director, Trimble Civil Construction. “How do you move the material? That directly ties into productivity by only moving the material you need to move, which also equates to less fuel because you can do it faster.” With operator assistance, Clark said, it is not uncommon to see productivity gains of 30% to 40%, even with inexperienced operators. And with automatics, this could exceed 75%, depending on the work done.
There are substantial gains to be made in operator assistance for less complex heavy equipment, such as compactors. “Often a contactor will put a less experienced operator in the compactor,” Clark said. “In manual days, to overcome the potential of under-compaction and missing spots, they’d create quite a big overlap, maybe up to 40% of overlap between paths. By adding steering control, we can automate the compactor to where it needs to be — to stay on line every day, all day. And you can reduce the overlap to 10% or 15%; having to compact a smaller area means that you’re quicker, say 30% quicker.”
“Grade control gains can be 30% to 50%,” said Magnus Thibblin, president, machine control division, Hexagon Geosystems. “Depending on the machine and the job application, and how experienced the crew is, it can be similar for excavators.” Thibblin was an end user from the early days of machine control. He saw its potential and how it might work better. Its benefits came not just from automating elements of the equipment, he said, but from implementing a more complete digital workflow.
“How much are you working with the digital design from the start?” Thibblin said. “I’m one of those who believes you should have 3D from the start; for any kind of layer that the machines can build to. Incidentally, in North America, working to models is implemented for a lot of graders and dozers. In Europe, there is a large excavating market, but it’s the same foundation. If you work from the design, you will have savings in fuel, time, efficiency, safety, etc. Depending on all of these things, the total value proposition may be 30% to 70%.”
Wenming Sun, vice general manager for digital construction, CHCNAV, reiterates these points. “Currently, our machine control solutions are mainly installed on earthmoving machines, including bulldozers, excavators and motor graders,” Sun said. “The greatest value of these solutions is to improve construction efficiency, shorten construction time, reduce fuel consumption and mechanical wear while ensuring construction quality.”
CHCNAV is a relatively new player in the construction machine control market, launching initially in Europe and Asia. The company has been developing automation and steering systems for equipment that can yield the highest gains for their customers. “For example, our 3D TG63 automatic control system for motor graders can double efficiency compared to manual operation of machines and reduce time by 50% for the same workload,” Sun said.
Getting to the designed grade, or trench line, of earthworks geometry faster is a huge benefit, while reducing or removing finishing steps is a bonus. “Now we’re seeing that with excavators that have automatics, the finishing we can get out of an excavator is amazing,” Clark said. “You used to get dozers cleaning up after excavators. Now, with the performance you can get with an automatic excavator, you often don’t need to run the dozer — the excavator can get it done the first time.”
However, dozers are used for many other tasks. Clark noted that about 95% of blade-control systems for dozers sold have automatics. He said grade control brings tremendous productivity gains, but that excavation is right up there as well. “When you look at the number of machines out there, it’s in a different league,” Clark added. “In 2021, for example, globally about 370,000 crawler excavators and 325,000 mini excavators were sold.”
Lateral Benefits
GNSS has revolutionized automation for many classes of heavy equipment. However, for certain high precision work, particularly finished elevations, site levels and totals stations are essential. (Photo: Hexagon)
For the general contractor, ROI is a key measure. This can be reasonably easy to gauge, as this ROI calculator shows: intelligent-construction.com/roi-calculator/. However, what matters is not just the upfront time and cost for grading and excavating, but also avoiding lateral time and costs. “If you can do jobs faster and more accurately, it lends itself to less rework,” Clark said. “You do it right the first time, which again goes into less fuel, and then also less material. For example, let’s say your excavator is digging down to a trench and the operator digs too deep, which happens often. That material dug out of the trench potentially needs to be carted away. So, extra fuel and trucks are needed to take the material away. They’ve got to put high quality material back in, so that means they actually have to cart more material back to put in the trench, and you have to spread the material.
Again, it’s a flow-on effect — a chain reaction. When you look at sustainability, what we do has direct and indirect effects — it’s 1 gallon of fuel you don’t use that saves about 22 pounds of carbon emissions.”
The green dividend goes beyond just what individuals and firms wish to see. Increasingly, infrastructure developers and owners may be subject to sustainability requirements. Depending on where the work is being done, sustainable development goals are being acted on. This includes not just the environmental goals, but also requirements for the digitalization of design and construction, and ultimately smarter and more sustainable infrastructure. Machine control in construction can deliver some of the most substantial benefits in meeting these goals.
Like overall value for the operators and clients, gauging the highest green dividend becomes a proposition of sheer volume. “On average, your dozer is going to burn much more fuel. However, we sell four times as many excavator solutions as we do for dozers,” said Miles Ware, vice president of marketing and global customer care, Hemisphere GNSS. “The excavator solution is critical for both an ROI and an environmental impact.” Among the most-sold excavators in the United States are the Kubota 4-ton, the John Deere 3.5-ton and 5-ton, and the Caterpillar 5-ton. “The smaller excavators are going to use a lot less fuel,” Ware added. “If we compare this to mid- and large-sized excavators and dozers, we might be getting close to a point of equilibrium, when it comes to environmental impact. Those that consume huge amounts of fuel move massive amounts of earth. However, the ability to have the larger units operate much more efficiently, complete jobs much faster, and get on site and off site quicker with fewer passes in fewer hours adds up to a green dividend. Then you take the smaller volumetric scale of so many excavators and the environmental benefit really starts to balance out. There are huge incentives for all these platforms, whether it be dozers or excavators, to have the technology in place.” Hemisphere announced at the Bauma Exhibition in October that it now has systems to support loaders and scrapers.
“One of the things that’s really intriguing to me about the loader solution is that it represents a crossover point between construction earthmoving and agriculture,” Ware said. “There’s a huge benefit for feedlots and agriculture-related operations, where they use machine-controlled loaders to avoid damaging base layers. We have a growing machine-control audience, and a substantially growing precision agriculture audience. It is just one example of how technologies are cross-pollinating in different verticals.”
The benefits of machine control are broadly recognized across the industry. “Improved construction efficiency and shorter construction time means that the machine operating time is shortened for the same workload,” Sun said. “According to our own calculation results, using for instance our system for motor graders, fuel consumption can be reduced by 35% to 50% under different working conditions. Thanks to the full real-time automation of its blade, the grader can achieve the expected finish accuracy in one or two passes, whereas an unequipped machine would require four to five passes. This effectively reduces fuel consumption and, as a result, minimizes the carbon footprint of construction projects.”
Automation means you can build to the model in less time and refine the movements of the equipment to move just the right amount of material — enough to improve productivity, but not so much as to put an undue strain on it. “Any time you have a piece of equipment that needs to be repaired or is out of service, it is disruptive to the project of course, but it can also have an environmental impact, and sustainability is something we all work toward,” Thibblin said.
Connectivity and Collaboration
Going to a fully digital site means working fully in 3D, from a digital model, and seeking to eliminate 2D plans sets. No more interpretation, no more estimation—the right amount of material is moved rapidly and reliably by multiple machines working in harmony. (Photo: Hemisphere GNSS)
Moving forward, there may be additional incremental gains in the productivity of individually automated equipment, yet this may be modest in contrast to the time since the introduction of machine control decades ago. For the next sea change in construction productivity, we should be looking beyond simply the machines. “Let’s take the holistic viewpoint,” Thibblin said. “You have everything from the machines that of course have either machine control or different levels of autonomy, everything from semi-autonomous to semi-automatic. Then you have the trucks, which can be connected also with the tracker devices, which enables optimal routing, enhanced safety, and coordinating material handling cycles.”
Total project and site coordination has been in the works for vertical construction for quite some time; we hear a lot about building information modeling. However, heavy civil is catching up. “We anticipate that the ongoing integration of digital construction solutions with internet of things technologies will bring more choice and functionality to customers,” Sun said.
Further, real-time collaborative software platforms are already in use. Many vendors for machine control have added live connectivity for such coordination.
“Our customers are using ConX,” Thibblin said, referring to Leica ConX, a cloud-based collaboration tool. “It is remotely connecting to the mission, which is support, service, file transfers, project updates.” While online collaborative tools have been around for years, current offerings have reached such a level of maturity that they have driven a boom in adoption for even smaller operations. Customers need to make sure that projects are working optimally, and continuously.
Another major difference from the early days of machine control is that the relative cost of outfitting equipment with automation components is far less. Therefore, it is more practical to automate nearly all equipment on a site, making a truly coordinated digital site possible. “It’s not just the larger businesses that are investing, it’s also the smaller businesses that understand and can calculate the ROI. It is also a difference in competency level: how complex and support-intensive the system was. Now, it’s much more integrated,” Thibblin said.
Today’s systems are tighter, work better, connect better with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and the learning curve not as steep. The machines have become smarter, yet easier to use and integrate. “You do not have to be a nuclear scientist to understand the systems,” Thibblin said. “The equipment and collaboration tools are now much simpler. Not simple to make, but we do that for you.”
It is a chain reaction: the equipment gets smarter yet simpler, and both characteristics drive more adoption. More of a site gets automated, enabling digital collaboration, and with that comes more efficiency, saving on time, costs, materials and fuel. The sum of the parts yields productivity gains, the site gets safer, and of course there is a green dividend as well. “It is not just the one thing that gets to this,” Thibblin said. “It is many parts.”
Clark reiterates, “The biggest driver and the biggest impact is when we can actually control the site, optimize how we coordinate groups of machines working together, and efficiently run the job site. That’s where you’re going to see the biggest benefit for sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint. You don’t just optimize productivity at the machine — it’s the coordination of the site and how the machines work together.”
What about the smaller firms and short-duration projects? Should the same level of full site integration happen for each job? Perhaps not. However, there are alternative ways to realize nearly all the benefits of automation without a full digital site. “There’s a lot of focus on short-duration jobs, not only for the typical small contractors, but also for large contractors,” Clark said. “Some large contractors actually target a decent portion of jobs for smaller duration, to balance out changes in market dynamics.” There is a lot of demand for small contractors with technology, and many small contractors have to automate just to stay in the game.
“People using grade control see all the benefits, and that affects their costs,” Clark said. “They can get jobs at a different price than someone who isn’t benefiting from grade control. We’re seeing this a lot in the adoption of our earthworks and grade-control products.”
A challenge to adoption by smaller firms used to be that with a small staff, they might not have the necessary office software, a surveyor, a design engineer, or a 3D modeler. While there is a cottage industry of drafters who do small 3D modeling contracts for that market, there are now more alternatives. “We’ve added features to our systems that enable these contractors, on these short duration jobs, to create designs without requiring office software,” Clark said. “Typically, without a 3D design, you are eyeballing, and you have to do grade checks. There are conventional systems that can include lasers and line tracers, but now that simple designs can be added to the machine-control systems without additional office steps, more operators will be able to use them on a greater number of small jobs.”
Multi-sensor integration has enabled more equipment on the site to be automated. Not long after the first GPS-guided machine control systems came along, more sensors were added, such as inertial measurement units (IMUs). Besides IMUs, the sensors in play can include GNSS receivers, lasers, lidar scanners, sonics, optics, cameras, displacement sensors, pressure sensors, thermal sensors, inclinometers, vehicle distance measurement instruments and telematics.
Beyond GPS, the wealth of additional GNSS satellites and signals has brought more robust and reliable solutions in mixed environments. Recently, a heavy equipment operator called to ask if there was “something wrong with GPS” that day. He reported having spotty fixes and wildly varying results. After some standard troubleshooting of his communications and correction sources, we determined he was using a legacy broadcast format, and his GNSS receiver, while fully multi-constellation enabled, was only using one constellation. Once a newer correction format was chosen — bam! — he was fixed instantly with results as good as he’d ever seen. Things are getting better on all tech fronts.
Coordination of a fully digital site often involves integrating as many operations as possible through a back-end site management software, connecting as much equipment as possible, and working from standard models. This can be a relatively simple proposition if a site is under a single solution. However, general contractors may not be in a position to use equipment from a single brand. They may have a diverse equipment portfolio and seek flexibility in being able to onboard subcontractors. Vendors have recognized this and offer different levels of interoperability. “In addition to high-performance and real-world site-smart software features, our systems play well with mixed fleets,” Noland said. “Meaning multi-brand GNSS systems, radios and various file formats. This is key for firms that have already made investments, as well as new users entering the market concerned about how compatible their equipment will be.”
“If you have a mixed fleet, you can easily grow it,” Ware said. “Or, you can interoperate with other contractors or entities. So, if there’s a brand X already working, and if a Hemisphere GradeMetrix contractor is added to that project, they can seamlessly come in and handle most of the files, go immediately to work, and further expand the use of the technology on that particular project.”
The Underserved Market
Machine control has evolved in the decades since initial productization from navigation and guiance to include precision control of blades, buckets and more, and the ability of even smaller equipment to work from 3D models. (Photo: Trimble)
If the construction industry is going to help meet growing global infrastructure needs, to fill the existing multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure gaps, then a lot more equipment needs to be automated.
“Let me just make a general comment that speaks to both productivity gains and a lower carbon footprint: as an industry, we can do much better,” Noland said. “Only about 15% to 20% of the equipment that could be outfitted for machine control has been, and the other 80% is up for grabs.” Noland credited other key players — such as Trimble, Topcon, and Leica — with providing excellent solutions for certain sectors of machine control, yet he sees an opportunity for Hemisphere to excel.
“The next wave is the underserved part of the market,” Noland said. “If we’re successful, then your climate impact is greater and your productivity gains higher.” He noted that in addition to systems for large equipment, a particular focus for Hemisphere has been providing a range of affordable solutions for smaller equipment. “We feel like we are tapping into that part of the market that has been underserved. It’s not necessarily new features from what everybody already has, as much as it is democratizing the technology to that underserved 80%.”
Autonomy and the Near Future
It is exciting to think about, but is the next sea change for construction machine control going to be full automation? Is that truly an inevitability? Or is the road to autonomy already paved with productivity gold?
“The autonomous machine, and the autonomous site; it is what we are doing to get there that continually boosts productivity,” Clark said. “As more operator assistance is added, the semi-autonomy that many systems already provide means that the operator can concentrate on more aspects of the operation; and this definitely enhances site safety.”
Autonomy might not necessarily reach every piece of equipment, and contractors may not want it for every task. With the prospects of anything like a fully autonomous site being on a sliding horizon, contractors and clients are not waiting around — they are already reaping the benefits of automation on the individual equipment level. Productivity gains and a green dividend will only increase as sites become more fully integrated. In some ways, the best parts of such a future are already here.
Gavin Schrock is a practicing surveyor, technology writer and operator of a cooperative GNSS network.
Hemisphere GNSS has released the GradeMetrix Scraper Solution for pull pan and belly pan scrapers on the construction site.
“We believe by introducing affordable GNSS technology to the construction industry’s bulk earth moving process, we provide a significant opportunity for equipment operators to increase their speed, accuracy and efficiency, resulting in substantial savings in fuel costs and equipment maintenance,” said Miles Ware, vice president of marketing.
“Hemisphere continues its commitment to bring high-performance, world-class 3D machine control and guidance solutions to the global market,” said Randy Noland, vice president of Global Sales & Business Development. “By adding the GradeMetrix Scraper Solution to our expanding product portfolio, we lower the barrier of entry and raise access to more markets and applications.”
GradeMetrix Scraper kits will be available for purchase for new customers. Existing customers will have the option to add scraper support to their current GradeMetrix system via a software upgrade and machine activation.
Deere & Company has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to secure a satellite communications solution that will further connect its fleet of intelligent machines. The solution will enhance the satellite connectivity that Deere is delivering to its customers.
“We believe satcon will unlock significant opportunities in agriculture by enabling farmers to take advantage of innovative technologies that rely on real-time information and communication,” said Lane Arthur, vice president of Data, Applications and Analytics at John Deere. “For example, autonomous tractors benefit from real-time communication through the John Deere Operations Center, as farmers use the app to start and stop the machine, monitor the job it’s executing, and determine what it should do when it encounters an obstacle.”
During the initial phase, Deere is seeking a strategic partnership with a vendor or set of vendors to connect both new machines and retrofitted machines through satellite service and ruggedized satellite terminals. This is expected to enable Deere’s customers to be more productive and efficient, and increase food and fuel production.
For more information on the request for proposals, contact [email protected].
The GFX-1260 display for precision agriculture. (Photo: Trimble)
Trimble has introduced next-generation displays for precision agriculture applications — the Trimble GFX-1060 and GFX-1260.
The displays enable farmers to complete in-field operations quickly and efficiently while also mapping and monitoring field information in real time with precision, Trimble said. Both displays feature an Android-based operating system and enhanced processing power for controlling and executing in-field work.
The new flagship GFX-1260 is a 12-inch (30.5 cm) display, while the GFX-1060 is a 10-inch (25.6 cm) display, and both are compatible with the Trimble NAV-500 and NAV-900 GNSS guidance controllers.
When paired with the NAV-900, farmers can achieve increased accuracy out of the box by leveraging Trimble’s leading CenterPoint RTX correction service, which is included for the first year.
The high-resolution touchscreen displays are compatible with more than 10,000 vehicle models across more than 40 equipment brands. The displays are ISOBUS-compatible, which allows one display or terminal to control ISOBUS implements, regardless of manufacturer. It standardizes control settings, reduces downtime and minimizes installation and interface challenges, simplifying data exchange and machine control.
The new displays enable farmers to set up and configure their equipment through Trimble’s Precision-IQ field software, including manual guidance, assisted and automated steering, application controls, mapping and data logging, equipment profiles and camera feeds from attached inputs and other internet-based apps.
Running the powerful Precision-IQ software, the Trimble GFX-1060 and GFX-1260 displays feature:
flexible connectivity across the farm through integrated wireless options including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and BroadR-Reach high-speed communications
seamless communication from tractor to farm equipment through ISOBUS compatibility, the Field-IQ crop input control system, and Trimble Universal Variable Rate (TUVR) or serial rate control
ability to connect to GNSS correction services including Trimble RTX technology, CenterPoint RTK and CenterPoint VRS through the NAV-900 controller
compatibility with all Trimble guidance systems as well as CAN bus support for both assisted and automated steering
interoperability with Trimble Ag Software to support data management needs across the farming ecosystem
data sharing across the farm with the optional AutoSync feature, allowing farm managers to remotely send work orders and ensure vehicles, implements and fieldwork are aligned and working properly.
Fuel and fertilizer prices are at all-time highs, as farmers the world over are scrambling to find ways to stay financially afloat. Large commercial farms have long had a leg up over smaller holdings. They already have access to artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge hardware to plan their operations and automate tasks. They run broad sensor networks to monitor soil quality, operate vision-enabled drones to monitor crop health, and let autonomous tractors steer across their fields to vastly improve their productivity.
These advanced systems have been prohibitively expensive, to the point that their costs are hard to justify for smaller holdings, less than two hectares in size, which make up the vast majority of the world’s more than 570 million farms. Many of these farmers simply don’t have access to sufficient capital to invest in new equipment, and continue to rely on older machines and human labor. For them, the vast promise of the digital revolution to increase the efficiency of agricultural operations — typically lumped together as smart farming or precision agriculture — has long remained just out of reach.
But change is in the air. Over the past few years, the popularization of the internet of things (IoT) and its underlying technologies has led to the development of a new and more affordable generation of precision farming solutions. These solutions are giving smallholdings tools to increase the quantity and the quality of their production. Combining satellite-based positioning, wireless connectivity and visual sensing with advanced algorithms including machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence, these solutions promise to help farmers produce more for less, putting them on more equal footing with their larger commercial competitors.
In this article, we take stock of key trends driving the democratization of precision agriculture. We zoom in on some of the concrete applications transforming the operations of smaller farms the world over. We start by exploring the core enabling technologies, the applications they enable, and where they are headed.
Technological evolution on all fronts
Sensor-fusion platforms
At their heart, precision agriculture solutions are sensor fusion platforms, taking in data points from a variety of sensors, using algorithms to make sense of them, and extracting insights on which their users — machine or human — can act. As they mature, these sensor fusion platforms are becoming increasingly complex, crunching more and more types of sensor data with algorithms of growing sophistication to gain ever deeper and higher value insights.
These insights are often generated using AI and ML models that run at the edge of the network near the sensors — on the tractors, sprayers, or other devices themselves — rather than in the cloud.
Equipment manufacturers looking to integrate AI/ML at the edge are weighing their options in terms of adding application processors and hardware accelerators capable of running advanced ML models needed to fuse camera and sensor inputs to make real-time decisions. To simplify the adoption of AI/ML at the edge, many vendors are starting to integrate AI accelerators into their modules and systems-on-chip (SoCs), lowering the barrier to entry.
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), for their part, are choosing to integrate these SoCs even if their software capabilities are still behind. For them, building solutions with future-proof hardware is a potentially lucrative strategy for generating recurring revenues through firmware updates that provide advanced functions down the road.
Despite the abundance of evaluation kits from major vendors, scaling from prototypes to production with these solutions can be expensive. While integrated sensor fusion platforms with, for example, pre-loaded dynamic vehicle models for auto-steering or computer vision models for plant health can accelerate development for OEMs and reduce the need for software investment, they can be too generic and may not solve use-case-specific needs. More focused AI/ML may require more investment in data collection and training models, which, due to their proprietary nature could come at a higher price.
Camera systems are already widely relied on by autonomous tractors, visually monitoring the surrounding environment and feeding their data into computer-vision solutions where it is parsed. Context-rich, vision-based data can help optimize the distribution of agricultural inputs such as water, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides using real-time variable spray-rate control based on plant size and other metrics to significantly improve efficiencies and reduce overall costs.
Camera systems come with a set of challenges that need to be carefully managed. Lenses can become contaminated with water, debris, dust, and snow. Even though these issues impact all vision-based applications, including mass-market applications such as automated and autonomous driving, there are still no reliable methods of keeping them clean, aside from water-spraying nozzles (that can cause buildup on the lenses) and old-fashioned manual maintenance.
Additionally, the steep price of high-resolution cameras can drive up the cost of end solutions, as can data storage and communication when the visual data is processed in the cloud.
Global navigation satellite systems
Satellite-based positioning has also become a staple in precision agriculture solutions. Autonomous and guided tractors use the technology to drive vehicles along precise paths to increase pass-to-pass efficiency and reduce overlapping rows. Crop monitoring drones use GNSS technology to patrol predefined flight paths. And fully autonomous guided vehicles such as robotic lawnmowers use it to avoid restricted no-go zones. The latter three applications typically require centimeter-level positioning accuracies.
Centimeter-level GNSS technology has been available for well over a decade, with farmers subscribing to relatively costly GNSS correction services tailored to each user. However, it was only with the advent of affordable RTK services with availability in rural areas, as well as the dramatic decrease in cost for farmers to deploy their own RTK base stations using low-cost modules, that the price point of high precision positioning has come down far enough to make the service affordable to all but the least lucrative operations.
High precision GNSS technology brings the benefits of improved pass-to-pass efficiency – a general reduction of all agricultural inputs with all the financial, environmental, and health benefits that this entails. At the same time, it requires solutions to deal with signal delays and the resulting inaccuracies of multipath effects, caused when signals bounce off buildings, mountains, or other solid structures on their way to the GNSS receiver.
When delivered via the internet, the GNSS augmentation data stream requires an IP connection to the provider’s server. This poses challenges for farms that lack infrastructures such as Wi-Fi base stations, sub-GHz RF systems, or cellular network coverage.
Photo: Avalon_Studio/E+/Getty Images
Wireless connectivity
In some way or another, all advanced precision ag use cases depend on wireless connectivity. Environmental sensors and inspection drones need it to relay data to the cloud backend. Additionally, tractors, drones, and other farm robots depend on it to upload telematics data, report their status, enable predictive maintenance tools to reduce downtime, and receive GNSS augmentation data for high precision positioning.
While cellular connectivity is the easiest to use — all it takes to upload data straight to the cloud is a mobile data subscription and a SIM card — it has two key drawbacks. The first, mentioned earlier, is that the entire farm needs robust network coverage, which is not always a given in rural areas even in the United States and other developed countries. Also, when coverage is available, the cost of data transfers can quickly add up and become prohibitive for smaller, less profitable farms, as they may not be able to negotiate affordable connectivity plans as effectively as larger operations that have much higher data usage.
One way to address the coverage issue is by choosing the right wireless communication technology. Low power wide area technologies, such as LTE-M, NB-IoT, and Cat-1 solutions offer similar coverage to traditional LTE in many countries and are available at a fraction of the cost. When higher bandwidths are required, LTE Cat 4 or higher modules offer 150 Mbps+ of throughput. 5G modules enabling gigabit connectivity are available today, but solutions may cost up to 10-times more.
As an alternative, 5G Redcap – an upcoming 3GPP technology – seeks to provide a 5G compatible, affordable solution with medium bandwidth and lower complexity, enabling affordable hardware. We will likely start to see the first RedCap offerings from mobile network operators in 2025.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning at the edge offer an additional tool to reduce bandwidth requirements, by processing sensed data near the sensors themselves. Rather than streaming vast amounts of raw sensor data to the cloud, devices leveraging edge intelligence can reduce their wireless communication bandwidth requirements and cost by uploading only relevant information.
The trends driving democratization
Progress in sensing and sensor fusion platforms, camera systems, GNSS technology, and wireless connectivity is but one of the drivers democratizing precision agriculture. The other is an ongoing ecosystem-wide transformation that is breaking down many of the barriers that have kept precision agriculture solutions the preserve of large, lucrative farming operations.
Together, they are bringing down the cost of ownership of precision ag technology. Only just a few years ago, the only available solutions from major OEMs came with a hefty price tag, comprising expensive hardware and considerable recurring subscription fees, while requiring skilled labor to implement, operate, and maintain smart equipment.
Vendor lock-in enforced by locking telematics interface ports prevented farms from adopting aftermarket solutions — justified as a way to improve safety and vehicle reliability. Ultimately, however, this limited farmers’ ability to maintain their equipment themselves and to piece together cost-optimized solutions tailored to their specific needs using components from competing solution providers.
Today, all of this is changing. Hardware costs are down dramatically due, largely, to economies of scale unleashed by the Internet of Things’ explosive growth. Farmers now have access to affordable, user-friendly aftermarket solutions to upgrade tractors and other agricultural machines they already own that depend on a new generation of more cost-effective GNSS correction services. OEMs are introducing advanced functionality in their entry- to mid-range tractors in addition to their premium product line.
At the same time, the abundance of open-source projects, module-based solutions, and pre-certified radio technologies are making the development of precision ag solutions cheaper, bringing down the cost of off-the-shelf hardware. Add to that lower subscription costs for GNSS correction services thanks to improved broadcast distribution with SSR-RTK (state space representation-real-time kinematic).
The total cost of connectivity is dropping as well. Deploying connectivity infrastructure was long a non-negligible cost point, made up of wireless infrastructure and data subscription fees. Today, thanks to the increased availability of cost- and power-optimized wireless communication technologies with broader coverage (LTE-M, NB-IoT, LTE Cat 1), farmers can reap the benefits of the overall expansion of cellular network infrastructure.
Arguably one of the most promising trends driving the democratization of precision agriculture technology comes from the farming community itself in the form of do-it-yourself solutions based on open-source hardware and software designs.
Take AgOpenGPS, also referred to as AOG, an open-source auto-steering solution created by a Canadian farmer and software developer. AOG delivers all the hardware design files, the real-time microcontroller firmware, and software required to enable auto-steering on conventional tractors, regardless of their age. Thousands of hours invested by the AOG developer community have made the solution accessible to the masses, both financially — retrofitting tractors can cost less than USD $1,000 — and in terms of prerequisite knowledge.
A growing variety of precision agriculture platforms, from high-end commercial solutions that cater to the most profitable farms to low-cost do-it-yourself solutions that can pay for themselves in a year and are accessible to smaller, less profitable operations, are transforming the impact that precision agriculture can deliver. With the global food supply under tremendous pressure, this democratization of smart farming technology could come to play an important role in feeding the world.
To learn more about how u-blox enables high-precision autonomous vehicles and other smart farming applications, visit www.u-blox.com/precision-agriculture.
A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the September 2022 issue of GPS World magazine.
OEM
Receiver Upgrade
OSNMA anti-spoofing tech now on PolaRx5 GNSS reference receivers
Photo: Septentrio
Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) is now available on the high-end PolaRx5 reference receiver series. OSNMA offers end-to-end authentication on Galileo’s civilian signals, protecting receivers from GNSS spoofing attacks. OSNMA adds another layer of security to the receivers’ existing AIM+ anti-jamming and anti-spoofing technology. The PolaRx5 product range also now supports RINEX format versions 3.05 and 4.0.
The MAGNA-F and MAGNA-I GPS anti-jam antennas provide simultaneous L1/L2 protection and can protect commercial and military GPS receivers on aircraft. The MAGNA products were developed with sponsorship by the U.S. Navy and further improved by the U.S. Army to support GPS protection requirements for air, sea and ground platforms, such as fixed-wing/rotary aircraft, ships, UAVs and tactical vehicles. The MAGNA-F uses a 3.5-inch-diameter controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA) compatible with existing fixed radiation pattern antenna (FRPA) footprints. The MAGNA-I (NavGuard 730) is a high-performance yet small GPS anti-jam integrated solution with a 4.5-inch diameter FRPA-compatible footprint.
Centimeter-level GNSS for mass-market applications
Photo: ArduSimple
The SimpleRTK2B single-board computer (SBC) is built around up to three u-blox ZED-F9P high-precision GNSS receivers. It simplifies development of centimeter-level positioning solutions supporting real-time kinematics (RTK), making the technology accessible to broader audiences. The SimpleRTK2B-SBC was developed to make RTK technology as close to plug-and-play as possible. In addition to working as a stand-alone solution, customers can program their own applications with the company’s microPython API. The SimpleRTK2B-SBC delivers mechanical integration with centimeter position on three axes (heading, pitch and roll), outputting on NMEA, RTCM, RS232 and CANBus interfaces via Ethernet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 2G/3G/4G communication. It offers configurable input/output and an inertial measurement unit.
For assured positioning, navigation and timing (PNT)
Photo: ADVA
The OSA 3300-HP is a high-performance optical cesium clock with a 10-year lifetime compared to the five-year lifetimes of high-performance magnetic clocks. It provides the resilience required for PNT assurance in critical infrastructure and empowers service providers to deliver differentiated service-level-agreement timing offerings with integrated GNSS backup. The OSA 3300-HP has embedded Ethernet- and IP-based management as well as a user-friendly touchscreen graphical user interface.
With M-Code capabilities and upgrade paths for other GNSS systems
Photo: Collins Aerospace
NavHub-200M is a vehicle navigation system for the international market with military code (M-code) receiver capabilities. NavHub-200M provides assured positioning, navigation and timing (APNT) while improving overall resistance to threats to GPS, such as jamming and spoofing. Its message formats and signal modulation techniques ensure faster and more accurate performance for ground vehicles on the connected battlespace, while advanced security features prevent unauthorized access or exploitation. NavHub-200M also includes the open interface standards and sensor-fusion capabilities required for a GNSS upgrade path, such as that for Europe’s Galileo constellation, as well as the ability to interface with key vehicle sensors such as the inertial measurement unit (IMU) and odometer.
The Trimble TDC650 handheld is built for data collection, inspection and asset management activities. The rugged solution provides scalable high-accuracy GNSS positioning for professional field workflows, including apps such as Esri ArcGIS Field Maps and Trimble TerraFlex software. The TDC650 is scalable, allowing customers to choose their desired accuracy down to the centimeter level.
Powerful solution for manned and unmanned aircraft
Photo: YellowScan
The Voyager long-range lidar scanner has a wide field of view, with all points collected oriented toward the ground so there is no loss of points. In all, 1.5 million points per second will be usable. Voyager combines a Riegl VUX-120 laser scanner with a Trimble Applanix AP+ 50 AIR or Applanix AP+ 30 AIR GNSS-inertial board, providing a precision of 0.5 cm and an accuracy of 1 cm. Voyager’s detection and processing of up to 15 target echoes per laser pulse allows for excellent vegetation penetration. It has an extremely fast data-acquisition rate of up to 1,800 kHz, suitable for projects requiring the highest point density. The laser scanner’s specifications can be customized and can be combined with YellowScan’s software solutions.
Extends 3D Tiles Next workflow into Esri ArcGIS Pro
Photo: ArcGIS
The 3D Environments Add-In application for Esri ArcGIS Pro allows ArcGIS users to rapidly transform 3D Tiles Next data formats, such as One World Terrain, into ArcGIS Pro projects to create 3D scenes from 2D vector data and 3D models. The add-in leverages Presagis’ building templates and texture libraries that analysts use to create enhanced 3D visualizations of GIS environments, helping increase collaboration across the enterprise. The 3D Environments Add-In contains tools to create, transform and extract a wide variety of 3D formats to provide seamless interoperability between ArcGIS Pro and modeling and simulation applications. It is available on the Esri ArcGIS Marketplace.
Energy performance data helps tackle climate change
Photo: XMAP
Municipal geographic information system XMAP can now incorporate the energy-performance ratings of individual properties to help local authorities tackle climate change, improve housing standards, and ensure landlords comply with legislation. The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data layer uses a rating system similar to the one used on new appliances, ranging from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient). It allows tenants and house buyers to make informed decisions. In addition to a color-coded visualization of current ratings, the XMAP EPC layer contains enhanced analysis including generalized ratings and the potential for improvement. Bath and North East Somerset Council, UK (pictured), has embraced this resource and is looking at how the data can be used to raise housing standards.
The Elios 3 is a collision-tolerant drone equipped with a lidar sensor for indoor 3D mapping. The drone is powered by a new SLAM engine called FlyAware that lets it create 3D models as it flies. It also hosts a new version of Flyability’s software for inspectors, Inspector 4.0. The Elios 3 comes with an Ouster OS0-32 lidar sensor, allowing inspectors to collect data for the creation of survey-grade 3D models using Connect software from Flyability’s partner GeoSLAM. Protected by a cage, the Elios 3 has advanced collision-tolerance features that allow inspectors to fly it inside dangerous confined spaces such as boilers, pressure vessels and mines.
The R60 is a powerful handheld with an ergonomic design. It runs on Android 12 OS, providing a suitable workhorse for surveying professionals in the field. Survey Master field software works seamlessly on the R60, which features a Qualcomm 8-core processor for massive data processing. Its 64-GB memory allows ample data storage and enables the opening of CAD drawings in seconds. Other features include a QWERTY keyboard, a 5.5-inch sunlight-readable high-resolution screen, an IP67 rating (dustproof and waterproof), and a 9,000 mA Li-ion battery for more than 30 hours of continuous functioning.
The Mobile Centimeter (MobileCM) Space Weather Station is a ready-to-use GNSS device that will act as a real-time kinematic (RTK) base station and collect space weather data. The device is pre-configured to securely connect with the Global Earth Observation Decentralized Network (GEODNET) using a home Wi-Fi network. The full four-constellation GNSS base station has built-in NTRIP server functionality and is packaged with a survey-grade triple-band roof antenna and required cables.
The SAgro10 GNSS guidance system is an entry-level guidance system for precision agriculture, providing users with higher navigation precision and higher productivity, which can be upgraded to an automatic steering system. Embedded with a high-precision GNSS module, the SAgro10 system tracks all four global constellations. For users with network coverage or a UHF base station, the system provides centimeter-level accuracy navigation in real-time kinematic mode. In the absence of base stations, the SAgro10 system provides sub-meter navigation accuracy in single-point smoothing mode. Compatible with most agricultural tractors, its components can be installed within 15 minutes. The 10-inch sunlight-readable touchscreen has a clear and simple graphic interface.
iDig 3D Connect is a solar-powered excavator guidance system with a GNSS receiver that can be removed and used as a rover, rather than permanently installed on the machine. 3D excavator guidance has seldom been used for small projects such as house foundations because of the need for a surveyor to stake out points and map a site. The removable receiver enables contractors to complete these tasks. The software provided creates a GNSS-generated site map, enabling precision digging relative to the area and making the process quicker, simpler and more eco-friendly than with 2D.
The Cloud Locator service takes data from LoRa Edge-enabled devices and uses Semtech’s LoRa Cloud Geolocation and Modem services for asset tracking both indoors and outdoors. It features built-in serverless technology and enables testing of ultra-low-power asset tracking on either a private or public LoRaWAN network. It is designed to work with trackers using Semtech’s LoRa Edge LR-series chips. The LR-series chips combine Wi-Fi and GNSS to obtain the latitude and longitude of devices in any indoor or outdoor location. Once configured on the service, together with Semtech’s LoRa wireless radio frequency technology for transmission to the cloud, customers can view the tracker location on a map in less than 15 minutes.
The Edge 1040 bike computer features solar charging and multi-band GNSS technology. Its multi-band GNSS receiver (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) provides accurate positioning in challenging ride environments, such as dense urban areas or under deep tree cover. Advanced navigational tools help cyclists stay on track, such as turn-by-turn navigation and alerts that notify riders of sharp curves ahead. Route guidance and off-course notifications can be paused for exploring and turned back on for return to the original route. When using the Trailforks app, Forksight mode automatically displays upcoming forks in the route and where a rider is within a trail network.
Skydel 22.5 is a significant software upgrade to the Skydel simulation product line. It features advanced hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing solutions providing very low to zero effective latency. Enhanced visualization tools can monitor internal latency through real-time curves showing when the data is generated and sent to the RF signal. Users can also review the transmission of HIL packets for optimizing the entire network’s latency, checking its stability (jitter), and that data is available and used at the right time in Skydel. HIL testing is an essential step in the verification process of the model-based design approach because it involves all the hardware and software that will be used operationally.
The Time-Loader is designed for defense and mission-critical applications, for deployment in environments where GNSS signals are denied or disrupted. It supports any ground, naval or airborne system that needs real time of day (TOD) and 1PPS external synchronization aligned to the UTC or GNSS. It generates a GPS L1 C/A code RF output as if the signal were coming from a live-sky GPS antenna. It provides full-constellation GPS output and is compatible with external GNSS receivers. Its GPS-disciplined oscillator (GPSDO) is the Microsemi MAC-SA53/55, which provides excellent UTC accuracy with outstanding hold-over rubidium clock performance. A self-contained, miniature GPS simulator provides real-time extremely accurate signals. The 18-channel full-constellation simulator stores location/time/date data in internal memory and stores complex vector data to simulate dynamic scenarios. The simulator also can be used to transcode NMEA or SCPI position/ velocity/time (PVT) data into GPS RF signals.
As part of a strategic alliance, Trimble and CLAAS have developed a next-generation system for CLAAS tractors, combines and forage harvesters.
The precision farming system includes the new CLAAS CEMIS 1200 “smart” display, GPS PILOT steering system and the SAT 900 GNSS receiver.
The CEMIS display uses Trimble’s new embedded modular software architecture for positioning, steering and ISOBUS technology for a seamless connection to control and monitor implements in the field. ISOBUS is an international communication protocol that sets the standard for agriculture electronics.
Trimble’s new architecture accelerates the development of a customized precision agriculture system by linking CLAAS’ machine interface and Trimble’s guidance capabilities into one common in-cab user experience.
“We understand the operators’ complexities of using separate displays with different user interfaces in the cab running the machine and performing precision farming tasks,” said Jim Chambers, vice president of Trimble Agriculture. “Working in tandem with CLAAS, we have jointly developed a next-generation precision farming system designed around one common user interface to provide CLAAS operators the best customer experience.”
“As an experienced, innovative and global provider of precision agriculture solutions, Trimble was our first choice as a technology partner,” said Carsten Hoff, managing director, CLAAS E-Systems. “Precision farming systems from Trimble have been field proven worldwide over the course of two decades. In addition, Trimble, supported by its subsidiary Müller-Elektronik, brings outstanding expertise in ISOBUS technology, which allows a display to control the machine and implement.”
The CEMIS 1200 display connects with the GPS PILOT system and SAT 900 GNSS receiver, based on the Trimble NAV-900 guidance controller, for positioning and steering capabilities. This solution provides sub-meter repeatable accuracy suitable for tillage, broad-acre seeding, spraying and harvest operations.
For even greater accuracy, users can subscribe to CLAAS-branded correction services from Trimble, called SATCOR, to achieve up to 2.5 centimeter pass-to-pass accuracy without a base station.
The precision farming system is already available for CLAAS TRION and is now expanding into LEXION, ARION, AXION and JAGUAR.
Easily installed GNSS guidance kits offer access to design and payload data
Heavy equipment maker Komatsu is offering Smart Construction Retrofit kits to enable affordable fleet upgrades. With the kits installed, conventional Komatsu excavators become “smart” with 3D guidance and payload monitoring.
Once a conventional excavator is retrofitted, operators no longer have to set up a laser or bench every time the machine moves. The kit’s GNSS receiver determines where a machine is on the job site and what the target grade is. The need for additional labor is reduced because the technology collects and delivers information directly to the operator, so fewer people have to be working on the ground or in an open trench.
Designed to improve grading performance and provide more time- and cost-management tools, Smart Construction Retrofit can bring 3D to most Komatsu excavators in a fleet. The entry-level solution can help bridge the technology gap. It gives operators the latest design data, measures payload volumes and load counts, and allows managers to monitor production from the office by integrating Smart Construction applications.
The payload meter helps prevent overloaded trucks by promoting proper loading weights for on- and off-road vehicles, to reduce the potential for equipment damage and other risks.
