Category: Mapping

Mapping marvel: Mapping Earth’s wildfires

Image: FrankRamspott/E+/Getty Images

It is no secret that the world has been burning for months. Devastating wildfires have encompassed Greece, Canada, the United States, and other parts of the world. These wildfires have incinerated entire communities, taken lives, and has had disastrous environmental effects. This wildfire outbreak can be attributed to several factors, but mainly the global climate crisis.

Why are these wildfires a monumental problem?

Widespread wildfires displace of thousands of people from their homes, raze entire communities and cities, wipe out farmland and other essential resources, create horrific air pollution — that causes inflammation of lung tissue and increases vulnerability to infections — and many other devastating effects.

Image: NASA

As reported by NASA, July has been the hottest month on record since the 1880’s. This has caused extreme dry conditions that are ideal for wildfire outbreaks, among other natural disasters.

Image: NASA

Flames engulfed parts of Hawaii the morning of Wednesday, August 9, which destroyed a centuries-old town and killing at least 106 people as of August 16. The wildfires took natives and tourists on the island by surprise. Residents and tourists were forced to evacuate the area – including some who reportedly jumped into the ocean to escape the flames. The National Weather Service stated the combination of high winds and low humidity is what caused the dangerous fire conditions across the island. The devastating fire left behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of debris where historic buildings once stood.

Image: Screenshot of BBC video

The Greece wildfires swept across the island of Rhodes, Corfu and Evia in July, creating thick clouds of smoke and forcing thousands of people the evacuate. These fires were caused by several human imposed factors such as campfires, arson and sheer negligence. However, the deadly heatwave that scorched Europe this summer — caused by carbon emissions — has not helped prevent the start and spread of these wildfires.

Image: VichienPetchmai/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures the density of five pollutants: ground-level ozone, particulates, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was originally established by the Environmental Protection Agency to communicate the cleanliness of the air Americans are breathing every day. The index runs from zero to 500 — the higher the number the more polluted the air is. Effects of air pollution can range from mild symptoms, such as eye and throat irritation, to serious ones such as heart and respiratory issues. Pollution can cause inflammation of the lung tissue and increase the vulnerability to infections.

During wildfires, fine particles in the soot, ash and dust can fill the air. The AQI identifies the concentration of particles smaller in diameter than 2.5 μM. When these particles are inhaled, the tiny specks can increase the risk of heart attacks, cancer, and respiratory infections — especially in children and older adults.

Image: NASA

Based on data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, there are 1037 active fires in Canada: 652 are out of control, 161 are being held in place, and 224 are under control as of August 23. Many of these fires were caused by lightning; however, with above-average temperatures this year and dry conditions, wildfires have been breaking out in Canada since May.

November 4, 2023
Federal agencies addressing the geodesy crisis

In my last column, I highlighted the announcement made by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) of the recipients of the NOAA FY 23 Geospatial Modeling Competition Awards. As shown in the image below, NGS awarded approximately $4 million in grant funding to four institutions for projects that will research emerging problems in the field of geodesy, develop tools and models to advance the modernization of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), and help address a nationwide deficiency of geodesists.

Image: NGS

I had the opportunity to speak with Juliana Blackwell, director of the NGS, about the geospatial awards. I asked her how the grants will help NGS in its development of products and services as well as the implementation of the modernized NSRS.

“The geospatial modeling grant is an opportunity to expand our abilities within NGS to address research challenges, diversify the tools we provide, and multiply our future workforce,” Blackwell said. “I’m excited about the competitive and collaborative nature of the grant and the chance for NGS to work with a variety of academic institutions.”

NGS awarded the grant funding to four institutions including Oregon State University, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, Michigan State University, and the Ohio State University. Looking at the summary of the awards, there appears to be some overlapping interest between grantees that could lead to a diverse set of solutions to a problem or task. I will report on specific tasks and outcomes as more details become available.

I was pleased to see that grant proposals included developing new geodetic tools and operating procedures for working with the new, modernized NSRS. Hopefully, these universities will engage the geospatial user community when developing new tools so the tools will be useful during the implementation of the new NSRS.

Summary of the Geospatial Awards (Image: NGS)

Besides providing funds for the geospatial grants, NGS is collaborating with other federal agencies to address the geodesy crisis. This collaboration, denoted as the “Geodesy Community of Practice (COP),” includes four agencies — NGS, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and United States Geological Survey (USGS). The co-chairs of the group discussed the group’s actions and goals at the Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) fall committee meeting held in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Sept. 27-29.

Geodesy Community of Practice. (Image: NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel)

The HSRP involves four NOAA offices: three National Ocean Service (NOS) program offices -NGS, the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS), the Office of Coast Survey (CS), and the University of New Hampshire’s Joint Hydrographic Center and Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping. More information and the presentations from the HSRP meeting can be obtained here. The purpose of the committee is to review and provide NOAA with independent advice on their products and services.

(Image: NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel)

I attended the three-day HRSP meeting as a virtual participant. As previously noted, NGS is one of the NOS offices that’s part of the HSRP. As the Director of NGS, Blackwell participated in the 2023 fall HSRP meeting. A majority of the meeting discussed the geodesy crisis. In my opinion, this is due to Blackwell’s efforts to highlight the importance of geodesy to NOAA products and services.

The presentation by the co-chairs of the Geodesy Community of Practice highlighted a few articles that have brought the geodesy crisis to the attention of the geospatial user community. Anyone keeping up with my columns knows that I have been highlighting the geodesy crisis and programs that advance the science of geodesy (July 2020, November 2022, December 2022, and April 2023). The geodesy crisis white paper is posted on the American Association for Geodetic Surveying (AAGS) website.

Image: NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel)

The Geodesy COP established working groups to address topics that are important to all geospatial users. All the agencies are supporting the working groups which should help create more effective and efficient solutions to technical geodetic issues.

Image: NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel

A goal of the Geodetic Community of Practice is to train future geodesists. The advancements in satellites and computers have enabled geodesy to expand into many different disciplines. Geodetic science and technology now underpin many sciences, large areas of engineering (such as driverless vehicles and UAVs), navigation, precision agriculture, smart cities, and location-based services. Major U.S. companies, such as Google and FedEx, as well as the automobile industry, precision farming companies and mining companies also need more accurate geodetic models, tools, and algorithms. Therefore, these companies also need trained geodesists to perform important research on topics that address their specific geodetic requirements. I highlighted this in my July 20, 2020, GPS World First Fix article. To address the geodesy tradecraft, the COP includes providing professional government assignments. That said, many industries that rely on accurate and consistent geodetic information should also provide professional geodetic assignments.

Training future geodesists. (Image: NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel)

I asked Blackwell how she thought the U.S. government’s Geodesy Community of Practice will help NGS and the geodesy crisis.

“The Geodesy Community of Practice is in the beginning phase right now with the collaboration among federal agencies with geodetic missions, NOAA/NGS, NGA, NASA, and USGS,” Blackwell said. “There is already a benefit in sharing research, workforce, and operational needs and leveraging our resources. I envision expanded engagement with academia, private industry, and other government agencies as the community of practice matures.”

In my opinion, the Geodesy Community of Practice’s integrated working groups consisting of individuals with different backgrounds and skills addressing geospatial problems will help to advance the field of geodesy. I believe that integrated and collaborative organizations create the best geospatial solutions; the Geodesy COP is an embodiment of this concept.

Of course, as I have stated in many of my columns, I like to remind everyone that “geodesy is the foundation for all geospatial products and services.”

November 1, 2023
Seen & heard: Catching crime and tracking songbirds

“Seen & Heard” is a monthly feature of GPS World magazine, traveling the world to capture interesting and unusual news stories involving the GNSS/PNT industry.

Tracking a songbird

Image: YiBaoTY/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

Researchers in Alaska tracked the migration patterns of olive-sided flycatcher birds by attaching tracking devices to them to discover why their population is declining. The songbirds travel more than 15,000 miles every year to South America and then back to Alaska. To survive the long trips, they require safe locations to rest during their journeys. The researchers believe the stopover sites may provide an answer to the declining population. During the five-year study, the researchers deployed 95 devices and recovered only 17. The data pointed to 13 stopover sites between Washington and Peru as well as their wintering areas in South America.

Crime ring members caught

Image: hdagli/E+/Getty Images

Members of an organized crime ring in the Florida Keys who are accused of stealing more than $2.5 million in boating navigation devices have been arrested, reported Local 10.com and Fox 4. Eleven men have been accused of targeting multiple marinas throughout Florida and stealing navigation devices from boats, specifically Garmin devices. For example, a Garmin 8612 H16 Model can be sold for more than $5,000. Ten suspects are in custody and are facing more than 122 charges.

Animals take advantage of COVID-19

Image: DrDjJanek/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Image

A new study published in Science used tracking devices on 43 animal species during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns to find that wild animals emerged from their natural habitats and ventured closer to the roads and cities that were empty. The study used several methods to analyze tracking data. Researchers examined how much animals moved on an hourly basis and during a 10-day period. Across species and countries, on average, hour-to-hour movement was 12% lower in the spring of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. With the end of lockdowns, human activity returned to normal, and animals had to adapt again. The results of the study demonstrate how humans can change their own behavior to lessen their impact on animals.

Navigation meets creativity

Image: @vikas_ruparelia on Twitter

A man from Bengaluru, India, Vikas Ruparelia, used the Strava navigation app to trace the country of India to celebrate its Independence Day. Ruparelia started and ended his journey at the Mahatma Gandhi statue near Orion Mall in Rajajinagar, India. He covered more than 73 km on foot in 17 hours. The Strava app enables users to track their running and hiking routes as well as join challenges. The route Ruparelia took was designed by another user of the app.

October 31, 2023
CHCNAV launches IMU-RTK GNSS receiver

Image: CHCNAV

CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) has released the i89, a compact IMU-RTK GNSS receiver with visual surveying and 3D modeling capabilities. In addition to GNSS surveying, the i89 offers augmented reality surveying to capture accurate 3D coordinates where signals are obstructed or access is limited.

The i89 combines CHCNAV’s iStar2.0 software and a 1408 channel GNSS system-on-a-chip (SoC) module for full constellation tracking. According to the company, its advanced algorithms improve data quality by 20%, offering RTK accuracy and reliability even in low latitude regions with high ionospheric interference.

Based on video photogrammetry, the i89 dynamically extracts accurate 3D coordinates from real-world video. Coupled with its IMU, it is designed to improve photogrammetry efficiency and accuracy. It complements UAV surveys by resolving typical distortions from UAV-mounted cameras.

The i89 offers 16.5 hours of battery life, weighing only 750g and is IP68-rated to withstand a 2m pole drop. Its visual navigation and staking capabilities aim to simplify field operations and ensure optimal productivity for surveyors in a wide range of everyday surveying tasks.

October 30, 2023
ComNav releases Z30 portable GNSS receiver

Image: ComNav Technology

ComNav Technology has released the Z30, a portable high precision GNSS receiver. This device combines a host of advanced features into a compact, versatile design that makes it suitable for a wide range of industries such as personnel positioning, internet of things (IoT), railway patrols, vehicle tracking, and search and rescue missions.

Equipped with the SinoGNSS K8 platform, the Z30 can track full constellations and multiple frequencies, providing centimeter-level accuracy. With 965 channels, it is capable of tracking more than 60 satellites of GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, IRNSS and SBAS.

The Z30 features an integrated antenna for stable signal reception. The device is also equipped with two side buttons for power and one-click SOS alerts and three Indicator LEDs for power, satellite, and differential status checks.

It supports NTRIP and TCP protocols, enabling various personnel positioning applications by uploading position data. The Z30 integrates with NaviCloud, offering functions such as real time location display, historical trajectory query, remote control and electric fence. In addition, it can be customized to meet specific customer requirements.

With indoor and outdoor positioning capabilities, the Z30 is a suitable solution for various fields. It supports outdoor real-time kinematic positioning with centimeter-level accuracy and indoor Bluetooth positioning with sub-meter-level accuracy.

October 27, 2023
FJDynamics releases reality capture and visual positioning systems

FJDynamics has released the Trion P1, a compact handheld lidar scanner and the Trion V10i GNSS system, both with visual positioning. These systems were unveiled at INTERGEO 2023.

Trion P1 lidar scanner

FJD Trion P1 lidar scanner. (Image: FJDynamics)

The simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)-based lidar scanner allows users to accurately digitize environments. With the ability to capture indoor, outdoor and underground environments, this compact scanner can be used across a variety of industries such as property management, disaster preparation, forestry and more.

“Our goal at FJDynamics is to bridge the gap between advanced technology and practical applications,” said Mike Zhao, senior product manager. “With the Trion P1 lidar scanner, we’re putting the power of reality capture into the hands of both seasoned professionals and those curious about 3D scanning.”

Key features of the scanner include a lidar capacity of 200,000 points per second, and real-time point cloud visualization on mobile devices via Trion Scan. In addition, it can calculate distance, area and volume.

Trion V10i GNSS system with visual positioning

FJD Trion V10i GNSS system with visual positioning. (Image: FJDynamics)

The FJD Trion V10i GNSS System integrates two cameras for vision-guided surveying operations, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) for tilt surveys and an OLED screen for easy status checks. This technology is designed to enhance productivity in the field, even in hard-to-access locations.

The technology features IMU-based tilt compensation for precise measurements of up to 60 ° with no calibration needed. It also comes with a built-in 4G LTE and UHF and supports NFC, WiFi and Bluetooth. It also offers users seamless connectivity through Trion Survey Cloud for real-time data sharing between field and office teams.

October 25, 2023
Launchpad: Mobile mapping, antennas and GNSS receivers

A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the October 2023 issue of GPS World magazine.

SURVEYING & MAPPING

GNSS Receiver
For GIS and survey professionals

The R2 GNSS system is a compact, durable, and flexible GNSS receiver that collects highly accurate data in a wide range of geospatial applications with submeter to centimeter positioning accuracy. The R2 can track the full range of GNSS satellite constellations and augmentation systems, and also comes with an integrated Trimble Maxwell 6 chip and 220 channels. Users can achieve higher accuracy in real-time with the ability to choose correction sources from traditional real-time kinematic, VRS networks, to Trimble RTX correction services delivered by both satellite and internet/cellular. The R2 can provide improvements to position availability and accuracy when heavy overhead cover, such as tree canopy and buildings, obstruct satellite signals. The receiver is also IP65-rated, making it suitable for rugged environments.
Trimble Geospatial, geospatial.trimble.com

Scanning and Mapping Solution
Designed for accuracy-focused remote sensing applications

The Resepi Teledyne Optech CL-360-HD has a powerful four-return laser and increased range of up to 750 m, making it ideal for mobile mapping, forestry and crack detection in critical infrastructure areas such as airport runways. Resepi is a sensor-fusion platform designed for accuracy-focused remote sensing applications. Resepi utilizes a high-performance INS and a high-accuracy dual antenna GNSS receiver, integrated with a Linux-based processing core and data-logging software. The platform also provides a Wi-Fi interface, optional imaging module, and external cellular modem for RTCM corrections. Resepi can be operated by a single hardware button or from a wirelessly connected device via a simple web interface. Resepi, equipped with Teledyne’s CL-360HD lidar, offers various laser scan speeds and frequencies, allowing users to tweak the settings to match their individual needs.
Inertial Labs, inertiallabs.com

GNSS Receiver Series
Available in three different models for various applications

The Xtraordinary X1-series GNSS receivers include X1 and X1 Lite and X1 Pro. The X1-series adopts Linux OS, which improves the stability of the system and the synergistic compatibility of each module. This series of GNSS receivers features improvements to satellite tracking, the inertial measurement unit (IMU), battery life, and more. Optimized with a new generation of IMU module, users can easily initialize the IMU in 5-sec and start tilt measurements up to 60°. The X1-series GNSS receivers supports both 4G/radio correction data transmission and can reach up to 15 km range in enhanced internal UHF mode, 20 km range in external mode, and more than 50 km via internal GSM or PDA CORS mode.
SingularXYZ, singularxyz.com

GNSS Smart Antenna
For agricultural, marine, GIS, mapping and other applications

The A631 combines the Athena GNSS engine and Atlas L-band correction technologies with a new web user interface (WebUI). Optional features include 16 GB of internal storage, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The compact antenna is designed for rugged environments and meets IP67 requirements. With multiple operating modes, A631 can be used as an RTK base station or rover. The device is supported by the Atlas Portal, which empowers users to update firmware and enable functionality, including Atlas subscriptions for accuracies from meter to sub-decimeter levels. A631 also supports BaseLink and SmartLink modes. SmartLink allows users to directly connect AtlasLink as an extension to any existing system that has industry-standard connectivity options. BaseLink automatically sets up AtlasLink as a permanent reference station, delivering corrections to any other GNSS receiver being used for positioning.
Hemisphere GNSS, hemispheregnss.com

GNSS Receiver
For land surveying, GIS, and construction applications

The Mars Pro combines GNSS, inertial measurement unit (IMU), and laser technologies. When set to laser mode, the Mars Pro can carry out measurements by selecting a signal-friendly spot within a 10-m radius, which aids in measuring hard-to-reach, signal-obstructed, and hazardous areas. With its millimeter-level laser distance meter integrated on its rear, the Mars Pro facilitates the utilization of the laser mode in scenarios involving surveying and stakeout. The integrated IMU sensor offers 60° tilt compensation, which remains functional even when operating in laser mode, allowing for uncompromised efficiency and accuracy. Equipped with the latest K8 platform, it boasts full-constellation support, offering 1,668 tracking channels and more than 60 satellite tracking capabilities across all existing and planned constellations — GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS, QZSS and IRNSS. The Mars Pro offers support for precise point positioning (PPP) service, enabling rapid fixing within seconds. Its dynamic OLED color screen is sunlight readable and offers real-time visualization of essential data — satellite count, fixed state, on-off state, power, and more. It is compatible with mainstream brands and multiple protocols, such as Transparent, TT450S, SATEL, Trimtakl3, CHC and South.
ComNav Technology, comnavtech.com

Lidar System
For mobile mapping applications

The AlphaUni 20 lidar system (AU20) features advanced multi-target capabilities that support up to 16 target echoes for vegetation penetration. The AU20 captures ground surfaces with extreme precision, producing accurate digital elevation models and digital surface models in challenging environments. The lidar system has an accuracy of 2 cm to 5 cm. It has a lightweight, compact design that weighs 2.82 kg in its airborne configuration and a total of only 10.7 kg with its car mount kit, including a Ladybug5+. Its flexible multi-platform design allows users to install it on manned or unmanned aircraft for aerial scanning, integrate it into a variety of land vehicles, and even use it as a backpack-mounted system for mapping narrow areas.
CHC Navigation, chcnav.com

Gyroscope
An advanced performance, tactical-grade MEMS gyroscope solution

Developed for use in particularly harsh environments, the TAG-304 gyroscopes can withstand extreme shock and vibrations in accordance with MIL-STD-810 standards. Additionally, TAG-304 gyroscopes are fully digitized (RS-422 interface), include built-in test (BIT) functionalities, and have no moving parts. TAG-304 is an advanced performance, tactical-grade MEMS gyroscope, of which size, power consumption, reliability and performance are ideal for accomplishing complex tasks requiring accurate stabilization of assorted platforms. Very low latency (group delay), small size, 4K Hz data rate, 1K Hz bandwidth, and low noise make TAG-304 gyroscopes a suitable solution for miniature electro-optical systems, gimbals, line-of-sight, and pan and tilt platforms stabilization and pointing applications.
Inertial Labs, inertiallabs.com

IMU
For GNSS-challenged environments

The ANELLO IMU+ provides robust and reliable autonomous navigation and positioning in GNSS-denied or GNSS-compromised environments. Powered by optical gyroscope technology, the ANELLO IMU+ delivers high precision and reliability in demanding conditions, including shock, vibration, electromagnetic interference and temperature. The ANELLO IMU+ is suitable for autonomous applications in the construction, robotics, mining, trucking and defense industries.The device delivers long-term dead reckoning in high-temperature and high-vibration environments.The ANELLO IMU+ features unaided heading drift of < 0.5°/hr, dual high-speed CAN FD interfaces, and dual RS-232 interfaces; has ASIL-D ready, automotive-qualified CPU and OS; and is IP68 waterproof, resistant to dust, salt spray and chemicals.
ANELLO Photonics, anellophotonics.com

Flying Laser Scanner
Captures colorized 3D point clouds for producing 3D models, drawings, and visualizations

BLK2FLY is a fully integrated lidar UAV laser scanner with advanced obstacle avoidance for reality capture from the air. It can scan inaccessible areas such as rooftops, facades and large building interiors. BLK2FLY autonomously captures interior and exterior dimensions and features of buildings with a few taps on a tablet. Users can select an area within the map on their tablet and the BLK2FLY will create its own flight path to scan it quickly and safely. Users can send the BLK2FLY to scan a new area by tapping anywhere on the 3D view in the app. The BLK2FLY also can be piloted manually with virtual joysticks on a user’s tablet.

BLK2FLY can scan interiors of large arenas, stadiums, facilities, plants, and even obscured or confined outdoor areas with its Indoor Mode, which allows the BLK2FLY to get closer to objects with reduced flight speed and to fly within confined spaces without access to GNSS. With advanced obstacle avoidance and increased visual SLAM capabilities, the BLK2FLY’s Indoor Mode makes scanning inside fast and versatile.
Leica Geosystems, leica-geosystems.com

MOBILE

Smart Antenna
Suitable for multiple applications

The HCS885XF/HCS885EXF smart helical GNSS antenna is suitable for UAV, land survey devices, automotive positioning, and other precise positioning/heading applications. The HCS885XF/HCS885EXF combines the performance and light weight of the Tallysman dual-band (GPS/QZSS L1/L5, GLONASS G1/G3, Galileo E1/E5a/b, BeiDou B1/B2/B2a) HC885SXF antenna with the low power consumption and GNSS augmentation capabilities of the u-blox NEO-F9P GNSS receiver. HCS885XF/HCS885EXF employs L5 signals (1160-1217 MHz), which transmit stronger signal power and a higher bandwidth chipping rate than L2 signals, thereby offering high performance when challenged with strong multipath signals. It also employs Tallysman’s eXtended Filtering system, which mitigates near-band and out-of-band interference, such as LTE signals and their harmonics and the planned Ligado service in North America, enabling operation in the most challenging deployments. The HCS885XF/HCS885EXF integrated receiver can simultaneously monitor four constellations, support base/rover RTK configurations (<1 cm), and use u-blox PointPerfect PPP-RTK augmented services over a terrestrial control network (3-6 cm). A moving-base precise heading configuration is available with base/rover antenna pairs.
Tallysman Wireless, tallysman.com

Antenna
Multi-constellation antenna for precision agriculture and semi-autonomous or autonomous applications

The TS122 EUAA provides centimeter-level accuracy in highly variable terrain and challenging GNSS-obstructed environments with ± 10 cm P2P accuracy and STANDALONE technology. The TS122 EUAA smart antenna receives dual-frequency multiple constellation signals from GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou, with output position information up to 10 Hz. The antenna is capable of correcting deviations caused by a vehicle’s roll and pitch while working on uneven groups or slopes.
Harxon, harxon.com

October 16, 2023
CHCNAV launches aerial surveying solution

Image: CHCNAV

CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) has released the AlphaAir 10 (AA10), an advanced aerial surveying solution designed for UAV mapping and photogrammetry.

Leveraging CHCNAV’s lidar technology, the AA10 seamlessly integrates high-precision lidar, accurate GNSS positioning, IMU orientation and an industrial-grade full-frame orthophoto camera. Combined with CHCNAV point cloud and image fusion modeling software, this solution offers an efficient survey-grade approach to 3D data acquisition and processing.

The AlphaAir 10 can detect up to eight target echoes utilizing advanced multi-target capabilities, which greatly enhances its ability to penetrate dense vegetation and acquire precise ground surfaces.

Complementing the solution, the CoPre and CoProcess software suite streamlines post-processing and feature extraction with an easy-to-use and efficient data workflow. High-quality point cloud data is used to create a mesh model, followed by efficient 3D model reconstruction with realistic point cloud colorization using high-resolution image mapping textures.

In addition, the AA10 is IP64-rated, ensuring the system’s ruggedness and providing consistent, reliable performance in a wide range of operating conditions.

October 16, 2023
Exail releases INS for mobile mapping

Image: Exail

Exail has launched the Atlans 3, its new Inertial Navigation System (INS) dedicated to land and air mobile mapping applications. The technology was unveiled at INTERGEO 2023.

The Atlans 3 is an all-in-one positioning and orientation system integrating unique micro-electro-mechanical systems. Fiber optic gyroscope (MEMS-FOG) hybrid technology and a dual-antenna RTK GNSS receiver are housed within one compact device.

The INS offers North-keeping capability at FOG-level performance across a variety of land and air mobile mapping applications. It delivers real-time heading, even in GNSS-challenging environments such as urban canyons, mountainous terrain, or forested areas. The lightweight INS is designed to meet the requirements of high-performance lidars mounted on vehicles where space and weight constraints are critical.

The Atlans 3 is designed to be quick and simple to install on all platforms. It offers efficient “set-and-forget” operations for a wide range of land and air applications including road and rail asset inventory, pavement condition survey, vehicle automation, HD mapping, ground-truth, airborne surveys and precision pointing.

October 12, 2023
Harxon introduces new GNSS and helix antennas

Image: Harxon

Harxon has launched its new survey GNSS antenna, HX-CSX600A, and helix antenna, HX-CUX615A, designed for high-accuracy positioning applications across the geospatial industry. These two antennas are set to debut at INTERGEO 2023.

Survey GNSS antenna HX-CSX600A

HX-CSX600A boasts a pre-filtered Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) offering exceptional out-of-band rejection, ensuring strong anti-interference performance even in challenging environments. It is designed for high-precision GNSS applications, including agricultural vehicles, small robots and surveying.

The new antenna offers reliable and consistent satellite signal tracking across a wide range of frequency bands, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, IRNSS, SBAS, as well as L-Band correction services. With advanced multipoint feeding technology, HX-CSX600A maintains a stable phase center variation.

Built with an IP67-rated compact and ruggedized housing, this antenna is designed to withstand dust, rain, sunlight, shock and vibration. Its standard TNC-K connector and pole mount aims to simplify the integration process.

Helix antenna HX-CUX615A

HX-CUX615A is the housed version of Harxon’s HX-CUX012A, designed for UAVs. Its low profile design and simple integration process makes this antenna ideal for various UAV applications such as aerial photography, remote sensing, infrastructure inspection, traffic control and public security.

Equipped with a pre-filtered LNA, HX-CUX615A offers out-of-band interference rejection to mitigate unwanted electromagnetic interference and provide reliable GNSS signals for seamless integration into positioning solutions.

This light-weight antenna also adopts patented D-QHA (Dual-Quadrifilar Helix Antenna) technology, ensuring stable wide-angle circular polarization (WACP) performance. This results in low-elevation satellite tracking, while maintaining high gain and reliable signal tracking – even in challenging environments.

October 11, 2023
ComNav Technology and Dominican Republic forge advanced CORS network

ComNav Technology has collaborated with FUNDCORSRD, a non-profit institution, to establish a comprehensive network of continuous reference stations (CORS) across the Dominican Republic for conducting topographic surveys.

As a result of this collaborative effort, there are now 32 CORS stations spread throughout the Dominican Republic that are fully implemented with the SinoGNSS CORS solution from ComNav.

ComNav Technology’s choice of equipment for this project included the M300 Pro GNSS receivers and AT600 choke ring antennas for the CORS reference stations.

The M300 Pro features robust satellite tracking capabilities, supporting multiple satellite constellations such as GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, SBAS, L-band, and QZSS. It also comes equipped with a built-in web server, interfaces for external devices, a user-friendly front panel display, optical fiber interface, and a secure TF-card with password protection.

The AT600 high-performance choke ring antenna features high gain, accuracy, and reliability, along with full-constellation compatibility.

October 9, 2023
Virtual Surveyor launches smart UAV survey software

Image: Virtual Surveyor

Virtual Surveyor has added UAV photogrammetry capabilities to its Virtual Surveyor smart UAV surveying software. The new Terrain Creator app photogrammetrically processes UAV images to generate survey-grade terrains which then transfer into the traditional Virtual Surveyor workspace.

The Virtual Surveyor software is now two desk apps in one subscription package, creating a seamless end-to-end UAV survey workflow, said Tom Op‘t Eyndt, Virtual Surveyor’s CEO.

Terrain Creator aims to simplify the aerial photogrammetry process by offering a visual and intuitive application to produce an orthomosaic and digital surface model (DSM) from UAV photos, the company said.

Virtual Surveyor software was originally developed to bridge the gap between UAV photogrammetric processing applications and engineering design packages.

Prior to this new release, users had to rely on third-party software to generate elevation models and an orthomosaic on which they could work with the Virtual Surveyor toolset. Now, users can derive the 3D topographic information necessary for construction, surface mining and excavation projects in one package.

Once the survey-grade terrains flow from the Terrain Creator into the Virtual Surveyor desktop app, users can access an interactive virtual environment and robust toolsets to generate CAD models, create cut-and-fill maps and calculations, or calculate volume reports.

Users currently subscribed to Virtual Surveyor Ridge and Peak editions will see their software updated automatically with Terrain Creator. A flexible licensing setup will allow two users within a subscribing organization to use the Terrain Creator and Virtual Surveyor applications simultaneously from different computers.

October 6, 2023