Caliper has released a free average annual daily traffic (AADT) map layer for Maptitude 2018 users.
The latest version includes fields with total AADT traffic count, semi-trailer truck count, single-unit truck and bus count, number of through lanes and road classification.
AADT is the total volume of vehicle traffic on a highway or road for a year divided by 365 days. It is a useful and simple measurement of how busy a road is, and is useful for:
selecting a new site or facility location, evaluating a site, or designing a territory
determining funding for highway maintenance and improvement
forecasting road maintenance needs and expenditure
identifying the best location for your business based on traffic patterns
analyzing how traffic may impact store construction
analyzing the environmental hazards of sound and pollution related to road transport
The downloaded layer can be added to any Maptitude 2018 map.
The mobile mapping market size is expected to be worth more than $40 billion by 2024, according to a new research report by Global Market Insights.
The mobile mapping market is propelled by the increasing adoption of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets across the globe. Smartphone users are extensively using mapping applications on their devices for navigation and driving assistance, the report said.
Furthermore, they are also leveraging on the GIS and GPS applications to access geo-referenced data for searching nearby restaurants, cinema halls and other landmarks. This is encouraging the technology companies to commence mapping across the globe to acquire accurate GIS data and provide an enhanced customer experience.
High initial investment is a major factor limiting the growth of the mobile mapping market. Currently, the market comprises a few major players with a long-standing expertise in location-based technologies. High initial investments in developing mobile mapping systems and assembling major components have restricted the entry of new players in the market.
According to the report, the software market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 15 percent over the projected timespan. The growing demand for geo-referenced data acquisition and data analysis software among the organizations is driving the mobile mapping market growth. The software assists organizations in simplifying the data extraction process by combining the vital details. It retrieves geographic and spatial data captured by the positioning devices to develop maps and other graphic displays. This data is also used by enterprises to build effective decision support systems, which will drive the market demand.
The report includes key industry insights in 250 pages with 341 market data tables and 38 figures and charts from the report, “Mobile Mapping Market Size, By Component (Hardware [Imaging Device, Laser Ranging Device & Scanning Device, Positioning Device], Software [Mapping Data Extraction, Data Processing], Service [Consulting, Integration & Maintenance, Managed Service]), By Application (Road & Railway Survey, GIS Data Collection, Vehicle Control & Guidance, Asset Management), By End-User (Agriculture, BFSI, Government & Public Sector, Real Estate, Retail, Mining, Telecommunication, Transport & Logistics), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Australia & NZ, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, GCC, Israel, South Africa), Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2018 – 2024.”
The mobile mapping technology is used for conducting road and rail surveys, collecting GIS data, and developing vehicle control and guidance systems and asset management systems. The road and rail survey market is expected to register a growth rate of over 17 percent during the forecast period. It is used to analyze the road and rail infrastructure and plan the engineering operations with minimum disruptions. The surveying authorities across the globe are using mobile mapping technology to create maps for the transportation department for road assessment purposes.
The agriculture sector is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 22 percent during the forecast timeline. The integration of the GPS and GNSS devices into the farming process to acquire geospatial data is the primary factor driving the mobile mapping market share. Furthermore, the ability of the mobile mapping technology to monitor the crop yield and land variability also augments the demand for the technology among the farmers.
The European region accounted for over 25 percent global mobile mapping market in 2017. The increasing investments by the government agencies have accelerated the adoption of mobile mapping technology in the region. For instance, in 2017, the U.K. government established the Geospatial Data Commission to frame a strategy for using the public sector location data to support the country’s growth.
The Asia Pacific region will grow at a rapid pace over the forecast timespan. The rapid urbanization of the region and the growing number of infrastructural projects have fostered the growth of the mobile mapping market in the region. Moreover, the widespread adoption of smartphones has also driven the market size.
Prominent players operating in the mobile mapping market are Phoenix LiDAR, Sharp Corporation, Teledyne Optech, TomTom International, Topcon Positioning Systems, MapJack, Mapquest, Navteq, NCTech, Microsoft, Mitsubishi, NovAtel, Phaseone industrial, Hexagon, EveryScape, Foursquare Labs and XIMEA.
The major companies in the market are collaborating with other expert companies in the market to develop new product offerings and conduct strategic acquisitions to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors.
For instance, in 2017, Garmin acquired Navionics, a provider of electronic navigational charts to the marine industry. This acquisition is aimed at combining the data from Navionics charts and Garmin’s blue charts to develop improved navigational services to its customers. Similarly, in 2017, Hexagon entered into an OEM partnership with Smart Guided Systems to develop new precision technologies for commercial applications.
The global mobile mapping market research report includes an in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates and forecast revenue in USD respectively from 2013 to 2024, for the following segments.
Mobile Mapping Market, By Component
Hardware
Imaging device
Laser ranging and scanner device
Positioning device
Software
Mapping data extraction
Data processing
Service
Consulting
Integration & maintenance
Managed
Mobile Mapping Market, By Application
Road & railway survey
GIS data collection
Vehicle control & guidance
Asset management
Mobile Mapping Market, By End-User
Agriculture
BFSI
Government & public sector
Real estate & infrastructure
Retail
Mining
Telecommunication
Regions and Countries
North America
U.S.
Canada
Europe
UK
Germany
France
Spain
Italy
Asia Pacific
ANZ
China
India
Japan
South Korea
Latin America
Brazil
Mexico
Argentina
MEA
GCC
South Africa
Israel
A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the October 2018 issue of GPS World magazine.
OEM
Anti-spoofing
Provides mitigation and reporting
Photo: Regulus
The Pyramid GNSS allows detection, mitigation and reporting of spoofing of the GNSS system, while still providing accurate positioning (jamming protection will be available in a future version). Version 2 of the Pyramid GNSS adds a software-only version, making it available to numerous applications and enabling GNSS to perform seamlessly under spoofing and jamming conditions. The device is designed for any system depending on GNSS navigation or precise timing, including cars, drones, ships, robots, financial institutions and stationary infrastructure, such as power plants and power grids. The Pyramid GNSS connects externally and integrates seamlessly with existing GNSS receivers, adding reliability and protection to the system. It offers full GNSS support including for BeiDou, Galileo and GLONASS.
Swift Navigation has upgraded the firmware of its flagship product — the Piksi Multi GNSS receiver. This marks the sixth major release to Piksi Multi since it was launched in February 2017. The upgrade is available free of charge to Swift customers. The firmware release also enhances Duro, the ruggedized version of the Piksi Multi receiver housed in a military-grade, weatherproof enclosure for long-term outdoor deployments. Firmware Release 2.0 for Piksi Multi and Duro supports two additional major satellite constellations — Chinese BeiDou (B1/B2) which, once completed, will contain 37 satellites, and Europe’s Galileo (E1/E5b), which will eventually consist of 30 satellites. Piksi Multi’s performance will further improve for future satellites. The addition of BeiDou and Galileo creates more robust positioning in a variety of challenging sky-view environments.
The G300D gyro is a three-axis, inertial rate system gyroscope. Measuring 0.67 cubic inches, it features low power and high speed, making it suitable for image stabilization applications. The G300D has message timing under 150 microseconds and output data rates up to 8 kHz with external sync. A micro-electro-mechanical gyroscope, it has an ARW of <0.0028 degrees/sec/√Hz and an option for both 24 and 32-bit LSB for exceptional resolution. Users can configure the G300D using a software development kit or through software protocols to simplify the integration process. The G300D gyro is non-ITAR.
Two new GNSS low-noise amplifier (LNA) front-end modules, the SKY65933-11 and SKY65943-11, integrate Skyworks’ proprietary TC-SAW filters. The modules are designed specifically for internet of things (IoT) applications including smartwatches, action cameras, drones, asset trackers and personal navigation devices. They are designed for wireless module and IoT device manufacturers, providing a turnkey GNSS connectivity solution in a compact form factor. Both solutions offer integrated pre- and post-filter LNA and matching to reduce printed circuit board (PCB) area versus a discrete implementation; single DC supply for design flexibility and simplicity; multi-GNSS compatibility to cover GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS receiver applications in the 1559–1606 MHz frequency range; extremely low leakage current (1 uA max) benefitting battery-powered IoT devices; and highly manufacturable and low-cost surface-mount technology in a 2.5 x 2.5-millimeter multi-chip module package.
The Net20 Pro provides high-quality data for users interested in the proximity and reliability of a reference station while eliminating real-time kinematic (RTK) corrections service charges. It uses multi-frequency, 555-channel technologies in a rugged casing to deliver accurate and effective positioning data even in harsh environments. It can be configured for correction data reception in client mode to calculate a fixed RTK position and to monitor the antenna position while continuing to work as a GNSS reference server. With NTRIP Caster software, the Net20 Pro provides superior connectivity with an unlimited number of mount points. Users can have permanent transmission of RTK corrections with a local internet connection. Its 32-GB internal and 32-GB external memory is enough for permanent recording even at a 100-Hz high data sampling rate. Its web user interface features upgrade, status and settings management as well as data downloading via smartphone, tablet or other internet-enabled device.
The J-Mate measurement module combines conventional measurement via laser scanning and photographic imagery with the multi-constellation location accuracy of the Triumph-LS receiver. It utilizes precision horizontal and vertical encoders for angular measurement, while the high-definition camera and laser module combine to locate the USB-powered target for accurate measurements. The target rests on top of the receiver and lights up for better visibility to the camera and sensor. The lighting power comes through the USB cord connected to the receiver. Coupled with the onboard data collector screen of the Triumph-LS, operation of the module is done visually with the LS mounted on top of the module or remotely on the J-Pod pole used for GNSS data collection. The module and software is also designed to be an efficient staking application.
The Trimble R10 Model 2 GNSS System is designed to help surveyors work more effectively by enabling reliable, fast and accurate data collection in the field. Enhancements in Model 2 include a custom Trimble survey GNSS ASIC with 672 GNSS channels including GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS and IRNSS as well as the full range of SBAS. It also will support planned GNSS signals. It has improved reliability against interference and spoofed signals, improved power management by 33 percent, and increased internal memory (6 GB) to store more than 10 years of raw observations. Support for Android and iOS platforms allow field crews to use their own mobile devices. The Trimble R10 Model 2 supports the recently released Trimble TSC7 controller and Trimble Access 2018 field software.
The TerraStar-C PRO correction service provides multi-constellation support, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. Combined with NovAtel’s OEM7 positioning technology, TerraStar-C PRO cuts initial convergence times by nearly 60 percent and offers 40 percent better horizontal accuracy than the current TerraStar-C service. In challenging signal conditions, it offers multipath, shading, interference and scintillation. High-rate TerraStar-C PRO corrections provide reconvergence in less than 60 seconds following brief GNSS signal interruptions. Corrections are generated using TerraStar’s proprietary global network of more than 100 GNSS reference stations. The data is delivered worldwide through overlapping geostationary satellites directly to a NovAtel receiver or via cellular IP network.
The C3UBE Command Center enables unmanned beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) data collection and near real-time data streaming from almost any point within any critical infrastructure network. The mobile command and distribution center allows for the flight of unmanned aerial systems and is designed to not only allow AviSight to reach the maximum BVLOS distances permitted today, but also to expand its range for UAS operations as limits increase in the national airspace. In addition, it enables near-real-time transmission of data and imagery, which can be disseminated live to anywhere in the world via its proprietary distribution network located at Switch’s Tier 4 data center. It is aimed at the oil, gas, power, transportation and telecommunications sectors.
SimActive has updated its Correlator3D end-to-end photogrammetry software to include tools for users to generate precise statistics on mining activities, with improved volumetric calculation. The integrated tools allow users to generate precise statistics on mining activities. The Correlator3D software performs aerial triangulation and produces dense digital surface models, digital terrain models, point clouds, orthomosaics and vectorized 3D features. Applications like mineral extraction monitoring can be done seamlessly within the software. Users can process raw drone data, produce point clouds and DSMs, and perform volumetric calculations in the same Correlator3D workflow.
The improved TruPulse 360 laser features LTI’s TruVector 360° Compass Technology. The rangefinder measures slope distance, inclination and azimuth; instantly calculates horizontal and vertical distances; and calculates 3D missing line values. The enhanced device offers 33 percent increased distance accuracy, 25 percent better target acquisition and a higher azimuth accuracy of 0.5° root mean squared (RMS). Other features include reflectorless technology that enables data capture to any surface type; advanced targeting modes to achieve accurate, repeatable results of the intended target; seven-power superior optics technology that displays all measured and calculated solutions; and smart technology that recognizes adverse measurement conditions and prompts recalibration. Uses include forestry, utilities, construction and GIS mapping.
Synthetic aperture radar imagery from Maxar’s MDA RADARSAT-2 satellite is now available to SecureWatch subscribers. SecureWatch is DigitalGlobe’s powerful, cloud-based geospatial intelligence platform. The service has added the radar imagery to its high-resolution optical imagery, enabling defense and intelligence analysts to deliver actionable insights to decision makers regardless of weather and light conditions. The satellite will refresh hundreds of global sites on a weekly basis using a wide-ultra-fine format (3-meter resolution, 50-kilometer scene width). RADARSAT-2 imagery allows users to observe features and changes that go undetected using other imaging techniques, and provides day and night coverage regardless of weather. SecureWatch users can access timely RADARSAT-2 imagery using current subscription plans. When combined with 30-cm optical imagery, analysts will have a powerful and reliable toolset to make decisions with confidence.
U-blox has introduced a toolset comprising the u-track software and the C030-R410M application board. The toolset is a rapid-prototyping platform that lets product designers test and optimize the position accuracy and power consumption of wireless location tracking applications that use LTE-M and NB-IoT cellular networks, as well as GNSS technology. The toolset targets product engineers working on battery-powered applications such as sport, people and asset trackers. An increasing number of battery-powered consumer and industrial products feature integrated GNSS receivers. These products include virtual reality headsets, smartwatches and devices to track elderly people, containers or parcels. With the ongoing roll-out of low power wide-area cellular networks (LPWAN) such as LTE-M and NB-IoT technologies around the world and the extremely low power consumption they enable, the range of use cases for wireless location trackers is expected to expand further. The u-track software runs from embedded firmware on the new u-blox C030-R410M application board. The board, specifically designed to rapidly prototype applications for the internet of things (IoT), includes an ultra-small, low-power u-blox ZOE-M8B GNSS receiver and a size-optimized SARA-R410M LTE-M/NB-IoT cellular communication module, and u-track includes a PC software application that lets users log, retrieve, and visualize power consumption, accuracy, and other important values, such as the GNSS time to first fix.
Add-on to AT&T Fleet Complete platform or for separate use
Photo: AT&T
The new GPS Asset Tracker One (AT1) from AT&T and Fleet Complete can track transportation as well as agriculture, food services, pharmaceuticals and emergency services. Users can monitor their assets through the Fleet Complete mobile app. Besides tracking location in near real-time, it also captures humidity, temperature, light exposure and more. AT&T’s nationwide LTE-M network is designed for devices that require low-cost, extended battery life, coverage underground and inside buildings, and carrier-grade security. Two high-capacity Lithium AA batteries power the AT1. They can last up to five years with a once-a-day use.
The MC90 is a quad-band GSM/GPRS/GNSS/Wi-Fi module that supports hybrid positioning technologies including GNSS, Cell ID and Wi-Fi aided positioning. It integrates the multi-GNSS system, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and QZSS, which makes it suitable for urban areas with high-rise buildings and complex environments. The MC90 also adopts Wi-Fi hotspot positioning technology for blind spots and satellite coverage. It integrates multi-aiding positioning technologies to offer customers with optimized GNSS performance. It also supports EPO technology, which provides predicted Extended Prediction Orbit to speed up TTFF without the need of an extra server. The MC90 features a compact design and lower power consumption, and supports dual SIM single standby function.
TomTom will offer free maps and traffic tiles on its mobile software developer kit (SDK) in both Android and iOS. With global coverage, the Mobile Maps SDKs and its free map tiles will guide developers of mobility and ride-sharing apps. The TomTom Maps APIs (application programming interfaces) also play a role in the internet of things, where traffic data is needed to enable self-driving cars and smart city planning.
MAGNET Inspect is designed for UAV data collection. (Photo: Topcon)
MAGNET Inspect software is designed to facilitate the data-processing workflow for UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) infrastructure inspection by efficiently managing large UAV data sets to create inspection reports. It allows operators to visually navigate UAV photos, aligning 3D reality meshes with raw georeferenced images in one location and filtering them based on selected criteria including field of view. When combined with Intel Falcon 8+ Drone – Topcon Edition and Topcon ContextCapture, powered by Bentley Systems, the software enables operators to navigate, annotate and create reports with inspection photos, creating a strong end-to-end inspection workflow.
Site Scan Esri Edition is a custom version of the Site Scan iOS app for drone flight planning and data capture that works seamlessly with Esri’s ArcGIS Online and Drone2Map for ArcGIS. The Site Scan Esri Edition app complements Esri’s Drone2Map for ArcGIS software by providing full drone project mission planning and a simple workflow for transferring drone captured data into Esri ArcGIS. Users will be able to connect to ArcGIS Online with an Esri sign-in. The app will allow users to directly use Esri data layers from ArcGIS Online as base and reference data for their drone flight planning mission. Esri customers can use any drone supported by Site Scan, including a variety of DJI drones. Site Scan also supports a custom version of the new Yuneec H520 commercial drone by 3D, which is based on the Dronecode PX4 software and designed to be an open and secure drone option for use on U.S. government projects.
UAS mission-planning software company UgCS has joined with disaster response expert Airborne Response to develop a comprehensive search capability for drones. The search-pattern software, a new feature of the UgCS platform, allows remote pilots to more effectively conduct search-and-rescue operations. Customizable search patterns such as the “expanding square” and “creeping line” can be deployed. Based on the flight altitude input by the operator, the UgCS software will automatically calculate the course heading and track spacing necessary to provide the prescribed coverage area for a search target. UgCS software allows central management of all types and manufacturers of unmanned vehicles, enabling a user to control one or a fleet of drones on a single mission in multi-operator mode and multi-platform environments. Airborne Response will offer the UgCS mission planning software and associated training to public safety and emergency response professionals throughout the U.S.
The Mavic 2 Pro is designed for professionals, aerial photographers and content creators. With a folding design, the Mavic 2 is a powerful platform with new gimbal-stabilized cameras and advanced intelligent features like Hyperlapse and ActiveTrack for easier and more dynamic storytelling. Flight time is 31 minutes. Co-engineered in partnership with Hasselblad, the Mavic 2 Pro houses a 1-inch CMOS sensor with a 10-bit Dlog-M color profile. It can capture 20-megapixel aerial shots with utmost color accuracy using the Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS) technology, while an adjustable aperture from f/2.8-f/11 provides control across a wide variety of lighting conditions.
EuroTube is Europe’s first testing ground for high-speed vacuum maglev transportation.
In May, a WingtraOne drone conducted a topographic survey of a construction site where a EuroTube vacuum high-speed test track will be built.
The futuristic project is the European answer to its American counterpart Hyperloop of the SpaceX and Elon Musk fame. The EuroTube project plans to provide a 3-kilometer-long vacuum tube to developers of pod technologies for testing.
The Eurotube test infrastructure for high-speed vacuum transportation will provide an environment free of air resistance to test “pods”, or cars, that can be accelerated to speeds as high as the Boeing 747 in flight. (Photo: EuroTube)
The project proved to be surprisingly challenging from the very beginning. First, the team had to find a long, flat stretch of land for EuroTube’s construction in Switzerland, a country famous for its mountains.
And just as the right location was found in the canton of Valais, another challenge came along. How to survey such a complicated site surrounded with mountains, water bodies, forests and railway tracks? Luckily, the fellow Swiss company Wingtra already had a solution — the vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) drone WingtraOne.
After spending months in research and development of prototypes, the team at EuroTube selected the stretch of land in the Valais region of Switzerland as its candidate location. The chosen construction site is located next to railways tracks. A few water bodies, forests and ditches flank the other side of the construction site, making available a mere 3-meter-wide piece of land for take-off and landing of the drone.
Fortunately, the WingtraOne’s VTOL capabilities were designed with exactly these kind of constraints. But why choose such a peculiar construction site in the first place?
Bringing Europe’s transportation system to 21st century
The answer lies in the technology behind the EuroTube itself. One of the main limitations in speeding objects on ground is the high air resistance, also called drag (drag is a type of friction force acting opposite to the relative motion of any object). By maintaining a low-pressure environment or even a vacuum, this air resistance can be lowered drastically, and hence objects can be accelerated to high speeds.
Technologies such as the EuroTube provide this vacuum environment inside a long tube. Within such tubes, cars called “pods” can be accelerated to speeds as high as 800 km/h, meaning a journey between Zurich and Paris, which currently takes 4 to 6 hours, would be reduced to a mere half an hour. This is the vision driving the EuroTube project, which will provide a 3-kilometer-long vacuum tube to developers of pod technologies for testing.
Aerial surveying of the construction site
Gerard Güell, the construction director of EuroTube, at the construction site with the WingtraOne. (Photo: Wingtra)
Before the construction of the tube could begin, however, the EuroTube team needed to survey the construction site. Looking at solutions that would cut time and cost, Sascha Mark, the technical director at the EuroTube project, reached out to Wingtra in early May.
A partnership between Wingtra and EurtoTube was quickly formed where Wingtra would provide the WingtraOne as well as conduct the surveyof the construction site.
“For a cutting-edge research project involving significant infrastructure, time is of crucial importance,” Mark said. “We were looking at surveying solutions that can provide the dataset required for a construction site quickly without compromising on the accuracy. From this perspective, WingtraOne looked like a viable prospect.”
The survey was conducted on May 21 when Gerard Güell, the construction director at EuroTube, met Adyasha Dash from Wingtra on site. To survey the area quickly with high accuracy, a WingtraOne equipped with an RX1RII camera and post-processed kinematics (PPK) was chosen. As the survey required flights over a straight, flat piece of land, flight planning was done on site, and took less than 5 minutes for the setup.
The wind on site ranged from 2 m/s to 5 m/s. After letting the flight planning app WingtraPilot run a host of automatic pre-flight checks, the drone started its flight to collect aerial imagery at a ground sampling distance (GSD) of 3 cm/px. At the end of two consecutive flights taking less than an hour in total, the drone had collected a little more than 800 individual images.
“It was nearly effortless to conduct the aerial surveying with the WingtraOne,” Güell said. “All we had to do was to walk to the take-off area, double-check the survey area we wanted to cover on the flight planning app, and hit go.”
Final orthomosaic generated by the images collected by the WingtraOne: the 3-km long Eurotube will be constructed along the indicated area. (Image: Wingtra)
From aerial imagery to point cloud
Infographic: Wingtra
After two flights, the images were pre-processed with WingtraHub, a desktop app, to add geographical identification metadata to the images. PPK processing was also done in this step. The base file for PPK processing was obtained from Swisstopo, which monitors GNSS receivers at 30 permanent locations in Switzerland. These receivers form the modern-day reference points for positioning and surveying, and help enhance the geolocation information of the images in conjunction with the flight data (hence the name, post-processed kinematics). It took a little more than half an hour to pre-process the entire dataset.
The images with their accurate geolocation information were then uploaded to Pix4Dmapper to generate a point cloud of the site. All in all, it took less than 24 hours to go from data collection to point-cloud generation, without compromising on the quality of survey itself.
“We are pleased to say that the dataset gathered by the WingtraOne was precise enough to let the engineering office begin planning construction,” Mark said. “The generated point cloud has a vertical accuracy of 10 centimeters and horizontal accuracy of 3 centimeters. Thanks to the WingtraOne, we are now well on track on our timeline to begin construction.”
According to EuroTube’s scheduled timeline, a shorter prototype of the tube will be completed at the end of this year, and an alpha tube at the end of 2019. European research and development teams across institutes and universities can then start testing pod technologies to make ultra-high speed transportation systems a reality.
Adyasha Dash works as a software developer at Wingtra, where she focuses on developing safe flight control and planning algorithms. When she is not tinkering with drones, you can find her writing about the ethics of artificial intelligence and human machine interactions.
Steve Malkos of Google, and a GPS World contributor, will address the ION GNSS+ plenary session at the technical meeting and showcase, to be held Sept. 24-28 in Miami.
Malkos will address “Emergency Location Service in Android.” When emergency services get a call, they need to know the caller’s location to send help and save lives. More than 80 percent of calls to emergency services come from mobile phones, but locating these mobile callers can be a major issue.
Current emergency solutions rely on cell tower location (which can have a radius of several kilometers) and, in some countries (like the U.S. and Japan), on A-GNSS. But A-GNSS can fail with weak signal reception, in urban canyons and indoors.
Malkos will discuss how Emergency Location Service in Android is delivering more accurate location (computed from fusion of Wi-Fi, cell, GPS and sensors) to emergency services when an emergency call is detected.
Paul LaRocque
Also speaking is Paul E. LaRocque, Teledyne Optech‘s vice president of Special Projects. In his presentation, “A Lidar History: From Ship to Air to Space,” LaRocque will give a historical review of the airborne laser mapping systems that Teledyne Optech has designed and built over the years.
Optech has been active in laser radar systems beginning with marine lidars and later moving to airborne and spaceborne systems. Navigation has been an important subsystem in these developments, and its role will be described as part of this story.
LaRocque has been involved in the development of Optech’s lidar systems since the late 1980s. Dr. LaRocque was instrumental in the design of Optech’s airborne lidar bathymeters, airborne lidar terrain mappers (ALTM), and waveform digitizers, as well as other special lidars.
GIS specialists are much more than mapmakers. Make sure your organization and customers understand how spatial analytics can help them succeed.
By Adam Carnow
Most non-GIS users hear the term “G-I-S” and think “M-A-P.” That is, they think of GIS, and GIS practitioners, as mapmakers. Most GIS practitioners have unknowingly perpetuated this image. Ask any GIS practitioner what they do for a living and most will say, “I make maps;” however, the reality is that what they do for a living is help people make better decisions through the power of location. This is what I call location intelligence.
There is a tremendous growth opportunity for GIS in government across the enterprise. GIS was created to perform spatial analysis. GIS can often be underutilized because non-GIS users sometimes don’t understand the reach of spatial analysis and how it can help them. GIS practitioners need to market and evangelize the power of spatial analysis to help change that image.
Photo: rmnoa357/Shutterstock.com
You can break down location intelligence into six categories. As you move down this list, the value of the location intelligence increases:
Understanding Where. A map (could be paper or PDF, but should be an interactive web map) showing where the fire stations are located across a city.
Measuring Size, Shape and Distribution. A map showing the size, shape and distribution of wetlands across an area would help with wetland protection and preservation.
Determining How Places Are Related. Showing how certain soil types correspond to flood zones.
Finding the Best Locations and Paths
To find the best location for a new fire station, run a drive-time polygon process to show the coverage area for each fire station. The areas that are uncovered are where a new fire station is needed.
To find the best path for field inspectors: We have 50 inspections to do today and three inspectors. Divide the inspection locations among each inspector and create the most efficient route to get their work done.
Detecting and Quantifying Patterns. Crime analysts look at crime data to try to predict where the next one may occur and to help identify known perpetrators. (See also An inside look at fighting crime with GIS.)
Making Predictions. Modeling a watershed can allow for flood predictions based on anticipated rainfall.
Another way to help break the mapmaker image is to rebrand. Most staff in any organization use spreadsheets daily for a multitude of things that bring value to the organization – some say it’s the number one business intelligence (BI) tool.
There are GIS software tools that are as easy to use as a spreadsheet; in fact, you can use GIS inside of spreadsheets.
Wetlands map, Oregon’s Klamath Lake. (Map: USGS)
Even though spreadsheets are such a useful tool, you don’t see a Spreadsheet Department. Spreadsheet is just the name of the tool, so you don’t have, or name, a department for it. A department should be named based on the function, or value, it serves.
GIS should be thought of as BI with location data and spatial analysis, or location intelligence. A great way to get people to understand the real value and power of GIS is to rebrand your GIS department to something like Enterprise Location Intelligence.
One such example of this is Walgreens. As the drugstore chain’s GIS department became more strategic and tied to the analytics of the organization, the company rebranded it as Enterprise Location Intelligence.
If your organization has a BI group, they should consider reorganizing to put GIS with that BI group. I’m seeing real-world examples of this rebrand:
GIS job title changes to things like:
Data Analytics Manager
Content Delivery Manager
Business and Location Intelligence Manager
Reorganization putting GIS with BI: A major city has a Smart City initiative, and in response the city has reorganized its IT group — they now have a Data Analytics Group that consists of a BI team and their GIS team.
This rebrand, and expansion of the understanding of the true purpose and value of GIS, will not just help the organization realize more return on investment (ROI) for their GIS investment, it will help the GIS practitioners elevate their value to the organization and hence their careers.
What can you do? If you’re a GIS practitioner:
Explore rebranding your title and your GIS group as a start to changing your image from mapmaker to solution provider.
Evangelize the power of location intelligence. This is actually pretty easy to do. When someone asks for a map, ask them why they need it, probe to find out more about their project; you will probably uncover a need for spatial analysis.
Start to enable others in your organization to become GIS users via easy-to-use web maps and apps. As they use GIS, they will realize its full potential and seek to utilize it more often.
If you’re not a GIS practitioner, seek out your GIS team to learn more about their capabilities and how they can help you. And, become a GIS user, there are plenty of GIS tools available that are easy to learn and use.
This article originally appeared on Govloop.com and is reprinted with permission.
Adam Carnow is an Esri community evangelist and part of the GovLoop Featured Contributor program.
Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, has been selected as a consultant to Civis Analytics to perform comprehensive data analytics, including flood hazard and property loss modeling and damage estimation, to support the city of Houston’s post-Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts.
Hurricane Harvey flooding in Houston. (Photo: FEMA)
The granular, structure-level understanding of this catastrophic flooding event will be critically important to the city’s efforts to catalog impacts and direct resources to the rebuilding and recovery efforts, Dewberry said.
The resulting data will be made accessible to authenticated city staff and non-profit organizations through the new Houston Estimation and Analysis of Loss (HEAL) platform. A cloud-based system that will be used in disaster mitigation planning, HEAL will aggregate data, analytics, tools and visualizations in a web-based environment available to city, state and federal officials and other stakeholders.
Hurricane Harvey flooding in Houston. (Photo: FEMA)
The data development effort featured a hindcast model of the historic Hurricane Harvey storm event, which dropped 51 inches of rainfall within the city of Houston and surrounding areas over five days in August.
The HEAL platform will provide the city with a comprehensive data collection and analytical architecture with the ability to calculate and report unmet needs at various levels, such as structure, parcel and census block.
The analytics will include extensive modeling to estimate flood depth and extent and the structural and contents losses created by it. Model validation will use a wide set of data from debris removal pickup locations, and community field data collection, to federal assistance information, as well as non-traditional sources such as social media videos.
Hurricane Harvey flooding in Houston. (Photo: FEMA)
For this complex project, Dewberry’s innovative approach has involved strong applications of science and engineering including meteorological data processing, 2D flood risk modeling, and damage assessment to replicate post-Harvey conditions in Houston.
SimActive Inc., a developer of photogrammetry software, has enabled the first government drone mapping project in South Korea.
Asia Aero Survey (AAS), a SimActive regional partner, used Correlator3D for the public survey delivered to the Korean National Geographic Information Institute (NGII) and the Korean Association of Spatial Information, Surveying & Mapping.
While such projects were previously conducted using manned aircraft, a drone was preferred because of the difficulty in accessing the area of interest through traditional aerial and ground surveying methods.
The NGII officially published guidelines for public surveying and mapping with drones in March 2018, with the AAS project being the first delivered and accepted as adhering to the new guidelines.
AAS is also deploying UAV solutions with hyperspectral and lidar for other projects in conjunction with SimActive software.
DT Research has launched the DT372AP-TR rugged real-time kinematic (RTK) tablet, a lightweight military-grade tablet that offers RTK to enhance the precision of position data derived from satellite-based positioning systems.
The tablet enables 3D point cloud creation with centimeter-level accuracy to meet the high standards required for scientific-grade evidence in court, the company said.
The DT372AP-TR RTK tablet is military-grade with an IP65 rating, yet lightweight — offering the versatility to be used in the field, office and vehicles.
A dual-frequency GNSS module is built into the tablet, which uses real-time reference points within 1- to 2-centimeter accuracy to position 3D point clouds created from aerial photogrammetry, using GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellites. Users can measure with the RTK GNSS positioning directly using an external antenna for better survey-grade precision.
“We designed a more compact tablet that still offers all the functionality of a rugged RTK tablet, to give ultra-mobility to law enforcement and first responders who are already weighed down with heavy equipment,” said Daw Tsai Sc.D., president of DT Research. “With programmable side buttons and directional pad, this tablet combines ease of use with a small form factor and centimeter level accuracy, there is nothing in the market now in the same category that can offer this combination.”
The DT372AP-TR RTK tablet is compatible with existing survey and GIS software for mapping applications and brings together an advanced workflow for data capture, accurate positioning and data transmitting.
The tablet can be used in a variety of scenarios, including:
Forensic mapping. Public safety teams, investigators and crash reconstructionists can use the DT372AP-TR to accurately collect measurements that are scientifically and legally defensible by using the real-time centimeter reference points to position 3D point clouds created from aerial photogrammetry or take stand-alone measurements. By using the tablet with a drone for crime and crash scene investigation, cost goes down while accuracy and speed improve, helping to clear areas faster, thereby improving overall public safety.
Land surveying. Surveyors can use the DT372AP-TR RTK tablet to measure the altitudes, angles and distances on the land surface so that they can be accurately plotted on a map to determine property boundaries, construction layout and mapmaking.
E-construction. Construction workers can manage the collection, review, approval and distribution of highway construction contract documents in a paperless environment using the DT372AP-TR RTK tablet.
The tablet has been purpose-built for precision mapping in a variety of environments and includes the following features and capabilities:
Dual-frequency GNSS module. GNSS L1 and L2 RTK that receives GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS signals up to 372 channels
High-performance CPU and Windows OS. Intel Pentium processor with Microsoft Windows 10 IoT Enterprise with 8 GB of RAM.
Brilliant sunlight-readable display. A 7-inch LED-backlight, high-brightness (800 nits) sunlight-readable screen with capacitive touch and 1280 x 800 resolution.
Superior wireless connectivity. Long-range Class 1 Bluetooth option powers connectivity up to 1,000 feet.
Mobile broadband option. For best field connectivity, there is an option for 4G mobile broadband for LTE, HESPA+, GMS/GPRS/EDGE, EV-DO, Rev A and 1xRTT.
Military standards. For use in harsh environments, the tablet is fully ruggedized to meet the highest durability standards with an IP65 rating, MIL-STD-810G for vibration and shock resistance and MIL-STD-461F for EMI and EMC tolerance.
High-capacity hot-swappable battery pack. Delivers 60 or 90 watts for up to 15 hours of continuous mobile communications.
Camera option. The optional back camera offers 5 megapixels, CMOS sensor and auto focus to capture project progress or record crash and crime scene details.
Accessories. External antennas, pole mount cradles, battery charging kits and digital pens.
Galileo and BeiDou observation data are now included with Trimble VRS Now subscriptions in North America.
Photo: Trimble
The addition of the Galileo and BeiDou constellations allow users to make use of more satellites, enabling more robust performance when working in harsh GNSS environments such as in urban canyons and under canopy, the company said.
Trimble VRS Now in North America fully supports GPS, GLONASS, QZSS and now, Galileo and BeiDou satellite systems.
The service is powered by the Trimble Pivot Platform GNSS real-time network software, Trimble said. As a true five-constellation solution, it delivers improved real-time positioning performance for customers in North America.
VRS Now is designed for surveying, mapping and GIS, construction and agriculture professionals who require high-accuracy positioning in their workflows.
Adding Galileo and BeiDou observation data provides significant benefits by enabling users to:
Operate in environments where traditional GPS + GLONASS systems’ performances are limited
Improve accuracy and reliability of GNSS solutions
Minimize the effects of multipath and interference
“By including Galileo and BeiDou data, customers can achieve greater accuracy and positioning performance than ever before,” said Patricia Boothe, vice president of Trimble’s Advanced Positioning Division.
With the addition of North America, Trimble VRS Now networks worldwide now support all five GNSS constellations. Besides North America, coverage is available throughout Europe, Australia and New Zealand when using a compatible GNSS receiver or display.
Subscriptions are available through Trimble’s Authorized Business Partners or Trimble’s online store at tpsstore.trimble.com.
VRS Now provides positioning professionals with instant access to real-time kinematic (RTK) and post-processing (PP) corrections using a network of permanent (fixed) continuously operating reference stations (CORS). Professional management and monitoring 24/7 by a global operations team provides peak performance and high reliability, Trimble said.
SenseFly, provider of fixed-wing drones, has launched the eBee X for mapping.
The eBee X, part of the Parrot Business Solutions portfolio, is designed to boost the quality, efficiency and safety of an operator’s geospatial data collection.
The eBee X. (Photo: senseFly)
It offers a camera to suit every job, the accuracy and coverage capabilities to meet the requirements of demanding projects, and is durable enough to work virtually every site, the company said.
“The eBee X is a giant leap forward for mapping technology and underscores senseFly’s position as the leader in the fixed-wing drone market,” said Gilles Labossière, executive vice president and COO of Parrot Group and senseFly CEO. “No matter what type of project a professional is undertaking, the eBee X has the coverage, data and accuracy capabilities needed to get the job done.”
The eBee X includes a range of cameras for jobs ranging from land surveying and topographic mapping to urban planning, crop mapping, thermal mapping, environmental monitoring and more. Cameras include:
The senseFly S.O.D.A. 3D: a unique drone photogrammetry camera with a one-inch sensor, which changes orientation during flight to capture three images (two oblique, one nadir) every time, instead of just one, for a much wider field of view. The result is stunning digital 3D reconstructions in vertically-focused environments—such as urban areas, open pit mines and coastlines—over larger areas than quadcopter drones can achieve. senseFly S.O.D.A. 3D is optimised for quick, robust image processing with Pix4Dmapper software.
The senseFly Aeria X: a compact drone photogrammetry camera with APS-C sensor. This rugged innovation offers an ideal blend of size, weight and DSLR-like image quality. Thanks in part to its built-in Smart Exposure technology, it provides outstanding image detail and clarity, in virtually all light conditions, allowing operators to map for more hours per day than ever before.
The senseFly Duet T: a dual-camera thermal mapping rig, which lets mapping professionals create geo-accurate thermal maps and digital surface models quickly and easily. The Duet T includes both a high-resolution (640 x 512 px) thermal infrared camera and a senseFly S.O.D.A. RGB camera with one-inch sensor. Both image sources can be accessed as required, while the rig’s built-in Camera Position Synchronisation feature works in sync with Pix4Dmapper photogrammetry software (optional) to simplify the map reconstruction process.
The eBee X is also compatible with the Parrot Sequoia+ multispectral camera for agriculture, the senseFly S.O.D.A. drone photogrammetry camera and senseFly Corridor for simple linear mapping.
The eBee X can meet the exacting requirements of every project. Its unique Endurance Extension option unlocks a flight time of up to 90 minutes (versus a maximum endurance of 59 minutes by default).
With this capability activated, the drone is able to achieve vast single-flight coverage of up to 500 hectares (1,235 acres) at 122 meters (400 feet), while the eBee X’s built-in High-Precision on Demand (RTK/PPK) function helps operators to achieve absolute accuracy of down to 3 centimeters (1.2 inch) — without ground control points.
According to senseFly, the eBee X allows users to work virtually every site, no matter how demanding, thanks to the drone’s built-in Steep Landing technology, ultra-robust design, live air traffic data and more, all backed by senseFly’s professional, localized support.
The eBee X is ideally suited to the varied and evolving needs of mapping professionals. These include: surveying and construction companies, quarry and mine operators, agronomists and forestry engineers, professional drone service providers, aerial imagery companies, environmental researchers and more, the company added.
The eBee X is supplied with senseFly’s eMotion flight planning and data management software.
A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the September 2018 issue of GPS World magazine.
OEM
Reference receiver
For real-time networks (RTN)
Photo: Trimble
The Trimble Alloy GNSS reference receiver is designed for continuously operating reference stations (CORS). It offers 672 channels and constellation tracking of GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, IRNSS and SBAS for robust and reliable reference data. With an IP68 rating for protection against dust and moisture, the Alloy performs in rugged environments to meet the demands of professionals in earth science, surveying, construction, mapping and agriculture. The Alloy allows RTN owners and operators to track and log all current and planned GNSS and deliver absolute position monitoring, as well as centimeter-level accuracy in real time with Trimble RTX precise point positioning technology. Featuring a four-line OLED screen, the receiver displays key information without the need to scroll through multiple menus. Other features include dual hot-swappable batteries, multiple power inputs and serial ports, Wi-Fi connectivity and remote access options.
The TW7875 magnetic-mount GNSS antenna is designed for precision dual-frequency positioning. It is capable of receiving GPS L1/L5, GLONASS G1, BeiDou B1, Galileo E1/E5a and NavIC L5. It employs Tallysman’s Accutenna technology, which provides superior multipath signal rejection due to its low axial ratio across the full bandwidth. It also provides a linear phase response and tight phase-center variation. It is designed for precision agriculture, autonomous vehicles and other precision applications. The TW7875 is housed in a magnetic-mount IP67-rated housing, but can also be mounted with screws or adhesive tape. The embedded version, Model TW3875, has a wide selection of connectors and custom cable lengths, and can be custom tuned by Tallysman to ensure optimum performance within the customer’s enclosure.
The SPAN CPT7 provides tightly coupled GNSS+INS navigation technology in a rugged, compact unit. Commercially exportable and designed for integration into a wide variety of applications, it delivers assured positioning anywhere. SPAN technology tightly couples GNSS and inertial navigation system (INS) measurements. The system enables continuous, robust positioning and fast reacquisition in challenging navigation environments where GNSS signals may be unreliable or unavailable for short periods. Dual antennas deliver instant alignment. NovAtel’s OEM7 Interference Toolkit (ITK) provides interference detection and mitigation, with the spectrum analysis function allowing integrators to identify interference within the GNSS frequency bands and implement digital filters to eliminate the problem.
The commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) LN-200C is a compact and lightweight six-degrees-of-freedom inertial measurement unit (IMU) that can be used for instrument stabilization, motion compensation and navigation in commercial, aerospace and industrial applications. Based on fiber-optic gyro (FOG) technology, the LN-200C IMU’s hermetic seal and lack of moving parts help to ensure low noise and extended operational life. The LN-200C can serve as a drop-in replacement for applications that don’t require the full operational range of the original LN-200 and that can benefit from the expedited licensing and global ease of use offered by the LN-200C.
Global Certification Forum (GCF) protocol conformance tests available
Photo: Rohde & Schwarz
The Rohde & Schwarz CMW500 wideband radio communication tester and SMBV100A GNSS simulator have been expanded to support Global Certification Forum (GCF) protocol conformance tests for C-V2X device certification. Utilizing the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset from Qualcomm Technologies, the R&S CMW500 acting as an LTE network simulator allows automakers to test C-V2X direct communications (PC5) according to GCF Work Item 281. The new R&S CMW-KK550 test package includes the 3GPP Protocol Conformance tests from LTE-V2V GCF Work Item 281 and LTE-V2X GCF Work Item 282. The R&S CMW-KU514 C-V2X software package on the R&S CMW500 is used to verify data transmission and reception over the PC5 interface in ideal, faded and congested channel conditions. Together, both packages enable Rohde & Schwarz to support C-V2X device testing through all protocol layers.
The Multimax FV family is available in a range of configurations, supporting multi-constellation GNSS. The antennas also support up to dual MIMO LTE (including Band 14 for the FirstNet public safety network), 3×3 MIMO Wi-Fi or 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi. With a small footprint and a strong, bolt-mount aluminum base, the Multimax FV family provides protection against natural hazards threatening vehicles, including vibration, ice, salt, car washes and tree sweeps. The high-gain antennas deliver a large cellular footprint alongside high-rejection GNSS technology (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou).
For Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) flight operations
Arctic UAV has adopted Kongsberg Geospatial’s IRIS UAS Airspace Awareness application for BVLOS operations within Canada’s Arctic. IRIS provides simultaneous monitoring of multiple drones. It offers real-time calculation of aircraft separation and communications line-of-sight, real-time visualization of track and weather data.
M.A.D.S detects and identifies commercial drones within a 5+ kilometer range, providing GPS positioning of both drone and pilot together with the drone’s speed and heading. Once a drone threat is established, the system enables a 500-meter electronic exclusion zone to be created around the yacht. Should the drone approach this exclusion zone, its control/video signal is blocked, initiating a fail-safe mode and forcing a landing or return to operator.
Operates on the Wave Relay mobile ad hoc network (MANET)
The Auto-Tracking Antenna System is a portable ground-to-air antenna for tracking aircraft, including drones. Defense customers can use it for better airborne communications relay and full-motion video camera/sensor data transmission. It can be assembled and deployed in less than 15 minutes.
Version 6 of Virtual Surveyor drone surveying software offers a faster, more efficient workflow and better user experience in a more stable platform than previous versions. Along with new capabilities is an improved licensing system and an extended free application. The software generates an interactive onscreen environment through orthophotos and digital surface models generated from a UAV, where the surveyor selects survey points and breaklines to define the topography. It enables land surveyors to complement traditional fieldwork with UAV imagery to generate highly accurate topographic products.
Foresights is a risk management and geospatial analytics platform designed to help clients manage forestry assets quickly, effectively and accurately. Foresights identifies areas of new or potential risk, and delivers operations tracking and forest damage management services. It combines satellite imagery, topography maps, soil maps, meteorological data and near real-time ground input from operational teams to deliver optimized insights. It can detect damage as small as 0.1 hectare (0.25 acre) from pests, disease and drought.
EOS Platform provides a powerful toolset for geospatial analysts — offering search, analysis, storing and visualization of large amounts of geospatial data. Image data obtained from LandViewer or uploaded from a user’s computer is stored in cloud-based EOS Storage and is instantly available for remote-sensing analysis or image processing. EOS Processing offers 16 workflows that run online, including raster tools, remote sensing analytics, photogrammetry and proprietary feature extraction algorithms designed by EOS engineers and data scientists to address the main challenges of agriculture, forestry, oil, gas, retail, city planning, defense and other industries.
The Esri book GIS for Surface Water: Using the National Hydrography Dataset by Jeff Simley details how to use geographic information system (GIS) technology to visualize and analyze data sets. Simley is an award-winning cartographer and the former lead of the hydrography program at the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The book examines the complexities of surface water systems and shows readers how to use the Esri ArcGIS software with government water data sets to better study and manage the United States’ vast water system.
EOMAP has opened a commercial online store for global shallow-water bathymetry derived from satellite data. At the store, EOStore Bathymetry, customers can search for and request high-quality data. Satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) is a valuable tool for the surveying, planning and management of coastal and offshore sites. SDB can provide shallow-water bathymetric data worldwide without the need for a physical presence in the area of interest. EOMAP developed the bathymetry store in response to industry feedback. EOStore Bathymetry offers different horizontal spatial resolutions of the bathymetric grid of 2 to 15 meters, making the data suitable for surveying as well as planning and modeling purposes.
