The latest version of the TerraGo Edge includes enhanced polygon and polyline capabilities, enriched mapping features, expanded GPS receiver integration and adds KML import and export formats. View the video above for an on-demand demo of the latest features in TerraGo Edge v3.6.
Visit terragotech.com to learn more.
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The latest version of the TerraGo Edge includes enhanced polygon and polyline capabilities, enriched mapping features, expanded GPS receiver integration and adds KML import and export formats. View the video above for an on-demand demo of the latest features in TerraGo Edge v3.6.
Visit terragotech.com to learn more.
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Geospatial Solutions’ and GPS World‘s Art Kalinski reports from eMerge Americas, held May 4-5 in Miami. Florida International University had numerous technology displays, but its autonomous catamaran doing bathymetry data collection and mapping was impressive.
Three new sets of maps detail the offshore bathymetry, habitats, geology and submarine environment of the seafloor off the coast of San Francisco, Drakes Bay and Tomales Point.
Critical for resource managers, the maps are part of the California Seafloor and Coastal Mapping Program, a series of maps published by the U.S. Geological Survey with support from the California Ocean Protection Council, NOAA and 15 other state and federal partners. The maps are designed to be used by a large stakeholder community and the public to manage and understand California’s vast and valuable marine resources.
“OPC is proud to be a partner in this interagency effort,” said California’s Secretary for Natural Resources and OPC Chair John Laird. “These maps are critical to the state’s innovative approach to coastal resource management. USGS’s products form the foundation for assessing the performance of our Marine Protected Area network and preparing for climate change impacts such as sea-level rise.”
“NOAA is pleased to be partnering in this integrated ocean and coastal mapping project. By working with partners from across federal, state, academic, and private sectors, we are able to combine data resources and maximize our efficiency in applying a ‘map once, use many times’ approach that benefits all,” said Rear Admiral Gerd F. Glang, director NOAA’s office of coast survey.
The program was initiated seven years ago with the goal of comprehensively surveying and mapping all of California’s state waters. The vision was tremendously ambitious — comparable mapping on this scale has not been attempted anywhere else in the world, the USGS said. Each of the three publications includes 10 map sheets, a pamphlet and a digital data catalog.
The maps and mapping data have a large range of applications. They provide:
The new “Offshore of San Francisco” maps document the complex submarine environments along the inlet to San Francisco Bay formed by strong tidal currents, including spectacular sand waves, a deep scour pool beneath the Golden Gate, and the dynamic offshore San Francisco mouth bar and “Potato Patch” shoal.
Sediment distribution maps reveal only a thin sediment cover offshore of the Ocean Beach (San Francisco) erosional hotspot (a pattern extending south to San Gregorio), indicating that today’s present coastal erosion will be a continuing problem, likely to be exacerbated by continuing sea-level rise.
Geologic maps incorporating subsurface data document the location and geometry of the San Andreas, San Gregorio and Point Reyes fault systems, and show how their interactions led to uplift of Point Reyes and development of a deep sediment-filled basin.
The Drakes Bay and Vicinity, and Offshore of Tomales Point maps reveal the diverse and complex range of seafloor habitats typical of the California coast, ranging from the rugged granitic bedrock along the high-energy west coast of Point Reyes, to smooth sand and mud in the more protected Drakes Bay environment that includes the Point Reyes State Marine Reserve.
“There is a ‘WOW!’ factor to the new high-resolution datasets and maps,” said Sam Johnson, the USGS project lead. “They’re allowing scientists to pose new questions and are having a significant role in stimulating research. We’re also seeing a positive impact on public education and awareness.”
To date, 12 map sets and catalogs have been published. Ten additional map sets are now being formatted for publication, which will complete coverage in the Santa Barbara Channel (Oxnard to Gaviota) and from Marina northward to beyond the Russian River.
The maps are created through the collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data, acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data.
The California Seafloor and Coastal Mapping Program is a collaborative effort supported by the USGS, the California Ocean Protection Council, NOAA, California State University at Monterey Bay, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and other academic, government, and industry partners.
Maps: USGS
As digital producer for Geospatial Solutions, I spent three days this month covering Unmanned Systems 2015, the huge show hosted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). This was definitely the show at which I gathered the most news and footage of exciting UAV/UAS applications in geospatial technology.
Let’s meet the experts responsible for developing high-altitude color and infrared imagery gathering of a city-sized area, a lower altitude quadcopter for surveying and mapping and a small vertical take-off and landing aircraft developed for use by warfighters that is now ready for first responders and others in small, cluttered, urban environments, giving them an eye-in-the-sky in just minutes.
From the chipset level to fully-featured aerial survey platforms to processing software, AUVSI had it all.
Intro to AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems 2015
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International’s (AUVSI’s) Unmanned Systems 2015 show, held May 4-7 in Atlanta, convened a global community of commercial and defense leaders in intelligent robotics, drones and unmanned systems.
CEA Research: UAS Could Reach 1M U.S. Flights a Day in 20 Years
The United States will reach one million UAS flights per day within the next 20 years, given the right regulatory environment, according to new economic research from the Consumer Electronics Association.
Exelis Showcases CorvusEye at AUVSI 2015
CorvusEye 1500 is one of the programs Exelis featured at AUVSI 2015. From an altitude of 15,000 feet, CorvusEye 1500 provides color and infrared imagery of a city-sized area unavailable with comparable airborne systems. Bernard Brower, product manager for Exelis, shows us how users work with the real-time analytics and processed data to search for vehicle tracks based on location and time.
Trimble Details New OEM Module at AUVSI 2015
Akshay Bandiwdekar of Trimble Integrated Technologies details the company’s BD935-INS module that features precision GNSS with an integrated 3-D Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) inertial sensor package. As part of Trimble’s GNSS OEM portfolio, the new compact module augments real-time precise positioning with 3-D orientation.
Septentrio Launches AsteRx-m UAS Reciever at AUVSI Show
Septentrio’s Jan Van Hees talks about the AsteRx-m UAS, an RTK-accurate GNSS receiver solution specially designed for the drone market. The AsteRx-m UAS provides high-accuracy GNSS positioning with low power consumption, according to Septentrio.
NavtechGPS Showcases GPS, GNSS Products for Unmanned Systems
NavtechGPS CTO Franck Boynton explains how AUVSI 2015 attendees can incorporate GPS and GNSS technology into unmanned projects. NavtechGPS represents nearly 30 leading manufacturers of GPS and GNSS products.
NovAtel Showcases FlexPak6, FlexPak-S Receivers
NovAtel’s Peter Soar talks about the company’s FlexPak6 receiver that houses its OEM628 triple-frequency plus L-Band GNSS receiver board. It has a highly configurable interface to ensure precise positioning for UAV applications. Soar explains that its “sister unit,” the FlexPak-S, contains a real-time kinematic GPS receiver with an L-3 XFACTOR Selective Availability Anti Spoofing Module (SAASM). The two receivers are both the same size and fit.
Lockheed Martin Displays K-MAX Cargo UAS Helicopter at AUVSI Show
Lockheed Martin Corporation and Kaman Aerospace Corporation transformed Kaman’s K-MAX power lift helicopter into an unmanned aircraft system capable of autonomous or remote controlled cargo delivery. Jon McMillen explains that its mission for the last three years has been to resupply battlefield cargo for the U.S. military in Afghanistan. McMillen says another possible application for K-MAX is firefighting.
NavCom Technology Offers Navigation and Positioning Capabilities for UAS
NavCom Technology’s Jim Williams explains the precise positioning and navigation solutions offered by the company for UAS. NavCom offers GNSS aerial antennas, RTK positioning and its StarFire global satellite-based augmentation system (GSBAS).
Maxtena Displays L1/L2 GPS Antennas for Use in UAS
Stani Licul, CEO of Maxena, displays some of its antennas for use in UAS. Maxtena’s active rugged antenna is designed for L1/L2 GPS and GLONASS bands for GNSS satellite and RTK applications.
Spirent Federal Systems GSS9000 GPS/GNSS Constellation Simulator
Jeff Martin of Spirent Federal Systems talks about how its GSS9000 simulator can help with UAS development. The GSS9000 simulator supports multi-system, multi-constellation GNSS testing for UAS.
NovAtel Talks GPS Anti-Jam Technology for Use in UAVs
NovAtel’s Peter Soar shares on the company’s GAJT (“Gadget”), a single unit GPS anti-jam antenna for use in UAVs. GAJT nullifies jammers, ensuring satellite signals necessary to compute position and time are always available.
Exelis Disruptor SRx Electronic Warfare Technology Explained
Marty Apa, chief engineer for Exelis’ Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems, shows Geospatial Solutions the Disruptor SRx. The Disruptor SRx electronic warfare technology is small enough to fit into UAS. It also has the ability to switch between multiple functions in real time.
Geomatics USA’s GPS Technology Enables UAS Navigation
Geomatics USA’s Ahmed Mohamed showcases a UAS that uses the company’s GPS technology to take off and land quadcopters from its structure. Geomatics USA also offers its G-AT: Active Target for surveying and mapping.
Lockheed Martin Corporation Demos Indago UAS at AUVSI Show
Lockheed Martin demonstrates its Indago UAS. The Indago payload system features a quick disconnect adapter which allows the operator to choose the appropriate payload for the mission, according to Lockheed Martin. The payloads are available for a variety of different applications, including agricultural, mapping, inspection and ISR.
Exelis’ Symphony RangeVue Offers Web-Hosted Aircraft Surveillance Information
Christian Ramsey, UAS program manager for Exelis, explains that the Symphony RangeVue enables UAS operators and test-range personnel to have access to both real-time and historical aircraft surveillance information via a web-hosted platform, helping to manage mission operations across multiple locations. Symphony RangeVue can be used as command center decision support and post-event analysis tool, or in the field as a sense-and-avoid addition to UAS ground control stations. Flexible geofencing tools alert operators when a UAS approaches airspace boundaries or other aircraft are in the vicinity.
Spectracom Shows Off Rugged Product Line at AUVSI Show
Spectracom displayed its precise positioning, navigation and timing solutions that leverage GPS/GNSS signals at AUVSI 2015. Capabilities for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) include precision references, signal generation, reception, synchronization, distribution, test/validation, simulation, integration, interference, detection/mitigation, real-time embedded and technical/support services.
Racelogic Highlights GNSS Simulator, VBOX Speed Sensor IMU
Jim Lau with Racelogic details the company’s GNSS Simulator and VBOX Speed Sensor IMU. VOBX is a 100-Hz dual-antenna GPS/GLONASS speed sensor (VBSSISL) that combines signals from an integrated inertial measurement unit with those from GPS to provide smoother output data even when satellite reception is interrupted.
Next year’s show has been branded XPONENTIAL 2016, “An AUVSI Experience,” and will be held in New Orleans, May 2–5. See you there!
The U.S. Geological Survey National Geospatial Program is developing the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) to respond to growing needs for high-quality topographic data and for a wide range of other three-dimensional representations of the nation’s natural and constructed features.
To expand awareness of 3DEP status and plans, as well as provide an open forum for 3DEP stakeholders to communicate and coordinate potential Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) proposals, the USGS is offering numerous state and regional coordination workshops.
The meetings will be held throughout the U.S. from now until June 30. The workshops will include in-person and virtual participation options.
The primary goal of 3DEP is to systematically collect 3D elevation data in the form of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data over the conterminous United States, Hawaii, and the U.S. territories, with data acquired over an eight-year period. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (ifsar) data will be acquired for Alaska, where cloud cover and remote locations preclude the use of LiDAR in much of the state.
The 3DEP initiative is based on the results of the National Enhanced Elevation Assessment that documented more than 600 business uses across 34 federal agencies, all 50 states, selected local government and tribal offices, and private and nonprofit organizations. A fully funded and implemented 3DEP would provide more than $690 million annually in new benefits to government entities, the private sector and citizens.
3DEP is a “Call for Action” because no one entity can accomplish it independently. 3DEP presents an opportunity for collaboration between all levels of government to leverage the services and expertise of private-sector mapping firms that acquire the data, and to create jobs.
“When partners work together, they can achieve efficiencies and lower costs so that 3DEP can become a reality,” the USGS said in a press release. “When 3D elevation data are available to everyone, new innovations will occur in forest resource management, alternative energy, agriculture, and other industries for years to come,” the USGS said.
Esri has released ArcGIS 10.3.1, bringing new capabilities.
Smart Mapping is an innovative approach for creating maps that is available through ArcGIS Online. Users can quickly style the features of a map to create useful and visually stunning maps every time, Esri said.
3D Web Scenes allow users to view, create, and share 3D web scenes in a browser. Available in ArcGIS for Server and Portal for ArcGIS, users can share these scenes within their own infrastructure or make them public.
With the ArcGIS 10.3.1 release, ArcGIS for Server with Portal for ArcGIS can now host web scenes and layers that include multipatch–based 3D models and symbology, such as photo-realistic buildings, trees, and visibility domes.
For more details about what’s new in ArcGIS 10.3.1, visit the ArcGIS blog.
Lockheed Martin Corporation demonstrates its Indago UAS at Unmanned Systems 2015, held May 4-7 in Atlanta. The Indago payload system features a quick disconnect adapter which allows the operator to choose the appropriate payload for the mission, according to Lockheed Martin. The payloads are available for a variety of different applications, including agricultural, mapping, inspection and ISR.
Geodetics Inc. has teamed up with Silicon Valley’s Velodyne Lidar. Velodyne and Geodetics will work on a variety of initiatives to enhance each others technologies and products with the goal of offering a small-size integrated inertial navigation and LiDAR-based mobile mapping payload for UAVs and other autonomous platforms.
Payloads will include Velodyne’s HDL-64E, HDL-32E and VLP-16 real-time LiDAR systems combined with Geodetics’ Geo-iNAV inertial navigation systems.
Geodetics and Velodyne are exhibiting this week at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Show in Atlanta, being held May 4-7 (booth 1500J and booth 2838 respectively). See our show coverage page for more information.
Velodyne’s LiDAR sensors are the highest performance LiDAR systems on the market in their size, weight and power class. Geo-iNAV is a fully-integrated GPS-aided inertial navigation system that provides real-time, high-precision positioning and navigation for manned and unmanned air, sea and ground vehicles. It combines GPS and proprietary sensor fusion technologies to achieve centimeter-level real-time positioning and navigation for dynamic platforms.
“We’re delighted to work with Geodetics to ease the integration process for our customers,” said David Oroshnik, Technical Sales Engineer, Velodyne LiDAR. “Our decision to support Geodetics is based upon the growing demand for cost-effective, small-sized, fully-integrated mobile mapping payloads that deliver performance traditionally associated with higher-end systems.”
“Velodyne’s LiDAR systems enable Geodetics’ products to reach new markets and customers by delivering high performance in a smaller package and for a lower cost than competing devices,” said Lydia Bock, Geodetics president and CEO.
With recent advances in unmanned vehicle technologies, the GNSS ecosystem has expanded to support such mission-critical applications as mobile mapping. These applications increasingly require more accurate navigation to accomplish their mission. The Geo-iNAV family of inertial navigation products delivers this capability with features that support reliable and precise navigation with a low SWaP (size, weight and power) profile for autonomous vehicles and payloads on manned vehicles.
Geo-iNAV is offered in several configurations designed to meet a wide range of requirements. It is available in commercial as well as SAASM configurations, meeting a wide range of inertial navigation application requirements.
Forty-four women gave birth to the most influential men in U.S. history — presidents. This Mother’s Day, Esri highlights these “First Mothers” in an interactive story map.
Navigating the Story Map uncovers interesting facts, such as:
· At 18 years old, Stanley Ann Obama became the youngest First Mother.
· The seven presidents born in Ohio were Republican.
· Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams were born .2 miles apart.
Avyon, a sUAS (Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems) integrator and distributor, is using the Applanix APX UAV for its md4 fleet, to provide users with cost-effective direct georeferencing technology.
The integration of the Applanix APX-15 UAV on the md4-1000 and md4-3000 microdrones will offer solutions for unmanned aircraft while complying with weight and size restrictions for payloads. The APX-15 works seamlessly with all other airborne sensors such as digital cameras, LIDAR and other sensors, Avy0n said.
The APX-15 on the md4-1000 microdrone is on display at booth 1803 at the AUVSI Unmanned Systems 2015 show, being held May 4-7 in Atlanta, Ga.
“The integration of the APX-15 with md4-1000 and md4-3000 will provide users with a precision mapping capability, minimizing or eliminating the requirement for ground control points and making mapping missions more efficient,” said Mike Hogan, Avyon’s business development manager.
The APX-15 UAV on the md4 fleet will improve aerial mapping by eliminating GCPs (ground control points) for triangulation, as well as reduce the amount of overlap in the surveying process. This will increase efficiency and effectiveness for area flown per mission and the post-mission data processing, Avyon said.
“We recognize the need to provide the growing UAS mapping market with the same highly efficient solutions that we pioneered for airborne mapping over 15 years ago,” said Joe Hutton, director of Inertial Technology and Airborne Products at Applanix Corporation (xyHt pg. 14). “We are now offering a cost-effective solution that meets the size, weight, power and cost requirements of small UAS, and maintains the Applanix pedigree for quality and performance. We are pleased Avyon has partnered with us. The md4-1000 DMS-UAV is a powerful new solution.”
