Spirent Communications plc, provider of mobile network, application, services and device-test solutions, is warning of the increased likelihood of disruptions this year to a wide variety of civil and military applications relying on GNSS.
The prediction of greater risk from hacking and location spoofing attacks by criminal, state-sponsored, and other adversaries is part of Spirent’s annual security forecast for 2017. The forecast also highlights the continued risk of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on Internet of things (IoT) devices and industries, including health care and automotive, that Spirent believes are the prime targets for security threats in the near future.
In 2016, Spirent’s predictions led off with a prescient warning about the increased risk of cyber espionage, which has since been borne out, most notably by news reports of suspected activities by the Russian government to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Also as predicted, in 2016 threats from ransomware, malicious insiders and compromised IoT devices increased, as did attacks on industrial control systems. For example, FBI sources reported on CNN that losses attributed to ransomware in the U.S. were set to exceed $1 billion by the end of 2016. That number is expected to grow in 2017.
In addition to an increased likelihood of GNSS interference, Spirent’s annual security forecast for 2017 predicts an expansion of risks from:
More frequent DDoS attacks against IoT devices, as evidenced in the last quarter of 2016, when multiple major DDoS attacks surfaced worldwide. The most disruptive attack employed Mirai malware covertly installed on a large number of IoT devices. A number of high-profile websites such as Netflix, AirBnB, Twitter, GitHub and others were rendered inaccessible. Spirent believes that perpetrators will continue to innovate and find new methods for improving and broadening these type of attacks.
Threats to IoT security, which are increasing as everything that is connected becomes a potential attack vector, including embedded devices, mobile devices, consumer electronics, connected medical devices, industrial control systems, smart home devices, and more.
Threats to medical applications, networks, and devices in the health care industry, both the back-office systems on which these facilities run and the medical instruments that provide care to patients. A ransomware infection or data breach could adversely affect patient health and privacy.
Threats to connected vehicles by malicious attackers, as a greater number of attack vectors are inadvertently created that enable remotely gaining control of critical operational components of the vehicle, including engine, steering, and braking functions in addition to other vehicle systems that communicate through the relatively insecure CAN bus infrastructure.
“With the greater drive towards use of autonomous vehicles, which rely heavily on precision GPS positioning and timing, threats posed by signal spoofing, jamming, time tinkering, and more could result in serious disruptions and worse,” said Sameer Dixit, senior director of security consulting at Spirent. “The transportation industry is taking this very seriously and already looking at various ways to protect against these threats. Because of this, we see momentum towards improving GNSS security in 2017.”
According to an article in Defense One, Timothy Bennett, a science-and-technology program manager at the Department of Homeland Security, has already reported the use of GPS spoofing and jamming equipment by Mexican drug cartels along the border to interfere with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency’s use of drones to patrol the area. Unlike the larger drones designed to military specifications, the smaller drones used for this purpose are more vulnerable to these kinds of attacks.
Spirent’s global network of GPS interference detectors has recorded more than 15,000 interference events since it was deployed in 2015, including a surprisingly high number of unintentional events caused by various forms of interference in the GPS L1 frequency band. A significant number of these unintentional events, which often correlate with transmissions from nearby RF transmitters and telecom equipment, have the potential to interfere with GPS signal reception.
Dixon noted one bright spot on the horizon: the increasing awareness up and down the technology food chain of the importance of security in these systems, and the entry of large, experienced, and security-conscious players into the IoT arena.
The new edition of Cartographies of Disease: Maps, Mapping, and Medicine from Esri traces the long history of how maps have been used to help unlock the mysteries behind the cause and spread of diseases such as cholera, yellow fever and Ebola. Ebola is the focus of two new chapters.
Cartographies of Disease was first published in 2005 and showed how maps could be used as an important tool for studying both chronic conditions and disease epidemics. It became a must-read for policy makers and others working in public health and medicine.
In this expanded edition, author Tom Koch adds new material to deepen readers’ understanding of medical mapping from the 17th to 21st centuries. The book covers the mapping of diseases and medical conditions such as cholera, yellow fever, typhoid fever, sandfly fever, hernia, lymphoma, arteriosclerotic heart disease, cancer, influenza, AIDS, West Nile virus and Ebola.
“Cartographies of Disease is a book about our confrontations with bacterial and viral agents across history,” Koch wrote in the book’s introduction. “It is also about how maps help us profile those conditions in our attempts to restrict them. Ebola in 2014 reminded us that it’s urgent to understand the conditions that promote disease and the ways we confront them on the ground.”
The book provides a nontechnical narrative and a visual history of mapping’s role in studying what causes disease, understanding where and how diseases spread, and how they can be combated. The illustrations include more than 100 maps and charts, from a pair of 1694 maps of plague locations and containment zones in Bari, Italy, to digital maps of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, created using geographic information system (GIS) technology.
Ebola charted
Ebola is the focus of the two new chapters. In Chapter 13, the international perception of Ebola’s threat is charted and, with it, the fear engendered by the possibility that a local outbreak might become an international pandemic. Perceptions of the disease and reactions to it are mapped using contemporary technologies such as GIS.
Chapter 14 is devoted to the practical issues of mapping an infectious virus like Ebola in developing countries. It describes how the potential for Ebola to spread was initially overlooked and how, in the future, new epidemics might be better contained. Mapping, Koch argues, can help identify disease threats, direct medical assistance when necessary, and educate people—locally and internationally — about new diseases.
Koch is a medical ethicist and gerontologist based in Canada. As an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, he developed a series of teaching labs for medical geography.
Cartographies of Disease: Maps, Mapping, and Medicine, new expanded edition, is now available in print (ISBN: 9781589484672, 412 pages, US$79.99) or as an e-book (ISBN: 9781589484764, 412 pages, US$59.99). The print edition of the book can be obtained from online retailers worldwide, at esri.com/esripress, or by calling 1-800-447-9778.
The e-book edition is available for purchase from online retailers. Outside the United States, visit esri.com/esripressorders for complete ordering options.
Datumate has released DatuSurvey version 5.1 for both Professional and Enterprise editions of the software. DatuSurvey (formerly DatuGram 3D) turns drone- and camera-based images to accurate, georeferenced 2D maps and 3D models, which saves the need for expensive and risky field work and expedites deliveries, according to Datumate.
DatuSurvey Professional V5.1 now also includes:
Ground Control Points Hints – Once the model is built with the minimal requirement of 3 GCP’s on two images each, the system will start showing hints for selected GCP on all images it is not marked in. This will make the GCP marking easier and faster.
Differentiating Clusters in Map View – Different clusters are now shown in different colors in the map view.
DatuSurvey Enterprise V5.1 now also includes:
Dense Point Cloud Generation Quality – Dense Point Cloud may now be generated at four different density levels as specified by the user.
Mesh and Texture Support – Dense Point Cloud may now be generated with mesh or with textured mesh. Mesh and texture may be exported to OBJ format.
True Orthophoto Export Quality – Orthophoto may now be generated at four different resolutions.
Visualization Viewer Improvement – 3D Viewer is able to handle up to 100 million points. Thus, viewing an excellent quality model with mesh and texture.
Volume Calculation Improvement – Volume calculation was improved to allow definition of stockpiles right on the dense point cloud, including physical and base surfaces. The definition process is now faster and easier, and the volume calculation of more precise.
Ground Control Points Hints – Once the model is built with the minimal requirement of three GCP’s on two images each, the system will start showing hints for selected GCP on all images it is not marked in. This will make the GCP marking easier and faster.
Differentiating Clusters in Map View – Different clusters are now shown in different colors in the map view.
NovAtel has launched its OEM7 7.200 version firmware. Version 7.200 firmware introduces powerful new positioning functionality including the company’s Interference Toolkit (ITK).
The ITK allows users to detect and mitigate intentional interference such as the adversarial jamming of GNSS signals, as well as the unintentional interference from external sources. The new RTK Assist corrections service assures continued high-accuracy positioning when signals from a real-time kinematic (RTK) network are unavailable or disrupted.
With the ITK, NovAtel’s OEM7 customers can auto-detect and report in-band radio frequency (RF) interference so that any interference adversely affecting their receiver’s positioning performance can be quickly nullified.
In combination with the 7.200 firmware launch, NovAtel is introducing NovAtel Connect 2.0, the latest version of its PC-based graphical user interface (GUI). Running on Microsoft Windows 10, NovAtel Connect 2.0 offers significant user enhancements including features to optimize ITK functionality.
Firmware version 7.200 expands NovAtel’s proprietary correction service capabilities with the introduction of two new subscription-based offerings:
TerraStar-L 40-centimeter correction service. This Precise Point Positioning (PPP) correction service delivers exceptionally robust 40-cm-level positioning performance at an entry-level price point, anywhere on earth without the need for a base station. With corrections derived from the fully redundant TerraStar network infrastructure, the new service is designed for broad accuracy positioning applications such as agriculture, construction or GIS.
RTK Assist correction bridging service. This globally available service allows users to maintain RTK-level accuracy when RTK corrections are disrupted. RTK Assist uses multiple geostationary satellites to beam corrections directly to the receiver to bridge outages that can occur with local RTK networks.
“Developing products that not only deliver high-precision, high-accuracy positioning, but also assure our customers’ position is central to our mission at NovAtel,” said NovAtel’s director of product management, Neil Gerein. “The release of OEM7 firmware version 7.200 reflects our company’s commitment to continually enhance positioning performance, whether by expanding receiver capabilities, or in mitigating unintentional or intentional interference as reflected with the capabilities of our new Interference Toolkit.”
For more details on all 7.200 firmware capabilities, see this PDF.
Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have signed a GPS sustainment agreement to ensure the health of current satellites on orbit. The agreement enables persistent GPS capability for civilians and the military as Boeing works on next-generation GPS satellites.
Artist’s impression of a GPS Block II/IIA satellite in orbit. (Credit: U.S. government)
Under the agreement, Boeing will support GPS IIA and IIF satellites on orbit for the next five years. Boeing, which has been the prime GPS contractor for more than 40 years, is now part of the Air Force effort that may lead to the next generation of GPS satellites.
“This agreement continues Boeing’s strong legacy of GPS innovation and mission support,” said Dan Hart, vice president, Government Satellite Systems. “We are focused on delivering reliable, affordable and resilient GPS capability now and for generations to come.”
Collectively, Boeing GPS satellites have accrued more than 550 years of on-orbit operation. In March 2016, the company delivered its 50th GPS satellite on orbit to the Air Force and has built more than two-thirds of the GPS satellites that have entered service since 1978.
Strategically Occupying Stations to Support NGS’ GPS on Bench Marks Program
This is the 11th segment in my series on “Establishing Orthometric Height Using GNSS.” Each column has focused on a specific topic and provided procedures and tools for analyzing that topic. The columns are meant to build on each other. When addressing a topic that has been discussed in a previous column, web links are provided so the reader can review the previous columns.
The last column, December 2016, highlighted NGS plans for the 2022 Vertical Reference Datum and provided approximate height differences that users can expect to see. It also provided a little history behind the differences between the NGVD 29 and NAVD 88, and how each replacement of the United States’ National vertical reference datum is improving the user’s ability to obtain the most accurate orthometric height. The October 2016 column demonstrated how to use the GPS on BMs dataset to identify potential issues in published NAVD 88 and NAD 83 (2011) heights. It focused on analyzing the NGS’ GPS on BM data set that was used to create NGS’ GEOID12B hybrid geoid model. It provided procedures that users could employ when analyzing the differences between the modeled geoid values and the computed geoid values using GNSS/Leveling data (GNSS-derived ellipsoid height minus leveling-derived orthometric height). The October 2016 column provided several examples of large relative differences in residuals between neighboring stations. Each example represented stations that should be investigated based on different reasons, such as a weak NAVD 88 leveling network design in the region, the station’s published height attribute code implies that the station was not rigorously adjusted into the NAVD 88, and station pairs have different adjustment dates indicating a possible adjustment distribution correction issue or movement.
The following questions still need to be addressed: (1) Is the large difference due to an issue with the NAVD 88 orthometric height or the NAD 83 (2011) ellipsoid height? and (2) Should the station be included in the development of NGS’ hybrid geoid models? This column will provide suggestions on how users can assist NGS in determining the reason for the large difference between the modeled hybrid geoid value and computed GNSS/leveling geoid computed value. This information will be useful to NGS when developing hybrid geoid models and the 2022 Vertical Transformation model.
At this moment, the user is limited to what they can do to assist in identifying the problem. There are basically two options: (1) perform precise leveling observations between two or more stations and/or (2) perform accurate GNSS observations between two or more stations. Performing geodetic leveling between two stations is the desired option but is very expensive and time consuming; however, performing accurate GNSS observations between the two stations is relatively inexpensive and, if NGS’ OPUS-Projects is used to process the data then it is relatively simple to determine accurate NAD 83 (2011) ellipsoid heights and height differences. Even if the project is not submitted to NGS for inclusion into NAD 83 (2011), OPUS-Projects provides a easy and traceable mechanism for others to analyze the results and make their own decision.
First, let’s look at what NGS provides the user on their GPS on Bench Mark Program. The October 2016 column discussed the GPS on Bench Mark dataset used to create GEOID12B. It provided basic information about the program and provided links to websites that address the program. This column will provide additional information that will be useful for those individuals that desire to participate in the GPS on Bench Mark program. The website provides information on bench mark reconnaissance and recovery. NGS outlines to the user how to use their data files to perform a desktop reconnaissance. They provide eight steps that they believe will be helpful to the user when supporting the GPS on Bench Mark program. (See box titled “NGS’ Suggested Eight Steps for Users to Follow When Participating in the GPS on Bench Mark Program.”)
North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) consists of a leveling network on the North American Continent, ranging from Alaska, through Canada, across the United States, affixed to a single origin point on the continent:
Desktop reconnaissance
Reconnaissance materials
Reconnaissance equipment
Bench Mark Hunting
Photos
Observe and record
Plan for Survey Observation
Add your Planned Observation to the ArcGIS Online Map
North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) consists of a leveling network on the North American Continent, ranging from Alaska, through Canada, across the United States, affixed to a single origin point on the continent:
1. Desktop reconnaissance
Bench marks of First and Second order leveling are targeted for GPS observations. Identify where you are looking for survey control. Generally surveyors try to tie into the NSRS without traveling too far from their project areas. Once you have determined your area of interest, use mapping applications to find marks that meet your criteria. The two recommended mapping applications are the NGS Data Explorer and DSWorld. The NGS database does not always get updated when geocachers recover marks on their web site, but DSWorld does provide information from their web site by showing a when it has been recovered.
To help assist surveyors and geocachers we have also created an ArcGIS Map Package , a zip file for non ArcGIS users and an ArcGIS Online (AGOL) Web Map available using the links below. The Web Map Application is available using any browser and the Map Package and zip file is for users interested in performing their own analysis.
GPS on Bench Marks AGOL Map
NGS GPS on Bench Marks Esri Map Package (~178 MB)
NGS GPS on Bench Marks Shapes/rasters (~88 MB)
These datasets provide the bench marks that were used in the creation of Geoid12B as well as the new GPS on bench marks that have been incorporated into NAD 83 (2011) since the creation of Geoid12B. This is useful information for those that want to occupy different bench marks than those previously observed with GNSS, and it is especially useful for identifying areas of the country that do not have enough bench marks occupied by GNSS. However, as I mentioned in my October 2016 column, the GPS on Bench Mark dataset can also be useful for identifying issues with NAVD 88 orthometric heights and NAD 83 (2011) ellipsoid heights. In the October 2016 column, I recommended that users perform an analysis of the differences between the published Geoid12B values and computed values from the NGS datasheet. (See box titled “Excerpt from October 2016 column – Analyzing Stations in the GPSBM Table.”)
Excerpt from October 2016 column – Analyzing Stations in the GPSBM Table.
So, what should the user do with the GPSBM table? I recommend that users perform the following steps when analyzing the stations in the GPSBM table.
Compare the modeled GEOID12B (N12B) value to the computed GPS/Leveling (h minus H) value using the following formula: Published N12B from the NGS data sheet minus (ellipsoid height from the GPSBM table minus orthometric height from the GPSBM table). We discussed this procedure a year ago in column 3 (October 2015). It should be noted that the orthometric height in the GPSBM table may be different than the published NAVD 88 height on the NGS data sheet if the station has been readjusted since the GPSBM table was created.
Repeat the procedure in Step 1 using the latest NGS experimental geoid model, e.g. xGeoid16b. At this time, NGS only provides the experimental geoid models referenced to IGS08 so the user will have to use NGS’ xGeoid16 web tool to obtain the station’s IGS08 ellipsoid height and xGeoid16b value. The input to the tool is the station’s NAD 83 (2011) coordinates (latitude, Longitude, and ellipsoid height). [An example of using the xGeoid16 web tool is provided in the box titled “Example of Using NGS xGeoid16 Web Tool.”] As discussed in column 3 (October 2015), the user will have to remove a bias and trend based on the differences in the region.
Use the station’s data sheet to identify how the station’s orthometric height was determined; for example, was it rigorously adjusted into the NAVD 88 (published height attribute – Adjusted). We discussed the attributes of the NGS data sheet in column 5 (February 2016). A summary of the attributes from the NGS data sheet DSDATA.TXT file is provided in the box titled “Extracted from NGS’ DSDATA.TXT.” I have highlighted the most common attributes of the stations involved in making GEOID12B.
Use the station’s NGS data sheet to determine the adjustment date of the station’s published NAVD 88 orthometric height. We discussed this in column 7 (June 2016). As mentioned in column 7, if the station has a different adjustment date than other stations nearby, there could be inconsistencies due to adjustment distribution corrections and/or movement.
If you download the Zip file or the Esri Map Package, you should have a layer titled “NGS_Bench_Marks.” This layer contains all the bench marks from the NGS database that have NAVD 88 orthometric heights with the attribute “ADJUSTED.” It should be noted that this is not the complete list of stations used to create the hybrid geoid model GEOID12B. This file only contains bench marks that were established using precise geodetic leveling procedures and incorporated into NAVD 88 using NGS’ leveling adjustment program. The list of attributes and their meaning was provided in my February 2016 column. The ArcGIS NGS_Bench_Marks layer contains a NAVD 88 orthometric height, a Geoid12B value, and an ellipsoid height if the station was occupied in a GNSS project. The ArcGIS user can select all bench marks that have a NAD 83 (2011) ellipsoid height in their state by using an ESRI query builder statement; for example, “STATE” = ‘NC’ AND “DATUM_TAG” = ‘(2011)’ AND “POS_DATUM” = ‘NAD 83’. Now the user can compute the GPS on BMs residual using the following formula: GPS on BMs Residual = Geoid12B value minus [NAD 83 (2011) Ellipsoid Height – NAVD 88 Orthometric Height)]. The user can perform this operation in the ESRI ArcGIS program or download the ArcGIS “NGS_Bench_Marks.dbf” file into Excel (or another spreadsheet program) and compute the computation in that spreadsheet program. The user can then import the file back into ArcGIS or their own GIS software. Once you have the GPS on BMs Residuals you can plot them and look for outliers. This is what I denote as “Strategically Occupying Stations to Support the GPS on Bench Mark Program.” I performed the above operation for the entire “NGS_Bench_Marks” file.
So, what do I really mean by strategically occupying station to support the GPS on Bench Mark Program. Once you plot the GPS on Bench Marks residuals, the user should use the plots to identify stations that should be re-occupied because of large residuals or new stations that should be occupied in areas void of control. Figure 1 is an example of the GPS on BMs residuals for the State of North Carolina.
Figure 1 – GPS on Bench Marks Residuals using GEOID12B computed using NGS GPS on Bench Marks Shapes/rasters
Looking at figure 1, the reader should notice some large red circles (negative GPS on BMs residuals) are located near some large blue circles (positive GPS on BMs residuals). In my opinion, these regions should be analyzed to determine if stations should be re-observed during a GPS on Bench Mark campaign. This doesn’t mean that if other stations are occupied that they will not help improve the hybrid geoid model and the NAVD 88 transformation model to the new 2022 Vertical Reference Datum, it just means that these previously occupied stations are questionable and re-observing these stations may help to explain why the residuals are so large. I’ve provided a couple of examples in North Carolina to explain what I mean.
Figure 2 depicts a station with a large negative residual (-7.9 cm) surrounded by stations with smaller residuals (mostly positive residuals). This station’s published NAVD 88 height may be an invalid height; that is, the station may have moved after the leveling-derived orthometric height was determined. In my opinion, this station should not be used in the development of a hybrid geoid model or any transformation model from NAVD 88 to another vertical reference datum. It would be useful information to know if the NAVD 88 orthometric height is invalid. In this example, the user could re-observe station Z 183 (PID = FA0997) with a long GNSS session, or simultaneously observe station FA0997 and another nearby station (such as AH5641) during the same long session. The second option allows the user to estimate a new ellipsoid height difference between the two stations that can be compared with the published ellipsoid height difference.
Figure 2 – Large Negative Residual Surrounded by Smaller Residuals – Station FA0997
The ArcGIS NGS_Bench_Marks layer includes when the station was first recovered (e.g.,1967) and last recovered (e.g., 2009), and the condition of the station (e.g., good condition). The NGS dataset provides the network and local accuracies for published NAD 83 (2011) stations. (See box titled “Excerpt from NGS’ Datasheets for Stations FA0997 and AH5641.”) We discussed NGS’ datasheet and published local and network accuracy values in the August 2015 column.
The stations’ local and network accuracy values are highlighted in the box titled “Excerpt from NGS’ Datasheets for Stations FA0997 and AH5641.” Station AH5641 local ellipsoid standard error value (0.51 cm) is much better than station’s FA0997 value (2.47 cm). Next, we should look at the local network accuracies to determine which stations were simultaneously observed during a GNSS survey. Once again, these options on the NGS’ datasheets were discussed in the August 2015 column.
The box titled “Excerpt from NGS’ The Local and Network Accuracy Data Sheet for Stations FA0997 and AH5641” provides the local and network accuracy data sheet for stations FA0997 and AH56412. The readers should notice that Station FA0997 only has one local accuracy to another station and that station is not AH5641. This implies that these two stations were not observed during the same session. The large relative difference in residual could be due to an invalid NAVD 88 orthometric height but it could also be due to an undetected error in the ellipsoid height due to a weak GNSS survey design. Let’s look at another example where there’s more than one outlier in a small group.
Figure 3 depicts two stations (AI7070 and AI7073) that appear to be inconsistent with their neighboring stations (FB3216 and FB3222). If we look at the datasheets for these stations, it can be determined that stations AI7070 and AI7073 were observed in the same session but neither station was occupied in a session with FB3216 or FB3222. The datasheets do indicate that FB3216 and FB3222 were observed during the same session. In this case, I would recommend simultaneously observing stations FB3222 and AI7073 to determine an accurate ellipsoid height difference to determine if the relative ellipsoid height difference computed from the published ellipsoid heights are really as accurate as their published network and local accuracy values. If these stations do not get re-observed, I would not recommend using stations AI7070 and AI7073 in the hybrid geoid model.
Figure 3 – Several Large Negative Residual Surrounded by Smaller Positive Residuals – Stations AI7070 and AI7073
I have focused on North Carolina but this analysis can be performed on any state or region. Figure 4 is a plot of GPS on BMs residuals using Geoid 12B for the State of Florida. Looking at figure 4, there appears to be a lot of stations with large GPS on Bench Mark residuals.
Figure 4 – GPS on BMs residuals using GEOID12B for the State of Florida
Figure 5 is a plot of the GPS on Bench Mark residuals using GEOID12B in the Lynn Haven, Florida, area. Looking at figure 5, the reader can see that station BE1497 has a large relative difference between its neighbors (BE0604 and AA9918). This station and one of its neighboring station should be re-observed in a GNSS survey. In my opinion, if this station is not re-observed then it should be rejected and not included in the development of the hybrid geoid model.
Figure 5 – GPS on BMs residuals using GEOID12B for Lynn Haven, Florida, Area
Some States have enough bench marks that have been occupied by GPS that re-observing a station may not improve the hybrid geoid model. It may be sufficient to reject the station so it doesn’t distort the hybrid geoid model. Figure 6 is a plot of the GPS on BMs for the State of Missouri. If you compare figure 1 (plot of GPS on BMs in North Carolina) with figure 6 (plot of GPS on BMS in Missouri), it’s obvious that the State of North Carolina has more bench marks occupied by GPS than Missouri. Most of the residuals in figure 6 seem reasonable but the user should investigate those stations that are greater than +/- 5 cm. An example of a station that should be re-observed is station C 10 (KD0210). Figure 7 is a plot of the GPS on BMs surrounding station C 10 (KD0210). The NGS data sheet for station C 10 states that the station was incorporated into NAD 83 (2011) in May 2015; therefore, it wasn’t used in the creation of GEOID 12B. The data sheet also provides the Network and Local Accuracy values for the station. [See the box titled “Excerpt from NGS’ Datasheets for Station KD0210.”] The network and local ellipsoid height accuracy values (6.49 cm) are larger than most published NAD 83 (2011) stations.
Figure 6 – GPS on BMs residuals using GEOID12B for the State of MissouriFigure 7 – GPS on BMs residuals using GEOID12B Surrounding Station KD0210 (C 12)
This is an area that is void of GPS on bench mark control so this station is extremely important. However, this station has a large GPS on BM residual and a large local accuracy value which makes the station’s published orthometric height and ellipsoid height questionable. I would recommend that this bench mark and several nearby bench marks be observed in a GNSS survey to provide additional estimates of the relationship between the NAVD 88 orthometric heights and NAD 83 (2011) ellipsoid heights in this area. Saying that, it is very important that users perform procedures that result in an accurate GNSS-derived ellipsoid height. This means that users may have to observe stations for several hours and repeat observations on different days and at different times of the day. Of course, I realize that this may be too expensive for most surveyors but the end result may not be sufficient to determine why the station has a large GPS on BM residual.
I stated in my October 2016 column that step 2 was to use the latest experimental geoid model in the analysis. (See box titled “Excerpt from October 2016 column – Analyzing Stations in the GPSBM Table.”) I have focused this column on using data that can easily be obtained from the NGS’ website. Saying that, in my next example I have computed the GPS on Bench Marks residuals using a detrended xGeoid16b that is consistent with NAD 83 (2011) [i.e., a bias and trend has been removed from the differences]. This information is not currently available from NGS’ website but I want to show the differences between the hybrid model residuals and the experimental geoid model, xGeoid16b.
It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to identify how much the hybrid geoid model has been distorted to fit a GPS/Leveling station by looking at published data from NGS data sheets. Figures 8 and 9 demonstrate how some large GPS on Bench Marks residuals using GEOID12B may be distorting the hybrid geoid model. Figure 8 is a plot of the GPS on BM residuals using GEOID 12B in an area in Rockbridge County, Virginia, and Figure 9 is a plot of the same stations using a detrended scientific geoid model xGeoid16b that is consistent with NAD 83 (2011). Looking at figure 8, stations GW2113 and GW0934 appear to be large outliers, -8.8 cm and 11.8 cm, respectively. Station GW0934 was rejected by the geoid team. However, looking at figure 9, using a detrended xGeoid 16b model, the GPS on BM residual of station GW2113 is -19.3 cm and the residual of station GW0934 is only 3.4 cm. What is very important to notice on figure 8 is that nearby stations GW1042 and GW0822 residuals are only -3.3 cm and -2.0 cm, respectively; but, on figure 9, using the detrended xGeoid16b model, the residuals of stations GW1042 and GW0822 are -12.2 cm and -11.5 cm, respectively. Some of these stations need to be re-observed to determine if the NAVD 88 orthometric heights are no longer valid or if there are undetected errors in the published ellipsoid heights. This is why the experimental geoid model should also be used when analyzing GPS on Bench Mark residuals; and why some GPS on BM stations that are inconsistent with their neighboring stations should not be included in the development of a hybrid geoid model. This means that analyzing GPS on Bench Marks residuals using just the hybrid geoid model will only identify outliers that are significantly different from their neighbors. Some outliers will be missed but the procedure does help to prioritize those stations that should be re-observed to help support NGS’ GPS on Bench Mark Program.
Figure 8 – GPS on BMs residuals using GEOID12B for a Large Outlier in Rockbridge County, Virginia (PID =GW2113)
Figure 9 – GPS on BMs Residuals Using a Detrended GEOID16b [consistent with NAD 83 (2011), bias and trend removed] for a Large Outlier in Rockbridge County, Virginia (PID =GW2113)It should be noted that many of these large GPS on BM residuals could be due to an invalid NAVD 88 published height because the bench mark moved since the last time the height of the bench mark was adjusted and published, and/or an undetected error in an ellipsoid height due to a weak GNSS project design. Either way, in my opinion, most of these stations with large GPS on BMs residuals don’t accurately represent the current NAVD 88. When performing a geodetic survey, these stations would be identified as bench marks with invalid heights when following the appropriate Federal geodetic survey guidelines, procedures, and specifications. These bench marks should not be used in the hybrid geoid model just like they would not be used in controlling geodetic surveys. I want to emphasize that I’m not criticizing NGS process for creating their hybrid geoid model. NGS’ goal is to create a hybrid geoid model that is consistent with published NAVD 88 values. I believe NGS is using all the data and information available to them. I am trying to emphasize to users the importance to strategically occupy stations to help support the GPS on Bench Marks Program and create a hybrid geoid model that accurately represents the current NAVD 88.
This column focused on addressing the following questions: (1) Is the large GPS on BM residual due to an issue with the NAVD 88 orthometric height or the NAD 83 (2011) ellipsoid height? and (2) Should stations with large GMS on BM residuals be included in the development of NGS’ hybrid geoid models? The column provided suggestions on how users can assist NGS in determining the reason for the large difference between the modeled hybrid geoid value and computed GNSS/leveling geoid computed value. This information will be useful to NGS when developing hybrid geoid models and the 2022 Vertical Transformation model.
Bye Aerospace has announced an engineering, development and production collaboration with SolAero Technologies Corp. to put SolAero’s solar cell technology on Bye’s solar-electric unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), StratoAirNet.
The StratoAirNet. Photo: Bye Aerospace
The StratoAirNet family of UAVs is intended to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to support commercial and government security requirements. The initial medium-altitude StratoAirNet 15 proof-of-concept prototype is nearing completion and undergoing final assembly.
Potential commercial-mission applications for StratoAirNet include communications relay, internet, mapping, search and rescue, firefighting command and control, anti-poaching monitoring, damage assessment, severe weather tracking, agriculture monitoring, mineral source surveying, spill detection and infrastructure quality assessment.
The solar-cell preliminary design review was recently completed with SolAero engineers. Preliminary flight tests were then conducted on a smaller scale test wing. Following measurements and fit checks, whole-wing solar cell tests will commence on the 15-meter wingspan StratoAirNet prototype.
Photo: Bye Aerospace
Since 2001, SolAero products have powered 170 successful space missions with zero on-orbit failures. SolAero holds the world record for efficiency of space solar cells, with more than 50 patents and disclosures with its 33 percent efficient IMM technology. This solar cell technology achieves the highest commercially available performance level, offering a density exceeding 350 watts per square meter under standard conditions, increasing further under high-altitude, low-temperature conditions, the company said.
“SolAero is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced space solar power solutions,” said George Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace. “The efficiencies of their solar cells will make the benefits of StratoAirNet even more compelling, allowing the airplane to fly at higher altitudes with almost unlimited flight endurance. We appreciate SolAero’s collaboration with our team and look forward to working together to demonstrate a remarkable pseudo-satellite aircraft capability that many have said is unachievable.”
“We are very excited about our partnership with Bye Aerospace and the future opportunities of the solar-powered StratoAirNet family of UAVs,” said Brad Clevenger, CEO of SolAero Technologies. “The combination of our heritage high-efficiency solar cell technology and integration expertise with the wide range of capabilities of the StratoAirNet UAV family will help to usher in a new era of middle and high altitude commercial and defense applications.”
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has unveiled ADA — an advanced system that protects avionic systems from GPS jamming.
ADA has already been integrated into several systems and platforms operating both in Israel and abroad. The system recently won a tender from Israel’s Ministry of Defense for integration into one of the main platforms of the Israel Air Force.
ADA was developed by IAI’s MALAM division, a national center of excellence for anti-jamming protection of GNSS receivers.
Anti-GPS jamming system (ADA) by Israel Aerospace Industries. Photo: Israel Aerospace Industries
Under the terms of the project with the Israeli Air Force, IAI will deliver a turnkey solution based on its multi-channel Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) technology.
The ADA integration will ensure the operational continuity of the aircraft fleet, allowing avionic systems which rely on satellite navigation systems to continue uninterrupted operation even under direct electronic attack, when the enemy uses GPS jammers or other methods of interference.
“We are excited to receive this important contract, it is a great compliment for IAI,” said Jacob Galifat, general manager of the IAI MALAM division, “Facing today’s threats to GNSS, these systems are a must, for any platform using GPS, or any other global satellite navigation systems. Our operationally proven systems will ensure the availability of GPS- and GNSS-based systems, even in the most contested, EW-saturated battle space. Considering the operational challenges, we believe this system has considerable export potential for many air forces and armies who experience GNSS jamming in combat zones.”
The ADA system was successfully evaluated recently in the United States, at the NAVFEST event, where foreign military forces contest anti-jamming systems against various electronic-warfare challenges.
Modern navigation, communications and intelligence collection and electronic warfare systems integrated in modern platforms rely on the uninterrupted availability of satellite-based navigation and timing for their operation. Despite this dependency, most platforms do not use electronic counter countermeasures (ECCM) systems to protect those essential assets. Remaining exposed, even low-power jammers can disrupt or even deny the operation of GNSS systems, thus degrading the platform’s capability to fulfill its mission.
Based on an advanced electronic architecture and the implementation of sophisticated digital processing, the agile ADA system, developed by IAI MLM, protects a broad range of GNSS systems operating on manned and unmanned combat aircraft and helicopters. ADA variants are also used in land-based platforms such as main battle tanks and APCs, and on naval systems. Other derivatives of the system are integrated in various guided weapons.
The ADA system will be displayed at the Aero- India exhibition in Bangalore, India, Feb. 14-18, 2017 (Hall A, Booth A1.1a).
TCarta Marine LLC of Denver, Colorado, has merged with Proteus Geo of Oxford, England, to create a global mapping company that provides bathymetric and marine data sets from the shallow coastal zone out to the continental shelf.
The new company is called TCarta Marine and will maintain offices in Denver and Oxford.
“By merging, we believe the merged company provides a wider and more sophisticated range of products than any other supplier worldwide,” said TCarta Marine CEO David Critchley. “TCarta Marine is now a one-stop shop for bathymetric and marine data.”
Image: Proteus Geo
TCarta Marine will continue offering all existing product lines from the two companies, as well as new products and services under development. Primary markets served will be engineering, oil and gas, government and defense with expansion planned into the insurance, 3D modeling and aquaculture industries.
“Our goal is to make it easier for the marine community to obtain and use quality mapping data,” said TCarta Marine President Kyle Goodrich. “To support every phase of offshore projects, we now offer lower resolution bathymetry for regional planning as well as high-resolution, highly accurate seafloor modeling for precise coastal engineering activities. Additionally, we offer a range of global and regional marine basemaps.”
In recent years, TCarta Marine and Proteus Geo collaborated on many projects and had numerous clients in common due to the complementary nature of their product lines.
David Critchley established Proteus Geo in the United Kingdom in 2011 to leverage a new technology that derives high-accuracy seafloor survey and seabed classification information from multispectral satellite imagery. Operating at a fraction of the cost of traditional ship and airborne bathymetric technologies, the Proteus methodology has been deployed extensively in energy exploration, infrastructure engineering and environmental applications in shallow-water coastal zones.
“The two-meter satellite-derived bathymetric data can be derived to depths of 35 meters depending on water clarity and every depth has an uncertainty value assigned,” said Critchley.
TCarta Marine was started in 2008 by Kyle Goodrich to fill an enormous gap in quality bathymetric data from the littoral zone out to the base of the continental shelf, distance often spanning hundreds of kilometers. The firm developed proprietary techniques for aggregating seafloor depth data from numerous medium- to coarse-resolution sources, including navigation charts, ship tracklines, and boat surveys. TCarta Marine has built an off-the-shelf line of 90- and 30-meter GIS-ready products covering the Earth’s most important marine areas.
“Our bathymetric products are available via annual subscription for streaming directly into our clients’ GIS and mapping applications,” said Goodrich. “Oil, gas and renewable energy companies have become major users of TCarta Marine products.”
As president of the new TCarta Marine, Goodrich will focus on developing additional products and innovative methods for delivering them. The global company seeks to expand its foothold in traditional marine markets and cultivate new applications for seafloor data. Critchley, as CEO of TCarta Marine, will be responsible for business development in new geographic regions of the world.
In the near term, TCarta Marine and Proteus Geo customers can look forward to purchasing the existing 90-, 30- and 2-meter resolution product lines online through a new web portal, now under development. Information can be found and orders placed now through the new unified TCarta Marine website at www.TCartaMarine.com.
Proteus FZC, an affiliated company of Proteus Geo based in the United Arab Emirates, will remain a stand-alone company offering terrestrial geospatial and marine consulting services in the Middle East.
TCarta Marine LLC of Denver, Colorado, has merged with Proteus Geo of Oxford, England, to create a global mapping company that provides bathymetric and marine data sets from the shallow coastal zone out to the continental shelf.
The new company is called TCarta Marine and will maintain offices in Denver and Oxford.
“By merging, we believe the merged company provides a wider and more sophisticated range of products than any other supplier worldwide,” said TCarta Marine CEO David Critchley. “TCarta Marine is now a one-stop shop for bathymetric and marine data.”
Image: Proteus Geo
TCarta Marine will continue offering all existing product lines from the two companies, as well as new products and services under development. Primary markets served will be engineering, oil and gas, government and defense with expansion planned into the insurance, 3D modeling and aquaculture industries.
“Our goal is to make it easier for the marine community to obtain and use quality mapping data,” said TCarta Marine President Kyle Goodrich. “To support every phase of offshore projects, we now offer lower resolution bathymetry for regional planning as well as high-resolution, highly accurate seafloor modeling for precise coastal engineering activities. Additionally, we offer a range of global and regional marine basemaps.”
In recent years, TCarta Marine and Proteus Geo collaborated on many projects and had numerous clients in common due to the complementary nature of their product lines.
David Critchley established Proteus Geo in the United Kingdom in 2011 to leverage a new technology that derives high-accuracy seafloor survey and seabed classification information from multispectral satellite imagery. Operating at a fraction of the cost of traditional ship and airborne bathymetric technologies, the Proteus methodology has been deployed extensively in energy exploration, infrastructure engineering and environmental applications in shallow-water coastal zones.
“The two-meter satellite-derived bathymetric data can be derived to depths of 35 meters depending on water clarity and every depth has an uncertainty value assigned,” said Critchley.
TCarta Marine was started in 2008 by Kyle Goodrich to fill an enormous gap in quality bathymetric data from the littoral zone out to the base of the continental shelf, distance often spanning hundreds of kilometers. The firm developed proprietary techniques for aggregating seafloor depth data from numerous medium- to coarse-resolution sources, including navigation charts, ship tracklines, and boat surveys. TCarta Marine has built an off-the-shelf line of 90- and 30-meter GIS-ready products covering the Earth’s most important marine areas.
“Our bathymetric products are available via annual subscription for streaming directly into our clients’ GIS and mapping applications,” said Goodrich. “Oil, gas and renewable energy companies have become major users of TCarta Marine products.”
As president of the new TCarta Marine, Goodrich will focus on developing additional products and innovative methods for delivering them. The global company seeks to expand its foothold in traditional marine markets and cultivate new applications for seafloor data. Critchley, as CEO of TCarta Marine, will be responsible for business development in new geographic regions of the world.
In the near term, TCarta Marine and Proteus Geo customers can look forward to purchasing the existing 90-, 30- and 2-meter resolution product lines online through a new web portal, now under development. Information can be found and orders placed now through the new unified TCarta Marine website at www.TCartaMarine.com.
Proteus FZC, an affiliated company of Proteus Geo based in the United Arab Emirates, will remain a stand-alone company offering terrestrial geospatial and marine consulting services in the Middle East.
Spireon Inc., an aftermarket telematics company for risk management and business optimization, will introduce its latest connected car solution, Kahu.
Photo: Kahu
Kahu is designed for dealers, providing streamlined lot management while delivering a new finance and insurance (F&I) profit center by offering consumers a modern location tracking and stolen vehicle recovery service, Spireon said.
Additionally, Kahu empowers dealers to grow service retention with car buyers by providing accurate vehicle data for proactive maintenance reminders that can improve vehicle health and keep vehicles within warranty.
“New car dealer margins have been flat for several years, driving a need to create new revenue and profit opportunities,” said Kevin Weiss, CEO at Spireon. “Connected cars are changing the industry, but dealers are receiving little value from this shift. Kahu changes that dynamic, giving dealers the tools they need before, during and after the sale to grow profits and benefit from the connected car revolution.”
Kahu includes an aftermarket GPS device and mobile apps for both dealers and their customers. The solution provides these features and benefits to dealers:
Lot Management — Dealers can manage inventory, track specific vehicle location, and see low-battery indicators using a mobile phone or tablet, streamlining operations and creating a better buying experience for consumers. Virtual geofences and after-hours alerts allow dealers to identify and recover stolen vehicles within minutes.
F&I Profit Center — Kahu offers dealers a high-value add-on for consumers who seek peace of mind with a next-generation vehicle recovery service and an arsenal of easy-to-use mobile features. From 24/7 vehicle location visibility, so consumers can track their vehicle and family at all times, to smart alerts for speeding and low battery, Kahu is an attractive add-on that safeguards consumers while driving dealer profit.
Customer Loyalty — Kahu uses GPS-based mileage tracking to improve the accuracy of service reminders and increase service retention. Consumers benefit by being able to maximize warranty protection and ensure recommended service intervals are maintained.
“Our partnership with Spireon has paid for itself tenfold,” said Jon Hansen, general sales manager, Burien Nissan. “Being able to offer a product that I find value in to our customers and making it a revenue generator for the dealership is really big for us. I would absolutely recommend Spireon to other dealerships.”
Spireon’s aftermarket GPS devices are installed on more than 3.5 million vehicles and offered by 14,000 dealerships across North America. With Kahu, car dealers and consumers now have access to state-of-the-art mobile location services, which protect their vehicle assets and can lead to reduced insurance premiums.
Kahu is already installed with a select group of early adopter customers, and will be generally available in the second quarter of 2017.
SBG Systems has released a new version of the Ellipse Series, its product line of miniature inertial sensors. The Ellipse has been greatly improved, showing higher performance in attitude measurement while adding the Galileo constellation to its GNSS receiver.
Photo: SBG Systems
After thousands of Ellipse miniature inertial sensors operational on the field, SBG Systems has made major improvements to its Ellipse line of miniature inertial sensors while keeping the same form factor and price level.
Attitude Accuracy Improved by a Factor of Two. With low-noise gyroscopes and new high performance accelerometers providing superior noise level, the accuracy of every Ellipse model has now improved from 0.2° to 0.1° in roll and pitch. In addition, the new accelerometers tolerate very high vibration environments (up to 8 g).
The Ellipse-N model is an all-in-one inertial sensor that embeds a L1 GNSS receiver. Ellipse-N is already compatible with GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou constellations. With the addition of Galileo tracking, Ellipse-N benefits from more satellites, improving the signal robustness in harsh environments.
Ellipse embeds high-quality sensors with a greatly improved long-term stability. Sensors are totally integrated in an IP68 enclosure, resistant to dust and water.
Every Ellipse sensor is tested and calibrated in temperature and dynamics, to ensure constant behavior in every condition. Highly robust, Ellipse are guaranteed for two years. This warranty can be now extended up to five years.
Entry-level Solution for Surveying. The Ellipse Series is extremely powerful for its size. It is an affordable all-in-one solution providing accurate attitude and position for surveying applications, whether they are terrestrial, aerial, or marine.
With its fully backward compatibility design, the new Ellipse series can be used as a drop-in replacement of the previous Ellipse. No specific action is required in terms of mechanical, electrical or software integration. The new Ellipse sensors are available for ordering now.
![Figure 9 – GPS on BMs Residuals Using a Detrended GEOID16b [consistent with NAD 83 (2011), bias and trend removed] for a Large Outlier in Rockbridge County, Virginia (PID =GW2113)](https://stage.globalpositioningnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/DBZ_Newsletter_11_Fig_9.jpg)
