Category: Applications

Trimble VRS Now Service Available in Australia, Oregon

Trimble VRS Now coverage in Australia. Photo: Trimble

Trimble, together with its distribution partner Ultimate Positioning Group, announced the availability of Trimble VRS Now correction service in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

Trimble is also now offering the Trimble VRS Now correction service in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

The commercial subscription service provides surveyors, civil engineers, geospatial professionals and other industry specialists in these areas with instant access to real-time kinematic (RTK) GNSS corrections without the need for a base station.

Using both GPS and GLONASS constellations, the Trimble service delivers centimeter-level RTK corrections customized for each GNSS receiver’s location anywhere in the network via cellular communications. The Trimble VRS Now service supplies accurate, reliable and easy-to-use GNSS positioning for a variety of applications including surveying, urban planning, urban and rural construction, environmental monitoring, resource and territory management, disaster prevention and relief and scientific research, Trimble said.

“The addition of VRS Now to Trimble’s current portfolio of corrections technologies and services in Australia highlights our ability to meet any accuracy, delivery, availability and financial consideration across a variety of applications and markets,” said John Sprivulis, business area director of Trimble’s Positioning Services Division in the Asia Pacific. “Trimble is effectively creating a national positioning infrastructure to meet Australia’s future needs.”

Trimble VRS Now in Australia is a continuation of Trimble’s focus on providing solutions that enable customers to increase productivity by simplifying access to high-precision accuracy around the world. Similar VRS Now services are operating in parts of the U.S. and Europe.

In addition, the Australian VRS Now service supports the Trimble Pivot Field Mobile App, which provides up-to-the-minute information on the VRS Now system status for users in the region.

Because OmniSTAR CORS service in the area is being phased out, existing Australian users will be automatically transitioned to the Trimble VRS Now service, which provides easy access to high accuracy and reliable positioning within the network coverage area.

Service in Australia and Oregon is a continuation of Trimble’s focus on providing solutions that enable customers to increase productivity by simplifying access to high-precision positioning around the world. Similar VRS Now services are operating in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and parts of Europe.

March 3, 2015
GPS in McMurdo Transmitter Makes Finding Planes Easier
The The Kannad Integra Smart Pack by McMurdo Group could make it twice as easy to find missing aircraft. Photo: McMurdo Group

McMurdo Group, maker of end-to-end search and rescue solutions, has launched the Kannad Integra Smart Pack, an aviation emergency locator transmitter (ELT) bundle with both GPS and antenna redundancy. The product can result in Integra Smart Pack-equipped aircraft being twice as likely to be found in the event of an emergency compared to standard ELTs.

The Kannad Integra Smart Pack includes:
- The Kannad Integra ELT – a small, light ELT with a built-in antenna and embedded GPS receiver.
- The new Kannad Integra e-NAV NMEA – an NMEA-standard interface cable that connects the Integra ELT to the aircraft GPS. The latest known aircraft GPS position is continually updated and stored on the interface cable itself to provide an additional level of redundancy over the embedded Integra ELT GPS data.
Traditional ELTs rely on an aircraft’s external antenna and GPS equipment, which is subject to failure in the event of an emergency. The Integra ELT, however, can operate independently of the aircraft to provide key positioning data through its internal antenna and GPS receiver.

With the Integra Smart Pack bundle, in the event that the Integra ELT’s internal GPS antenna is unsuccessful for any reason, the positioning coordinates from the Integra e-NAV NMEA will be used. This additional GPS redundancy will result in better location positioning and higher chance of rescue.

“McMurdo is delighted to continue its long history of aviation search and rescue innovation with the introduction of the Kannad Integra Smart Pack,” said Christian Belleux, head of McMurdo’s Kannad Aviation Business Unit. “The Integra Smart Pack is a must-have SAR [search-and-rescue] solution to help ensure accelerated rescue response in the event of an emergency and to ultimately save more lives.”

The Integra ELT Smart Pack is suitable for all types of aircraft with specific versions to support helicopters, general aviation planes and large commercial jets. Once activated, the Integra ELT transmits a distress signal to alert international rescue services to the emergency location via the global Cospas-Sarsat Search and Rescue satellite system, which has helped to save more than 37,000 lives since 1982.

The McMurdo Group is exhibiting this week at Heli Expo 2015, Booth 5465, in Orlando, Fla.
March 3, 2015
LandWorks Tightens Integration with Esri in Land Management Software Upgrades

LandWorks Inc., a developer of innovative land management solutions, has introduced Release 5.20 of its three primary software suites — LandWorks Property Management, LandWorks GIS, and WebMaps Enterprise GIS. All three have been re-written for easier use, enhanced industry-specific functionality, and tighter integration with Esri GIS solutions.

“In Release 5.20, we rebuilt the software from the ground up with a combination of C# [Sharp] .NET and a service-oriented architecture,” said LandWorks President Jerry Bramwell. “This modern architecture allows for integration of live Esri GIS maps and builds a foundation for hosting in the cloud.”

Deployed extensively for land asset management and mapping in the oil and gas, utility, mining, pipeline, renewable energy and government sectors, the upgraded LandWorks software suites are expected to appeal to an even wider audience. In addition, their applicability within organizations will expand beyond land management to project planning, acquisition and development.

The flagship LandWorks Property Management (LPM) suite is a complete solution for land asset management designed for easy storage and retrieval of data relating to any type of land right. In the new LPM version 5.20, clients may open an oil and gas lease or right-of-way agreement and instantly access a live GIS map displaying the relevant polygons. Direct integration with Esri’s ArcGIS Server gives the client full web-based GIS functionality from within the LPM interface and the ability to update the live map with new information on the fly.

“LPM is the only land asset management software with embedded live access to Esri GIS maps,” Bramwell said.

The LandWorks suites, used worldwide, also have been internationalized to support the language, date, currency and measurement formats preferred by individual end users based on their locations. A large mining company with operations in multiple countries, for example, may deploy the LandWorks suites across its enterprise. End users in Portugal, Spain and Canada are able to view the same information presented in Portuguese, Spanish or English.

In addition to a more intuitive interface with a modern look and feel, LandWorks has added new functionality to the software products designed for greater ease-of-use in specific industries. The ability to make land royalty payments for mining and wind energy operations has been expanded. LPM and LandWorks GIS have been enhanced to better manage and present linear-based land rights.

“The enhancement of our products to better manage land rights associated with linear assets will make the LandWorks suites more attractive to transportation and telecommunications industries,” said Bramwell.

LandWorks has built new modules to the LPM suite to extend its usability across the entire land management workflow. LPM now manages land-related projects of any type or size including acquisition, surveying and encroachment investigation.

The three LandWorks suites comprise a total of 18 individually licensed software products, many of which can function alone or interface with LPM. LandWorks GIS integrates the Esri GIS functionality into LPM. WebMaps Enterprise GIS Suite extends web-based mapping via ArcGIS Server across the enterprise to all departments, not just the land department.

“All LandWorks software products currently reside behind the client’s firewall, however, we will soon offer hosting in the cloud as an additional licensing optional for our clients,” said Bramwell.

March 3, 2015
MWC 2015: Rohde & Schwarz Adds Option for Analyzing Mobile Apps to Test Solution

R&S CMW-PQA Test System for Performance Quality Analysis, by Rohde & Schwarz.

Rohde & Schwarz is presenting its new over-the-top (OTT) application analysis solution at Mobile World Congress, being held this week in Barcelona, Spain. The solution enables network operators and mobile device manufacturers to quickly and easily analyze and assess the behavior of OTT apps on mobile devices the data traffic they cause.

The additional software option is for the established R&S CMW-PQA performance quality analysis test system.

OTT apps are applications such as YouTube and WhatsApp that use mobile networks, but are not a service offered by the network operator. Such apps can cause uncontrolled data traffic on an operator’s network and excessively drain mobile phone batteries.

The R&S CMW-PQA OTT software now allows users to check which server the OTT app registers with, the number of connections it initiates and the network traffic volume it generates. The R&S CMW500 wideband radio communication tester, the core component of the R&S CMW-PQA, also offers a unique IP and protocol statistical analysis function that enables users to analyze how much the OTT app drains the mobile phone battery. The PACE software fromRohde & Schwarz subsidiary ipoque integrates this precise application identification function into the device.

The intuitive user interface enables users to quickly and easily configure tests as usual, Rohde & Schwarz said. Analysis results are available in a clearly structured graphical report. Users will have a clear overview of an app’s data throughput over time, its connected and idle state information, and when RRC messages were initiated.

The OTT solution for the R&S CMW-PQA test system is now available from Rohde & Schwarz. Customers who already have an R&S CMW-PQA do not need to purchase a hardware upgrade. A software upgrade is all that is required to add the OTT functionality to their system.

The test setup for OTT application behavior is on display at Hall 6, Booth C40, at Mobile World Congress.

March 3, 2015
Google Maps Takes Street View Camera through Amazon Canopy

The Street View Trekker on a zipline in the Amazon Rainforest. (Photo credit: Google Maps)

New imagery of the highest canopy in the Amazon rainforest is now available on Google Maps. The Amazon rainforest is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, with many species high in the canopies of the forest still undiscovered.

“Starting today, with the help of our partners at the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS), you can begin to unlock some of the wonders of the forest, by traveling from the upper canopy to the forest floor with Google Maps’ first zipline Street View collection,” wrote Karin Tuxen-Bettman, program manager, Google Earth Outreach on a March 1 blog.

The project is part of Google’s partnership with FAS, who three years ago invited Google Maps to the Rio Negro Sustainable Development Reserve. “Their hope is that sharing the imagery of their local communities, rain forests and rivers with the world will raise awareness and support for their efforts to conserve these areas,” Tuxen-Bettman writes.

The imagery was collected through Google Map’s Trekker Loan Program, which loans out the Street View camera and technology to tourism boards, non-profits, universities, and research organizations to help collect imagery of remote places.

The Amazon map imagery was gathered through boat travels on 500 kilometers of rivers, hiking on 20 kilometers of forest trails and ziplining through forest canopies.

“We hope it inspires you to embark on your own virtual expedition of the Amazon (you can leave the bug repellent at home!),” Tuxen-Bettman writes.

The map on this page shows where Google Maps has yet to collect Street View imagery.

Rio Mariepauá, Brazil. (Photo credit: Google Maps)

March 2, 2015
Air Pollution Monitoring Rocket Set for Second Launch Attempt

Scientists at the University of Leicester will make a second attempt to launch a rocket equipped with air pollution monitoring equipment on June 11 at the university’s Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire. The first launch attempt on Feb. 4 failed, according to airqualitynews.com.

As part of a wider air pollution mapping project supported by Bluesky, an aerial survey company, a pollution monitoring system was developed by scientists at the University of Leicester to record how dangerous gases such as nitrogen dioxide dissipate with vertical distance from the earth. The micro sensors will be integrated with other technologies and launched into the atmosphere using Starchaser Industries‘ Tempest Research Rocket. The launch follows previous work mapping air pollution across entire cities from planes, cars and ground sensors.

“We have already had great success mapping air pollution from an aerial survey plane giving us a better understanding of how dangerous gases, such as nitrogen dioxide, operate in the vertical plane,” says James Eddy, Bluesky’s technical director and industrial associate at the University of Leicester. “However, we hope this launch will take air pollution monitoring to another level.”

The Tempest is a 14-foot-tall rocket that can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and will hit an altitude of 3,000 feet on its flight before being safely recovered via parachute. In addition to the air pollution monitoring sensors, Tempest will also be carrying vital electronic systems that will be used aboard Starchaser’s future Space Tourism Rockets, an experimental GPS package with video cameras.

“Air Quality continues to be a critical issue in our urbanising society, requiring us to explore novel solutions for monitoring, management and damage mitigation. We are grateful to Starchaser Industries for the opportunity to test our novel air quality monitoring techniques as part of this spectacular launch event,” says Dr. Roland Leigh, academic supervisor at the University of Leicester. “This project builds on work to date of Starchaser Industries, key academic expertise in instrument design and data manipulation, and once again benefits from a strong industrial partnership with Bluesky.”

The latest phase of the Bluesky supported air pollution monitoring project will add to results already obtained from trials of the University of Leicester’s Compact Air Quality Spectrometer. Originally mounted on a dedicated aerial survey aircraft, the device monitors visible light and measures how much light is lost at specific wavelengths absorbed by nitrogen dioxide. The technology has previously been used as part the CityScan project with devices mounted on tall buildings in Leicester, Bologna and London during the Olympics to build 3D maps of pollution across the cities, according to the company.

March 2, 2015
Meitrack Offers GPS Tracker for 3G Networks

GPS tracking manufacturer Meitrack Group is introducing a tracker that runs on 3G networks. GPS trackers have been running on 2G networks, but soon many wireless carriers will discontinue the outdated 2G technology. Meitrack said it is hard at work making the transition to make all of its current trackers work on the 3G network standard.

The first model released is the T333 GPS tracker, which offers real-time tracking, history reports, assisted GPS tracking, geofence creation, and an S.O.S. panic button. The tracker can be installed in vehicles ranging from everyday family cars, to construction and commercial trucks.

The strong outer aluminum casing effectively secures the internal components from exposure to the elements and heat. At 190 grams, the T333 is lightweight and small enough to be securely installed in areas of minimal space, the company said. Meitrack has installed the u-Blox 7 GPS module, upgrading the processing speed and sensitivity. Not only does the T333 GPS tracker run on 3G networks, but it can also run on 2G as a backup if a 3G network is not available.

The T333 also comes equipped with digital and analog inputs that transform the GPS tracker into a central hub where other accessories can be simultaneously attached and synced. These accessories include fuel sensors, RFID card readers, handset phones, cameras, and even LCDs and LEDs displays.

March 2, 2015
Deadline for ION JNC Abstracts Is Wednesday

Abstracts are due Wednesday, March 4, for the Institute of Navigation (ION) Joint Navigation Conference (JNC), scheduled for June 22-25 in Orlando, Fla.

The ION Joint Navigation Conference, sponsored by the ION’s Military Division, is the largest U.S. military positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) conference of the year with joint service and government participation, ION said. The event will focus on technical advances in guidance, navigation and control (GN&C), with emphasis on joint development, test and support of affordable GN&C systems, logistics and integration.

From an operational perspective, the conference will also focus on advances in battlefield applications of GPS; critical strengths and weaknesses of fielded navigation devices; warfighter PNT requirements and solutions; and navigation warfare.

For Official Use Only (FOUO), United States only, sessions will be held June 22-24 at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, Orlando. The U.S. only classified sessions will be held June 25 at Shades of Green Walt Disney World.

The ION JNC features more than 200 operational presentations on a diverse array of topics. Abstracts are being accepted through March 4.

March 2, 2015
ASPRS Releases New Accuracy Standards for Digital Geospatial Data

The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) has released new Positional Accuracy Standards for Digital Geospatial Data. The PDF is available here.

The new ASPRS accuracy standards fill a critical need for map users and map makers alike. For centuries, map scale and contour interval have been used as an indication of map accuracy. Users want to know how accurately they can measure different things on a map, and map makers want to know how accurate maps need to be in order to satisfy user requirements. Those contracting for new maps depend on some form of map accuracy standard to evaluate the tradeoff between the accuracy required vs. how much time and expense are justified in achieving it, and then to describe the accuracy of the result in a uniform way that is reliable, defensible, and repeatable, ASPRS explains in a statement.

The new ASPRS standards address recent innovations in digital imaging and non-imaging sensors, airborne GPS, inertial measurement units (IMU) and aerial triangulation (AT) technologies. Unlike prior standards, the new standards are independent of scale and contour interval, they address higher levels of accuracies achievable by the latest technologies (such as unmanned aerial systems and LiDAR mobile mapping systems), and they provide enough flexibility to be applicable to future technologies as they are developed. Finally, the new standards provide cross references to older standards, as well as detailed guidance for a wide range of potential applications.

No prior U.S. accuracy standard comprehensively addresses the current state of mapping technology, which is why the new ASPRS standards were developed. The National Map Accuracy Standards (NMAS), developed in 1947, are still used because they are simple, but there is no scientific correlation between those standards and current mapping methodologies.

The ASPRS 1990 Standards were an improvement over NMAS; however, they did not do well in representing the capabilities of LiDAR, orthoimagery, digital mapping cameras or other current technologies in wide-spread use today.

The National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA) is a reporting standard that references the old ASPRS 1990 standards and is cross-referenced in the new ASPRS standards. NSSDA provides no accuracy thresholds and does not by itself provide any new or updated guidance on how to select or specify an appropriate accuracy for intended applications.

The new ASPRS standards were developed by the ASPRS Map Accuracy Standards Working Group, a joint committee under the Photogrammetric Applications Division, Primary Data Acquisition Division and LiDAR Division, which was formed for the purpose of reviewing and updating ASPRS map accuracy standards to reflect current technologies. A subcommittee of this group, consisting of Qassim Abdullah, David Maune, Doug Smith, and Hans Karl Heidemann, was responsible for drafting the document.

Draft versions of the standard underwent extensive review, both within ASPRS as well as through public review by other key geospatial mapping organizations, prior to final approval by the ASPRS Board of Directors on November 17, 2014.

March 2, 2015
MWC 2015: Geotab Offers Add-On Extender for All-Vehicle Support

Geotab, a telematics engineering company, has released its IOX-CAN extender, a plug-and-play solution that allows partners to send data from their device over a private CAN network in the vehicle, supporting integrations on all vehicle types.

Geotab is exhibiting at Mobile World Congress 2015, at Hall 3, Stand 3J20.

According to Geotab, Fortune 500 companies, including 40 percent of the top ten fleets and 18 percent of the top 100 fleets in North America, rely on Geotab’s solutions to improve productivity, optimize fleets through the reduction of fuel consumption, enhance driver safety, and achieve stronger compliance to regulatory changes.

A number of companies are already leveraging the IOX-CAN extender to send data from their devices to the MyGeotab system. Geotab’s integration with Mobileye, a technology company that develops vision-based Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) providing warnings for collision prevention and mitigation, has been upgraded with the IOX-CAN extender allowing full support for all vehicle types, including OBDII (on-board diagnostics II) vehicles.

Geotab’s new add-on solution allows Mobileye devices to plug into Geotab’s GO6 and GO7 devices, allowing Mobileye data to be sent to the MyGeotab software platform, where it can be viewed and analyzed by dispatchers and fleet managers.

“Our solutions are designed to make the roads safer for everyone as the issue of distracted driving continues to be a problem,” said Elad Serfaty, vice president and general manager of Mobileye Aftermarket. “Working with Geotab allows us to not only provide feedback to the driver, and with managers who can effect change where needed, but we can do this across all vehicle types.”

“Expanding our integration capabilities and continuing our work with Mobileye is a natural evolution as more and more companies realize the benefits of fleet management,” said Neil Cawse, CEO, Geotab. “Providing collision warnings to drivers just before a crash is the first step to creating a safer driving environment for everyone.”

March 2, 2015
MWC 2015: Rx Networks Updates GNSS Extended Ephemeris Solution

Rx Networks Inc., a mobile location technology and services company, announced the upcoming release of its GPStream PGPS v8 extended ephemeris solution at Mobile World Congress 2015, taking place this week in Barcelona, Spain.

The patented technology, being used in hundreds of millions of devices, is designed to speed up the time-to-first-fix (TTFF) of any GNSS chipset while improving acquisition sensitivity in challenging environments.

Compared to the previous version, GPStream PGPS v8 effectively doubles accuracy performance while supporting all four global GNSS constellations. GPStream PGPS v8 will be available for integration testing in the second quarter of 2015, with commercial release in the fourth quarter of 2015. (Full commercial support for Galileo will remain subject to the readiness of the constellation).

All major GNSS semiconductor vendors are now offering or developing multi-constellation support to improve availability in challenging environments. Quad-constellation support also enables OEMs and GNSS chipset manufacturers to meet any national or regional market requirement. Availability of extended ephemeris across the four constellations is required to ensure fast TTFF and optimal sensitivity. Early lab access to the latest GPStream PGPS v8 solution from Rx Networks can help chipset manufacturers validate performance early in the development cycle and thus accelerate the time to market for their new multi-constellation chipsets.

A key component of any extended ephemeris solution is the accuracy of the orbit and clock predictions. This accuracy is often presented as an error in meters compared to the native broadcast ephemeris transmitted by the satellites. The latest version of GPStream PGPS improves this accuracy by a factor of two, compared to its previous release. For example, day 1, 7 and 14 accuracies for GPS are now 2.8 m, 4.5 m and 11.4 m compared to 6.3 m, 12.5 m and 30.2 m previously. BeiDou and Galileo will experience similar performance. GLONASS is also significantly improved, with day 1, 7 and 14 accuracies of 1.8 m, 6.5 m and 13.7 m compared to 7.3 m, 13.4 m and 27.2 m previously.

“Rx Networks continues to expand its relationships with major OEMs and GNSS chipset manufacturers to help them deliver innovative, multi-constellation and highly accurate GNSS performance,” said John Carley, senior product manager at Rx Networks. “This latest release reaffirms our commitment to provide best in class Assisted-GNSS solutions for the mobile market.”

Rx Networks is exhibiting in Booth 5H75 at Mobile World Congress.

March 2, 2015
MWC 2015: InvenSense to Ship Positioning Software for Smartphones

InvenSense Inc. is making available its InvenSense Positioning Library (IPL) software, designed to provide sensor-assisted positioning in places where GNSS alone cannot provide desired accuracy. Invensense is a provider of intelligent sensor system on chip for motion and sound in consumer electronic devices.

InvenSense made the announcement at Mobile World Congress, taking place in Barcelona, Spain March 2-5.

The IPL incorporates advancements in sensor-assisted positioning algorithms that allow use of inertial sensors to improve GNSS positioning in urban areas where satellite signals are either blocked or distorted by multipath, enabling continuous location availability while driving in underground parking lots, tunnels, or walking in urban canyons. The IPL enables continuous and accurate position, velocity and orientation in challenging operating environments.

These sensor-assisted positioning algorithms have been designed to operate under normal pedestrian and driving use without restrictions on the device orientation. Supported pedestrian use includes handheld, hand swinging, in pocket, call mode and belt holster. The algorithms also allow any use within the vehicle, such as in cradle, cup holder or simply left on a seat. The software was designed in a way to maximize accuracy and minimize constraints on the user.

The IPL is designed to operate with an IMU and GNSS receiver as minimum hardware. Integration with a magnetometer, barometer, and vehicle speed sensor is also available, which provides additional heading integrity as well as height and velocity accuracy for sensor-assisted positioning.

IPL is designed for smartphones using Android, iOS, Windows and general Linux operating systems and has already started shipping commercially. The underlying navigation technology comes from years of development at Trusted Positioning Inc., which was acquired by InvenSense this past summer.

“With more consumers using their smartphones for turn-by-turn navigation on foot or in vehicle, one of the most frustrating user experience issues is losing your GPS (GNSS) signal in an unfamiliar location or being re-routed erroneously due to multipath errors,” said Ali Foughi, vice president of Marketing and Business Development at InvenSense. “With IPL technology, high-accuracy location guidance is always available and provides smartphone OEMs with a differentiated user experience and consumers with a more reliable navigation solution.”

The InvenSense Positioning Library is available immediately.

InvenSense is exhibiting in booth #D61 in Hall 7 at Mobile World Congress.

March 2, 2015