SparkFun Electronics has released the SparkPNT RTK Facet mosaic L-Band, a high-precision geolocation and surveying receiver. It features Septentrio’s multi-band mosaic-X5 and offers centimeter-grade measurements with 6 mm RTK fixes available in less than one minute, according to Sparkfun.
The receiver can connect to phones or tablets via Bluetooth, allowing NMEA output compatibility with most geographic information system software. It uses u-blox’s PointPerfect service for corrections, broadcast from a geosynchronous Inmarsat satellite.
The RTK Facet mosaic L-Band features an ESP32 WROOM connected to a mosaic-X5 GNSS multi-band receiver, along with peripheral hardware. It includes a surveyor-grade L1/L2/L5-Band antenna designed to receive GNSS signals and PointPerfect correction.
The device operates in various modes, including GNSS positioning, GNSS positioning with RTK L-Band, GNSS positioning with RTK, GNSS base station and GNSS base station NTRIP server. In rover mode, it can achieve 6 mm to 60 mm horizontal positional accuracy.
As an open-source hardware product, users can access and modify the electrical and mechanical design files. The kit includes the enclosed device, thread adapter, charger, data cables and carrying case.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a contract with a consortium of European companies to conduct a definition study (Phase A/B1) and associated critical technology predevelopment to drive the development of optical positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technology.
This initiative marks the initial phase toward a potential in-orbit demonstrator for optical time synchronization and ranging, which is scheduled for proposal at the ESA Council at the Ministerial Level in November. According to ESA, the primary objective is to validate inter-satellite optical links for future implementation in operational satellite navigation systems.
Optical technology presents promising advancements in navigation accuracy and robustness. While optical links, which use laser beams for data transmission, are already established in satellite communications, their application in navigation requires further technological development and in-orbit validation.
The consortium, led by German OHB System, comprises 33 companies from various ESA member states. Following the initial study, the next phase would involve developing and testing the technology in orbit to validate novel system concepts and explore new architectures. The results will assess the readiness of optical technology and inform decision-makers about its potential incorporation into future operational systems.
Laser-based technology offers the potential for enhanced system resilience and robustness, potentially reducing dependence on space atomic clocks and ground segments. Optical links also provide natural immunity to jamming and spoofing attempts.
The high data transfer rates of inter-satellite optical links could enable new, more robust architectures, supporting a multi-layer system approach to navigation. This aligns with the vision of ESA’s low-Earth orbit (LEO)-PNT program.
Additionally, optical systems can significantly improve the performance of current navigation systems. Experts anticipate achieving millimeter-level spatial accuracy and picosecond-level timing, which could ultimately lead to enhanced services benefiting billions of users worldwide.
Machine control systems, which combine positioning sensors — both GNSS receivers and inertial systems — with computer displays, give operators better insight into and control over their work. Whether moving dirt on a construction site, spraying crops on a large farm, or moving cargo containers in a port, machine control increases efficiency and precision while decreasing accidents and fuel consumption.
Machine control systems enable operators to accurately position buckets, blades and other implements on their machines without having to first survey and stake the work site, or having to constantly check their work. They give operators a clear reference between the position of the machine bucket or blade and the design surface, thereby increasing their productivity and accuracy. They also utilize labor and equipment efficiently to reduce costs and minimize wear-and-tear. Finally, by collecting data during their operations, they help teams communicate better and share models.
Machine control, which first began to be implemented in the 1990s, is being increasingly adopted across a variety of different types of construction equipment — including graders, dozers, and, more recently, excavators. Now, beyond simply providing operators with a visual guide to the position of their buckets or blades, automated machine control moves the blade to grade by talking directly to the machine’s hydraulics, enabling new or less-skilled operators to perform like long-time professionals and increasing the speed and precision of even the most experienced operators.
The three case studies in this cover story highlight the need for precision control of the implements on earth-moving machines, the importance of good data and the need to make the process as easy as possible for the operator.
The Maldives consists of numerous coral reef islands with low soil-bearing capacity. Using heavy machinery in such an environment requires careful management of movement and precise operations while avoiding damage to local coral reef ecosystems, thus preserving marine life and the natural landscape of the islands.
using heavy machinery among sensitive coral reefs requires careful movement and precise operations to avoid damaging them. Photo: ComNav
As an advanced construction solution, ComNav Technology’s XE100 Guidance System for Excavator employs high-precision GNSS positioning and heading technology coupled with inertial sensors. In construction projects in the Maldives, the XE100 not only provides precise guidance for operators on land but also enables efficient and precise underwater operations in complex marine environments while minimizing ecological impact. Its excellent performance has brought significant benefits to construction projects in the Maldives.
The Maldives’ construction environment is complex and variable, requiring precise equipment to adapt to diverse terrain. The XE100 supports multi-constellation multi-frequency GNSS, delivering centimeter-level accuracy. This ensures that, whether for leveling, slope cutting, or digging, the system delivers precise instructions for bucket operations and guarantees accurate excavator positioning, even in challenging conditions.
ComNav technology’s Xe100 GNSS machine control system delivers centimeter-level accuracy in complex and variable environments. Photo: ComNav
For scenarios requiring underwater operations or mixed land and water tasks, the XE100 overcomes the traditional challenge of locating exact coordinates. The GNSS tablet’s intuitive display of coordinate points helps operators identify work areas and select appropriate excavation actions. This ensures safety, reduces technical barriers, minimizes the need for rework, and significantly enhances construction quality while maintaining high efficiency and precision.
Construction projects in the Maldives often face challenges such as high humidity, high salinity and frequent vibrations. Each component of the XE100 is designed to withstand harsh environments with excellent durability. The system’s modular design also supports expansion to other construction machinery, enhancing flexibility and paving the way for future technological upgrades.
As a nation abundant in marine resources and dependent on tourism, ongoing infrastructure development and maintenance are critical to the Maldives’ economy. The XE100 system improves construction accuracy, reduces operation time, ensures safety, and lowers costs, thereby accelerating project timelines.
Machine control and automation for snow management
The allure of pristine slopes and perfectly crafted terrain parks has always drawn adventurers to the mountains, but the landscape of snow management is shifting dramatically. With rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns, climate change poses a significant challenge to the snow sports industry. Natural snowfall is becoming less reliable, leaving resorts dependent on costly snowmaking systems that strain resources and budgets.
Leica Alpine Office enables resorts to achieve operational goals while safeguarding the environment by precisely managing snow management and reducing waste. Photo: Leica Geosystems
For snowparks, these challenges are even more acute. Crafting intricate features such as halfpipes, jumps and rails requires precision and significant amounts of snow — an increasingly scarce resource. Amid these difficulties, the need for sustainability has never been more pressing.
The tech that’s changing the game
Leica Geosystems’ snow management solution, the Leica iCON alpine, paired with Prinoth snow groomers, is helping resorts get more out of less, making the construction of snowparks more efficient and sustainable.
The Leica iCON alpine system leverages GNSS and advanced inclination sensors and inertial measurement units (IMUs) to measure and manage snow depth accurately. Mounted on any snow groomer, this system continuously collects data, ensuring that operators can see the exact snow depth beneath the blade and tracks — accurate to within ±3 cm. In other words, it’s like X-ray vision for your snowcat.
The Leica Icon Alpine, paired with Prinoth snow groomers, is helping to make the construction of snowparks more efficient and sustainable. Photo: Leica Geosystems
Need a perfect jump? Create a 3D model and import the data, which can be read on the screen inside the groomer’s cab. It even handles tricky terrain with features like avoidance zones and anchor point searches. This setup doesn’t just make slopes look good; it helps operators work smarter, not harder.
Snow measurement for World Cup Slalom course
For the past two years, Killington Mountain Resort in Vermont has been utilizing the Prinoth Connect Snow Measurement system powered by the Leica MC1 software.
Killington is one of the first resorts in North America to invest in snow measurement, and it has been vital to executing the Women’s Slalom and Giant Slalom World Cup builds in 2023 and 2024. Killington has the snowmaking capability to cover the race trail, Superstar, with snow in about 100 hours. With the software, the teams can read the snow depth to +/- 3 cm, using snow measurement sensors instead of long metal probes. The software helps increase the efficiency of both snowmaking and grooming, making the build easier for the grooming operators, more straightforward for officials, and safer for the racers.
Leica’s machine control solution has been vital to precisely executing the Women’s Slalom and Giant Slalom World Cup builds. Photo: Leica Geosystems
From the snow to the dirt
However, Leica Geosystems machine control technology is a year-round solution thanks to its versatile Leica MC1 platform, which allows the same hardware used for snow grooming to seamlessly transition into off-season applications such as summer earthworks, trail construction and road maintenance. With a single investment, resorts get a multipurpose tool that eliminates the need for separate systems, cutting costs and complexity.
For instance, in the summer months at the Rieberalp in Davos Rinerhorn, the Leica MC1 solution powers excavation work for projects such as creating a reservoir and ensuring precise and efficient earthmoving. In the winter, the same system transitions to snow groomers, optimizing snow management on the slopes. This effortless switch between applications highlights the adaptability and value of the Leica MC1 platform, enabling ski resorts to get the maximum out of their investment while maintaining top performance year-round.
Technology for more sustainable snowparks
With precision snow management and reduced waste, resorts can achieve operational goals while safeguarding the environment. Adopting digital solutions such as these ensures that ski resorts and snowparks can continue to deliver world-class experiences for generations to come.
Te Ara Tupua is an initiative by the New Zealand Transport Agency aimed at enhancing transport resilience while establishing a walking and cycling route between Wellington and Lower Hutt. The Te Ara Tupua Alliance includes the NZ Transport Agency and its design and construction partners: Downer NZ, HEB Construction and Tonkin + Taylor. To execute this project, the NZ Transport Agency is collaborating with Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika and Ngāti Toa Rangatira as iwi mana whenua. This collaboration inspired the name Te Ara Tupua, referencing the Māori creation story in which Ngake and Whātaitai, two tupua (ancient beings), formed Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington harbor).
The Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One section of Te Ara Tupua will be built on the harbor’s edge, from Ngā Ūranga Interchange to Honiara Te Puni Reserve in Pito-One and connect with the new Pito-One to Melling section. The project will deliver a new resilient coastal edge protecting the road and rail while providing transport options and a safe route for walking and cycling between the two cities.
The solutions involved include:
Trimble Marine Construction System
Trimble SketchUp
Trimble Stratus Software
The benefits of the project include:
Reduced project timeline.
Improved safety for construction crews and the public.
Increased productivity.
Higher precision placement of embankment blocks.
Reduced environmental impact.
Real-time progress visibility for stakeholders.
Te Ara Tupua will deliver a new resilient coastal edge protecting the road and rail while providing new and safer transport options. Photo: Trimble
Te Ara Tupua is currently under construction along the western coastline of Te Whanganui-a-Tara with the aim of being completed in 2026. The Pito-One to Melling section of Te Ara Tupua is the first completed section of the project and was delivered by the contractors, Fulton Hogan.
The Pito-One to Melling section is a 3 km separated cycling route stretching from Pito-One to the Hutt River Trail near Bridge Street. The new path eventually will join the Ngā Ūranga to Pito-One section of Te Ara Tupua, which connects to the Hutt Road and Thorndon Quay.
The construction of Ngā Ūranga to Pito-One section of Te Ara Tupua includes a 4.5 km shared path, shared path bridge, rock revetments, seawalls and landings. To protect the shared path, road and rail line against wave action, erosion and sea-level rise, an essential part of the new pathway is the construction of embankments (or revetments).
Underwater resilience
Te Ara Tupua is the first project where seismic performance has been considered and tested in the design elements, including the new seawall built over a large active faultline.
Two main types of material are required for this project. Rock is being used for the revetment (the sloping rock seawall), which will protect the reclamation and the path from the sea while the remaining material is general fill. These are being sourced in Taranaki and Golden Bay with rock from Golden Bay being transported by barge, greatly reducing the number of truck movements.
XBlocPlus units are a unique cost-effective solution for Te Ara Tupua. These blocks are poured in the shape of an ‘X,’ which interlock and stack on top of each other to create a seawall with a steeper incline.
Using these interlocking concrete blocks reduces the seawall’s physical footprint and impact on the marine environment, enabling the project to use less material at a lower cost compared to a rock revetment.
Through this innovation, the project team of engineers and ecologists (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Apa) worked alongside lead cultural designer, Len Hetet to combine cultural and environmental design, which resulted in Te Ripowai, the unique Te Ara Tupua ecological XblocPlus unit. Te Ripowai speaks of the rippling water and connects to a Te Ātiawa whakatauki of guardianship. The guardians must keep the ripples occurring, else water becomes still and life will cease to exist. Te Riopowai includes surface patterns and textures to encourage growth of marine plants.
The Ngā Ūranga to Pito-One pathway shoreline ultimately will have 6,663 of these blocks of varying shapes.
operators of excavators with grapple attachments needed to move eight different block shapes into place with an 80 mm tolerance. Photo: Trimble
Block placement
Placing these blocks with precision and speed initially created some concern for the project team. Operators in excavators equipped with grapple attachments needed to move the units into place, initially about 4 m underwater, to a tolerance of about 80 mm to assure embankment strength. To further complicate the construction, there are eight different block shapes.
It’s a task purpose-built for real-time digital twins and machine guidance, according to the Alliance. With help from SITECH, the survey team looked to its digital assets.
First, Jan du Preez, survey manager with the Te Ara Tupua Alliance, relied on Trimble SketchUp to accurately model the individual blocks. Then, the team combined the Trimble Marine Construction (TMC) System with a digital model of the excavator. Laser scans along the shoreline provided a digital record of the existing conditions. Even the sequential placement of the blocks is planned in the digital space.
On the job, an operator selects a designated block for placement on the screen, then uses the excavator grapple attachment to pick it up. TMC provides real-time feedback on the block’s position, rotation and tilt as the operator navigates to the appropriate position, even underwater.
Du Preez added, “With TMC, the operators can ‘see’ where they are placing them under the water. Because they’re working in an active tidal area with most of the blocks sitting underwater, the idea was to make the process as easy as possible for the operator with highly visual markers on the screen. Every step is color coded, which allows operators to just focus on the colors, rather than trying to see underwater with the naked eye.”
As the block is placed within the 80 mm tolerance required to interlock with the blocks above, the operator records the as-built position, and the screen shows green. The operator then releases the grapple and moves on to the next block.
When asked about efficiency, du Preez noted, “The initial program specified placing 15 blocks per day. We are currently placing between 35 to 45 blocks per day depending on site conditions. We estimate that we’re seeing about three times the productivity compared with more conventional methodology — though I’m still not sure how we would have done this without TMC. We would have had to come up with some kind of visual marker and then perform quality checks with divers. It would have been time consuming and very costly.”
Shared progress
The benefits of the digital workflows to stakeholders, according to du Preez, are many, with transparency being the overarching benefit.
Unlike a traditional contract where owner and project team are separate, in an alliance model the client is an integral part of the team. That said, while NZ Transport Agency, Waka Kotahi, et al., are involved in the everyday running of the project as part of the alliance, they also have a board. “Every time the Alliance board of directors sees our solution, they are completely blown away by what we’ve been doing and how we’re doing it,” du Preez said. They particularly like the regular drone flights that capture progress updates.
“All survey data, models and regular flight imagery are loaded and stored in Trimble Stratus for sharing so that stakeholders always see the latest project status. The entire Alliance really appreciates this level of real-time digital visibility into the project.”
Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One is on track for completion in 2026. When complete, the Te Ara Tupua will deliver a safe, connected and resilient route, enabling more people to walk or bike, and connect with local paths in both Wellington and the Hutt Valley.
The Air Force Research Laboratory selected Zephr.xyz — a company specializing in augmented position, navigation and timing technologies — to receive a $1.74 million Small Business Innovation Research Direct-to-Phase II contract. Under the contract, Zephr.xyz aims to develop a system for real-time detection of GPS/GNSS jamming and spoofing in contested environments while also geolocating the sources of these attacks.
The company’s Networked GNSS technology, which converts standard mobile phones into a high-fidelity GNSS receiver network, will undergo extensive testing in Ukraine and various U.S. military exercises. Following these trials, the system is set to be integrated with the Department of Defense’s Tactical Assault Kit and the Department of Homeland Security’s Team Awareness Kit.
Zephr.xyz has conducted field research in conflict zones in Ukraine and Israel, revealing limitations in current GNSS interference detection and localization techniques. The company’s solution aims to address these challenges by leveraging distributed mobile devices to create a decentralized sensor network. This network collects raw GNSS measurements to identify electronic attack indicators, which are processed in real time for detection and classification.
The technology also aims to enhance positioning accuracy on TAK devices by integrating GNSS measurements from multiple devices with Position, Velocity, Attitude and Timing data. Zephr.xyz plans to make its detection and classification capabilities available as a software development kit, enabling mobile applications to alert users and improve positioning accuracy in electronic warfare scenarios.
Topcon Positioning Systems has become an authorized distributor of Pix4D’s photogrammetry software portfolio, expanding access to high-precision positioning and 3D mapping technologies.
The partnership aims to enhance reality capture solutions across various industries, including surveying, mapping, architecture engineering and construction, energy, utilities infrastructure, public safety, and forensics.
The agreement streamlines the procurement process for end-users by allowing them to access Pix4D‘s advanced photogrammetry software solutions through Topcon’s established global distribution network and ensures comprehensive technical support for users.
MIKROE has unveiled the GNSS RTK 5 Click, a compact add-on board for high-precision positioning and navigation demands. It features the UM980, an all-constellation multifrequency RTK positioning module from Unicore, with the advanced NebulasIV SoC for enhanced performance.
It supports Swift Navigation’s Skylark precise positioning service, multiple GNSS constellations, and RTK positioning for centimeter-level accuracy. The board also features JamShield technology for robust performance in challenging environments, USB connectivity for easy configuration and visual status indicators for module status and GNSS signal reception.
It can be used for a variety of applications, including surveying and mapping, precision agriculture, UAVs, autonomous robots and autonomous driving.
Eos Positioning Systems has introduced a new environmentally conscious initiative for its Skadi Gold, Skadi 300 and Skadi 200 GNSS receivers. These devices will now be shipped in a field-rugged carrying case made entirely from recycled materials.
The case is designed to meet the demands of professionals who utilize GNSS technology in challenging environments. Its construction incorporates durable, eco-friendly materials that can withstand various field conditions, from remote wilderness areas to urban construction sites.
A key feature is its composition of 100% post-consumer recycled resin, which significantly reduces waste and promotes environmental sustainability, according to the company. It is specifically engineered to be shock-resistant and weatherproof, providing comprehensive protection for the enclosed GNSS receivers.
The case is provided as a standard inclusion with every purchase of the Skadi Gold, Skadi 300 or Skadi 200 GNSS receivers at no additional cost.
For years, aviation safety organizations and maritime authorities have relied on ADS-B-based reports to assess GNSS interference. Services such as gpsjam.org, spoofing.skai-data-services.com and flightradar24 have provided valuable insights into interference patterns at high altitudes. However, this data tells only part of the story. Ground-based infrastructure — ports, telecommunications networks, and precision navigation systems — operate in a vastly different signal environment. High-altitude detections cannot reliably indicate the presence or impact of interference at sea level.
To address this critical knowledge gap, GPSPATRON and Gdynia Maritime University have conducted a six-month study on GNSS interference in the Baltic Sea. Using terrestrial GNSS monitoring technology, the project examined the frequency, duration and characteristics of interference events affecting maritime navigation and other critical applications.
Data collection and analysis
At the core of this study is a terrestrial GNSS monitoring system developed by GPSPATRON, designed to capture and analyze signal disruptions in real-time. Installed at the Faculty of Navigation at Gdynia Maritime University, this system continuously recorded GNSS signal integrity and transmitted the collected data to a cloud-based analytics platform. This platform facilitated the automated detection, classification and visualization of GNSS interference events, providing a comprehensive understanding of interference patterns and their potential impact on maritime navigation. The results paint a stark picture of persistent and evolving interference patterns in the Baltic region. More than 84 hours of GNSS interference were recorded, with October exhibiting the highest activity. Two primary interference types were identified: multi-constellation jamming, prevalent in the summer months, and multi-tone interference, which emerged in October.
Key findings
Persistent GNSS Interference: A total of 84 hours of GNSS interference was detected, indicating continuous disruptions in the region. Most incidents were caused by jamming rather than spoofing.
October saw peak interference levels: The month recorded six major jamming events totaling 29 hours, showing an escalation in disruption frequency and severity.
Maritime sources of interference suspected: Signal pattern analysis confirms that the source was mobile, reinforcing the likelihood of a single ship or multiple vessels operating the same advanced jamming technology.
High-Precision Jamming Signatures: The interference signals detected exhibit structured modulation patterns and frequency agility, suggesting the use of highly sophisticated jamming techniques. These characteristics indicate high-grade equipment, potentially of military origin, with capabilities far exceeding those of common commercial jammers. The consistency and precision of these disruptions highlight the need for further investigation into the source and intent behind these operations.
No link to ADS-B reports: Despite extensive ground-level interference, ADS-B-based monitoring systems failed to register corresponding events, highlighting their limitations in assessing terrestrial threats.
Long-duration disruptions: Some interference events lasted more than seven hours, significantly affecting GNSS-dependent operations in maritime navigation and port activities.
Implications for maritime and critical infrastructure
The findings of this study expose a critical gap in current GNSS monitoring methods. High-altitude interference reports, primarily based on ADS-B data, fail to capture the real impact of jamming and spoofing at ground level. Maritime operations, port logistics, and other critical infrastructure remain vulnerable due to this oversight.
Ports, telecommunications providers, and emergency services rely heavily on GNSS for navigation, timing synchronization, and security. Without precise ground-level monitoring, disruptions can go unnoticed, leading to cascading failures across multiple sectors.
A major concern is the false sense of security created by ADS-B-based detection systems. While these services report daily interference incidents, they do not reflect the full extent of ground-based GNSS disruptions. As a result, infrastructure operators may underestimate the risk, assuming that existing monitoring solutions provide adequate coverage. This misconception is dangerous, as it masks the severity of interference threats that remain undetected in high-altitude datasets.
To mitigate these risks, there is an urgent need for a dedicated GNSS interference monitoring network along the Baltic Sea coast. Such a network would provide real-time, localized data to accurately assess threats, detect interference sources, and enhance infrastructure resilience against GNSS disruptions.
Conclusion
This study confirms that GNSS interference is a persistent issue at sea level, posing a serious threat to critical infrastructure, which predominantly operates at ground level. Prolonged interference events were recorded, some lasting several hours, leading to significant degradation in positioning and timing accuracy. This disruption directly impacts maritime operations, telecommunications, emergency response, and other sectors reliant on GNSS services.
High-altitude interference detection alone is insufficient, as it fails to capture threats affecting ground-level operations. Relying solely on ADS-B-based reports creates a false sense of security, leaving critical systems vulnerable to undetected risks.
To mitigate these risks, there is a clear need for a dedicated ground-based GNSS interference monitoring network. Such a system would provide real-time detection, precise geolocation of interference sources, and timely countermeasures to protect infrastructure.
GPSPATRON and Gdynia Maritime University urge regulatory bodies to take proactive steps toward enhancing GNSS interference detection and mitigation. Without coordinated action, vulnerabilities in national infrastructure will continue to escalate, leading to potentially severe operational and security consequences.
Topcon Positioning Systems has introduced the HiPer XRa GNSS receiver for surveying, mapping and construction applications. The new receiver is designed to benefit a wide variety of users, including construction professionals, surveyors, GIS professionals, archeologists, engineering firms and others who rely on quality, precision measurements. The HiPer XR supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, IRNSS, QZSS and SBAS.
The new receiver has advanced Topcon Integrated Leveling Technology (TILT) compensation, featuring a calibration-free and magnetic interference-immune integrated IMU that provides up to 60° of tilt for precision measurements in challenging positions. It has signal integrity protection, anti-jamming and anti-spoofing capabilities designed to keep data reliable, even in areas with interference or degraded signals.
Through the myTopcon NOW! Website users can access online training materials, firmware updates, and additional software resources.
Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, has introduced the Leica CoastalMapper, an airborne bathymetric lidar system designed for coastline and river surveying. The system offers a wider field of view and the ability to operate at higher altitudes. As a result, the CoastalMapper can survey coastlines and rivers 250% faster than previous sensor models.
The CoastalMapper is suitable for a wide range of mapping applications, from assessing infrastructure resilience to monitoring river floods and conducting environmental investigations in both shallow and deep waters.
It features a combination of a high-performance bathymetric lidar module, a Leica TerrainMapper-3 topographic lidar and an imaging sensor, all integrated into a compact and lightweight sensor head. This allows the CoastalMapper to capture up to 1 million bathymetric data points and 2 million topographic data points per second while providing high-resolution imagery with a 5 cm ground sampling distance at typical flying heights.
One of the key advantages of the CoastalMapper is its ability to collect bathymetric and topographic lidar data and imagery in a single flight. This simultaneous multi-data capture seeks to significantly reduce survey time, operational costs and the environmental impact of each mission. Additionally, it can be mounted on helicopters, allowing for surveys in challenging environments such as rivers in steep mountainous terrain.
The CoastalMapper seamlessly integrates with Leica Geosystems’ airborne mapping workflows. It also offers cluster processing capabilities, allowing users to analyze large datasets and reduce the time from data collection to final deliverables. These outputs can include classified point clouds, digital terrain and surface models, and various imaging products, making the CoastalMapper a comprehensive solution for a wide range of mapping needs.
SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force, has selected Xairos Systems Inc. for a $1.9 million Direct-to-Phase II contract to develop a fusion positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) system. This project aims to integrate quantum and optical synchronization of clock ensembles to address critical challenges faced by the Department of the Air Force (DAF).
Xairos Systems is collaborating with Luminous Cyber Corporation and Eritek on this initiative. The team has recently completed a Preliminary Design Review. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) shared that the collaboration is part of a broader effort by the AFRL and SpaceWERX to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer processes.
AFRL and SpaceWERX seek to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process through faster proposal-to-award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small businesses and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution, according to AFRL.
In 2018, the DAF launched the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program to broaden its funding for innovations. As part of this initiative, Xairos is developing innovative technologies that enhance the national defense of the United States.
The U.S. Navy has selected Northrop Grumman to advance its airborne navigation capabilities by integrating Northrop Grumman’s LN-251M, the upgrade of the LN-251 inertial navigation system (INS)/GPS. This new system incorporates M-Code technology, which provides an encrypted, military-specific signal with improved resistance to jamming, offering better protection against potential threats.
According to the company, the LN-251M represents a significant advancement in naval aircraft navigation, being the first M-Code navigation system designed for this purpose. The M-code technology offers increased robustness against GPS signal degradation, which allows pilots to operate more effectively in areas where GPS signals may be compromised or unavailable.
The LN-251 series is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing aircraft navigation systems and is compatible with future software and GPS modernization upgrades.
