JAVAD Data Collector (JDC) is designed to run seamlessly on any Android device and interface seamlessly with JAVAD GNSS smart antennas. JDC features simple, intuitive workflows that require minimal training, making it accessible for users of all skill levels.
The software includes a Signal Bar for a quick view of receiver status, ensuring users can easily monitor their equipment’s performance. Its easy navigation allows users to move through the software efficiently. It is designed to streamline operations of customers ranging from individual surveyors to large surveying firms, making it easier to deploy and manage receivers across teams of any size with minimal training. JDC is available for download through the company website.
The AU20 MMS is a vehicle-mounted mobile mapping system designed for accurate and efficient collection of 3D spatial data. It combines high-performance lidar technology, versatile sensor support and intelligent data processing to provide a practical and flexible solution for professionals in road surveying, asset management and infrastructure documentation. Its lidar system uses fourth-generation real-time waveform processing to achieve a scan rate of 2 million points per second and 200 revolutions per second, producing point cloud data with 5 mm accuracy and 3 mm precision. This level of detail allows for the identification of fine surface characteristics and features, supporting comprehensive asset inventories and condition assessments. The system’s long-range, multi-cycle laser technology enables high-density data capture up to 250 m in vehicle-mounted applications.
OnStation, a live digital stationing platform for road construction documentation and inspection, is collaborating with Trimble to integrate Trimble GNSS receivers with the OnStation App. Together, the technologies provide project personnel with instant, station-based context and precise location.
Previously, the ability to verify exact locations of heavy highway project assets with GNSS receivers was limited to certain field personnel. Now, construction, engineering and inspection (CEI) firms can document with confidence and accuracy, and departments of transportation can oversee projects with full visibility, without delays or guesswork.
“Location alone isn’t enough in heavy civil construction. Crews need to understand the context of what’s happening at that exact point on a project,” said Patrick Russo, CEO of OnStation. “By combining Trimble’s trusted GNSS accuracy with the capabilities of OnStation’s live digital stationing, we’re giving field personnel both precision and insight, allowing for quicker decisions, fewer errors and streamlined workflows.”
When OnStation is paired with the Trimble Mobile Manager application, the integration enhances trust in location data for paving, inspections and utilities, keeping project crews in sync. Having everyone aligned, means less risk of building in the wrong spot or misinterpreting plans.
Designed with the field environment in mind, the joining of the two offerings requires no extra hardware or complicated setup. Any Trimble R series or Catalyst GNSS receiver can be used with the OnStation App when connected through Trimble Mobile Manager. Regardless of which Trimble GNSS receiver is being used, teams can access live digital stationing while in the field by opening the OnStation App and connecting through Trimble Mobile Manager.
Trimble and OnStation representatives will discuss the integration at a virtual event, OnStation Nation, on Nov. 18. Register at https://hubs.li/Q03Qf9q-0.
OnStation is a collaborative digital stationing platform that offers location-based project records from bid to close. Specifically designed for the heavy highway industry, OnStation’s mobile app centralizes communication, boosts productivity, enhances worker safety, and improves project quality.
OnStation is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and is supported on all desktop systems.
Carlson Software has released the Viking as its new flagship GNSS base/rover receiver to meet demanding needs in survey, engineering, GIS, construction, and other applications. Engineered for centimeter‑level accuracy and providing an RTK fix in challenging environments, the Viking uses Triple–Fix technology, Carlson’s proprietary GAMA RTK engine, advanced hardware, robust connectivity, and intelligent processing.
The Viking also represents the company’s second GNSS solution, after the VASCO-B base station. It is manufactured in the United States at Carlson’s headquarters facilities in Maysville, Kentucky.
“Precision, performance and reliability, all while bringing manufacturing back to the USA,” said Bruce Carlson, company founder. “The Viking is more than a positioning system. It’s a powerful tool designed to enhance your efficiency, streamline your workflows, and deliver unparalleled accuracy.”
Viking highlights
The Dual GNSS RTK modules and three separate RTK engines, provide exceptional horizontal and vertical accuracy, providing a “Triple-Fix” and essentially eliminating false fixes
Calibration-free tilt compensation delivers impressive precision even when surveying at up to 60° of inclination
Dual hot-swappable batteries: 10+ hours of runtime
IP67-rated, MIL-STD-810G tested
Use as a base or a rover with communication options including 400 MHz and 900 MHz radio, internal mobile data modem, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Integrates with Carlson SurvPC and Layout field software, and features a powerful web-based UI for remote setup and monitoring.
The Carlson Viking is available for pre-order through Carlson dealers and distributors worldwide.
Nortek’s DVL 333 Surface, designed specifically for uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), enables USVs to maintain position or navigate when GNSS is lost.
Uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), often called sea drones, help monitor, map and secure the world’s oceans, performing tasks and surveys for less expense and risk than traditional crewed vessels. USVs are used in environmental monitoring, offshore inspection, subsea infrastructure protection, and defense missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
USVs require reliable navigation and positioning information, particularly when performing autonomous operations. This information typically comes from GNSS.
But during GNSS outages, USV operators are turning to alternative sensors for positioning. Without GNSS, a sole inertial navigation system (INS) on a vessel quickly drifts outside of acceptable levels when performing dead-reckoning navigation. By adding a Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) to the USV, operators can perform long-distance, dead-reckoning-based positioning with much lower drift.
USVs using INS in the absence of GNSS achieve improved accuracy with the addition of a DVL, which limits drift inherent to INS-only navigation. (Image: Nortek)
In subsea navigation systems, DVLs provide vehicle velocity information using acoustic returns from the seabed. Because DVLs offer an accurate velocity estimate with no drift, combining a DVL with an INS constrains the drift that would accumulate with an INS alone. Using a DVL allows USVs to maintain position or even navigate without requiring GNSS information, enabling fully autonomous navigation independent of potentially vulnerable signals.
However, deploying DVLs on surface vessels introduces its own set of engineering and operational challenges. Conventional DVLs typically feature protruding transducer heads that are not flush with a vessel’s hull — challenging on smaller or high-speed vessels.
The DVL 333 Surface. (Photo: Nortek)
The compact Nortek DVL 333 Surface is designed for flush-hull installation, minimizing drag and protrusion below the hull line. It features a concave, fluid-filled transducer cavity sealed with an acoustic window, allowing for full control of sound velocity and eliminating the need for a hull-mounted speed-of-sound sensor.
When paired with a high-grade INS, the DVL 333 Surface delivers accurate position updates even during GNSS outages or interference. Its 300-meter bottom-track range supports fully autonomous operation in coastal waters, while a water-track mode extends functionality in deeper environments where the bottom is out of range. The DVL333 Surface can also be upgraded to Nortek’s VM Operations vessel-mounted ADCP system. For ease of maintenance, an optional type-certified sea valve allows in-water servicing without dry-docking.
Validating capabilities in the field
The capabilities of the DVL 333 Surface were demonstrated during field trials in the Oslofjord, an inlet in Norway. The test site presented conditions representative of complex coastal environments, where depth can vary significantly over short distances, and the seabed composition ranges from soft sediment to rock. Unlike uniform test sites with flat, sandy bottoms, the Oslofjord provides a realistic proving ground for challenging navigation scenarios.
“Our goal was to demonstrate that a surface vessel can maintain precise positional accuracy even during a complete GNSS blackout, and to do so in truly challenging coastal conditions,” said Torstein Pedersen, Nortek.
Nortek’s DVL 333 Surface installed in a fairing ready for testing in the Oslofjord. (Photo: Nortek)
The navigation tests were carried out using a DVL 333 Surface integrated with an Exail PHINS 6000 INS. Although the trial track was relatively short, the system’s performance quickly stabilized, achieving a stable, long-term accuracy of approximately 0.05% of distance traveled (for instance, 50 cm error each 1 km traveled). When bottom track was disabled (simulating operation outside of the DVL 333 Surface’s 300 m bottom track range) and only water track was used with the PHINS INS, the horizontal position error remained within 8 meters over a three-hour run, with the DVL operating solely in water-track mode. In this mode, the INS estimates background currents, which were accurately estimated as weak, stationary currents.
“We were particularly impressed with the performance of the system when using just water track mode,” Pedersen said. “The Exail INS was able to use the water track information to estimate currents and correct for them in the navigation, which is not an easy task to do with accuracy over extended periods. This performance is critical for open water navigation.”
These results confirm that the DVL 333 Surface delivers reliable navigation performance in variable bottom conditions and without a direct speed-of-sound measurement. More importantly, they demonstrate the availability of a commercially available DVL that overcomes the challenges typically faced when adapting subsurface systems for surface platforms.
Positional error as a function of distance traveled, showing long-term accuracy settling below 0.05% over a transit distance of >6 km. (Image: Nortek)
Climate change is altering summits of the tallest ice-capped mountains in the contiguous United States.
A new study by Scott Hotaling from the Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Eric Gilbertson from Seattle University used differential GNSS measurements, satellite data, laser measurements and historical photographs to document the ways ice-capped summits in the Western United States are being affected by climate change.
For the last century, there have been five ice-capped summits in the contiguous United States, all in Washington State. The researchers measured the current elevations of the summits and compared their findings to historical surveys and photographs to assess whether their elevations have changed and whether their ice caps are still intact.
For Mount Rainier, Columbia Crest is no longer its highest point. The new summit is now rock on the mountain’s southwest rim roughly 133 meters away. All five of the historically ice-capped summits have shrunk since 1980, with four of the five shrinking by at least 6 meters (20 feet) from loss of snow and ice.
As of 2024, only two of the five summits still had perennial ice as their highest point. Free-air temperatures for the ice-capped summits indicate significant late summer warming of 2.75°C since 1950 and increases in summer melt days, with most of the change occurring since the late 1990s.
“Given the synchronous trends, we offer climate-induced loss of summit ice as the most likely explanation for the observed changes to ice-capped summits in the western United States,” the researchers write in their study.
(A) Historical (left) and contemporary (right) photographs for each ice-capped summit included in this study. (B) Elevation over time for each ice-capped summit (blue) and the nearest rocky summit (red). (Image: Study authors)
The main GNSS survey tool used was a Spectra ProMark 220 dGNSS equipped with an Ashtech antenna. GNSS measurements of the ice-capped summits hads an accuracy of ±0.03 meters. For each dGNSS survey, the researchers recorded a 1-hour measurement on the ice-capped summit. If a nearby rock summit was at a similar elevation to the ice-capped summit, a 1-hour measurement was also recorded for it.
As the geospatial industry accelerates toward automation and intelligence, ComNav Technologies is redefining its role in the market. In this exclusive interview, ComNav leadership discusses the company’s transition in 2025 — evolving from a traditional GNSS hardware provider into a comprehensive solutions and services company that seamlessly integrates positioning, perception and cloud-based intelligence.
As surveying evolves from manual, point-based measurement to automated, cloud-connected ecosystems, ComNav explains how they’re positioning themselves at the forefront of this industry transformation — empowering professionals to shift from repetitive fieldwork to high-value data processing and decision-making.
What would you consider ComNav’s most significant breakthrough in 2025?
Innovation — as our slogan says, “Innovation Makes a Difference.”
In 2025, ComNav has achieved a key transformation from being primarily a GNSS hardware provider to becoming a comprehensive GNSS solution and service company. We are extending our capabilities beyond traditional receivers and boards into CORS network construction, cloud-based GNSS services, and intelligent software platforms.
This transition marks a major step toward integrating hardware, software, and cloud services, allowing us to deliver not only precise positioning equipment but also complete, scalable solutions for global customers. It reflects our long-term commitment to driving innovation and shaping the future of intelligent navigation.
What key improvements has your technology recently achieved?
ComNav has made significant progress in multi-sensor fusion and core GNSS technology.
We have advanced our real-time multi-sensor fusion technology, integrating GNSS, lidar, camera and IMU to deliver higher reliability and spatial awareness in complex environments. This innovation enables a shift from point-based measurements to full 3D spatial mapping, opening new possibilities for surveying, autonomous systems, and digital twin applications.
ComNav’s real-time multi-sensor fusion technology, integrates GNSS, lidar, camera and IMU to deliver higher reliability and spatial awareness in complex environments.
How is ComNav planning to advance its multi-frequency, multi-constellation GNSS technology in 2025? Which constellations are you now supporting?
We proudly launched the fourth generation of our high-precision GNSS SoC chip, which integrates full-constellation, muti-frequency RF and BB into a single compact design. This chip offers higher positioning accuracy, lower power consumption, and improved anti-interference performance — setting a new benchmark for GNSS receiver technology.
It employs multi-constellation simultaneous equation technology, ground-based and satellite-based augmentation technologies, SBAS technology, RAIM technology to deliver highly reliable position and attitude information to users. The chip supports various positioning modes, including RTK, RTD, PPP, PDP, SPP, and GNSS + INS, making it suitable for a wide range of complex high-precision positioning scenarios.
Which industry sectors saw the most growth for ComNav solutions in 2025 – agriculture, construction, surveying, autonomous vehicles, or others? Are there any successful use cases you can share from these sectors?
ComNav’s Jupiter GNSS receiver integrates a 50 m laser, IMUm and camera technology.
In 2025, geospatial remained the fastest-growing for ComNav.
Driving this growth is our newly launched Jupiter GNSS receiver, which integrates a 50-meter laser, IMU, and camera technology. This combination enables non-contact measurement, greatly enhancing operational efficiency.
Our newly released LS600 laser scanner further expands this innovation. It combines advanced SLAM technology, a built-in RTK module for centimeter-level accuracy, and dual wide-angle cameras for vivid color capture. The LS600 significantly simplifies field workflows and allows users to easily obtain high-quality 3D point clouds, transforming traditional “single-point measurement” into multi-dimensional, intelligent data acquisition. This represents a major leap forward in efficiency, safety, and precision for complex surveying operations.
The LS600 seeks to significantly simplify field workflows. It allows users to easily obtain high-quality 3D point clouds, transforming traditional “single-point measurement” into multi-dimensional, intelligent data acquisition.
At the same time, our agricultural segment has also achieved remarkable growth. The AG501 Pro supports a wide range of guide line designs and delivers operational accuracy of up to 2.5 cm. Continuous software updates and optimization have further improved user experience, making precision agriculture simpler and more efficient. It embodies our commitment to empowering smarter, more sustainable agricultural operations through GNSS innovation.
Are there any new product lines we can expect to see launched next year?
In 2026, ComNav will introduce a new generation of integrated lidar and RTK products, combining high-precision GNSS positioning with advanced laser scanning technology. This integration will enable professionals to capture both geometric and spatial data simultaneously, delivering faster, more comprehensive field data collection.
We are also preparing to release an upgraded handheld laser RTK, designed for maximum portability and ease of use. With enhanced measurement accuracy, longer range, and improved connectivity, it will empower surveyors to perform rapid, precise measurements in a wide range of field environments.
These new product lines reflect ComNav’s ongoing commitment to expanding its technology ecosystem — integrating positioning, perception, and intelligence into one cohesive solution.
How do you see the industry evolving over the next year, and how is comNav positioning itself to stay ahead to market changes and challenges?
We believe the geospatial industry is entering a new stage of intelligence and automation. The traditional boundary between field data collection and office data processing is rapidly disappearing. Surveying is evolving from manual, point-based measurement toward automated, intelligent, and cloud-connected workflows — where data captured in the field is seamlessly processed, analyzed, and visualized in the cloud.
To stay ahead of this transformation, ComNav is focusing on intelligent integration — combining high-precision GNSS with sensors, AI algorithms, and cloud platforms. Our goal is to enable surveyors to shift their efforts from repetitive fieldwork to high-value, intelligent data processing and decision-making in the office.
By investing in smart software, real-time cloud services, and integrated hardware platforms, ComNav is positioning itself as a key driver in building the next generation of intelligent geospatial ecosystems.
The AG501 Pro supports a wide range of guide line designs and can deliver operational accuracy of up to 2.5 cm.
Trimble has provided advanced geospatial equipment to Fresno State’s Geomatics Engineering Program in collaboration with California Surveying & Drafting Supply, a Cansel company (CSDS). The equipment is designed to facilitate experiential learning in optical surveying, photogrammetry, GIS, GNSS and scanning workflows, helping to equip geomatics students with the skills needed for future careers. As part of this collaboration, Fresno State will open a Trimble Technology Lab on campus in 2026 as a place for students to get hands-on experience and training.
As the nation’s first four-year, nationally accredited geomatics program and California’s only Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology-accredited four-year offering, Fresno State has long been a hub for training the geospatial professionals who power land surveying companies throughout the Western U.S., including entities like Caltrans and PG&E. CSDS, with its expertise in bridging academic needs with industry solutions, was instrumental in bringing Trimble on board to expand the program’s equipment inventory, foster innovation and ensure the program’s sustainability as a talent pipeline for California’s geospatial industry.
“This strategic alliance is key to revitalizing and aligning educational offerings with the cutting-edge tools that define the profession,” said Tom Cardenas, senior vice president at CSDS. “Beyond offering students a hands-on learning approach, this project establishes a scalable model for addressing the surveyor shortage through industry and education collaboration. It’s a clear commitment to reshaping the future of geospatial education in California.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a significant decline from 56,200 employed surveyors in the U.S. in 2010 to 47,770 in 2020. In California, where more than 2,000 surveyors depend on advanced technologies to support a booming construction and utility sector, the shortage poses a tangible threat to projects ranging from highway expansions to renewable energy installations.
“Fresno State is a critical pipeline for California’s geospatial workforce. The collaboration with CSDS and Trimble amplifies our collective mission to align educational offerings with the state-of-the-art tools that meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industry,” said Bryan Gibert, director of sales enablement at Trimble. “This collaboration is about creating an ecosystem that draws in talent and prepares them for immediate impact.”
The equipment includes Trimble GNSS base receivers, data collectors and network capabilities; Trimble S7 robotic total stations; Trimble DiNi digital levels; Trimble X9 3D laser scanners with T10x tablets; and licenses for Trimble Business Center, Trimble RealWorks and other highly technical software such as Trimble’s aerial photogrammetry module for TBC and Trimble eCognition. Trimble also outfitted Fresno State’s Geomatics Engineering program with several C5 mechanical total stations for a complete, turnkey solution. Both Trimble and CSDS provide configuration, calibration and on-site training for the technology.
“We emphasize hands-on training in our facility, complete with high-end computers, advanced distance learning tech and collaborative research projects with local agencies like CSDS,” said Scott Peterson, associate professor and program coordinator of the Geomatics Engineering Program at Fresno State. “While we had solid foundations from previous industry partnerships, we needed to expand with Trimble technologies to align our geomatics education with what the overwhelming majority of California professionals use every day. This turnkey solution, from GNSS to scanners and software, prepares our students for real-world challenges across geomatics and construction, leveraging our control network for practical training.”
My September GPS World newsletter highlighted the new California Spatial Reference Network, labeled CSRN Epoch 2025.00. These coordinate changes will impact geospatial users across California, and understanding the transition process is important for preparing for the modernized National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), expected to be adopted in 2026.
CSRC, founded in 1997 and formally dedicated in 2001, develops and maintains a modern network of GPS control stations to provide a reliable spatial reference system for California. Created as a partnership of surveyors, engineers, GIS professionals, the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), Caltrans, and the geodetic and geophysical communities, the CSRC’s mission is to produce a self-sustaining, up-to-date geodetic control network for the state.
The CSRC holds Coordinating Council meetings to review CSRC activities and related state surveying and mapping efforts. The box titled “CSRC Coordinating Council 2025 Fall Meeting” lists the agenda for the most recent meeting. I attend these meetings virtually; they are consistently informative and I enjoy participating.
Image: CSRS website
Dr. Yehuda Bock’s Director’s Report (SOPAC/CSRC Director, Dept. IGPP, Scripps Oceanography, UCSD) is available for download from the CSRC website: http://sopac-csrc.ucsd.edu/index.php/csrc-presentations/ (note: large file). At the Fall Coordinating Council Meeting Yehuda opened with a presentation on the new California Spatial Reference Network, CSRN Epoch 2025.00. I encourage readers to download the presentation or read my September GPS World newsletter, which highlighted CSRN Epoch 2025.00. This newsletter will focus on the Geodetic Program at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO).
Image: CSRC website
In my November 2023 GPS World newsletter, I noted NGS’s announcement of the NOAA FY23 Geospatial Modeling Competition awardees. In my March 2024 GPS World newsletter, I highlighted Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s (SIO) proposal. As noted there, Yehuda’s proposal included three activities:
Create a formal Geodesy Program at SIO to address the nationwide deficiency of geodesists. Expand current geophysics curriculum – funding for five graduate students.
Develop an IFDM to supplement the NSRS for users in regions with significant ground motions, using GNSS and InSAR/GNSS displacement fields (funded by NASA projects) and underlying geophysical models. CSRC will exercise the IFDM through its community of public, private and academic users of precise spatial referencing in our challenging region of secular and transient crustal movements.
Investigate a unified vertical reference frame, including a marine geoid optimized to be consistent with the full spectrum of observations from modern gravimetric geoids (e.g., GRAV-D, ICGEM), remotely sensed observations (e.g., SWOT, ICESat-2), in situ ocean observations and assimilating ocean models and the TRF.
As mentioned in the Director’s report, they have initiated bi-weekly geodesy track seminars to discuss research projects related to NGS and other grants. Four videos by students discussing their projects were shown during Yehuda’s presentation.
The following are the titles and presenters of the four research projects:
San Jacinto Fault Zone by Neil Waldhausen
Probing Antarctic basal ice state using airborne geodesy by Briar Conger
Repeat Pass Interferometry by Rubi Garcia Gonzalez
Hydrologic monitoring with GRACE/GRACE-FO by Logan Platt
San Jacinto Fault Zone by Neil Waldhausen
I have included a few bullets summarizing their project and a few captured images from the videos. I would encourage everyone to download the presentation to listen to the short videos by these students. The presentations are only 90 seconds but are very interesting. Readers can contact the speakers through the University to find out more about their research.
Summary of the “San Jacinto Fault Zone” video:
Neil uses GNSS to measure velocities and strain rates around the San Jacinto Fault.
He focused on the Anza gap, a 20-km segment of the fault.
He re-surveyed about 50 monuments that had been occupied over past decades.
His work has lowered uncertainties in many site velocity measurements.
His aim is to further reduce uncertainties in strain-rate and slip-rate estimates to better understand the Anza gap’s mechanics.
San Jacinto Fault Zone by Neil Waldhausen.San Jacinto Fault Zone by Neil Waldhausen.Image: CSRC website
Summary of the “Probing Antarctic Basal Ice State Using Airborne Geodesy” video:
Briar’s project uses gravity and radar data to study basal hydrology — water flow beneath glaciers and ice sheets, including subglacial lakes, channels, and pressure-driven water movement.
He conducted fieldwork on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet during the 2023–24 season.
He collected airborne gravity and GNSS data from a converted DC-3 aircraft.
Data processing uses both PPP and differential positioning methods.
His aim is to improve long-term sea-level rise predictions.
He is also developing a fixed-wing UAV capable of collecting lidar, gravity, and photogrammetry data.
Probing Antarctic Basal Ice State Using Airborne Geodesy by Briar Conger
Probing Antarctic Basal Ice State Using Airborne Geodesy by Briar Conger.Image: CSRC website
Summary of the “Repeat Pass Interferometry” video:
Rubi used repeat-pass interferometry (phase gradient) to map small-scale surface deformation.
The phase gradient is the change in interferometric phase between neighboring pixels; unlike the ambiguous single-pixel phase (wrapped within 2π), the gradient gives a continuous local rate of change useful for analysis.
She compared fractures identified by phase-gradient analyses with historic fracture databases.
Her ongoing work includes applying Andersonian faulting theory to assess whether fractures formed before or after earthquakes.
Andersonian faulting (Anderson’s theory of faulting) is a geological framework for interpreting crustal stress and fault geometry; it’s used to interpret InSAR-measured deformation. While not a method of analysis for InSAR data itself, it serves as a critical interpretive tool for understanding the ground deformation patterns measured by InSAR.
Repeat Pass Interferometry by Rubi Garcia Gonzalez
Repeat Pass Interferometry by Rubi Garcia Gonzalez.Image: CSRC website
Summary of the “Hydrologic monitoring with GRACE/GRACE-FO” video:
Logan described using satellite measurements of tiny changes in Earth’s gravity to track mass movement and better understand groundwater and the water cycle.
He relied on GRACE and GRACE-FO data.
The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and its successor mission, GRACE-Follow On (GRACE-FO), are Earth-observation missions that use twin satellites to precisely map changes in Earth’s gravity field over time. This unique method allows scientists to track the movement of mass, primarily water, around the planet
He used the GRACE data to look at changes in California’s Water storage from 2004 to 2024.
Results indicate a decline due to drought and heavy ground water usage, with more water being stored in northern California than southern California.
This research supports water management, climate-change impact assessment, and strategies for sustainable groundwater use.
Hydrologic Monitoring with GRACE/GRACE-FO by Logan Platt
Hydrologic Monitoring with GRACE/GRACE-FO by Logan Platt.Hydrologic Monitoring with GRACE/GRACE-FO by Logan Platt.Image: CSRC website
A new InSAR textbook, authored by several internationally recognized researchers, was also announced. Funded by the National Geodetic Survey and published Open Access, the book is available for free download. It’s a large file, but anyone working with InSAR data should obtain a copy.
New InSAR Textbook
Image: CSRC website
Table of Contents of New InSAR Textbook
If you’ve read my newsletters, you know I’m passionate about advancing geodesy. I wanted to share one of Yehuda’s slides, “What Geodesy Can Tell Us About Earth,” because the four students are working on projects tied to real-world problems. The slide highlights geodesy’s importance and the many professions that rely on its findings.
What geodesy can tell us about Earth. (Image: CSRC website)
Trimble has launched its data collector portfolio. The suite includes the Trimble TSC710 data collector, the Trimble TSC510 controller and the Trimble T110 tablet, built for advanced functionality and integration across field operations.
When used with Trimble Connect, a common data environment and collaboration platform, or Trimble WorksManager civil site management cloud software, users can exchange data between the office and jobsite in near real-time to improve operations.
As the physical interface between Trimble hardware and software, the data collectors translate the physical world into an accurate digital representation and back. They enable connected workflows through Trimble Connect and Trimble WorksManager, giving users real-time access to a single source of truth for all project data. Combined with Trimble field software, users can unlock productivity and efficiency gains with quality control capabilities that help reduce project errors and downtime.
The devices are part of an integrated technology ecosystem of Trimble hardware and software, enabling a single source of truth for all project data. The approach enhances collaboration for professionals in surveying and mapping, construction, utilities, mining, oil and gas and public safety and forensics.
“Trimble is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the field,” said Boris Skopljak, vice president of geospatial at Trimble. “This new data collector portfolio empowers our customers with the tools they need to be productive and stay connected in any environment.”
The portfolio includes:
Trimble TSC710 data collector — Ideal for working with large model data files on a construction site, the TSC710 features a 7-inch touchscreen, a full keyboard and a Qualcomm processor that is faster and uses less battery power than the TSC7. The TSC710 runs on a Google Mobile Services-certified Android 14 operating system. Built for maximizing productivity around connected workflows, the TSC710 is equipped with 5G WWAN support and all-day battery life. The TSC710 has a narrowed neck and is 150 grams lighter than its predecessor.
Trimble TSC510 controller — Engineered to boost field efficiency and optimize workflows, the TSC510 is a robust handheld device with an IP68 rating, compared with IP65 for the TSC5, that enables continuous operation with an all-day battery and a Qualcomm processor up to three times faster than the TSC5, with twice the memory and storage. The TSC510 features a 5-inch screen and runs Android 14. With updated WWAN and Bluetooth modules, teams stay connected for smooth data exchange and real-time project updates.
Trimble T110 tablet — The T110 maximizes field productivity with an Intel 14th-generation Core Ultra 7 processor, built to handle demanding projects and large datasets, including point clouds and imagery. Its rugged design ensures reliable performance in demanding environments. The T110 combines features of the Trimble T10x and Trimble T100 into a single field tablet, including a powerful processor, swappable batteries, 4G LTE WWAN and a Trimble Empower bay enabling communication with Trimble field devices.
Availability
The Trimble data collector portfolio is available now through Trimble’s global network of dealers.
GeoMax has released its Zenith55 GNSS smart antenna and TRU35 high-power UHF radio for construction and surveying professionals.
The Zenith55 offers advanced features, efficient workflows that generate a strong return on investment, and warranty support.
Integrated into the GeoMax ecosystem, the Zenith55 works seamlessly with GeoMax robotic total stations, field controllers and the X-PAD field software for a comprehensive solution that ensures dependable precision and boosts productivity.
Zenith55 key features • Multi-frequency – Resilient to high solar activity • Multi-constellation – GPS, Glonass, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, NavIC • Calibration-free tilt compensation • GNSS board with 600+ channels • Integrated LTE phone modem and UHF radio modem • IP68 protection against dust and water • Withstands 2 m pole topple-over • Internal memory and microSD card storage • GeoMax X-PAD field software
The TRU35 is an IP67-rated 30W UHF radio modem with 410-470 MHz tuning range and 12.5/25 kHz channel spacing. Buttons and LCD display allow users to select predefined configurations created with the Zenith Manager tool for Android.
The TRU radio extends the UHF RTK range up to 14 km (in favorable conditions) and is compatible with GeoMax Zenith smart antennas with base station support.
TRU35 key features • 410 – 470 MHz frequency range • 10 / 30 W output power • 12.5 / 25 kHz channel spacing • Up to 19200 bps data rate • Protocols: Satel, TrimTalk • Modulation: GMSK, 4FSK • -30°C to +60°C operating temperature • IP67 dust and waterproof • Up to 14 km range (in favourable conditions)
The Zenith55 and the TRU35 are both available and ready for delivery.
Greenland is being twisted, compressed and stretched, according to researchers in the Department of Space Research and Space Technology of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Space). As a result, the entire island has shifted northwest over the past 20 years by about 2 centimeters per year.
GNSS data shows plate tectonics and movements in the bedrock caused by the melting of large ice sheets, reducing pressure on the subsurface. The pressure is easing both because large amounts of ice have melted in Greenland in recent years, and because the bedrock is still affected by the enormous ice masses that have melted since the peak of the last Ice Age around 20,000 years ago.
Horizontal land motion observed by the 58 GNET stations used in this study, processed in the IGS14 reference frame. Their location is shown by the colored circles together with their labels. The boundaries of Greenland’s drainage basins are shown in green with numbers (1) to (7b). The Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is represented in white and peripheral glaciers in Greenland (GrPG) and Arctic Canada (CanPG) are highlighted in black and purple respectively. (Image: Study authors)
The new measurements are based on 58 GNSS stations placed around Greenland. They measure Greenland’s overall position, elevation changes in the bedrock, and how the island is shrinking and stretching. The movements are causing Greenland to both expand and contract horizontally. The effect is that Greenland’s area is currently being “stretched out” and becoming slightly larger in some regions, while others are being “pulled together.”
”Overall, this means Greenland is becoming slightly smaller, but that could change in the future with the accelerating melt we’re seeing now,” said DTU Space postdoc researcher Danjal Longfors Berg, lead author of the article in the Journal of Geophysical Research.
It is the first time the horizontal movements have been described in such detail.
”We have created a model that shows movements over a very long timescale from about 26,000 years ago to the present. At the same time, we have used very precise measurements from the past 20 years, which we use to analyze the current movements. This means we can now measure the movements very accurately,” Berg said.
Important for surveying and navigation
The new research provides useful information about what happens when climate change hits the Arctic with accelerating speed, as is the case in these years.
”It’s important to understand the movements of landmasses. They are of course interesting for geoscience. But they are also crucial for surveying and navigation, since even the fixed reference points in Greenland are slowly shifting,” Berg said.
The GNSS stations are owned by the Climate Data Authority under the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. They are used for research purposes and operated in collaboration with DTU Space. The research is conducted under the DTU Space research center Center for Ice-Sheet and Sea-Level Predictions (CISP).
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Image: Emlid
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