SBG Systems is launching the Navsight Land & Air Solution, high-performance inertial navigation designed to make surveyors’ mobile data collection easier, whether for mobile mapping, GIS or road inspection.
SBG Systems will release the Navsight Land & Air Solution at the Intergeo show in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 16-18.
The solution consists of an inertial measurement unit (IMU), available at two different performance levels, connected to Navsight, a rugged processing unit embedding fusion intelligence and a GNSS receiver. It also has connections for external equipment such as lidar, cameras or computer.
Photo: SBG Systems
The Navsight Land & Air Solution is the result of more than 10 years of experience in the mobile positioning industry, especially in the unmanned industry where position reliability is mandatory. SBG’s fusion algorithms allow the company to get the best performance from inertial, odometer and GNSS technologies; exclude false GNSS fixes; and improve the trajectory in complicated areas such as urban canyons, forests and tunnels.
According to the company, the Navsight Land & Air Solution supports all GNSS constellations, real-time kinematic (RTK) and precise point positioning services such as Omnistar and TerraStar.
SBG IMUs are easy to install, the company said. The sensor alignment and lever arms are automatically estimated and validated. Once connected to the Navsight processing unit, the web interface guides the user to configure the solution. A 3D view of the vehicle shows the entered parameters so that the user can check the installation. By choosing the vehicle, such as a plane or a car, the inner algorithms are automatically adjusted to the application. The Navsight unit also integrates LED indicators for satellite availability, RTK corrections and power.
INS/GNSS Post-Processing Software. Qinertia, the SBG post-processing software, provides access to offline RTK corrections from more than 7,000 base stations in 164 countries. Trajectory and orientation are greatly improved by processing inertial data and raw GNSS observables in forward and backward directions.
The number of GPS on Bench Mark (BM) stations highlighted as complete on the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) GPS tracking page as of Sept. 25 represents 43 percent of the total number of stations that need to be observed (2451 of 5862 Priority Marks Completed).
These new GPS on BMs observations will be helpful in identifying invalid GPS on BM stations that may have been used in the next hybrid geoid model.
Now that the 2018 GPS on BM program has officially ended for data included in the hybrid model GEOID18, NGS’ GPS on Bench Mark Program will soon be expanded to include other regions and will focus on data to improve NGS datum transformation tools.
NGS has aided users that are submitting data using OPUS through their GPS on BM website service. Previous columns have highlighted the website. This column will highlight a new feature on the NGS GPS on BMs webpage that displays the progress of priority marks and its associated statistics. This webpage can be accessed through a link on the GPS on BMs Program main webpage — (see highlighted section in box tilted “GPS on BM Project Webpage”). The new webpage provides statistics by state as well as which agencies are submitting the most GPS on BMs data (see the box titled “NGS Webpage of Priority Marks Progress Update”).
The right side of the webpage provides the percent of the goal reached, a link to the progress tracking map, and a link to progress by state (see box below). The first thing to notice that it provides a current percent of goal reached to date. In this example, the GPS on BM program is at 45 percent complete.
Right Side of Priority Marks Progress Update Webpage
Clicking on the “Progress Tracking Map” picture will bring up the latest map update (see box below). As depicted in the box, as of Sept.25, 2,451 of 5,862 priority marks have been completed. The “Progress Tracking Map” provides information based on the last time the map was updated, and the “Percent of Goal Reached” is based on the most current OPUS Shared solutions submitted. NGS is working toward generating the map and solutions in near real time.
Clicking on the “View Progress by State” picture will bring up a table of progress of priority marks by state (see box titled “View by State Webpage”). As depicted in the box, the following statistics are provided for every state:
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The following states have officially completed 100 percent of their priority A and B stations: Connecticut, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey and U.S. Virgin Islands. Congratulations to these states (see the box titled “Priority A & B Progress – states with 100 percent complete”).
Priority A & B Progress — States with 100 percent complete
It should also be noted that there are 15 states that have completed at least 75 percent of their priority A and B stations (see box below). This is a tremendous amount of work, and everyone should be commended for participating in the GPS on BM program.
Priority A & B Progress – States with at 75 percent Completed
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The left side of the webpage provides information on the top submitting agencies. As indicated in the box below, the Illinois Department of Transportation (DOT) and Montana DOT are the two top leaders in submitting GPS on BMs data. They have submitted well over 200 OPUS Shared solutions. The New Jersey and Oregon DOTs are close behind, providing about 200 OPUS Shared solutions.
Left Side of Priority Marks Progress Update Webpage
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
It’s not surprising to see that state agencies have provided the most submissions to the GPS on BM project (73 percent). It’s very encouraging to see that the private sector has provided 13 percent. Having an accurate and reliable hybrid geoid model will assist surveyors in performing their jobs as well as improve their efficiency in performing geodetic surveys requiring heights.
This column provided an update and status report on stations observed in support of the 2018 GPS on BMs program, and highlighting a new NGS GPS on BMs webpage that displays the progress of priority marks and its associated statistics. The number of GPS on Bench Mark stations completed as of Oct. 1 represents 45 percent of the total number of stations that need to be observed.
As I have explained in previous columns, there were many stations with invalid heights that could be used in the next hybrid geoid model unless more bench marks with valid NAVD 88 heights were observed with GNSS.
Many stations with potential invalid published orthometric heights have been identified by the GPS on BM program. This information will be very useful to the surveying and mapping community as well as to NGS.
NGS’ official date for accepted data for inclusion in the next hybrid geoid model, GEOID18, was Sept. 21. However, any OPUS Shared observations submitted before the final version of GEOID18 has a possibility of being included in the model. Even if it’s not included in the hybrid model, it will be very useful for evaluating the reliability of the model.
After the hybrid geoid model, GEOID18, is published, NGS’ GPS on Bench Mark Program will expand to include other regions and will focus on data to improve NGS datum transformation tools. I encourage everyone to continue supporting the GPS on BMs program — not only for improving the development of the 2022 transformation tool, but to assist in identifying bench marks in your local area that have invalid published orthometric heights due to movement.
Once NGS publishes the next hybrid geoid model, GEOID18, OPUS results will probably provide an estimate of the NAVD 88 orthometric height computed using GEOID18 similar to what it does now using GEOID12B.
In my opinion, the results of GEOID18 will be better than GEOID12B in most areas of the United States and should be helpful in identifying stations that have moved since they were last leveled. Submitting your results to OPUS Shared will provide a way for others to analyze the results to determine whether a station has an issue that requires attention.
A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the October 2018 issue of GPS World magazine.
OEM
Anti-spoofing
Provides mitigation and reporting
Photo: Regulus
The Pyramid GNSS allows detection, mitigation and reporting of spoofing of the GNSS system, while still providing accurate positioning (jamming protection will be available in a future version). Version 2 of the Pyramid GNSS adds a software-only version, making it available to numerous applications and enabling GNSS to perform seamlessly under spoofing and jamming conditions. The device is designed for any system depending on GNSS navigation or precise timing, including cars, drones, ships, robots, financial institutions and stationary infrastructure, such as power plants and power grids. The Pyramid GNSS connects externally and integrates seamlessly with existing GNSS receivers, adding reliability and protection to the system. It offers full GNSS support including for BeiDou, Galileo and GLONASS.
Swift Navigation has upgraded the firmware of its flagship product — the Piksi Multi GNSS receiver. This marks the sixth major release to Piksi Multi since it was launched in February 2017. The upgrade is available free of charge to Swift customers. The firmware release also enhances Duro, the ruggedized version of the Piksi Multi receiver housed in a military-grade, weatherproof enclosure for long-term outdoor deployments. Firmware Release 2.0 for Piksi Multi and Duro supports two additional major satellite constellations — Chinese BeiDou (B1/B2) which, once completed, will contain 37 satellites, and Europe’s Galileo (E1/E5b), which will eventually consist of 30 satellites. Piksi Multi’s performance will further improve for future satellites. The addition of BeiDou and Galileo creates more robust positioning in a variety of challenging sky-view environments.
The G300D gyro is a three-axis, inertial rate system gyroscope. Measuring 0.67 cubic inches, it features low power and high speed, making it suitable for image stabilization applications. The G300D has message timing under 150 microseconds and output data rates up to 8 kHz with external sync. A micro-electro-mechanical gyroscope, it has an ARW of <0.0028 degrees/sec/√Hz and an option for both 24 and 32-bit LSB for exceptional resolution. Users can configure the G300D using a software development kit or through software protocols to simplify the integration process. The G300D gyro is non-ITAR.
Two new GNSS low-noise amplifier (LNA) front-end modules, the SKY65933-11 and SKY65943-11, integrate Skyworks’ proprietary TC-SAW filters. The modules are designed specifically for internet of things (IoT) applications including smartwatches, action cameras, drones, asset trackers and personal navigation devices. They are designed for wireless module and IoT device manufacturers, providing a turnkey GNSS connectivity solution in a compact form factor. Both solutions offer integrated pre- and post-filter LNA and matching to reduce printed circuit board (PCB) area versus a discrete implementation; single DC supply for design flexibility and simplicity; multi-GNSS compatibility to cover GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS receiver applications in the 1559–1606 MHz frequency range; extremely low leakage current (1 uA max) benefitting battery-powered IoT devices; and highly manufacturable and low-cost surface-mount technology in a 2.5 x 2.5-millimeter multi-chip module package.
The Net20 Pro provides high-quality data for users interested in the proximity and reliability of a reference station while eliminating real-time kinematic (RTK) corrections service charges. It uses multi-frequency, 555-channel technologies in a rugged casing to deliver accurate and effective positioning data even in harsh environments. It can be configured for correction data reception in client mode to calculate a fixed RTK position and to monitor the antenna position while continuing to work as a GNSS reference server. With NTRIP Caster software, the Net20 Pro provides superior connectivity with an unlimited number of mount points. Users can have permanent transmission of RTK corrections with a local internet connection. Its 32-GB internal and 32-GB external memory is enough for permanent recording even at a 100-Hz high data sampling rate. Its web user interface features upgrade, status and settings management as well as data downloading via smartphone, tablet or other internet-enabled device.
The J-Mate measurement module combines conventional measurement via laser scanning and photographic imagery with the multi-constellation location accuracy of the Triumph-LS receiver. It utilizes precision horizontal and vertical encoders for angular measurement, while the high-definition camera and laser module combine to locate the USB-powered target for accurate measurements. The target rests on top of the receiver and lights up for better visibility to the camera and sensor. The lighting power comes through the USB cord connected to the receiver. Coupled with the onboard data collector screen of the Triumph-LS, operation of the module is done visually with the LS mounted on top of the module or remotely on the J-Pod pole used for GNSS data collection. The module and software is also designed to be an efficient staking application.
The Trimble R10 Model 2 GNSS System is designed to help surveyors work more effectively by enabling reliable, fast and accurate data collection in the field. Enhancements in Model 2 include a custom Trimble survey GNSS ASIC with 672 GNSS channels including GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS and IRNSS as well as the full range of SBAS. It also will support planned GNSS signals. It has improved reliability against interference and spoofed signals, improved power management by 33 percent, and increased internal memory (6 GB) to store more than 10 years of raw observations. Support for Android and iOS platforms allow field crews to use their own mobile devices. The Trimble R10 Model 2 supports the recently released Trimble TSC7 controller and Trimble Access 2018 field software.
The TerraStar-C PRO correction service provides multi-constellation support, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. Combined with NovAtel’s OEM7 positioning technology, TerraStar-C PRO cuts initial convergence times by nearly 60 percent and offers 40 percent better horizontal accuracy than the current TerraStar-C service. In challenging signal conditions, it offers multipath, shading, interference and scintillation. High-rate TerraStar-C PRO corrections provide reconvergence in less than 60 seconds following brief GNSS signal interruptions. Corrections are generated using TerraStar’s proprietary global network of more than 100 GNSS reference stations. The data is delivered worldwide through overlapping geostationary satellites directly to a NovAtel receiver or via cellular IP network.
The C3UBE Command Center enables unmanned beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) data collection and near real-time data streaming from almost any point within any critical infrastructure network. The mobile command and distribution center allows for the flight of unmanned aerial systems and is designed to not only allow AviSight to reach the maximum BVLOS distances permitted today, but also to expand its range for UAS operations as limits increase in the national airspace. In addition, it enables near-real-time transmission of data and imagery, which can be disseminated live to anywhere in the world via its proprietary distribution network located at Switch’s Tier 4 data center. It is aimed at the oil, gas, power, transportation and telecommunications sectors.
SimActive has updated its Correlator3D end-to-end photogrammetry software to include tools for users to generate precise statistics on mining activities, with improved volumetric calculation. The integrated tools allow users to generate precise statistics on mining activities. The Correlator3D software performs aerial triangulation and produces dense digital surface models, digital terrain models, point clouds, orthomosaics and vectorized 3D features. Applications like mineral extraction monitoring can be done seamlessly within the software. Users can process raw drone data, produce point clouds and DSMs, and perform volumetric calculations in the same Correlator3D workflow.
The improved TruPulse 360 laser features LTI’s TruVector 360° Compass Technology. The rangefinder measures slope distance, inclination and azimuth; instantly calculates horizontal and vertical distances; and calculates 3D missing line values. The enhanced device offers 33 percent increased distance accuracy, 25 percent better target acquisition and a higher azimuth accuracy of 0.5° root mean squared (RMS). Other features include reflectorless technology that enables data capture to any surface type; advanced targeting modes to achieve accurate, repeatable results of the intended target; seven-power superior optics technology that displays all measured and calculated solutions; and smart technology that recognizes adverse measurement conditions and prompts recalibration. Uses include forestry, utilities, construction and GIS mapping.
Synthetic aperture radar imagery from Maxar’s MDA RADARSAT-2 satellite is now available to SecureWatch subscribers. SecureWatch is DigitalGlobe’s powerful, cloud-based geospatial intelligence platform. The service has added the radar imagery to its high-resolution optical imagery, enabling defense and intelligence analysts to deliver actionable insights to decision makers regardless of weather and light conditions. The satellite will refresh hundreds of global sites on a weekly basis using a wide-ultra-fine format (3-meter resolution, 50-kilometer scene width). RADARSAT-2 imagery allows users to observe features and changes that go undetected using other imaging techniques, and provides day and night coverage regardless of weather. SecureWatch users can access timely RADARSAT-2 imagery using current subscription plans. When combined with 30-cm optical imagery, analysts will have a powerful and reliable toolset to make decisions with confidence.
U-blox has introduced a toolset comprising the u-track software and the C030-R410M application board. The toolset is a rapid-prototyping platform that lets product designers test and optimize the position accuracy and power consumption of wireless location tracking applications that use LTE-M and NB-IoT cellular networks, as well as GNSS technology. The toolset targets product engineers working on battery-powered applications such as sport, people and asset trackers. An increasing number of battery-powered consumer and industrial products feature integrated GNSS receivers. These products include virtual reality headsets, smartwatches and devices to track elderly people, containers or parcels. With the ongoing roll-out of low power wide-area cellular networks (LPWAN) such as LTE-M and NB-IoT technologies around the world and the extremely low power consumption they enable, the range of use cases for wireless location trackers is expected to expand further. The u-track software runs from embedded firmware on the new u-blox C030-R410M application board. The board, specifically designed to rapidly prototype applications for the internet of things (IoT), includes an ultra-small, low-power u-blox ZOE-M8B GNSS receiver and a size-optimized SARA-R410M LTE-M/NB-IoT cellular communication module, and u-track includes a PC software application that lets users log, retrieve, and visualize power consumption, accuracy, and other important values, such as the GNSS time to first fix.
Add-on to AT&T Fleet Complete platform or for separate use
Photo: AT&T
The new GPS Asset Tracker One (AT1) from AT&T and Fleet Complete can track transportation as well as agriculture, food services, pharmaceuticals and emergency services. Users can monitor their assets through the Fleet Complete mobile app. Besides tracking location in near real-time, it also captures humidity, temperature, light exposure and more. AT&T’s nationwide LTE-M network is designed for devices that require low-cost, extended battery life, coverage underground and inside buildings, and carrier-grade security. Two high-capacity Lithium AA batteries power the AT1. They can last up to five years with a once-a-day use.
The MC90 is a quad-band GSM/GPRS/GNSS/Wi-Fi module that supports hybrid positioning technologies including GNSS, Cell ID and Wi-Fi aided positioning. It integrates the multi-GNSS system, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and QZSS, which makes it suitable for urban areas with high-rise buildings and complex environments. The MC90 also adopts Wi-Fi hotspot positioning technology for blind spots and satellite coverage. It integrates multi-aiding positioning technologies to offer customers with optimized GNSS performance. It also supports EPO technology, which provides predicted Extended Prediction Orbit to speed up TTFF without the need of an extra server. The MC90 features a compact design and lower power consumption, and supports dual SIM single standby function.
TomTom will offer free maps and traffic tiles on its mobile software developer kit (SDK) in both Android and iOS. With global coverage, the Mobile Maps SDKs and its free map tiles will guide developers of mobility and ride-sharing apps. The TomTom Maps APIs (application programming interfaces) also play a role in the internet of things, where traffic data is needed to enable self-driving cars and smart city planning.
MAGNET Inspect is designed for UAV data collection. (Photo: Topcon)
MAGNET Inspect software is designed to facilitate the data-processing workflow for UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) infrastructure inspection by efficiently managing large UAV data sets to create inspection reports. It allows operators to visually navigate UAV photos, aligning 3D reality meshes with raw georeferenced images in one location and filtering them based on selected criteria including field of view. When combined with Intel Falcon 8+ Drone – Topcon Edition and Topcon ContextCapture, powered by Bentley Systems, the software enables operators to navigate, annotate and create reports with inspection photos, creating a strong end-to-end inspection workflow.
Site Scan Esri Edition is a custom version of the Site Scan iOS app for drone flight planning and data capture that works seamlessly with Esri’s ArcGIS Online and Drone2Map for ArcGIS. The Site Scan Esri Edition app complements Esri’s Drone2Map for ArcGIS software by providing full drone project mission planning and a simple workflow for transferring drone captured data into Esri ArcGIS. Users will be able to connect to ArcGIS Online with an Esri sign-in. The app will allow users to directly use Esri data layers from ArcGIS Online as base and reference data for their drone flight planning mission. Esri customers can use any drone supported by Site Scan, including a variety of DJI drones. Site Scan also supports a custom version of the new Yuneec H520 commercial drone by 3D, which is based on the Dronecode PX4 software and designed to be an open and secure drone option for use on U.S. government projects.
UAS mission-planning software company UgCS has joined with disaster response expert Airborne Response to develop a comprehensive search capability for drones. The search-pattern software, a new feature of the UgCS platform, allows remote pilots to more effectively conduct search-and-rescue operations. Customizable search patterns such as the “expanding square” and “creeping line” can be deployed. Based on the flight altitude input by the operator, the UgCS software will automatically calculate the course heading and track spacing necessary to provide the prescribed coverage area for a search target. UgCS software allows central management of all types and manufacturers of unmanned vehicles, enabling a user to control one or a fleet of drones on a single mission in multi-operator mode and multi-platform environments. Airborne Response will offer the UgCS mission planning software and associated training to public safety and emergency response professionals throughout the U.S.
The Mavic 2 Pro is designed for professionals, aerial photographers and content creators. With a folding design, the Mavic 2 is a powerful platform with new gimbal-stabilized cameras and advanced intelligent features like Hyperlapse and ActiveTrack for easier and more dynamic storytelling. Flight time is 31 minutes. Co-engineered in partnership with Hasselblad, the Mavic 2 Pro houses a 1-inch CMOS sensor with a 10-bit Dlog-M color profile. It can capture 20-megapixel aerial shots with utmost color accuracy using the Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS) technology, while an adjustable aperture from f/2.8-f/11 provides control across a wide variety of lighting conditions.
EuroTube is Europe’s first testing ground for high-speed vacuum maglev transportation.
In May, a WingtraOne drone conducted a topographic survey of a construction site where a EuroTube vacuum high-speed test track will be built.
The futuristic project is the European answer to its American counterpart Hyperloop of the SpaceX and Elon Musk fame. The EuroTube project plans to provide a 3-kilometer-long vacuum tube to developers of pod technologies for testing.
The Eurotube test infrastructure for high-speed vacuum transportation will provide an environment free of air resistance to test “pods”, or cars, that can be accelerated to speeds as high as the Boeing 747 in flight. (Photo: EuroTube)
The project proved to be surprisingly challenging from the very beginning. First, the team had to find a long, flat stretch of land for EuroTube’s construction in Switzerland, a country famous for its mountains.
And just as the right location was found in the canton of Valais, another challenge came along. How to survey such a complicated site surrounded with mountains, water bodies, forests and railway tracks? Luckily, the fellow Swiss company Wingtra already had a solution — the vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) drone WingtraOne.
After spending months in research and development of prototypes, the team at EuroTube selected the stretch of land in the Valais region of Switzerland as its candidate location. The chosen construction site is located next to railways tracks. A few water bodies, forests and ditches flank the other side of the construction site, making available a mere 3-meter-wide piece of land for take-off and landing of the drone.
Fortunately, the WingtraOne’s VTOL capabilities were designed with exactly these kind of constraints. But why choose such a peculiar construction site in the first place?
Bringing Europe’s transportation system to 21st century
The answer lies in the technology behind the EuroTube itself. One of the main limitations in speeding objects on ground is the high air resistance, also called drag (drag is a type of friction force acting opposite to the relative motion of any object). By maintaining a low-pressure environment or even a vacuum, this air resistance can be lowered drastically, and hence objects can be accelerated to high speeds.
Technologies such as the EuroTube provide this vacuum environment inside a long tube. Within such tubes, cars called “pods” can be accelerated to speeds as high as 800 km/h, meaning a journey between Zurich and Paris, which currently takes 4 to 6 hours, would be reduced to a mere half an hour. This is the vision driving the EuroTube project, which will provide a 3-kilometer-long vacuum tube to developers of pod technologies for testing.
Aerial surveying of the construction site
Gerard Güell, the construction director of EuroTube, at the construction site with the WingtraOne. (Photo: Wingtra)
Before the construction of the tube could begin, however, the EuroTube team needed to survey the construction site. Looking at solutions that would cut time and cost, Sascha Mark, the technical director at the EuroTube project, reached out to Wingtra in early May.
A partnership between Wingtra and EurtoTube was quickly formed where Wingtra would provide the WingtraOne as well as conduct the surveyof the construction site.
“For a cutting-edge research project involving significant infrastructure, time is of crucial importance,” Mark said. “We were looking at surveying solutions that can provide the dataset required for a construction site quickly without compromising on the accuracy. From this perspective, WingtraOne looked like a viable prospect.”
The survey was conducted on May 21 when Gerard Güell, the construction director at EuroTube, met Adyasha Dash from Wingtra on site. To survey the area quickly with high accuracy, a WingtraOne equipped with an RX1RII camera and post-processed kinematics (PPK) was chosen. As the survey required flights over a straight, flat piece of land, flight planning was done on site, and took less than 5 minutes for the setup.
The wind on site ranged from 2 m/s to 5 m/s. After letting the flight planning app WingtraPilot run a host of automatic pre-flight checks, the drone started its flight to collect aerial imagery at a ground sampling distance (GSD) of 3 cm/px. At the end of two consecutive flights taking less than an hour in total, the drone had collected a little more than 800 individual images.
“It was nearly effortless to conduct the aerial surveying with the WingtraOne,” Güell said. “All we had to do was to walk to the take-off area, double-check the survey area we wanted to cover on the flight planning app, and hit go.”
Final orthomosaic generated by the images collected by the WingtraOne: the 3-km long Eurotube will be constructed along the indicated area. (Image: Wingtra)
From aerial imagery to point cloud
Infographic: Wingtra
After two flights, the images were pre-processed with WingtraHub, a desktop app, to add geographical identification metadata to the images. PPK processing was also done in this step. The base file for PPK processing was obtained from Swisstopo, which monitors GNSS receivers at 30 permanent locations in Switzerland. These receivers form the modern-day reference points for positioning and surveying, and help enhance the geolocation information of the images in conjunction with the flight data (hence the name, post-processed kinematics). It took a little more than half an hour to pre-process the entire dataset.
The images with their accurate geolocation information were then uploaded to Pix4Dmapper to generate a point cloud of the site. All in all, it took less than 24 hours to go from data collection to point-cloud generation, without compromising on the quality of survey itself.
“We are pleased to say that the dataset gathered by the WingtraOne was precise enough to let the engineering office begin planning construction,” Mark said. “The generated point cloud has a vertical accuracy of 10 centimeters and horizontal accuracy of 3 centimeters. Thanks to the WingtraOne, we are now well on track on our timeline to begin construction.”
According to EuroTube’s scheduled timeline, a shorter prototype of the tube will be completed at the end of this year, and an alpha tube at the end of 2019. European research and development teams across institutes and universities can then start testing pod technologies to make ultra-high speed transportation systems a reality.
Adyasha Dash works as a software developer at Wingtra, where she focuses on developing safe flight control and planning algorithms. When she is not tinkering with drones, you can find her writing about the ethics of artificial intelligence and human machine interactions.
Real-time kinematic (RTK) integration usually uses separate antennas, which can lead to reduced efficiency because of electro-magnetic interference (EMI).
Image: HarxonImage: Harxon
Also, conventional antenna installation can result in unstable machine performance because of the problems of system compatibility between different antennas.
Harxon has overcome those difficulties with its integrated X-Survey antenna, a 4-in-1 OEM antenna for both navigation and communication in surveying applications.
It provides standard Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 4G, plus multiple constellation signal reception for GNSS positioning.
The high-gain and wide-beamwidth GNSS antenna features a multi-point feeding technology, ensuring a high phase-center stability and positioning accuracy, the company said. Moreover, the array-arranged 4G antennas enables more stable signals and longer communication distance at 360-degree direction, increasing the overall machine efficiency over conventional antennas.
The X-Survey antenna provides high isolation among each antenna to prevent self-interference, improving RTK system compatibility. RF coaxial connectors are designed for plug-and-use, keeping high efficiency and lowering the impact of EMI.
The antenna low-noise amplifier features excellent out-of-band rejection performance, which can also suppress the EMI, providing reliable GNSS signals.
The unique structure design simplifies RTK integration, and minimizes the overall machine dimension. Harxon aims to bring system integrators high-efficiency performance of navigation and communication in surveying and precision agriculture applications.
4G bands can be customized according to different countries and regions, the company added.
New research conducted at the University of Otago, New Zealand, and published in the August issue of Journal of Geodesy demonstrate that it is possible to achieve centimeter(cm)-level precise positioning on a smartphone.
The research, conducted in collaboration with Curtin University, Australia, combined signals from four different GNSS, according to Otago’s Dr. Robert Odolinski and Curtin University colleague Prof. Peter Teunissen.
“It’s all down to the mathematics we applied to make the most of the relatively low-cost technology smartphones use to receive GNSS signals, combining data from American, Chinese, Japanese and European GNSS. We believe this new capability will revolutionize applications that require cm-level positioning,” Odolinski says.
He said to understand the new technology, a look back at the historical scientific context is needed.
Precise centimeter-level positioning on a smartphone during 24 hours in Dunedin, New Zealand. Blue dots show repeatability of one epoch data in comparison to precise benchmark coordinates. The repeatability is more or less the size of a one-dollar New Zealand coin (diameter of 2.3 cm) in all three dimensions. (Image: University of Otago)
“For decades, construction, engineering, cadastral surveying and earthquake monitoring have relied on high-cost, dual-frequency GPS positioning to obtain centimeter-level location information. The challenge is that GPS signals, traveling from Earth-orbiting satellites to receivers on the ground, are disrupted along the way, and this generates errors and limiting precision.
“The traditional solution is to combine GPS signals sent at two different frequencies to improve the positions, but the antennas and receivers required have been expensive, far beyond the reach of many who would benefit from the technology,” Odolinski said.
The new approach uses only one of two frequencies but collects data from more satellites for a multi-constellation GNSS solution. The extra data and algorithms are used to improve the positions without adding cost.
Odolinski and Teunissen have shown that this approach can work in smartphones, producing competitive results compared to dual-frequency GPS solutions (see figure).
Odolinski believes that countries and industries of all sizes can benefit from using smartphones as GNSS receivers, and is confident commercial application and development will spring from this research.
“This significant reduction in costs when using smartphones can increase the number of receivers that can be deployed, which will revolutionize a range of disciplines requiring centimeter-level positioning, including precise car navigation, surveying and geophysics (deformation monitoring), to name a few.”
DT Research has launched the DT372AP-TR rugged real-time kinematic (RTK) tablet, a lightweight military-grade tablet that offers RTK to enhance the precision of position data derived from satellite-based positioning systems.
The tablet enables 3D point cloud creation with centimeter-level accuracy to meet the high standards required for scientific-grade evidence in court, the company said.
The DT372AP-TR RTK tablet is military-grade with an IP65 rating, yet lightweight — offering the versatility to be used in the field, office and vehicles.
A dual-frequency GNSS module is built into the tablet, which uses real-time reference points within 1- to 2-centimeter accuracy to position 3D point clouds created from aerial photogrammetry, using GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellites. Users can measure with the RTK GNSS positioning directly using an external antenna for better survey-grade precision.
“We designed a more compact tablet that still offers all the functionality of a rugged RTK tablet, to give ultra-mobility to law enforcement and first responders who are already weighed down with heavy equipment,” said Daw Tsai Sc.D., president of DT Research. “With programmable side buttons and directional pad, this tablet combines ease of use with a small form factor and centimeter level accuracy, there is nothing in the market now in the same category that can offer this combination.”
The DT372AP-TR RTK tablet is compatible with existing survey and GIS software for mapping applications and brings together an advanced workflow for data capture, accurate positioning and data transmitting.
The tablet can be used in a variety of scenarios, including:
Forensic mapping. Public safety teams, investigators and crash reconstructionists can use the DT372AP-TR to accurately collect measurements that are scientifically and legally defensible by using the real-time centimeter reference points to position 3D point clouds created from aerial photogrammetry or take stand-alone measurements. By using the tablet with a drone for crime and crash scene investigation, cost goes down while accuracy and speed improve, helping to clear areas faster, thereby improving overall public safety.
Land surveying. Surveyors can use the DT372AP-TR RTK tablet to measure the altitudes, angles and distances on the land surface so that they can be accurately plotted on a map to determine property boundaries, construction layout and mapmaking.
E-construction. Construction workers can manage the collection, review, approval and distribution of highway construction contract documents in a paperless environment using the DT372AP-TR RTK tablet.
The tablet has been purpose-built for precision mapping in a variety of environments and includes the following features and capabilities:
Dual-frequency GNSS module. GNSS L1 and L2 RTK that receives GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS signals up to 372 channels
High-performance CPU and Windows OS. Intel Pentium processor with Microsoft Windows 10 IoT Enterprise with 8 GB of RAM.
Brilliant sunlight-readable display. A 7-inch LED-backlight, high-brightness (800 nits) sunlight-readable screen with capacitive touch and 1280 x 800 resolution.
Superior wireless connectivity. Long-range Class 1 Bluetooth option powers connectivity up to 1,000 feet.
Mobile broadband option. For best field connectivity, there is an option for 4G mobile broadband for LTE, HESPA+, GMS/GPRS/EDGE, EV-DO, Rev A and 1xRTT.
Military standards. For use in harsh environments, the tablet is fully ruggedized to meet the highest durability standards with an IP65 rating, MIL-STD-810G for vibration and shock resistance and MIL-STD-461F for EMI and EMC tolerance.
High-capacity hot-swappable battery pack. Delivers 60 or 90 watts for up to 15 hours of continuous mobile communications.
Camera option. The optional back camera offers 5 megapixels, CMOS sensor and auto focus to capture project progress or record crash and crime scene details.
Accessories. External antennas, pole mount cradles, battery charging kits and digital pens.
Galileo and BeiDou observation data are now included with Trimble VRS Now subscriptions in North America.
Photo: Trimble
The addition of the Galileo and BeiDou constellations allow users to make use of more satellites, enabling more robust performance when working in harsh GNSS environments such as in urban canyons and under canopy, the company said.
Trimble VRS Now in North America fully supports GPS, GLONASS, QZSS and now, Galileo and BeiDou satellite systems.
The service is powered by the Trimble Pivot Platform GNSS real-time network software, Trimble said. As a true five-constellation solution, it delivers improved real-time positioning performance for customers in North America.
VRS Now is designed for surveying, mapping and GIS, construction and agriculture professionals who require high-accuracy positioning in their workflows.
Adding Galileo and BeiDou observation data provides significant benefits by enabling users to:
Operate in environments where traditional GPS + GLONASS systems’ performances are limited
Improve accuracy and reliability of GNSS solutions
Minimize the effects of multipath and interference
“By including Galileo and BeiDou data, customers can achieve greater accuracy and positioning performance than ever before,” said Patricia Boothe, vice president of Trimble’s Advanced Positioning Division.
With the addition of North America, Trimble VRS Now networks worldwide now support all five GNSS constellations. Besides North America, coverage is available throughout Europe, Australia and New Zealand when using a compatible GNSS receiver or display.
Subscriptions are available through Trimble’s Authorized Business Partners or Trimble’s online store at tpsstore.trimble.com.
VRS Now provides positioning professionals with instant access to real-time kinematic (RTK) and post-processing (PP) corrections using a network of permanent (fixed) continuously operating reference stations (CORS). Professional management and monitoring 24/7 by a global operations team provides peak performance and high reliability, Trimble said.
Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, IRNSS, and more join GPS and GLONASS to bring you wider, broader, greater, more accessible and above all more accurate PNT. How to get all that’s coming at you?
Multi-GNSS paves the way for complete exploitation of new signals and constellations in navigation, surveying, geodesy and remote sensing.
The free 1-hour webinar, which will take place at 1 p.m. Eastern [10 a.m. Pacific, 7 p.m. (1900h) Central European Time] on Thursday, Sept. 20, will review advantages of using multi-GNSS for the end-user and challenges in obtaining maximum efficiency when combining multiple constellations and signals. It will also discuss different approaches of testing GNSS receivers against jamming and spoofing attacks.
You will learn:
Advantages of using multi-GNSS
Challenges when combining multiple constellations
Robustness of multi-GNSS receivers to jamming and spoofing
Test solutions for GNSS receivers.
The webinar presents sponsored content by Skydel and Talen-X. Register for it here.
A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the September 2018 issue of GPS World magazine.
OEM
Reference receiver
For real-time networks (RTN)
Photo: Trimble
The Trimble Alloy GNSS reference receiver is designed for continuously operating reference stations (CORS). It offers 672 channels and constellation tracking of GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, IRNSS and SBAS for robust and reliable reference data. With an IP68 rating for protection against dust and moisture, the Alloy performs in rugged environments to meet the demands of professionals in earth science, surveying, construction, mapping and agriculture. The Alloy allows RTN owners and operators to track and log all current and planned GNSS and deliver absolute position monitoring, as well as centimeter-level accuracy in real time with Trimble RTX precise point positioning technology. Featuring a four-line OLED screen, the receiver displays key information without the need to scroll through multiple menus. Other features include dual hot-swappable batteries, multiple power inputs and serial ports, Wi-Fi connectivity and remote access options.
The TW7875 magnetic-mount GNSS antenna is designed for precision dual-frequency positioning. It is capable of receiving GPS L1/L5, GLONASS G1, BeiDou B1, Galileo E1/E5a and NavIC L5. It employs Tallysman’s Accutenna technology, which provides superior multipath signal rejection due to its low axial ratio across the full bandwidth. It also provides a linear phase response and tight phase-center variation. It is designed for precision agriculture, autonomous vehicles and other precision applications. The TW7875 is housed in a magnetic-mount IP67-rated housing, but can also be mounted with screws or adhesive tape. The embedded version, Model TW3875, has a wide selection of connectors and custom cable lengths, and can be custom tuned by Tallysman to ensure optimum performance within the customer’s enclosure.
The SPAN CPT7 provides tightly coupled GNSS+INS navigation technology in a rugged, compact unit. Commercially exportable and designed for integration into a wide variety of applications, it delivers assured positioning anywhere. SPAN technology tightly couples GNSS and inertial navigation system (INS) measurements. The system enables continuous, robust positioning and fast reacquisition in challenging navigation environments where GNSS signals may be unreliable or unavailable for short periods. Dual antennas deliver instant alignment. NovAtel’s OEM7 Interference Toolkit (ITK) provides interference detection and mitigation, with the spectrum analysis function allowing integrators to identify interference within the GNSS frequency bands and implement digital filters to eliminate the problem.
The commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) LN-200C is a compact and lightweight six-degrees-of-freedom inertial measurement unit (IMU) that can be used for instrument stabilization, motion compensation and navigation in commercial, aerospace and industrial applications. Based on fiber-optic gyro (FOG) technology, the LN-200C IMU’s hermetic seal and lack of moving parts help to ensure low noise and extended operational life. The LN-200C can serve as a drop-in replacement for applications that don’t require the full operational range of the original LN-200 and that can benefit from the expedited licensing and global ease of use offered by the LN-200C.
Global Certification Forum (GCF) protocol conformance tests available
Photo: Rohde & Schwarz
The Rohde & Schwarz CMW500 wideband radio communication tester and SMBV100A GNSS simulator have been expanded to support Global Certification Forum (GCF) protocol conformance tests for C-V2X device certification. Utilizing the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset from Qualcomm Technologies, the R&S CMW500 acting as an LTE network simulator allows automakers to test C-V2X direct communications (PC5) according to GCF Work Item 281. The new R&S CMW-KK550 test package includes the 3GPP Protocol Conformance tests from LTE-V2V GCF Work Item 281 and LTE-V2X GCF Work Item 282. The R&S CMW-KU514 C-V2X software package on the R&S CMW500 is used to verify data transmission and reception over the PC5 interface in ideal, faded and congested channel conditions. Together, both packages enable Rohde & Schwarz to support C-V2X device testing through all protocol layers.
The Multimax FV family is available in a range of configurations, supporting multi-constellation GNSS. The antennas also support up to dual MIMO LTE (including Band 14 for the FirstNet public safety network), 3×3 MIMO Wi-Fi or 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi. With a small footprint and a strong, bolt-mount aluminum base, the Multimax FV family provides protection against natural hazards threatening vehicles, including vibration, ice, salt, car washes and tree sweeps. The high-gain antennas deliver a large cellular footprint alongside high-rejection GNSS technology (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou).
For Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) flight operations
Arctic UAV has adopted Kongsberg Geospatial’s IRIS UAS Airspace Awareness application for BVLOS operations within Canada’s Arctic. IRIS provides simultaneous monitoring of multiple drones. It offers real-time calculation of aircraft separation and communications line-of-sight, real-time visualization of track and weather data.
M.A.D.S detects and identifies commercial drones within a 5+ kilometer range, providing GPS positioning of both drone and pilot together with the drone’s speed and heading. Once a drone threat is established, the system enables a 500-meter electronic exclusion zone to be created around the yacht. Should the drone approach this exclusion zone, its control/video signal is blocked, initiating a fail-safe mode and forcing a landing or return to operator.
Operates on the Wave Relay mobile ad hoc network (MANET)
The Auto-Tracking Antenna System is a portable ground-to-air antenna for tracking aircraft, including drones. Defense customers can use it for better airborne communications relay and full-motion video camera/sensor data transmission. It can be assembled and deployed in less than 15 minutes.
Version 6 of Virtual Surveyor drone surveying software offers a faster, more efficient workflow and better user experience in a more stable platform than previous versions. Along with new capabilities is an improved licensing system and an extended free application. The software generates an interactive onscreen environment through orthophotos and digital surface models generated from a UAV, where the surveyor selects survey points and breaklines to define the topography. It enables land surveyors to complement traditional fieldwork with UAV imagery to generate highly accurate topographic products.
Foresights is a risk management and geospatial analytics platform designed to help clients manage forestry assets quickly, effectively and accurately. Foresights identifies areas of new or potential risk, and delivers operations tracking and forest damage management services. It combines satellite imagery, topography maps, soil maps, meteorological data and near real-time ground input from operational teams to deliver optimized insights. It can detect damage as small as 0.1 hectare (0.25 acre) from pests, disease and drought.
EOS Platform provides a powerful toolset for geospatial analysts — offering search, analysis, storing and visualization of large amounts of geospatial data. Image data obtained from LandViewer or uploaded from a user’s computer is stored in cloud-based EOS Storage and is instantly available for remote-sensing analysis or image processing. EOS Processing offers 16 workflows that run online, including raster tools, remote sensing analytics, photogrammetry and proprietary feature extraction algorithms designed by EOS engineers and data scientists to address the main challenges of agriculture, forestry, oil, gas, retail, city planning, defense and other industries.
The Esri book GIS for Surface Water: Using the National Hydrography Dataset by Jeff Simley details how to use geographic information system (GIS) technology to visualize and analyze data sets. Simley is an award-winning cartographer and the former lead of the hydrography program at the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The book examines the complexities of surface water systems and shows readers how to use the Esri ArcGIS software with government water data sets to better study and manage the United States’ vast water system.
EOMAP has opened a commercial online store for global shallow-water bathymetry derived from satellite data. At the store, EOStore Bathymetry, customers can search for and request high-quality data. Satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) is a valuable tool for the surveying, planning and management of coastal and offshore sites. SDB can provide shallow-water bathymetric data worldwide without the need for a physical presence in the area of interest. EOMAP developed the bathymetry store in response to industry feedback. EOStore Bathymetry offers different horizontal spatial resolutions of the bathymetric grid of 2 to 15 meters, making the data suitable for surveying as well as planning and modeling purposes.
Leica Geosystems has selected Getac’s fully rugged ZX70 Android tablet for the new Leica Zeno GG04 Plus Tablet package, designed for utilities, public services, transportation and construction.
The new partnership will allow Leica Geosystems to bring comprehensive geospatial data-collection capabilities to its customers in all terrains and weather conditions, according to a Getac news release.
Leica Geosystems selects Getac’s ZX70 tablet To power its new Zeno GG04 Plus Tablet solution. (PRNewsfoto/Getac)
The Zeno Mobile data collection app and Zeno GG04 plus smart antenna are designed to help customers capture highly accurate geospatial data quickly and effectively in the field.
By combining these products with Getac’s ZX70 Android tablet, Leica Geosystems has created a solution that offers measurement accuracy, connectivity and durability in a single, comprehensive package, Getac said.
Compact and powerful, the Getac ZX70 is comfortable to use with one hand, making it suitable for demanding field surveying work.
Its Android operating system supports Leica’s Zeno Mobile software, allowing for high-accuracy GNSS positions to be utilized and rich attribute data to be collected easily in the field.
Any authorized Android app can also be installed on the device, depending on the required workflow or back office systems used, bringing a high level of usability and familiarity out of the box, Getac said.
Additional key features include the 7-inch IPS display, which is easy to read in all environments, including direct sunlight. The LumiBond 2.0 touchscreen allows for full operation of the tablet in the rain and with gloves on, essential for outdoor surveying work.
The Getac ZX70’s integrated 4G modem can transmit large data files quickly and easily, even from remote locations.
The fast, stable and reliable data connection allows users to effectively utilize Hexagon Geosystems’ HxGN SmartNet correction service, enabling accurate GNSS measurement to within one centimeter.
The ZX70 offers durability, connectivity and usability, and has been designed to withstand shocks, drops, rain and vibration, the company added.
Conducted online in July 2018, the GPS World State of the GNSS Industry survey compiled detailed answers to 30 key questions from 273 respondents, spread across six continents.
Prominent insights gained, and outlined in these pages: the PNT sector is booming, as opportunities outnumber obstacles; well-trained engineers are at a premium; and the Internet of Things is the newest market driver, perhaps the most powerful yet.
