GPS World

Category: Transportation

  • First Fix: Very busy space

    First Fix: Very busy space

    Artist impression; size of debris exaggerated as compared to Earth. (Image: ESA)
    Artist impression; size of debris exaggerated as compared to Earth. (Image: ESA)

    So much going on up there!

    On Jan.11, speaking at a press briefing in Paris, Javier Benedicto, director of navigation for the European Space Agency (ESA), announced the agency had completed the procurement process for the low-Earth Orbit Positioning Navigation and Timing (LEO PNT) program. ESA expects to have the new LEO PNT demonstration satellites, which will broadcast signals over several frequency bands, up and running by 2026. A positive outcome will most likely lead to the procurement and deployment of a full European LEO PNT constellation for global services.

    Also in January, news broke that Google and two of the largest mobile network operators in the world, AT&T and Vodafone, had invested more than $200 million in AST SpaceMobile’s cellular broadband network based on LEO satellites and accessible directly by smartphones. AST SpaceMobile already operates the largest-ever commercial communications array in LEO, the BlueWalker 3 satellite, which, due to its size and brightness, is alarming astronomers.

    On Feb. 21, The New York Times reported about U.S. warnings to its allies that Russia might deploy a nuclear weapon in orbit this year. According to the paper, U.S. intelligence agencies told their closest European allies that, “if Russia is going to launch a nuclear weapon into orbit, it will probably do so this year — but that it might instead launch a harmless ‘dummy’ warhead into orbit to leave the West guessing about its capabilities.” A space weapon nested inside a satellite could destroy, jam, or otherwise disable dozens or hundreds of commercial and military satellites in LEO, such as the Starlink satellites that are revolutionizing global communications. See Dana Goward’s analysis.

    The next day, Tim Crain, chief technology officer of the Houston-based company Intuitive Machines announced, “Houston, Odysseus has found its new home.” For the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, a U.S.-built spacecraft had landed on the moon. Odysseus, described by the Times as “a bit bigger than a telephone booth,” (which most people under the age of 20 have never seen), was later confirmed to be upright and sending images. It was delivered into lunar orbit by a SpaceX rocket. NASA hopes this mission will help inaugurate a new era of economical spaceflights around the solar system. Intuitive Machines is one of several small companies the agency has hired to transport instruments to reconnoiter the surface of Earth’s only natural satellite in preparation for the return of NASA astronauts.

    My highly synthetic description of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aircraft tracking systems in last month’s First Fix was a bit muddled. Fortunately, I can count on our Editorial Advisory Board member Mitch Narins to clarify:

    FAA systems determine an aircraft’s position using a combination of independent and dependent surveillance. Independent surveillance does not require the “cooperation” of the aircraft (e.g., primary radar), while dependent surveillance requires the aircraft to either respond to an interrogation signal or periodically transmit its position — e.g., Automatic Dependent Surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B).

  • Guiding machines: Combining GNSS and other sensors is key to effective machine control

    Guiding machines: Combining GNSS and other sensors is key to effective machine control

    Building a solid foundation for any construction requires that the ground be adequately compacted and leveled. Construction workers and contractors operating earthmoving machines know it is nearly impossible to do that by eyesight alone. For a few decades, leveling was accomplished using rotating lasers mounted on tall tripods, which could typically cover a little more than 1,500 ft on a job site and laser receivers mounted on masts on the earth-moving machines. However, these systems only provide elevation, not position, and must be repositioned frequently.

    Photo: Steer
    Photo: Steer

    In recent years, laser leveling has been increasingly replaced by machine control systems that enable operators to compare the position of their machine’s blade with a digital grading map, and then guide it very precisely to cut the proper elevation. These machine control systems combine global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers, to provide the position of the machine; inertial navigation systems (INS), to bridge short gaps in GNSS availability and to provide the platform’s attitude (pitch, roll, and yaw); and a variety of other sensors, to determine the movement of the machine’s attachments, such as booms, arms and buckets.

    In this month’s cover story, we feature perspectives on machine control from:

    • Microchip, which makes inductive position sensors that monitor the angular and linear movements of the attachments.
    • Septentrio, which makes the AntaRX series of smart antennas.
    • Gundersen & Løken, which makes the DigPilot kit for excavators.

    Besides grading, other areas for machine control include trenching at a specific depth, spot-bulldozing to better prepare a site for grading, mass excavation and contouring edges. Artificial intelligence (AI) will soon start taking over the operators’ duties, but that’s for a future article.

  • Microchip: Inductive position sensors measure movements

    Microchip: Inductive position sensors measure movements

    Controlling an earthmoving machine to perform a task requires knowing exactly where its bucket or blade contacts the dirt. Therefore, in addition to knowing the machine’s position, it is necessary to model, in real-time, the rotation at each pivot point and apply some mathematics and trigonometry.

    Microchip makes an integrated circuit, known as an inductive position sensor, that is very well suited for machine control because it is not affected by the harsh conditions on most construction sites — temperature extremes, water, dust and dirt — and the vibrations caused by the machine itself. Additionally, it is not affected by the stray magnetic fields generated by electric motors, which are increasingly common on those machines.

    Inductive position sensors are used in many automotive systems. (Photo: Microchip)
    Inductive position sensors are used in many automotive systems. (Photo: Microchip)

    “We use our inductive position sensing to measure the angle or the linear movement of some sort of target to get a machine to perform its task,” said Mark Smith, product line manager for many different mixed signal products at Microchip. “For example, to control a blade on an earthmoving machine to do something, you need to have feedback about its current angle.”

    Microchip also makes sensors for human interfaces, such as accelerator pedals in cars, which no longer have cables that run up to the motor. “Any sort of movement, such as the angles of rotation of a robotic arm, must be monitored and measured. Inductive position sensing is one of the up-and-coming ways to do it,” said Smith.

    To direct a task, a central processing unit must then analyze and integrate the data from the sensors. For that, Microchip makes many types of computing elements — including mini-computers and microcontrollers.

    “One of the things that’s coming up with many of these vehicles is ambient magnetic noise in the system,” said Smith, “because you’re next to electric motors these days. You want sensors that are immune to stray magnetic fields. We started with automotive, but we’re also seeing it now in industrial environments, including earthmoving vehicles.” Inductive position sensors, Smith said, are simpler, cheaper, lighter, and better able to withstand extreme temperatures than what they are replacing. “Also, because they are non-contact, the circuit board can be environmentally protected.”

    Vibrations also are a concern. “There is an air gap between the target and the sensor itself,” Smith said. “We have an automatic gain control at the sensing side that is constantly adjusting the gain to get the maximum signal strength. This is a fast-moving control algorithm that can adjust the gain to ensure that the vibration does not affect the performance. When everything is operating at its maximum torque, this starts to matter.”

  • GMV improves airport navigation performance

    GMV improves airport navigation performance

    Image: GMV
    Image: GMV

    The European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (EuroControl) has awarded GMV a contract for the evolution of AUGUR, a free service for pilots, airspace users and air navigation service providers.

    AUGUR is a web-based service that makes it possible to predict the availability of the GPS and receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) navigation solution for a wide range of air operations. The RAIM processing algorithm, which is standardized and incorporated into most aeronautical GPS receivers, allows operators to check the integrity of GPS satellite signals by exploiting the redundancy of measurements offered by the current constellation.

    Although only four satellites in view are needed to calculate the position and time of the aircraft, the current GPS constellation has 31 active satellites, meaning that the receivers are getting signals from more than four satellites much of the time. The RAIM technique takes advantage of these additional measurements to check the integrity of the satellites and ensure the position obtained is correct within the alarm limits established for each operation.

    Within the framework of the new project, GMV will lead all phases related to the development of the new AUGUR services, including the definition of requirements, design, implementation, verification, validation and software deployment. Throughout the process of designing, developing and validating the new version, GMV will also continue to provide the current services, ensuring that they are not interrupted. The new version will be available in May 2025.

    The improvements made to the AUGUR include RAIM GPS availability displayed on a map and the integration of the planned Navigation Integrity Category (NIC), which measures the quality of the aircraft navigation position transmitted via automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast (ADS-B).  It also issues space weather warnings such as solar flares, geomagnetic storms and coronal mass ejections (CME) and has options to import or export geographic data in industry-standard formats.

  • Geely expands satellite network for autonomous vehicles

    Geely expands satellite network for autonomous vehicles

    Image: Geely
    Image: Geely

    Geely, a Chinese automaker, has launched its second set of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites in its effort to enhance navigation capabilities for autonomous vehicles. The 11 satellites were launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan, China province.

    According to Geely, the company aims to have 72 satellites in orbit by 2025. The long-term goal is to establish a constellation of 240 satellites to create a comprehensive satellite network for various applications.

    Geely’s satellite network is designed to provide high-precision positioning support for autonomous vehicles. By using satellite technology, the company aims to enhance navigation accuracy to enhance safety and efficiency on the roads.

    The newly launched satellites are equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) remote sensing capabilities, which allows them to capture clear high-resolution imaging. With a resolution ranging from 3.2 ft to 16.4 ft, these satellites can provide valuable data and imagery for multiple applications, including surveillance, urban planning and infrastructure management.

    China’s satellite industry has seen a significant surge in commercial activities since the government allowed private investment in the space sector. With supportive policies and investments, numerous commercial companies, including Geely, have ventured into satellite manufacturing and launch vehicles.

  • Intecs combines GNSS and sensor data for train localization

    Intecs combines GNSS and sensor data for train localization

    Image: kojihirano/ iStock / Getty Images Plus/ Getty Images
    Image: kojihirano/ iStock / Getty Images Plus/ Getty Images

    Intecs, a hardware and software developer, is creating a multi-sensor, GNSS-based platform for obtaining absolute position of trains on rail lines. The system incorporates cameras that read QR codes installed in the area adjacent to the track. The system includes a robust, software-based, data fusion engine that combines GNSS and visual data to determine train position.

    The delay when a train loses its position can be significant and affect other vehicles on the rail lines. The Intecs system — assisted GNSS with imaging sensors for rail applications (AGIS4RAIL) — can correctly identify the position of a vehicle.

    Test campaign
    Numerous field tests have been conducted for the new system. One of the most critical sets of trials was carried out on an auto racing track. The trial involved a ground vehicle with GNSS antennas positioned on the roof and with cameras pointing to the side where QR code panels were set up at 10 m intervals. The vehicle was driven for 30 laps around the course under various conditions. AGIS4RAIL correctly identified the position of the vehicle at every lap, with the vehicle achieving a maximum speed of 35 km/h. The maximum estimated error was 4.76 m, which is in line with the target of 5 m.

    Imaging sensors help to reduce the negative impact of various local effects on positioning systems that rely solely on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), such as multipath errors. The AGIS4RAIL system also offers protection against jamming and spoofing. Additionally, the QR-code landmarks can contain data to verify the authenticity of the landmark itself.

    Further testing continues and will soon include trials onboard operational trains in Italy, according to Intecs. The AGIS4RAIL project received funding under the European Space Agency’s Navigation Innovation and Support Program (NAVISP).

  • Tracking planes but not trains

    Tracking planes but not trains

    Matteo Luccio
    Matteo Luccio

    Every day, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) monitors and assists more than 45,000 flights — up to 5,000 at any one time — across the more than 29 million square miles that make up the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS). It knows the position of each plane with an accuracy well within its length.

    Three key NAS systems are the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), the Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR-11), and the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). They are all part of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), a large-scale FAA initiative to modernize the NAS.

    ADS-B — which includes ground-based radar and navigational aids and GNSS signals — provides real-time precision, shared situational awareness, and advanced applications for both pilots and air traffic controllers. It enables pilots to see on their cockpit displays what controllers see: other aircraft in the sky.
    Relying on satellites instead of ground navigational aids also enables aircraft to fly more directly between airports, reducing flight times, fuel consumption, and air pollution. Furthermore, the improved accuracy, integrity and reliability of satellite signals over radar will enable air traffic controllers to safely reduce the minimum separation distance between aircraft, thereby increasing the number of flights.

    ASR-11 is an integrated primary and secondary radar system at terminal air traffic control sites. It interfaces with both legacy and digital automation systems and provides greatly improved local weather forecasts that enhance situational awareness for both air traffic controllers and pilots.

    WAAS, a form of a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), enables the NAS to provide horizontal and vertical navigation for approach operations for all classes of aircraft in all phases of flight, including vertically-guided landing approaches in instrument meteorological conditions at all qualified locations. It may be further enhanced with ground-based augmentation systems (GBAS) in critical areas.

    Through NextGen, the FAA has modernized air traffic infrastructure in communications, navigation, surveillance, automation, and information management with the aim of increasing the safety, efficiency, capacity, predictability, flexibility, and resiliency of U.S. aviation. NextGen includes airport infrastructure improvements, new air traffic technologies and procedures, and safety and security enhancements.

    Now, contrast all this with the near inability of the Federal Railroad Administration — tasked with enabling the “safe, reliable, and efficient movement of people and goods” by rail across the United States — to track any of the trains that carry 28 percent of the country’s freight, including many hazardous materials, and to know what they contain. In 2023, there were more than 1,000 train derailments in the United States, most of them in railyards. The derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, a year ago, caused more than $800 million in damages and 80 percent of residents experienced health consequences. Only luck has so far prevented massive loss of life due to a derailment in an urban area. True, the FRA’s operating environment, which includes tunnels and multipath, is very different from the FAA’s, as are its regulatory challenges. Still, tracking where trains are and what they carry would be a great start to addressing the threat of toxic spills.

    Matteo Luccio | Editor-in-Chief
    [email protected]

  • DOT issues solicitation for CPNT services

    DOT issues solicitation for CPNT services

    Photo:

    The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a solicitation to obtain proposals from vendors with operationally ready complementary positioning, navigation and timing (CPNT) services to be used for testing and evaluation in the Rapid Phase of the DOT’s CPNT Action Plan.

    The Volpe Center is seeking proposals from industry professionals to deploy PNT services with a technical readiness level (TRL) of eight or higher.

    The evaluation conditions will include situations where GPS/GNSS service is disrupted or manipulated, and CPNT‐specific threat vectors are introduced. Proposals are encouraged to be tailored to critical infrastructure PNT user requirements with the expectation that Rapid Phase evaluation results will be shared with sector risk management agencies (SRMAs) through the Federal interagency process to drive CPNT adoption.

    According to the Volpe Center, it is prepared to make multiple awards if multiple proposals meet the solicitation requirements.

    Responses to the request for quotation (RFQ) should include the bidder’s preferred test range model(s) out of the following three proposed models, where the proposed CPNT service can quickly become operationally ready to meet the Rapid Phase timeline objectives — no later than six months after award:

    1. Federal Government‐hosted test range
    2.  Critical infrastructure test range
    3. Vendor-fielded test range

     Offers are due March 25, 2024. Click here for more information.

  • Spirent, dSPACE enhance autonomous driving test solutions

    Spirent, dSPACE enhance autonomous driving test solutions

    Image: metamorworks/iStock/Getty Images/Getty Images
    Image: metamorworks/iStock/Getty Images/Getty Images

    dSPACE and Spirent Communications have entered a technology partnership, to enhance the realism of real-time positioning scenarios in autonomous driving hardware-in-the-loop (AD-HIL) test systems. This collaboration aims to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomous driving technologies.

    The partnership combines dSPACE’s AD-HIL systems with Spirent’s high-fidelity GSS7000 GNSS simulator. The integration allows developers to validate autonomous driving systems in critical location-based scenarios using real satellite signals. By offering a comprehensive, pre-integrated solution from a single source, the partnership aims to assure consistent performance and speed up the development process.

    The precision and latency of GNSS-enabled systems are becoming increasingly vital, particularly in the context of higher levels of driving automation. To address these challenges, the GSS7000 simulator — which has high-fidelity radio frequency (RF) signal generation and low latency response — will work alongside dSPACE’s AD-HIL. Additionally, the partnership allows for the validation of jamming and spoofing scenarios as part of security-relevant functional tests for autonomous platforms. Additionally, Spirent’s SimHIL software interface is designed to provide effective communication between each partner’s systems.

    The partnership aims to meet the growing demand for efficient and safe testing solutions for connected and autonomous vehicles, including at SAE Levels of Driving Automation at or beyond Level 3.

  • US DOT approves $2.5B in bonds for Brightline West rail project

    US DOT approves $2.5B in bonds for Brightline West rail project

    Image: Brightline
    Image: Brightline

    The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has approved $2.5 billion worth of bonds to help fund the Brightline West high-speed rail project connecting Las Vegas, Nevada, and Southern California.

    The 218-mile line, estimated to cost $12 billion in total, will run along the I-15 median with electric trains capable of running at 186 mph.

    The DOT previously approved private activity bonds of $1 billion for the project in 2020. The second tranche of private activity bonds brings the total to $3.5 billion. In December 2023, the DOT also awarded a $3 billion grant from President Biden’s infrastructure law to the Nevada DOT for the project.

    In June 2023, DOT awarded a $25 million grant to San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program to be used for the construction of the Brightline West stations in Hesperia and Victor Valley, California.

    Brightline West is expected to break ground in early 2024.

  • DJI launches 3D model editing software

    DJI launches 3D model editing software

    Image: DJI
    Image: DJI

    DJI has launched DJI Modify, its first intelligent 3D model editing software.

    The solution can be integrated seamlessly with DJI’s enterprise UAVs and 3D modeling and mapping software, DJI Terra. When integrated with these products, the software can be used for aerial surveying, transportation and emergency responses.

    Seamless workflow with DJI Terra

    DJI Modify paired with DJI Terra offers users an end-to-end solution from modeling to model editing. Once DJI Modify has been enabled, DJI Terra files for model editing are automatically generated, including pre-identified objects and pre-processing of the model. It is designed to make repairing common 3D model defects seamless and efficient. As of early 2024, DJI Modify will only support repairing models built by DJI Terra.

    Efficient 3D model editing

    DJI Modify allows for model files to be quickly imported and exported to the DJI Terra and other third-party software. In the future, processed models can be shared to the cloud for online viewing and sharing via links without software installation, DJI said.

    DJI Modify’s intelligent auto-repair editing supports flattening, editing textures, repairing water surfaces, removing floating parts, and filling holes. Edits can be made using one-click repairs or manually by selecting custom polygons, areas or meshes.

    The software’s smoother model display technology allows high- and low-quality models to be viewed and edited in a single interface. Changes made can be synchronized across both models and previewed immediately, which allows users to address model editing issues in real-time.

  • u-blox, Nordian introduce PointPerfect GNSS correction service to Brazil

    u-blox, Nordian introduce PointPerfect GNSS correction service to Brazil

    Image: u-blox
    Image: u-blox

    u-blox has partnered with Nordian Positioning Solutions to expand coverage of the PointPerfect GNSS correction service to Brazil.

    The collaboration aims to facilitate precise positioning for various applications, with a focus on high-precision agriculture, service robots, machinery automation, micro-mobility and emerging automotive applications, such as lane-accurate navigation and telematics.

    PointPerfect is designed to provide centimeter-level accuracy and achieve convergence in seconds with 99.9% uptime reliability. The service ensures uniform coverage across the globe. Notably, PointPerfect’s recently introduced Localized Distribution feature is intended to reduce user data costs by using 90% less data than typical network real-time kinematic (RTK) services. This combination of low-bandwidth data stream and flexible service plans offers easy scalability for future needs.