GPS World

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  • TerraGo Releases Publisher for ArcGIS v.6

    TerraGo announced the release of Publisher for ArcGIS v.6,  the latest version of TerraGo geospatial collaboration software allows the Esri community to produce TerraGo GeoPDF maps and imagery for users to collaborate without the need for sophisticated GIS tools or training.

     

    According to the announcement, TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS provides unprecedented collaboration capabilities by enabling Esri users to extend, exchange and exploit their enterprise geospatial assets by producing highly portable, intelligent and interactive TerraGo GeoPDF maps and imagery. Mobile and field workers can use GeoPDF maps and imagery to easily access, update and share mission-critical geospatial intelligence whether in connected or offline environments.

    Version 6 Publisher for ArcGIS provides advanced GeoPDF map and imagery production and collaboration capabilities that empower users to:

    • Produce GeoPDF applications that are automatically enabled to allow anyone, anywhere using the no-cost v.6 TerraGo Toolbar with Adobe Reader to update and share maps and imagery with georeferenced audio, video, notes, geoforms, and Web services;
    • Support automated GeoPDF map production using Esri data-driven pages;
    • Export feature layers and attributes into TerraGo GeoPDF maps to allow markup and editing in TerraGo Toolbar and Adobe Reader.

    Detailed product information about TerraGo Publisher, Composer and Toolbar v.6 software is available at: http://www.terragotech.com/products/overview

  • TeleCommunication Systems Selects Locaid as Location-as-a-Service Partner

    Locaid, a location-as-a-service company, and TeleCommunication Systems, Inc., (TCS) mobile communication technology company, have announced that TCS’ portfolio of mobile location-based products and services (LBS) will now incorporate Locaid’s location-as-a-service capabilities. This partnership provides wireless operators with access to rapidly deployable location technology for additional financial yield from their location infrastructure, the companies said.

    The TCS-Locaid partnership provides a turn-key LBS solution that includes location network capabilities via TCS’ Xypoint Mobile Positioning Center (MPC) or Xypoint Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) platforms and cross-carrier, multi-source, location aggregation enablement. Through this partnership, Locaid’s aggregation solution integrates with TCS’ network location platforms and enables wireless operators to rapidly enhance their monetization of a location technology investment. Further, TCS facilities enable hybrids of in-network, hosted or managed services location platforms and cloud-based location aggregation enablement, the companies said.

    Locaid President and CEO Rip Gerber said, “TCS is known for providing carriers with new revenue opportunities and delivering them in a rapidly deployable, hosted and turn-key way. This agreement is testimony to the importance of Location-as-a-Service among the biggest players in mobile, and it is an historic first step between our two companies.”

    “With the appropriate privacy protections, the location of an individual has proven to be a valuable asset that can enhance the value of a carrier or enterprise’s service,” said Lynne Seitz, vice president of location products, TCS. “One of our key goals is to help our carrier customers to monetize this asset by making it available on demand to third parties across a wide-variety of verticals. After an extensive study of the mobile location market and providers, we selected Locaid for their commitment to privacy and impressive portfolio of content providers, enterprises, application developers and merchants who will compensate operators for access to location.”

  • Safe Software and Blue Marble Geographics Partner for Innovative Data Transformation

    Safe Software and Blue Marble Geographics announced that they have teamed up to bring the best of both of their products together in one authoring environment to increase the possibilities of what can be achieved in the use and distribution of spatial data. With the release of the GeoCalc Extension for FME, in addition to FME’s industry-leading format support and flexible transformation capabilities, users can have access to Blue Marble’s highly accurate coordinate transformations directly through FME Workbench.

     

    According to the announcement, the GeoCalc Extension for FME allows those relying on GeoCalc’s coordinate transformations to bring them into FME’s intuitive graphical user interface where they have access to FME’s unparalleled format support and data transformation capabilities.

    “GeoCalc and FME are highly complementary products,” says Patrick Cunningham, President of Blue Marble Geographics. “By integrating the two, our users can take advantage of FME’s excellent data transformation authoring environment, while directly accessing the highly accurate coordinate transformations they rely on in GeoCalc.”

    For FME users, access to the Blue Marble coordinate engine means more choice in coordinate transformations, and increased vertical height conversion accuracy and flexibility.

    “We are very excited about how this integration will increase the possibilities of what users can achieve with FME,” says Dale Lutz, Vice President of Development at Safe Software. “For example, we are seeing an explosion in the use of 3D data, particularly LiDAR, and GeoCalc’s superior geoid selection means more accurate reprojection results.”

    With the GeoCalc Extension, FME users with a valid Blue Marble Desktop GeoCalc license can select the GeoCalc datasource for use in coordinate transformations directly from FME Workbench. Through the Blue Marble Desktop administrative tools, they can also guide end users to preferred coordinate systems and transformations by specifying which GeoCalc systems and geodetic objects are available for import into FME.

    According to the announcement, the integration also provides access to fine datum shift control, including the option of processing shifts with late binding transformations or direct datum transformations, avoiding the potential loss introduced by using an interim WGS84 datum shift.

    The GeoCalc Extension for FME is currently in beta and will soon be available from Blue Marble Geographics.

  • DigitalGlobe, Inc. Rejects GeoEye’s Proposed Acquisition

    GeoEye announced that DigitalGlobe, Inc.’s Board of Directors has rejected GeoEye’s acquisition proposal. On May 4, 2012, GeoEye announced a proposal to acquire DigitalGlobe for $17.00 per share in total consideration, payable $8.50 per share in cash and $8.50 in GeoEye stock, or 0.3537 shares of GeoEye stock for each share of DigitalGlobe stock, representing a premium of 26% to DigitalGlobe’s closing price as of May 3, 2012.

    “We are disappointed that DigitalGlobe’s Board of Directors has rejected our highly attractive proposed acquisition,” said Matt O’Connell, CEO of GeoEye. O’Connell continued, “We believe, and DigitalGlobe appears to agree, that combining these two companies makes clear strategic sense. A combined company would generate substantial synergies while better satisfying the needs of all customers, domestic and international. The combined company would be able to deliver significantly greater certainty in the continuity and quality of its future satellite constellation. We view this proposal as being proactive to continue to deliver the high level of service to our government and commercial clients in the most cost effective manner.”

    GeoEye reported it will consider its options in light of DigitalGlobe’s rejection. We have engaged Goldman, Sachs & Company, Convergence Advisors LLC and Latham & Watkins LLP to advise us in this transaction.

  • Arby’s Assesses Market Footprint with Esri Business Analyst

    Esri announced that Atlanta-based Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. has licensed Esri Business Analyst software and business data to help with corporate decision making. The second largest quick-service sandwich chain in the United States, Arby’s is using the location-based system to more accurately assess its restaurants and trade areas including growing, remodeling, and relocating restaurants.

     

    “Esri’s Business Analyst has saved our GIS analyst countless hours and has had a positive impact on the Business Development department,” said Dave Conklin, senior vice president, Business Development, at Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc..

    According to the announcement, Arby’s can now update the locations of its restaurants and business development activity on designated market area (DMA) maps, which describe the activity taking place in individual markets. These maps are readily accessible to users, including development teams working in the field, through the Arby’s intranet. Since the implementation, the teams are able to more easily and quickly monitor the business climate around each restaurant. This provides an opportunity for the organization to model different market scenarios to better serve its current customers and attract new ones.

    “We are pleased to provide a single-platform approach for managing and analyzing business data to Arby’s staff,” said Simon Thompson, director of global commercial industry, Esri. “With an enterprise system, Arby’s can scale to meet the changing business landscape with tools that make it competitive in the marketplace.”

  • GeoEye Proposes Acquisition Of DigitalGlobe

    GeoEye, Inc. announced that it is proposing to acquire DigitalGlobe, Inc. The combined company would create the world’s largest fleet of high resolution commercial imagery satellites.

     

    The new company would be well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of the U.S. government and other customers in this fiscally constrained environment. We will also continue to invest in new information, analytic services and the most technologically advanced commercial satellites for government and commercial customers around the world.

    Matt O’Connell, chief executive officer and president of GeoEye, said, “This proposal delivers exceptional value for the combatant commanders, national decision makers, civil users and disaster relief workers, who have a critical need for unclassified commercial imagery. It also provides benefits for the taxpayer. It offers our Government a way to get the information it needs while still reducing its funding obligations. The synergies in the combination will also benefit the shareholders of both companies.”

    O’Connell continued, “In the face of significant pressure on the U.S. defense budget and intensifying international competition, a combined company will be better positioned to provide the U.S. government with the time-sensitive geospatial intelligence that is needed to support its mission in a very cost-effective manner during these fiscally conservative times. The government is looking to its providers for innovative solutions, and we believe this is the best option to achieve that.”

    The proposed transaction would give DigitalGlobe shareholders $17.00 per share in total consideration, payable $8.50 per share in cash and $8.50 in GeoEye stock, or 0.3537 shares of GeoEye stock for each share of DigitalGlobe stock. This price represents a 26% premium to DigitalGlobe’s closing share price on May 3, 2012. The proposal is structured to provide DigitalGlobe shareholders with the opportunity to participate in the dynamic future growth of the combined company.

     

    The following is a copy of a letter that GeoEye sent to DigitalGlobe with respect to its proposal:

    May 4, 2012

    Jeffrey R. Tarr
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    DigitalGlobe, Inc.
    1601 Dry Creek Drive, Ste. 260
    Longmont, CO 80503

    Dear Jeff:

    During the past few months, we have discussed with you a combination of GeoEye and DigitalGlobe. We both appreciate that a combination of our two companies results in greater capability to meet national security needs, is more cost effective to the government during this fiscally constrained period, and provides improved value to decision-makers and warfighters.

    The considerable scale of the combined entity creates a strong domestic player in satellite imagery which could compete more effectively with foreign providers. The combination also allows for operating expense synergies and reduced capital requirements while better satisfying customer needs. Your letter from March 2, 2012 conveys this same sentiment:

    “…we do agree that a well-managed combined company would enjoy material scale and scope benefits in addition to significant cost savings and would be well positioned to meet the needs of the US Government and other customers.”

    We both acknowledge that there have been rumors and speculation regarding cuts. Given this uncertain political and fiscal climate, we believe it is in our mutual interest to provide our customers with creative solutions to problems rather than passively speculate on one or another outcome.

    To that end, we propose that GeoEye acquire DigitalGlobe in a friendly transaction whereby DigitalGlobe shareholders would receive $17.00 per share in total consideration. Such consideration will be payable as $8.50 per share in cash and $8.50 in GeoEye stock (DigitalGlobe shareholders would receive 0.3537 shares of GeoEye stock for each share of DigitalGlobe owned). This price represents a 26% premium to DigitalGlobe’s closing share price on May 3, 2012. In addition, our Board of Directors would consider restructuring our proposal to increase the cash consideration up to 100% of the purchase price or, in the alternative, reducing the cash consideration and increasing the stock portion of our offer.

    Given our financial strength and longstanding supportive banking relationships, we are highly confident that financing will not represent an impediment to the consummation of the proposed transaction. To provide further certainty to the DigitalGlobe Board of Directors, we have been advised that affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., our largest shareholder, are prepared to contribute substantial capital in support of our proposed transaction.

    We believe that your shareholders and your Board will agree that this is a compelling proposal.

    Our Board has authorized this proposal. We are prepared to move quickly to execute a mutually acceptable definitive agreement. Our offer is subject to satisfactory due diligence, the receipt of U.S. Government approvals, and final Board and shareholder approvals.

    We have already undertaken extensive due diligence on DigitalGlobe’s public filings and are now prepared to undertake a mutual detailed due diligence review at your earliest convenience. We believe that with your cooperation, we can complete this detailed due diligence and execute a definitive agreement promptly.

    Finally, it is our view that a combination of our companies would have no significant contingencies and that this transaction will be promptly consummated. Our counsel, with the assistance of a highly regarded economist, has undertaken a preliminary review of antitrust and international competition issues attendant to the proposed combination, and believe that, with U.S. Government customer support, the transaction will not involve undue delay. We understand from your communications to us that you and your advisors agree.

    We have engaged Goldman, Sachs & Company, Convergence Advisors LLC and Latham & Watkins LLP to advise us in this transaction.

    We look forward to a response to this letter and sincerely hope that we may move forward to a negotiated transaction.

    Sincerely,

    Matthew M. O’Connell
    CC: DigitalGlobe Board of Directors

  • GPS IIA Satellites a Concern for OCX

    One of the long-standing issues for support of IIA vehicles after the future GPS Operational Ground Control Segment’s (OCX’s) ready-to-operate (RTO) date, which should fall in December 2016 at the latest, is what ground command-and-control (C2) system will steer GPS IIA satellites, do navigation uploads, and so on. The issue is that AEP, the current C2 system, will no longer be available once the transition to OCX takes place, and OCX has no requirement to control IIA satellites.

    The OCX program, which struggled early, is now under new Program leadership within Raytheon Space Systems, and while Ray Kolibaba, the new OCX program manager, is making great progress, OCX does not need to be burdened with additional requirements at this stage of the program.

    Just how big an issue is GPS IIA C2? Initially the Aerospace projections were that there would only be one or two GPS IIAs left on orbit in 2017, and it was not worth the costs to include the C2 software for the legacy system in the new software code. However, I have long maintained that Aerospace and Space Missile Systems Command (SMC) neglected to count the residual satellites, maintained by Launch, Anomaly, and Disposal Operations (LADO), which might very well actually amount to 3–4 additional IIAs. Added to the two IIAs on orbit, this could amount to six IIA SVs that need to be maintained.

    The solution announced during the National Space Symposium (NSS, April 16–19) by General William Shelton, the four-star chief of Air Force Space Command, is to fund the current LADO operator, Braxton Technologies, to build in this support for the IIAs. This is significant for several reasons: One of course is that it solves the IIA C2 issues, it does it now, and at a relatively modest cost, and it utilizes more of the capabilities of the Braxton Technologies’ LADO software. Additionally it provides a true backup capability for assets on orbit that become increasingly valuable as the number of available launch slots for GPS decreases.

    Braxton Technologies initially demonstrated this capability years ago in a lifeboat drill during the transition to AEP, but the navigation upload capability was never maintained for LADO after the successful transition. This is certainly a step in the right direction and provides a simple solution to a vexing problem that has plagued the GPS program for the last several years.

    Dual Launch. I asked General Shelton if he would support an approach that would allow the United States to go to dual launch of GPS III on vehicles 5–6 instead of waiting until 8–9 as planned today. He said the Air Force would certainly support that, and is looking at making it possible with vehicle 7 currently. That will come even sooner if the program advances with glitches.

    I also asked him about the gap between GPS III launch and OCX RTO. The gap seems to be getting wider, not narrower, and he agreed that OCX could probably not move to the left, and GPS III has moved significantly to the left, so this is still an issue that needs to be addressed. There are plans in place, but the recent budget activity has caused some uncertainty.

    Sequestration. On the subject of sequestration — a highly charged Congressional effort to force another $500 billion-plus in additional defense cuts — General Shelton said it would amount come on top of the approximately $487 billion already cut from programs, and that many space programs might be unsustainable in their current mode if that occurs.

    However, the U.S. Armed Services have been informed by the White House Office of Management and Budget not to make plans for sequestration. So right now, the services and other agencies of the U.S. government have been forbidden to make programmatic decisions based on a possible sequestration. Interesting.

    By the way, attendance at NSS this year surpassed 9,000.

  • The Business — May 2012

    Download the PDF.

     

  • CMT Announces iGPSGIS II App for iPhone

    Corvallis Microtechnology, Inc. announces the release of the iGPSGIS II application software for use on the Apple iPhone. The GPS/GIS data collection and mapping application can be used in a  range of applications such as resource management, agriculture, forestry, archaeology, and the utilities industry.

     

    According to the announcement, in addition to displaying the GPS coordinates of geographic locations, iGPSGIS II provides user-friendly interface to facilitate the following tasks:
    • Create Feature Lists for data collection
    • Create sampling grids
    • Display Google Map as the background map
    • Import and Export Shapefiles
    • Collect multi-layer GPS/GIS data
    • Update the coordinates for Point Features
    • Create new points using angles and distances
    • Digitize points, lines and areas
    • Assign symbols and attributes to Features and Topics
    • View/Edit the collected data
    • View the area of an enclosed region
    • Measure distances on the displayed map
    • Send and receive job files via email
    • Store job data on the Cloud
    • Get and send job data via ftp

    iGPSGIS II can be downloaded from the App Store by clicking here.

  • Trimble Introduces New Versions of their Business Center and Access Software

    Trimble introduced new versions of its office and field surveying software—Trimble Business Center Software version 2.70 and Trimble Access software version 2012.10. The software is part of Trimble’s portfolio of Connected Site survey solutions. The new software enhancements allow surveyors to collect, share and deliver data faster to improve accuracy, efficiency and productivity.

     

    “Trimble is focused on providing Connected Site solutions that minimize rework and improve productivity. Workflow integration and connectivity provide surveyors with the day-to-day flexibility to adapt to a variety of situations in the field and office,” said Anders Rhodin, director of Trimble’s Survey Business. “Trimble’s portfolio of software solutions gives surveyors improved workflows for field data collection and enhance collaboration between the field and the office.”

    Trimble Business Center Software Version 2.70

    Version 2.70 advances the capabilities of surveying offices with key new functionality, including:

    Photogrammetry – When a surveyor’s project contains images from Trimble VISION™ Total Stations or Trimble VX Spatial Stations, users can make photogrammetry measurements and calculate points with three-dimensional (3D) coordinates.

    Support for Polygon Features – Using the Feature Definition Manager application, surveyors can create and edit polygon feature definitions for inclusion in a library (.fxl) file. Polygon features are useful for modeling real world terrain features such as bodies of water, building footprints, and parcel boundaries.

    New GNSS Baseline Processor – The baseline processor has been enhanced to provide improved accuracy and support for RINEX 3.0 and ANTEX antenna model formats. Users can post-process GNSS observables faster by taking advantage of multi-core computer processing. By decreasing the time it takes to process baselines, the software enables office surveyors to spend more time analyzing results and creating deliverables.

    Trimble Access version 2012.10 offers new functionality, including:

    Volume Calculation and Surface Creation – Surveyors can now compute volumes and create surfaces in the field on any of the following: Trimble Tablet, TSC3, TSC2, or Trimble CU Model 3 Controllers, plus the Trimble S3 and Trimble M3 Total Stations.

    Panorama Image Capture – All Trimble S Series total stations equipped with Trimble VISION technology can now take multiple images seamlessly using the panorama function.

    Target Interrupted Measurements – A new “Interrupted Target Measurement” feature is now available on all Trimble VX Spatial Stations and Trimble S8 and S6 Total Stations. This feature allows successful measurements in difficult environments where a measurement is likely to be interrupted – for example, when surveying across a busy road.

    OmniSTAR Support – Customers with a Trimble R7 GNSS System, the latest version of Trimble Access and a subscription to OmniSTAR corrections signals, can now take advantage of real-time, differential positioning without a radio link. OmniSTAR services can be used for real-time differential surveys or as a fallback for RTK surveys when a ground-based radio link is down or unavailable.

    Trimble’s Connected Site Solutions

    Trimble’s Connected Site solutions for surveyors create seamless working relationships among Trimble products, technologies and services. Through the Connected Site, Trimble is focused on providing solutions that address the customers’ full work processes. By carefully combining technology innovation with a deep understanding of the users’ workflows, data integration and maintenance across the lifecycle of projects, Trimble helps surveyors reach new levels of productivity for their businesses.

    Availability  

    Trimble Business Center Software version 2.70 and Trimble Access software version 2012.10 are available now through Trimble’s Survey Distribution Channel.

  • Russia to Increase Number of Space Service Centers to 25

    The number of Russian centers providing services based on data received via GLONASS satellites will reach 25, Deputy Prime Minister Vladislav Surkov said  Tuesday, according to a RIA Novosti report. The space service centers are engaged in satellite monitoring of traffic safety, road planning and cargo transportation on federal highways as well as natural dangers such as landslides, avalanches, and mud flows.

    “Ten space service centers have already been established in Russia, the establishment of another 15 is planned,” Surkov said at a satellite navigation forum in Moscow. So far, there are centers in Moscow, Sochi, Kazan, Kaluga, Ryazan and five more Russian cities.

    Russia has 31 GLONASS satellites in orbit, with 24 operating to provide global coverage, four in reserve, two under maintenance, and one undergoing trials. According to Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, two Glonass satellites are under maintenance, one is on standby, and one recently launched satellite is being integrated into the grouping. The complete Glonass grouping needs 24 functioning and 2-3 reserve satellites to operate with global coverage.

  • GeoEye and Rolta Form Strategic Partnership to Develop Geospatial Solutions for Global Markets

    GeoEye, Inc. announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to partner with Rolta, a global, leading provider of innovative IT solutions. With this new partnership, Rolta gains access to GeoEye’s high-resolution satellite imagery, services and expertise to develop innovative geospatial products and services. Rolta plans to offer these GeoEye-enabled solutions to its customers across high-growth global markets, beginning with India.

     

    Preetha Pulusani, Rolta’s chief strategy officer, said, “Rolta has been engaged in providing geospatial solutions for over two decades. Imagery plays a critical role – especially for defense and homeland security – to enable users to rapidly analyze change, visualize impacts and make informed decisions in the field in a timely manner. We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with GeoEye to provide our customers with tools and content to meet their most challenging needs.”

    According to the announcement, Rolta also plans to develop intelligent 3-D city solutions for commercial users in urban planning, construction and infrastructure development. Ninety percent of the fastest-growing metropolitan economies are located outside North America and Western Europe and in regions such as Southern Asia. Rolta intends to offer these high-growth global markets financially accessible 3-D model solutions developed from GeoEye satellite imagery.

    Tony Frazier, GeoEye’s senior vice president of Marketing, said, “Geospatial intelligence has become crucial to decision making. We are excited about this partnership and believe that our world-class imagery, information service capabilities and expertise, coupled with Rolta’s product development and IT services track record, will produce innovative geospatial solutions that deliver clear, deep and timely insights to global government and commercial users.”