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  • GNSS simulation critical for NAVWAR testing

    GNSS simulation critical for NAVWAR testing

    The BroadSim Advanced GNSS Simulator (Photo: Orolia)
    The BroadSim Advanced GNSS Simulator (Photo: Orolia)

    Orolia Defense & Security offers a range of solutions that support critical positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) systems for Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) domains. Orolia is approved to work on the full spectrum of U.S. government classified and unclassified projects and is positioned to support strategic partnerships in the development of key positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technologies for the defense market.

    BroadSim Advanced GNSS Simulator. Powered by the Skydel software engine, BroadSim provides software-defined features and benefits, with additional capabilities and specifications for applications requiring maximum security and compliance. With 100+ units fielded, BroadSim is trusted by the U.S. government, military and industry.

    Broadsim supports encrypted signals (Y-code, M-AES, and M-MNSA) and provides advanced jamming and spoofing simulation. Scalable configurations for testing CRPA/antenna electronics systems (anechoic and wavefront) are available. BroadSim has four independent RF outputs and runs on a custom Linux operating system.

    Interference Detection & Mitigation (IDM). Orolia’s IDM technology is patented, rigorously tested and field proven for more than a decade, while regularly updated to conform to new and emerging threats. BroadShield provides embedded GPS jamming and spoofing detection, serving as a kill switch. BroadSense offers mobile detection for situational awareness, and ThreatBlocker provides protection with in-line detection and suppression.

    Resilient PNT. Orolia’s resilient PNT solutions improve the reliability, performance and safety of customers’ mission-critical operations for air, land, sea and space applications.

    The 8230 AJ GPS/GNSS anti-jam outdoor antenna is a high-gain (40-dB) GNSS outdoor antenna with a unique conical pattern that rejects interference from the horizon. IP67-rated, it is designed for harsh environments.

    The VersaPNT provides a rugged and resilient PNT source. The all-in-one customizable system delivers accurate, software-configurable PNT signals and high-performance for mobile applications in GNSS-degraded and denied environments.

  • DHS to host 2020 GPS equipment testing event this summer

    DHS to host 2020 GPS equipment testing event this summer

    DHS logoThe U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is hosting the 2020 GPS Equipment Testing for Critical Infrastructure (GET-CI) event. This event will take place during the summer of 2020.

    The revised the due date for responses is May 8, 2020. Visit this site for more information.

    S&T’s GET-CI events are a series of annual evaluation events intended for manufacturers of commercial GPS equipment used in critical infrastructure as well as critical infrastructure owners and operators.

    DHS S&T recognizes the importance of accurate and precise position, navigation and timing (PNT) information to critical infrastructure and has a dedicated multi-year program to address GPS vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, with a multi-pronged approach of conducting vulnerability and impact assessments, developing mitigations, exploring complementary timing technologies, and engaging with industry through outreach events and meetings.

    Through these sustained efforts, the goal of the program is to increase the resiliency of critical infrastructure to GPS vulnerabilities in the near-term future.

    Examples of measures that can be taken to enhance resiliency can be found in a DHS issued set of best practices released via ICS-CERT, titled “Improving the Operation and Development of Global Positioning System (GPS) Equipment Used by Critical Infrastructure.”

  • UAV Navigation’s visual system reduces dead-reckoning error

    UAV Navigation’s visual system reduces dead-reckoning error

    UAV Navigation has developed a Visual Navigation System (VNS) that reduces the accumulated positional error during dead-reckoning navigation. The VNS leverages visual odometry techniques to determine the position and orientation of the aircraft by analyzing and processing the images captured by a camera installed on its underside.

    Initial testing in real-time flight conditions has been a success, reports UAV Navigation. The system integrates well with the company’s flight-control solution to improve navigation in GNSS-denied environments.

    Vector autopilot. (Photo: UAV Navigation)
    Vector autopilot. (Photo: UAV Navigation)

    UAV Navigation’s sensors are tolerant toward GNSS failures (typically, in GNSS-denied scenarios) and can operate in dead-reckoning mode without compromising flight safety. However, a prolonged GNSS failure can lead to a significant navigation drift, and this is where the VNS comes in.

    The VNS system includes a simple belly-mounted camera and image processing computer. Images from the camera are processed by a lightweight onboard computer, translating them into a relative change in the aircraft position. This information can be combined with the inertial sensors to reduce the overall drift to < 1% of the distance traveled, eliminating any drift associated with time.

    Combined with the Vector autopilot, the VNS components provide a complete and robust autonomous flight control and navigation solution.

  • Parrot helps design MakAir respirators for COVID-19 support

    Drone maker Parrot is supporting French medical professionals facing the COVID-19 pandemic by helping Makers for Life design the MakAir respirator. This partnership comes as a part of their MakAir open source respirator project.

    According to Parrot, it will be offering 500 engines for the launch of the MakAir project and will ultimately make 5,000 engines for the project. The engines will offer constant power, controlled vibrations, sufficient reliability and endurance to allow 24/7 operation for six weeks, Parrot added.

    The MakAir project came to life when the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a shortage of artificial respirators. Two other projects joined the cause to alleviate this issue. The first project, which brought together a number of manufacturers, was coordinated by Air Liquide and aims to increase the production of artificial respirators from 200 to 10,000 per year, starting in May 2020.

    A second nonprofit project has spurred initiatives to create a simplified artificial respirator from standard components. Quentin Adam of the Makers For Life collective, in collaboration with Professors Antoine Roquilly and Pierre-Antoine Gourraud of the Faculty of Medicine of Nantes, and Erwan L’Her, head of the Intensive Medicine and Care Department of the Brest CHU, proposed a concept for a simplified artificial respirator.

    The concept is based on using software to regulate inspiration-expiration, directly with the pneumatic system. The Nantes developer team turned to the CEA for industrialization of the concept, which had already been the subject of a proof of concept at the Brest University Hospital.

    Parrot reaches milestone in U.S. Army Short-Range Reconnaissance drone program

    Parrot has passed another milestone in the United States Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance drone program. As the final steps of this selection process, Parrot will participate in an operational assessment to support an Army production award decision. In anticipation of an increased demand signal from the Department of Defense, Parrot will start manufacturing prototypes of its dedicated drone in the United States, the company said.

    “Parrot is honored to work with the DoD on this highly strategic project,” said Laurent Rouchon, vice president of security and defense at Parrot. “We have successfully met the high standards set over the last 12 months on the prototype efforts, and we look forward to entering this final phase and launching production in the USA.”

  • Blue Bear successfully demonstrates BVLOS drone swarm

    Blue Bear successfully demonstrates BVLOS drone swarm

    Launch of the RedKite drone. (Photo: Blue Bear Systems)
    Launch of the RedKite drone. RedKite is a long-endurance sub-20-kg UAS designed to carry payloads of up to 5 kg. (Photo: Blue Bear Systems)

    Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd. has successfully demonstrated a fully autonomous suite of multiple drone swarm assets under beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) conditions.

    The technology enables complex drone operations where multiple assets are able to carry out simultaneous tasks controlled by a single user to create a swarm effect.

    The five fixed-wing drones clocked up to 15 hours of flying time, over four days, in challenging weather conditions. The swarm comprised a combination of Blue Bear’s Redkite and Cobra fixed-wing systems, which flew multiple simultaneous sorties from a test range in the northwest of England.

    The drones were equipped with the latest automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) technology, and the airspace was managed by Blue Bear’s airspace deconfliction software. All of the assets were controlled by a single operator from Blue Bear’s mission command control system in Bedfordshire, England.

    “This is an exciting development for us, proving our ability to operate multiple drones, simultaneously, using the latest Blue Bear technology to deliver a swarm effect under BVLOS conditions,” said Ian Williams-Wynn, managing director of Blue Bear Systems.

  • NCDOT initiative uses drones for COVID-19 relief efforts

    NCDOT initiative uses drones for COVID-19 relief efforts

    Photo: Shutter2U/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
    Photo: Shutter2U/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

    The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is working with public and private partners to launch three projects using drones to aid in COVID-19 relief efforts. According to NCDOT, the initiative will be launched in May.

    For the first project, Novant Health and Zipline are proposing to deliver personal protective equipment and other medical equipment across Novant Health’s medical campuses in the Charlotte area.

    For the second project, UPS Flight Forward and Matternet are proposing to work with a Winston-Salem hospital on an operation to use drones to take healthcare equipment, medicine and personal protective equipment to medical providers. UPS Flight Forward, which earned the necessary federal certifications to operate a drone airline, has an ongoing drone delivery service at WakeMed’s main campus in Raleigh, NCDOT said.

    Finally, for the third project, Flytrex is proposing to deliver food from multiple restaurants in a shopping center to neighborhoods in the Holly Springs area.

    The first two programs are aimed at reducing the strain on medical supply chains, and the third will make it easier for people to follow the stay-at-home order. According to NCDOT, officials will use data collected during the project to determine how this technology can be used in other areas of the country.

    “North Carolina has been a leader in demonstrating how drones can help people in times of crisis,” said State Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette. “We look forward to putting this technology into productive use as we work to help citizens and medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

    Funding for the individual drone missions is coming from private partners, while NCODT is coordinating the initiative.

    Read more of GPS World‘s coronavirus coverage here.

  • Inertial Labs releases 2-axis, 3-axis gyroscopes

    Inertial Labs releases 2-axis, 3-axis gyroscopes

    Inertial Labs' TAG-200 two-axis and TAG-300 three-axis gyroscopes are designed for use in harsh environments. (Photo: Inertial Labs)
    Inertial Labs’ TAG-200 two-axis and TAG-300 three-axis gyroscopes are designed for use in harsh environments. (Photo: Inertial Labs)

    Inertial Labs has released its TAG-200 two-axis and TAG-300 three-axis gyroscopes, developed for electro-optical systems, gimbals, line-of-sight, and pan and tilt platforms for stabilization and pointing applications.

    According to the company, TAG-200 and TAG-300 utilize advanced performance, tactical-grade MEMS sensitive elements, of which size, power consumption, reliability and performance are ideal for accomplishing complex tasks requiring accurate stabilization of assorted platforms.

    The gyroscopes, designed for use in harsh environments, can withstand extreme shock and vibration in accordance with MIL-STD-810 ground mobile use, Inertial Labs added. In addition, they are fully digitized, include built-in test functionalities and have no moving parts.

    Key advantages of the dual TAG-200 and triple TAG-300 axis gyroscopes include low noise, low latency, wide bandwidth, high data rate, low bias drift, low VRE, high MTBF and ITAR-free, Inertial Labs said. The gyroscopes are factory calibrated over operational temperature range with low non-orthogonality and misalignment between sensitive elements. They’re also QA/QC tested and supplied with individual calibration and acceptance test certificates.

    Inertial Labs, based in Paeonian Springs, Virginia, manufactures orientation and navigation sensor solutions.

  • Horizon realizes benefits of WAAS; Delta lands GLS approach in Dominican Republic

    Horizon realizes benefits of WAAS

    More than a decade ago, Horizon Air, a regional affiliate of Alaska Airlines, decided to implement the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) as a part of its overall solution.

    According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) SatNav News winter 2020 newsletter, the airline has identified a number of benefits from implementing the WAAS, including pre-departure planning, enhanced safety and scheduled reliability.

    “Our schedule reliability has become the best in our route structure due to the lowest possible approach minimums at airports Horizon Air serves,” said Perry Solmonson, Horizon Q400 check airman/flight ops duty officer.

    Delta lands GLS approach in Dominican Republic

    On Oct. 16, 2019, Delta 737 pilots, Captain Jon Hensler and Captain C.E. “Noah” Flood, along with 737NG Technical Manager Mike Mannino, conducted a GBAS Landing System (GLS) approach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. According to the FAA SatNav News newsletter, the GLS landing was a first for a North American carrier operating a revenue flight into Latin America.

    The Punta Cana airport is the first Latin American airport with GLS capability. GLS approaches at this airport permit significantly lower operational weather minimums, allowing aircraft to safely operate into this airfield when they would otherwise need to divert.

    According to the newsletter, the approach was the beginning of a several month Delta trial for GLS approaches at the Punta Cana airport.

    Check out the full stories in the FAA SatNav News winter 2020 newsletter here.

  • Despite ceremony cancellation, USGIF honors 2020 award winners

    USGIF Awards Program logoThe USGIF Awards Program annually recognizes the exceptional work of the geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) tradecraft’s brightest minds and organizations pushing the community forward.

    Award winners are usually recognized at the annual GEOINT Symposium. This year’s event, scheduled for April 26-29 in Tampa, Florida, was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “Unfortunately, you will not see the awardees recognized on the GEOINT Symposium stage this year,” said Kevin Jackson, chair of the USGIF Awards Subcommittee. “So please take a moment to read their accomplishments and join me and the USGIF in congratulating the 2020 USGIF Achievement Awardees and the runners-up.”

    Award winners are nominated by their colleagues and selected by the USGIF Awards Subcommittee.

    “The 2020 USGIF awardees reflect the importance and the significance of the outstanding work that occurs daily in the GEOINT community,” Jackson said. “You will see how the GEOINT community always rises to the occasion to face head on the world’s toughest problems and this year is no exception.”

    Academic

    James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute

    On Dec. 7, 2019, after denuclearization negotiations between the United States and North Korea collapsed, North Korea reversed commitments made in Singapore and resumed engine testing at its Sohae Satellite Launch Center. Using new technological opportunities offered by high-cadence moderate resolution satellite imagery and flexible high-resolution satellite image tasking provided by Planet Labs, analysts at the CNS, through the use of open-source GEOINT, detected and correctly identified preparations for the engine test 39 hours before it occurred. Announcing in advance that North Korea was preparing to violate an international nonproliferation commitment.

    Community Support

    NGA Expeditionary Operations Office

    NGA’s Office of Expeditionary Operations provides deployed personnel and technology to support GEOINT activities of worldwide U.S. military operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts, and other national security objectives. The team’s world-class workforce seamlessly enables trusted global GEOINT capabilities today, while developing programs and processes to meet emerging challenges. Robust partnerships with DoD and IC allies fuel innovation and expertise, helping U.S. and foreign partners build programs that anticipate their needs, expanding the GEOINT community and optimizing meaningful consequence across the GEOINT enterprise.

    Government

    Mark A. Skoog and Loyd R. Hook

    Implementing digital terrain solutions for safer aviation has been a career-long goal for Mark Skoog and Loyd Hook. As true innovators and lifelong proponents of using digital terrain data, Skoog and Hook lead the development efforts of NASA’s award-winning Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS), which prevents imminent collisions with the ground. Auto GCAS is the culmination of a decades-long effort to bring geospatial intelligence to aircraft safety. This work involved traveling the world, evaluating myriad digital terrain from Sweden to Hawaii. The team extensively tested the system to ensure against every category of controlled flight into terrain mishaps—and found it would have prevented every one, which resulted in ten lives saved thus far in the USAF operations.

    Industry

    Lockheed Martin Space GATR Team

    Globally-scalable Automated Target Recognition (GATR) is an artificial intelligence system that finds objects of interest in satellite imagery on a worldwide basis. It was developed by a team of scientists and engineers from Lockheed Martin Space who combined state-of-the-art deep learning algorithms with scalable high-performance computing in a cloud-based framework to achieve high-speed global automated target recognition (ATR). Unlike other ATR systems, GATR searches extremely large geographic regions with accuracy and speed. The GATR team, led by Dr. Mark Pritt, includes Tyler Bartelmo, Gary Chern, Dr. Austen Groener, Michael Harner, Andy Lam, Stephen O’Neill, Ryan Soldin, and Steve Wozniak.

    Military

    RS/GIS CX, The GRiD Team

    David Finnegan and the Geospatial Repository & Data Management System (GRiD) program provide the Department of Defense (DoD), intelligence community and geospatial community with a centralized repository for the storage, discovery, and dissemination of critical terrain and 3D data. Prior to the GRiD program, the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) lacked a centralized mechanism for the storage and discovery of this essential content. Historically, the data was subject to local storage, limiting visibility and resulting in retasking collection assets for previously characterized areas, putting military personnel and equipment at risk. By partnering with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the DoD, the GRiD program is now the community standard and enterprise solution for 3D/elevation data discovery across the NSG.

    USGIF, the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, is dedicated to bringing together the many disciplines involved in GEOINT to exchange ideas, share best practices and promote the education and importance of a national geospatial intelligence agenda. For more on the awards program, visit the USGIF website.

  • Kolmostar’s instant cold-boot GNSS module ready to sample

    Kolmostar’s instant cold-boot GNSS module ready to sample

    Photo: Kolmostar
    Photo: Kolmostar

    Kolmostar’s ultra-low power, instant cold boot GNSS module JEDI-200 and its evaluation kit are now fully released and available for purchase.

    The JEDI-200 was recognized by IoT World — one of the largest internet of things (IoT) conferences — as one of the most innovative consumer internet of things solutions earlier this year.

    JEDI-200 specification highlights include:

    • Low energy consumption of 25 mJ/position fix
    • Short cold-boot TTFF of 1 second
    • 5.0 meter CEP positioning accuracy
    • Supports GPS and BeiDou constellations
    • 50 Byte/12-hour compressed ephemeris (EPH) for speedy download, enabling A-GPS via LPWAN while significantly reducing EPH download power consumption overhead
    • High-performance cloud computing for minimum end device power consumption and seamless integration with customers’ backend data analytics platforms and dashboard applications
    • Integrated SAW filter, stand-alone LNA and TCXO
    • 12mm x 16mm industry-proven standard form factor for easy wireless connectivity integration

    Specially designed for IoT applications such as pet and personal object tracking, livestock tracking, fixed and nomadic logistics, infrastructure tracking and shared economy, JEDI-200’s reduced level of power consumption and optimized efficiency with LPWAN solve IoT endpoint deployment’s pain-point of needing frequent recharges or a large battery.

    “Kolmostar’s JEDI-200 is a breakthrough in the IoT asset and personnel tracking application domain,” said Lucy Fan, VP of marketing and sales at Kolmostar. “JEDI-200 is well suited for battery-powered IoT applications which have stringent requirements on product size, weight, response time, battery life and GPS reporting frequency.”

    Worldwide customers have started developing based on JEDI-200, and field deployments are expected in the second half of 2020.

    “We have seen unparalleled advantages of the JEDI-200, enabling unique features and use cases which cannot be achieved before with traditional GNSS solutions,” Fan said. “With the latest developments in cellular and non-cellular low-power wide-area network technologies, such as NB-IoT, LTE-M, LoRaWAN and Sigfox, JEDI-200 is well positioned to enable more rapid deployment of IoT asset tracking use cases for our customers worldwide.”

  • How is COVID-19 affecting you? Take part in our survey

    How is COVID-19 affecting you? Take part in our survey

    UPDATE: The survey is now closed.

    GPS World is conducting a short survey to shed light on the impact of COVID-19 on the GNSS/PNT industry.

    The short survey covers topics such as

    • changes in daily work habits
    • communication methods with staff, technology partners and clients
    • how each core sector is responding to the coronavirus pandemic
    • how we are all trying to remain productive despite social-distancing directives.

    GPS World is committed to providing the most up-to-date coronavirus resources for the GNSS/PNT industry. We value your thoughts and opinions and would love to include your thoughts on the subject through our survey.

    Results of the survey will be shared in the June issue of GPS World magazine.

    With impacts related to the coronavirus developing on a daily basis, GPS World may reach out again in the near future to hear how you’re doing. As always, thank you for your continued support.

    Take the short survey here.

    Photo: MyImages_Micha/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
    Photo: MyImages_Micha/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
  • Draganfly conducts pandemic drone tests in US

    Draganfly conducts pandemic drone tests in US

    Draganfly conducted its first series of U.S. pandemic drone test flights in Westport, Connecticut.

    Draganfly’s pandemic drone technology is being tested by the Westport Police Department as a new “Flatten the Curve Pilot Program.” According to Draganfly, this initiative is a collaboration of technologies developed by Draganfly, Vital Intelligence, a healthcare data services and deep learning company, and the University of South Australia.

    Westport is located in Fairfield County, which has more than 17,550 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Fairfield County is adjacent to New York City, which has the most confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States.

    Image: Draganfly
    Image: Draganfly

    Westport is deploying the technology and data tools to enhance town services, advance public safety, promote the efficient use of taxpayer dollars, engage residents and encourage growth in the local economy.

    The pandemic drone will be equipped with a specialized sensor and computer vision systems that can display fever/temperature, heart and respiratory rates, as well as detect people sneezing and coughing in crowds, and wherever groups of people may work or congregate. The technology can accurately detect infectious conditions from a distance of 190 feet, as well as measure social distancing for proactive public safety practices, Draganfly said.

    Westport specifically plans to use the drone technology to help protect potential at-risk groups, crowds gathering at the town and state-owned beaches, train stations, parks and recreation areas, shopping centers and other areas where people tend to gather.

    “One of the major problems for cities and towns like Westport in managing and responding to a pandemic like the COVID-19 virus, is finding out who could be infected and how widespread the disease has spread,” said Jim Marpe, Westport first selectman. “One way to do this is to look for underlying symptoms. By teaming up with Draganfly and the UniSA team, led by Defence Chair of Sensor Systems Professor Javaan Chahl, we are able to remotely look at valuable lifesaving data and better manage current and future health emergencies.”

    Draganfly‘s pandemic drone software uses biometric readings in its analysis process. The software can be used to understand patterns within a population to allow users to react quicker to ongoing events or new potential health threats, Draganfly added.

    Draganfly manufactures UAVs and UAS, serving the public safety, agriculture, industrial inspections and mapping and surveying markets.

    Check out more of GPS World’s coronavirus coverage here.