Category: Uncategorized

IFEN launches cost-effective NCS TITAN GNSS simulator

IFEN GmbH has launched its new NCS Titan GNSS simulator. The NCS Titan has up to 256 channels (and 1024 multipath channels) and up to 4 RF outputs per chassis, providing flexibility and outstanding performance, according to IFEN.

The extra complexity and cost of using multiple signal generators is avoided, improving reliability without compromising on functionality, IFEN said in a news release.

The innovative design of the NCS Titan allows users configure channels for any GNSS signals and allocate those channels to any of the RF outputs fitted. This flexibility enables the same simulator hardware to be used for an extensive range of tests, for all types of GNSS applications.

The NCS Titan GNSS simulator by IFEN.

The NCS Titan sets new standards in the field of GNSS Simulation, in terms of fidelity, accuracy, dynamics, iteration rates and reliability, the company said.

“The launch of our brand new NCS Titan GNSS Simulator represents another milestone for our NCS GNSS simulator products,” explained Günter Heinrichs, head of customer applications. “This shows clearly once again our commitment to ongoing product enhancement and dedication to providing our customers with best GNSS test equipment on the market.”

The NCS TITAN GNSS Simulator has been developed in cooperation with WORK Microwave GmbH, Germany.

September 13, 2016
Spirent GSS200D automates monitoring and analysis of RF interference

Spirent’s new GSS200D Interference Detection and Analysis solution.

Spirent Communications has rolled out its new GSS200D Interference Detection and Analysis solution. The GSS200D was developed as part of Spirent’s partnership with Nottingham Scientific Limited.

The GSS200D comprises field-based hardware and a secure data server for automatic capture and analysis of GNSS radio-frequency interference. Deployments of GSS200D probes readily provide users with a thorough understanding of the RF interference environment at sites of interest.

Spirent will demonstrate the GSS200D at its booth during ION GNSS+ 2016, held Sept. 14-16 in Portland, Oregon.

Spirent has already detected thousands of disruptive GPS L1 interference events with its global network of GSS100D detectors. By adding support of additional frequencies and constellations, as well as improving the analysis and reporting, the GSS200D responds to the demand of critical infrastructure and civil aviation customers.

“The GSS200D is the first automated solution to identify and securely store multi-constellation GNSS RF interference. The GSS200D data server tools enable trend analysis and event identification over time, as well as re-generation of real world events,” said Romain Zimmermann, product manager at Spirent. “Our solution offers unique value because it enables informed decision making in areas such as site selection and approaches to make devices and systems more robust in the face of increasing threats that simply cannot be eliminated. It’s a truly end-to-end test solution which provides access to detected events through to the ability to regenerate and analyze results with real hardware.”

The GSS200D is a detection system that operates simultaneously on GPS, GLONASS and Galileo in the L1 band. This functionality enables a wide range of users, such as critical infrastructure communications, broadcast and power distribution, civil aviation, road user charging and autonomous vehicles to detect, characterize and classify RFI sources that may affect their services.

Captures of RFI events are logged and stored on PT Cloud, Spirent’s secure cloud infrastructure, allowing the end user confidential access to the results via a web portal. Advanced analytics and reporting features include visualization of both spectrogram and spectrum, as well as characterization of the type and priority of interferences, enabling monitoring over time and in-depth trend analysis. On-premise server options are also available.

For more information, visit http://www.spirent.com/Solutions/Robust-PNT.

September 13, 2016
Research: MEMS IMU carouseling for ground vehicles
Micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscopes have advantages for orientation sensing and navigation as they are small, low cost and consume little power. However, the significant noise at low frequencies produces large orientation errors as a function of time. Controlled physical rotation of the gyroscope can remove the constant part of the gyro errors and reduce low-frequency noise. As adding motors for this would increase the system cost, it would be advantageous to attach gyros to a rotating platform that is already built in the vehicle. The authors present theory and results for novel navigation systems where an inertial measurement unit (IMU) is attached to the wheel of a ground vehicle. The results show that a low-cost MEMS IMU can provide a very accurate navigation solution using this placement option. It has two clear advantages:
- Wheel motion removes the constant bias of the gyroscopes
- Distance traveled can be estimated from accelerometer data.
For low-dynamic ground vehicles, this approach is superior to conventional dead-reckoning with an odometer when a low-cost MEMS gyro provides the heading information. Test results are obtained using a vehicle driving slowly on a relatively smooth surface, and the use of an accelerometer for wheel phase-angle tracking was fairly accurate for this purpose.

For higher vehicle dynamics and gravel roads, the accelerometer data will be contaminated with significant centripetal and motion-caused accelerations. For that purpose, the use of high-range gyro with the sensitivity axis perpendicular to the wheel plane should be considered to complement the accelerometer-based (bias-free) observations. Applying this method to passenger cars at highway speeds would require an IMU with wide bandwidth, and solving the challenges at high speeds remains a future research topic. In addition, there is a requirement to bring electricity to the wheel and the need for wireless data transfer. As the major error source of MEMS gyros is eliminated, the method opens new applications for inertial navigation systems. In addition, there is a very large potential for wheel-based sensing in general, not restricted to Earth surface or navigation applications.

Published in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, June 2015.
September 13, 2016
Septentrio launches PolaRx5TR GNSS receiver for timing

The Septentrio PolaRx5TR.

Septentrio has launched its most advanced GNSS receiver for dedicated time and frequency transfer applications, the PolaRx5TR.

The PolaRx5TR is the newest addition to Septentrio’s PolaRx product line of GNSS receivers, which led to the selection of Septentrio as preferred vendor for reference stations to UNAVCO for 2015-2018.

The PolaRx5TR has 544 hardware channels and supports all major satellite constellations including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS and IRNSS.

A calibration circuit is incorporated into the PolaRx5TR to measure and compensate for the internal delay. This feature removes the need for calibration using external equipment and ensures measurement latching is always accurately synchronized with the PPS input.

Septentrio’s newest receiver is compliant with the new-format CGGTTS version V2E of Consultative Committee for Time and Frequency (CCTF) recommendations. Also included as standard is Septentrio’s Advanced Interference Mitigation (AIM+) technology, giving outstanding interference robustness in difficult radio environments. Furthermore, up to eight independent logging sessions can be configured logging to either the 16-GB internal memory or to an externally connected device.

“Septentrio’s timing receivers have established themselves as trusted market leaders for time and frequency transfer applications,” said Francesca Clemente, product manager for the PolaRx product line. “The PolaRx5TR continues in this tradition with updated GNSS technology, compliance to new standards set by CCTF and an auto-calibration feature reducing initial setup times.”

September 12, 2016
UAV companies team with utilities on long-distance drone tests
Sharper Shape has submitted a waiver application to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), requesting approval to perform beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights.

In coordination with the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and SkySkopes, a drone service provider in North Dakota, the waiver would allow members of the EEI-Sharper Shape partnership to demonstrate and develop commercial long-distance flights for electric company asset inspections.

In addition to submitting one of the first waiver requests, Sharper Shape and SkySkopes are working with Xcel Energy, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., Minnkota Power Cooperative, Houston Engineering, Northern Plains Railroad, University of North Dakota and the Edison Electric Institute to conduct test flights.

BVLOS flights are able to travel 10–20 miles, compared to roughly 1,500 feet (one-third of a mile) under visual-line-of-sight regulations.

The test flights will leverage Sharper Shape’s new Sharper A6 drone and Sharperscope 5.0 payload. The Sharper A6 drone is optimized for BVLOS asset inspections, using four redundant cellular networks to make it virtually impossible for the drone to lose communication with ground-control operators, the company said.

The Sharper A6 from Sharper Shape.

Sharper Shape leverages the LTE commercial multi-billion-dollar networks, while other vendors use point-to-point (P2P), which cannot communicate beyond line of sight, or satellite connection, which suffers from high costs and invariable latency which increases the response time and impedes a pilot’s ability to make quick adjustments during the flight.

The A6 drone can collect a comprehensive variety of useful data (including information from its high-definition cameras, infrared sensors, corona detector, lidar sensor, etc.), and is to this day the only platform capable of doing so in a single flight. The sensors have been carefully selected and integrated into the Sharperscope 5.0, a system that Sharper Shape has engineered specifically for electric company BVLOS inspections and which syncs directly to the Sharper Shape cloud.

In conjunction with submitting the waiver application, SkySkopes and Sharper Shape kicked off a string of test flights including:
- The first flight using the new Sharper A6 drone via a line-of-sight demonstration to inspect the Xcel Energy Bison Substation
- A final flight with a fleet of drones to celebrate the day’s events.
“These test flights have contributed to a monumental day for the U.S. drone industry,” said SkySkopes President and CEO Matt Dunlevy. “We look forward to continuing to pioneer new developments for drone flights in the U.S. alongside Sharper Shape.”

Sharper Shape, EEI and SkySkopes are optimistic to test BVLOS flights in the U.S. by the end of the year.
September 9, 2016
Epson, DJI partner on AR smart glasses for piloting UAVs

Epson, providers of the Moverio augmented reality (AR) smart eyewear platform, is partnering with DJI, maker of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The companies are creating new solutions for the Epson Moverio smart glasses and DJI’s suite of products and software development kit (SDK) that enhance the safety, productivity and capabilities of UAVs for both hobbyists and professionals.

As one of the first initiatives of the partnership, DJI will optimize the DJI GO app for the Epson Moverio BT-300 AR smart glasses, shipping late Q4.

With the app and the Moverio glasses, drone pilots will be able to see crystal clear, transparent first-person views (FPV) from the drone camera while simultaneously maintaining their line of sight with their aircraft. The DJI GO app works with the DJI Phantom, Inspire and Matrice series flying platforms as well as the Osmo handheld gimbal and camera.

The two companies will co-market the Moverio BT-300 as a compatible DJI accessory. The Epson smart glasses will be available for purchase on DJI.com while the DJI GO app will be available for download from the Moverio Apps Market.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJNJOw34p_o

The Epson/DJI partnership arrives as newly streamlined FAA regulations for UAVs have taken effect, making it easier for businesses to expand the use of drones for a variety of aerial photography and videography purposes. Construction, real estate, insurance, agriculture, emergency response, conservation, academic research, film and video production and numerous other fields that benefit from UAVs have embraced the relaxed rules. However, the FAA has maintained the rule that UAVs must remain within the visual line-of-sight (VLOS) of the remote pilot, reinforcing the relevance of the Epson and DJI partnership.

“The Moverio BT-300 marks an impressive advance in performance for the platform and will make flying and filming safer and help users stay in compliance with federal regulations,” said Michael Perry, director of strategic partnerships, DJI. “We are excited to see the incredible applications that can be built with the BT-300 and the recently relaunched DJI SDK — the possibilities truly are endless.”

DJI maintains a 70 percent market share of the $2 billion consumer drone market, and its aerial platforms are used by two-thirds of businesses approved by the FAA to operate commercially. More than 600,000 UAVs are expected to be in use in 2017.

“We believe this partnership with DJI will revolutionize how UAV pilots operate their aircraft in this fast-growing industry, now and into the future,” said Eric Mizufuka, product manager, New Ventures for Epson America. “In addition to validating Epson’s investment in its Moverio line, this is the first time AR smart glasses will be widely available for a mass-market consumer application, marking an historic milestone in the evolution of the category.”

In addition to making drone piloting safer, the goals of the partnership include providing pilots and film-makers with new AR tools for enhanced productivity when using a UAV. Epson and DJI will also work together to create entirely new experiences for the fast-growing number of UAV hobbyists and businesses, as well as conduct joint sales and marketing efforts worldwide.

Launching its first-generation smart glasses in 2011, the Epson Moverio BT-300 represent the world’s lightest binocular, transparent smart glasses with an OLED display. Combining breakthrough silicon-based OLED digital display technology and Android OS 5.1, the Moverio BT-300 enables truly transparent mobile AR experiences.

The Epson Moverio BT-300 will be available in late Q4 and may be pre-ordered at Epson.com/Moverio. Epson will be demonstrating the DJI GO app on the Moverio BT-300 in booth No. 81 at InterDrone 2016, which is being held Sept. 7-9 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

September 9, 2016
Phase One innovates four-band aerial imaging
Phase One Industrial has introduced its Phase One 4-Band Solution, which incorporates an innovative batch-processing tool that automates and simplifies the four-band aerial image generation process.

Adding a fourth band of near infrared (NIR) image data to three-band color (RGB) image data yields multispectral information useful in vegetation studies — in applications ranging from crop metrics for optimization, to vegetation health, environmental contamination and city observations for green site monitoring.

Synchronized Phase One metric aerial cameras.

The solution is composed of two synchronized Phase One metric aerial cameras mounted side by side on a specially designed base plate, a Phase One iX Controller and Phase One iX Capture software.

Images are captured in NIR and RGB bands simultaneously, and processed automatically to generate distortion-free images and perform fine co-registration of the pixels from NIR to the RGB images — including processing different image sizes — with seven different output options, including multispectral CIR images.

Complementing the solution’s software functionality, the use of two separate cameras to support higher system sensitivity permits operators to separately control capture settings so that they can operate under a wider range of lighting conditions.

“We very easily installed the cameras into the gyro mount, and all power and communications were automatically configured with the iX-Controller,” said Peter Bochmann, operator of Aerial SurveyS GmbH. “The output four-band images were incredible, showing an area of forest vegetation straight-away that needed attention; we would not have seen this detail with RGB images alone. The flexibility of the solution is also great, since you can combine any two Phase One metric medium-format cameras and accomplish multiple jobs without changing the setup.”

The Phase One 4-Band Solution offers a variety of benefits:
- 100MP sensors for RGB and NIR images, no NIR up scaling is needed;
- CMOS sensors for maximum sensitivity;
- Post processing is automatic, using the solutions’ iX Controller along with iX Capture;
- Automatic individual aperture control and auto exposure mode is available for both cameras;
- Direct connection to GNSS/IMU systems; coordinates are stored inside the EXIF data of each image to speed later post-processing;
- Also available with 80MP RGB and 60MP Achromatic Sensors.
September 6, 2016
Fourth speaker announced for September cybersecurity webinar
James T. Curran, European Space Agency, will speak on general system perspectives of GNSS security during the September GPS World webinar, “GPS/GNSS and Cybersecurity.”

James T. Curran

The Microsemi sponsored webinar takes place Thursday, Sept. 22, at 1 p.m. EDT / 10 a.m. PDT / 7 p.m. CEST. Registration is free.

The webinar will cover two closely related topics:
1. The role of GPS products and services in maintaining the cybersecurity of national and global infrastructures.
2. The cyberthreats to GPS itself, and products and services to combat them.
The one-hour webinar also will include a follow-up Q&A session with the speakers.

Curran will discuss these questions:
- What do we mean by “secure GNSS”?
- How should we define anti-spoofing requirements for a system design?
- How should we assess it’s performance?
- How should we define (if at all) MOPS for secure receivers?
- Should we formalize receiver protocol?
- Where is the boundary between a secure GNSS-signal feature, and secured receiver?
“There is a very interesting distinction to be made between building receivers which provide robustness against malicious threats, and designing signals which themselves are secure,” Curran told GPS World “One drives the system-side, and the other drives the receiver community. Ultimately, of course, both matter to the user.”

Curran received his B.E. in electrical engineering in 2006 and his Ph.D. in telecommunications in 2010, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Cork, Ireland. His main research interests are signal processing and information theory for weak-signal tracking algorithms and software defined radio for GNSS applications. He is currently working at the European Space Agency.
September 6, 2016
AUVSI hosts workshop on drones at CTIA Super Mobility 2016

AUVSI will review new FAA regulations for operating commercial drones

Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), will lead a workshop on unmanned aircraft systems from 2-3:45 p.m. PDT on Sept. 8 at CTIA Super Mobility 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The workshop, “Drones and the Wireless Industry: Information, Insights and Actionable Tools to Utilize UAS in Your Business,” will take place in the Sands Expo exhibit hall’s Enterprise and Industrial IoT Zone in booth No. 6037.

The wireless industry has adopted UAS technology for a number of applications, including tower inspections and optimizing networks for special events, AUVSI says. With the recent implementation of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Part 107 small unmanned aerial systems (UAWS) rule, more commercial operators than ever are expected to explore the benefits of UAS. Wynne’s workshop will review how these new regulations will impact the wireless industry, as well as the vast potential that UAS have for wireless companies.

Workshop participants include Marke “Hoot” Gibson, senior advisor for UAS Integration at the FAA; Sean Cushing, president, COO and co-founder of HAZON Solutions; Thomas Haun, vice president of Strategy and Globalization for PrecisionHawk; Christopher Moccia, executive vice president of Infrastructure for Measure; Anil Nanduri, vice President of the New Technology Group at Intel; and Art Pregler, director of National Mobility Systems for AT&T.

Wynne also will participate in a panel discussion on UAS and 4G wireless networks, which will take place following the workshop from 4-5 p.m. PDT in room Veronese 2401.

An economic impact study by AUVSI found the UAS industry is projected to create more than 100,000 jobs and provide more than $82 billion in economic impact in the first decade following UAS integration into the national airspace, according to AUVSI.

September 6, 2016
Sokkia introduces ‘lighter and faster’ line of robotic total stations

The iX series of robotic total stations uses ultrasonic technology.

Sokkia has introduced a new line of robotic total stations. Featuring ultrasonic technology, the iX series is designed to provide smooth, accurate prism-tracking and is “lighter and faster,” according to a Sokkia news release.

“Ultrasonic technology is the driving force for the iX series,” said Ray Kerwin, director of global surveying products. “The Ultrasonic motors are the thinnest, lightest and most reliable on the market. With a rotation speed of 150 degrees per second, the iX series offers the efficiency of a single-operator robotic system and the power of long-range reflectorless measurements of up to 800 meters and 6,000 meters with a reflector.

“Our new UltraTrac technology gives you increased prism-tracking strength in all conditions. Advanced instrument algorithms deliver the confidence you need to move ahead,” he said.

The system is designed to be a compact solution and is a third smaller and lighter than previous robotic Sokkia instruments.

Along with complementing Sokkia products, the instrument is designed with an open platform for additional compatibility with non-proprietary software and controllers. The iX series also features a five-year motor warranty.

August 31, 2016
New FAA rules for small unmanned aircraft now in effect
The first operational rules for routine commercial use of small unmanned aircraft systems, announced June 21, officially take effect today.

“People are captivated by the limitless possibilities unmanned aircraft offer, and they are already creating business opportunities in this exciting new field,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “These new rules are our latest step toward transforming aviation and society with this technology in very profound ways.”

“The FAA’s role is to set a flexible framework of safety without impeding innovation,” said Administrator Huerta, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). “With these rules, we have created an environment in which emerging technology can be rapidly introduced while protecting the safety of the world’s busiest, most complex airspace.”

The provisions of the new rule — formally known as Part 107 — are designed to minimize risks to other aircraft and people and property on the ground. A summary is available.

Effective today, the FAA has several processes in place to help users take advantage of the rule:

Waivers. The agency is offering a process to waive some of the rule’s restrictions if an operator demonstrates the proposed flight will be conducted safely under a waiver. Users must apply for these waivers at the online portal.

The FAA is issuing more than 70 waivers today, based on petitions for Section 333 exemptions. These waivers will be posted on September1. The majority of the approved waivers were for night operations under Part 107.

Airspace Authorization. Users can operate their unmanned aircraft in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace without air traffic control permission. Operations in Class B, C, D and E airspace need air traffic approval. Users must request access to controlled airspace via the electronic portal at www.faa.gov/UAS.

The FAA will evaluate airspace authorization requests using a phased approach. Operators can submit their requests starting today, but air traffic facilities will receive approved authorizations, if granted, according to the following tentative schedule:
- Class D & E Surface Area: Oct. 3, 2016
- Class C: Oct. 31, 2016
- Class B: Dec. 5, 2016
The FAA will make every effort to approve requests as soon as possible, according to the agency, but the actual processing time will vary, depending on the complexity of an individual request and the volume of applications the FAA receives. The agency is urging users to submit requests at least 90 days before they intend to fly in controlled airspace.

The FAA will use safety data from each phase to ensure appropriate mitigations are in place as small UAS operations are integrated into controlled airspace.

Aeronautical Knowledge Test. Testing centers nationwide can now administer the Aeronautical Knowledge Test required under Part 107. After an operator passes the test, he or she must complete an FAA Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application to receive a remote pilot certificate.

It may take up to 48 hours for the website to record that the applicant has passed the knowledge test. The FAA expects to validate applications within 10 days. Applicants will then receive instructions for printing a temporary airman certificate, which is good for 120 days. The FAA will mail a permanent Remote Pilot Certificate within 120 days.

In the future, the FAA also will address operations not covered by Part 107 without a waiver, including operations over people, beyond line of sight operations, extended operations, flight in urban areas, and flight at night.

Part 107 does not apply to model aircraft. Model aircraft operators must continue to satisfy all the criteria specified in Section 336 of Public Law 112-95 (which is now codified in part 101), including the stipulation they be operated only for hobby or recreational purposes. Click here for more information on hobby or recreation uses.
August 29, 2016
FAA clarifies changes before small drone rule takes effect
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new small drone rule — formally known as Part 107 — is effective on Monday, Aug. 29. The FAA has released information to help drone users understand the new requirements.

Below is information on Part 107’s effect on Section 333 waivers, along with how to obtain a Part 107 waiver.

Section 333 vs. Part 107: What works for you?

The biggest question is whether you are better off flying under the provisions of Part 107, or should continue using your existing exemption? The video below explains what happens to your Section 333 exemption grant or petition for exemption.

Your exemption is valid until it expires — usually two years after it was issued. Even after Part 107 becomes effective, you may choose to fly following the conditions and limitations in your exemption.

However, if you want to operate under the new Part 107 regulations, you’ll have to obtain a remote pilot certificate and follow all of the rule’s operating provisions. You must apply for a waiver if some parts of your operation don’t meet the rule’s requirements.

If you already have a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) under your Section 333 exemption, you can continue to fly under the COA limitations until it expires. If you don’t already have a COA, you probably won’t need one when the new drone rules go into effect.

However, if you want to fly in controlled airspace, you will need permission from FAA air traffic control. Details about obtaining that permission will be online at www.faa.gov/uas when the small drone rule is effective on Aug. 29.

If you applied for a Section 333 exemption but haven’t received it yet, you should have received a letter from the FAA with specific information about the status of your petition. Generally, if your petition is pending and falls within the provisions of the rule, you should follow the steps outlined in the rule.

Whether you choose to fly under your exemption or under the new small drone rule is your choice, depending on how you want to operate your aircraft. You’ll have to compare the conditions and limitations in your exemption to the operating requirements in the rule to determine which one best addresses your needs.

Applying for a waiver under the new drone rules

Part 107 allows for some expanded operations based on technology mitigations if you can make the safety case for a waiver of some provisions. Operators can apply for waivers to operate at night, beyond line of sight, above 400 feet and other specific types of operation.

Here’s what you need to know about the waiver process:
- Under Part 107, you may request a waiver of certain provisions starting Aug. 29 if your operations don’t quite fit under the rule’s provisions. On Aug. 29, the FAA will have an online portal you can use to request waivers of applicable Part 107 regulations at www.faa.gov/uas.
- The FAA won’t grant waivers automatically, and processing your waiver request may take time. The exact length of time will depend on the volume of requests the agency receives and the complexity of the waiver application. You should submit your waiver requests to the FAA as early as possible, at least 90 days before you plan to fly.
- If you have a Section 333 exemption grant, and we previously said you could operate under Part 107 with a waiver, you will receive a letter notifying you that we have granted you a 0waiver or that we need additional information for you to make your safety case. (See above section.)
Information on the regulations potentially eligible for a waiver is here. Below is a short video on the waiver process.
August 26, 2016