GPS World

Tag: autonomous vehicles

  • Launchpad: Antennas, autonomous vehicle platform

    SURVEY & MAPPING

    Mobile surveying app

    Increases RTCM 3.1 support

    SuperSurv’s NTRIP solution is being enhanced to adopt more RTCM versions and provide a better GNSS positioning service. NTRIP (Networked Transport of RTCM via internet protocol) is a protocol to send GNSS-related data through the internet, which enables users of differential GPS or network real-time kinematic (RTK) to get correction parameters after connecting to the internet. The correction parameters can be used to calculate a more accurate GNSS location. Supergeo’s product team is developing the support for RTCM 3.1, including Types 1021 and 1023.

    Supergeo Technologies, www.supergeotek.com

    Smart antenna

    For harsh outdoor applications

    The scalable A222 GNSS smart antenna is designed for both agriculture and basic indicate systems markets, as well as other markets requiring flexible positioning. The smart antenna has the flexibility to scale and grow as business expands and can be configured from L1-only to multi-GNSS, multi-frequency and real-time kinematic (RTK). It adds a system component so that tractor and farm equipment manufacturers can deliver their own guidance and control solutions to their customers. Designed to excel in challenging environments, the A222 uses Hemisphere’s Athena RTK engine and is Atlas L-band capable. It is easy to mount and customizable. Its dual-serial, CAN and pulse output options are compatible with almost any industry-standard interface. Because the A222 is Atlas-capable, it has the ability to use the new Atlas AutoSeed technology. Atlas AutoSeed allows users to suspend Atlas use for any period, and upon returning to their last location, AutoSeed rapidly re-converges to a high-accuracy converged position. A222 comes pre-configured with Atlas Basic activated.

    Hemisphere GNSS, hemispheregnss.com

    OEM

    Location architecture

    Locates mobile devices moving indoors and outdoors

    Leveraging ubiquitous LTE signals, the Lite-Touch Architecture calculates positioning in the cloud to efficiently locate devices between indoor and outdoor environments. By offloading computation-heavy location calculations from the device to the cloud, the PoLTE positioning solution makes location positioning available to a wider variety of devices, including those constrained by battery life, memory, processing power, size and cost. This includes IoT-based applications that historically relied on GPS, with its high rate of power consumption, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with their added size, cost and network complexity.

    PoLTE, www.PoLTE.com

    Time server

    Enhanced for Ethernet networks, satellite uplinks

    Enhancements to the SyncServer S600 series of time servers and instruments improve time synchronization over enterprise Ethernet networks and supply timing signals for improved military radar operations and satellite uplink communications. The SyncServer S600 series also meets the timing and synchronization needs of the rapidly evolving networks of enterprise and financial customers, particularly for compliance purposes such as the European MiFID II directive, which specifies highly stringent time accuracy requirements for stock trading systems. The latest release includes support for the IEEE 1588 multiport, multi-profile Precision Time Protocol (PTP), which allows the S600 to operate as an independent grandmaster clock on each Ethernet port — delivering cost savings and network deployment flexibility to customers. This is coupled with a new 10-GbE interface to easily interoperate with a wider variety of network and stock trading topologies.

    Microsemi Corporation, microsemi.com

    Defense-developed IMU

    Available to customers worldwide

    The HG4930 inertial measurement unit (IMU) is tailored for “straight-out-of-the-factory” integration and use in various non-defense and non-aerospace industrial applications including surveying and mapping, autonomous vehicles and gimbal stabilization. The HG4930 IMU is not classified under an International Traffic in Arms Regulation category; it is free from the burden of an export license for all but a few military-related use cases. The micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS)-based IMU has been tailored to provide significantly improved gyroscope and accelerometer performance for the environments and use cases experienced by non-aerospace and non-defense users.

    Honeywell, honeywell.com

    Frequency-hopping modem

    With anti-jamming

    The HX-DU2017D is a frequency-hopping OEM modem designed to provide strong anti-jamming and signal receiving capability for complex data-intensive applications. HX-DU2017D is a miniature, dual-frequency, software-selectable 840-MHz and 900-MHz data link modem. It provides power switching of 0.5 W, 1 W and 2 W; 20 ms/30 ms/40 ms/50 ms/ frequency-hopping intervals; and supports point-to-point, point-to-multipoint network. Its full duplex mode ensures secure data transferring and stable long-range communication. The HX-DU2017D also provides short latency of data transmission and communication recovery in millisecond level. It allows fast and secure simultaneous data communication for mission-critical applications, especially in the fields of precision agriculture and UAVs, including unmanned plant surveys, UAV plant protection and automatic mowers. It could be placed on a UAV with its extremely small footprint for tight OEM integration and design flexibility. Meanwhile, its frequency-hopping transmission ensures UAV data security and flight stability.

    Harxon, en.harxon.com

    UAV

    Thermal imaging

    For small construction, thermal inspections and public safety

    The Parrot Bebop-Pro Thermal is a compact quadcopter with two embedded cameras: a stabilized 14-megapixel high-definition front-facing video camera and a FLIR ONE Pro thermal camera. The thermal-imaging camera is positioned in a dedicated module at the back of the drone. Three thermal-imaging setting modes are available: Standard, Dynamic and Hotspot. The Parrot FreeFlight Thermal app innovatively transmits and analyzes images captured by the quadcopter’s cameras. Included is a long-range Parrot Skycontroller 2 remote control.

    Parrot, www.parrot.com

    Methane detector

    Pergam gas sensor integrated with carbon-fiber UAV

    Pergam gas sensor aboard the Microdrones md4-1000 UAV.

    The aerial methane detector mdTector1000 CH4 detects methane gas via a fully integrated aerial package. It has a Pergam gas sensor, mounted and integrated with the Microdrones md4-1000 UAV. In real time users can see aerial shots of detection with the laser sensor. The carbon-fiber-built UAV goes into dangerous areas unsuitable for workers. The mdTector1000 CH4 can be used for natural gas line surveys, tank inspections, gas well testing, plant safety and landfill emission monitoring. The mdCockpit Android app allows users to maintain visualization in flight. A special mdTector app allows users to visualize and present all post-flight data on one map.
    Microdrones, www.microdrones.com

    UAV tracking antenna

    Portable antenna for unmanned or manned aircraft

    The Octopus UAV portable tracking antenna enables long-range data transmission and is suitable for unmanned and manned aircraft applications. It has a range of more than 100 kilometers and an integrated pointing algorithm. The GPS location of the aircraft is sent over the Airlink IP datalink and received directly by the tracking antenna, making it operational with any existing unmanned aircraft autopilot system. For a manned aircraft, an existing GPS receiver or dedicated GPS receiver can be used.

    Octopus ISR Systems, octopus.uavfactory.com

    GNSS Engine

    Brings high-precision positioning and attitude to small UAVs

    AsteRx-m2 UAS receiver.

    The AsteRx-m2a UAS GNSS OEM engines provides precise and reliable multi-frequency, all-in-view real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning and heading — along with interference technology — with low power consumption. It features Septentrio’s AIM+ interference mitigation and monitoring system, which can suppress a wide variety of interferers. It is designed to bring high-precision positioning and attitude to any space-constrained application, offering a high update rate and low latency output. The AsteRx-m2a UAS provides plug-and-play compatibility for autopilot systems such as ArduPilot and Pixhawk. Event markers accurately synchronize camera shutter events with GNSS time. The board can be powered directly from the vehicle power bus via its wide-range input. It works seamlessly with GeoTagZ software, providing offline re-processed RTK accuracy without the need for either ground control points or a real-time datalink.

    Septentrio, septentrio.com

    TRANSPORTATION

    Railroad antenna

    Designed for use in congested sites

    The GPS-TMG-HR timing antennas are designed for Positive Train Control and railroad management, among other markets. They are equipped with high-rejection narrowband filtering to mitigate interference and provide 65-dB rejection of frequencies adjacent to L1 GPS. The GPS-TMG-HR maintains all features of PCTEL’s GPS timing reference platform. The antennas feature a 26-dB amplifier (GPS-TMG-HR-26N) and 40-dB amplifier (GPS-TMG-HR-40N ) and narrowband high rejection filtering to support long-lasting, trouble-free deployments in congested cell-site applications with severe interference around the GPS L1 frequency. The proprietary quadrifilar helix design, coupled with multi-stage filtering, provides superior out-of-band rejection and lower elevation pattern performance than traditional patch antennas.

    PCTEL, pctel.com

    Patch antenna

    Embedded stack passive patch

    The GPDF.47.8.A.02 is a ceramic GPS L1/L2 / Galileo low-profile, low-axial ratio, embedded stacked passive patch antenna. It is 47.5 x 47.5 millimeters wide and 8 millimeters thick. It is designed for the highest accuracy centimeter-level tracking in telematics applications for positioning technologies. Typical applicable industries are transportation, defense, marine, agriculture and navigation.

    Taoglas, taoglas.com

    Autonomy Platform

    For development of autonomous vehicles

    The Autonomy Development Platform provides automakers, truck makers and Tier 1 vehicle suppliers the hardware, software, engineering and integration services they need to accelerate development programs for on-road and off-road autonomous vehicles. By combining customized integration and engineering services with GNSS-inertial positioning technologies, the Autonomy Development Platform advances driverless vehicle development projects at every stage of development and commercialization. The platform delivers a navigation solution that is fully customizable and includes integration and engineering services, field-tested hardware and proprietary software for highly accurate positioning. The solution is capable of working with all sensors, including multiple cameras, lidar, radar and ultrasonic sensors, and with all vehicle types at all stages in the development and commercialization cycle. Also, the technology enables highly accurate assessments of the full 360-degree environment around a vehicle to produce a robust representation, including static and dynamic objects, which is critical for successful vehicle autonomy.

    Applanix, applanix.com

    Map delivery service

    Offers a customizable data stream

    TomTom AutoStream is a map delivery service for autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance systems. The service enables vehicles to build a horizon for the road ahead by streaming the latest map data from the TomTom cloud. TomTom AutoStream ensures that the TomTom map data used to power advanced driving functions is the latest, most accurate available, enabling a safer and more comfortable experience. The map-data stream can be customized based on criteria such as sensor configuration and horizon length. It can stream a wide variety of map data including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), attributes such as gradient and curvature, and the TomTom HD Map with RoadDNA. This flexibility allows customers to use AutoStream to power a wide range of driving automation functions.

    TomTom, tomtom.com

  • Delair offers advanced UAV for aerial surveying and mapping

    Delair offers advanced UAV for aerial surveying and mapping

    Delair, a supplier of drone solutions for commercial industries, has introduced the next-generation of its high-performance DT26X Lidar UAV.

    The DT26X is a long-range fixed-wing drone that combines highly accurate lidar sensing capabilities with an integrated high-resolution RGB (red, green, blue) camera, dramatically increasing the precision, efficiency and cost effectiveness of surveying and 3D mapping.

    The Delair DT26X lidar drone combines lidar sensing with RGB camera data to enable highly accurate and high-resolution 3D representation and measurement over large areas with minimal flights and in challenging environments. (Image: Delair)

    Details of the new model, which builds on Delair’s proven expertise in long distance, beyond visual line of sight UAV operations, were revealed at the International Lidar Mapping Forum in Denver.

    Aerial-based lidar allows for extremely detailed and accurate collection of elevation data of the ground, even in large and vegetated areas, but is typically performed with specialized, single function platforms or expensive manned aircraft surveys with long lead times.

    Camera-enabled drones offer a complementary solution for collecting imagery that can augment the lidar-based models. Most projects therefore require multiple mapping flights and separate UAVs, with initial missions using lidar sensors and subsequent flights equipped with RGB-cameras to enhance the digital rendering.

    The Delair DT26X lidar’s combined payload of a lightweight sensor and integrated camera allows the acquisition of lidar and photogrammetry data in a single flight, which drastically reduces cost and immediately provides an extremely detailed digital model of the inspected assets.

    The lidar sensor is specifically designed for UAV use, adding little weight or bulk to the Delair frame. The fully-integrated smart RGB camera enables real-time camera sensor control and in-flight photo review with automated quality checks.

    The new platform delivers increased accuracy in 3D mapping and modeling of terrain and corridors in challenging physical environments (e.g. mountainous, inaccessible by road or foot, dense vegetation) and with difficult visibility, lighting or weighting conditions.

    Its long range flying capabilities — allowing coverage of up to 2,400 square acres, communication range of 30 kilometers and 100 minutes of flight time — improve the efficiency of aerial mapping operations over large areas. As a result, the Delair DT26X lidar is well suited for uses such as environmental and land surveys, forestry monitoring, infrastructure surveillance, powerline and pipeline inspections, and road and rail construction.

    “The combination of a sophisticated lidar sensor and an industrial grade RGB camera removes the ‘either/or’ decision of choosing between lidar and imagery data acquisition for geospatial professionals,” said Chase Fly, geospatial product manager at Delair. “This is the most versatile and cost-effective UAV solution for large area, long range mapping and surveying where accuracy and detail are required. It provides the precision and visibility required by the most demanding use cases and allows data acquisition and advanced digitization not possible through terrain-based or satellite 3D mapping techniques, or with limited short-range UAVs. With this configuration, users can acquire all the data required for a colorized point cloud from a single flight, which eases the point cloud classification process back in the office, saving significant time and money.”

    New lidar sensor for more accurate mapping. The Delair DT26X lidar fixed-wing UAV incorporates the new RIEGL miniVUX-1DL lidar sensor, a specially designed device for the needs of UAV use.

    The small form factor sensor includes a downward looking and optimized field of view specifically geared for corridor mapping tasks. The wedge prism scanner construction produces a field of view of 46 degrees, and the circular scan pattern provides a very high point density and point distribution.

    It offers a high scan speed of up to 150 scans per second and a measurement rate of up to 100,000 measurements per second. It is effective in penetrating poor lighting conditions or dense foliage. The lidar sensor makes use of RIEGL’s Waveform-lidar technology, allowing echo digitization and online waveform processing. It supports multiple-target resolution of up to five target echoes per laser shot.

    “The new Delair UAV is typically the type of drone RIEGL had in mind when designing the RIEGL miniVUX-1DL, and represents another step toward completing our UAV lidar equipment product portfolio. The scanner’s specific wedge prism scanning mechanism generates a circular scan pattern, resulting in high point densities and therefore is especially well suited when deploying the scanner from fast moving acquisition platforms such as fixed-wing UAVs. The FOV (field of view) of the miniVUX-1DL is 46deg, resulting in optimized efficiency for downward-looking, linear acquisition set-ups like corridor mapping applications, for example. We are pleased to have such an innovative company like Delair as an esteemed OEM integration partner, bringing our sensing technology to key market sectors that require a flexible lidar solution,” commented Michael Mayer, managing director, RiCOPTER UAV GmbH.

    RiCOPTER UAV GmbH is a subsidiary of RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems GmbH, an international provider of technology in airborne, mobile, terrestrial, industrial and unmanned laser-scanning solutions. RiCOPTER UAV GmbH commercializes RIEGL’s turnkey lidar UAV solution and laser-scanning payloads dedicated for UAV integration.

  • Mayflower delivers anti-jam antenna systems to U.S. Air Force

    Mayflower Communications Company has delivered its Multi-Platform Anti-Jam GPS Navigation Antenna–Federated (MAGNA-F) to the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) in August 2017.

    Mayflower’s MAGNA-F anti-jam antenna system.

    Mayflowers’ GPS anti-jam system (MAGNA) provides protection for multiple military GPS receiver types (C/A and SAASM).  The AFSOC platform has been proven in an operational environment.

    MAGNA-F can provide protected GPS signals to different receivers simultaneously. It protects critical mission systems on the platform and provides unwavering position, navigation and timing (PNT).

    The MAGNA-F system provides the fixed-wing platform with unsurpassed high-performance anti-jam capability.

    “The MAGNA-F is easy to install as a drop in FRPA replacement, provides high-performance GPS anti-jam, and is very reliable,” said Joe Thomas, director of government programs for Mayflower.

    The integration and testing of the MAGNA-F began in late January and February of 2017 and was led by the U.S. AFSOC Program Team at U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

    The flight testing proved the Mayflower MAGNA-F provides the highest level of PNT assurance for size, weight and performance (SWaP) constrained fixed-wing and UAS platforms.

    The MAGNA-F is built on an open systems architecture and can be used with multiple military or civilian GPS receivers.

    The MAGNA-F enables growth capabilities across a variety SWaP constrained platforms including rotary wing, fixed wing, and small to large unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The MAGNA AJ systems are also adaptable for U.S. Army ground vehicle AJAS requirements.

    Over the past five years, Mayflower has delivered anti-jam systems across multiple aircraft (fixed wing, UAS) and U.S. Navy strategic-level submarine platforms.

    The Mayflower family of anti-jam systems have a wealth of military live tests (flight and ground) and “real-world” operational experience. The Mayflower SAS (NavGuard 500), SAGE (NavGuard 501) and MAGNA-F (NavGuard 502) assures a Technology Readiness Level (TRL 8/9) product. Each of these systems are software upgradable with capabilities such as direction of arrival, jammer characterization, and operational with U.S. Army pseudolites.

  • SBG Systems offers industrial-grade IMU for high-volume projects

    SBG Systems has released the Ellipse 2 Micro series, a new product range designed to reduce the size and cost of high-performance inertial sensors for volume projects. The Ellipse 2 Micro series is available as an inertial measurement unit (IMU), or as an attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) or inertial navigation system (INS) running an extended Kalman filter.

    The new Ellipse 2 Micro is available as an IMU for calibrated sensor data, or as an AHRS/INS delivering accurate orientation and navigation using an external GNSS receiver.

    The Ellipse 2 Micro series provides excellent navigation data when connected to an external GNSS receiver. The INS fuses in real-time inertial and GNSS information to maintain the vehicle position in air, marine or land applications. For automotive projects, the inertial sensor comes with CAN protocol and connects to the odometer for higher performance in harsh environments, such as tunnels and urban canyons.

    “With the Ellipse 2 Micro, integrators benefit from SBG Systems high expertise in motion sensing and positioning in the smallest package,” said Alexis Guinamard, CTO of SBG Systems.

    The high-quality micro IMU is calibrated from -40 degrees to 85 degrees Celsius.  Combining state-of-the-art MEMS-based gyroscopes, accelerometers and magnetometers, the new Ellipse 2 Micro series is fully calibrated in temperature to eliminate measurement errors such as sensor bias, gain, linearity, alignment and g-sensitivity to provide a constant behavior in all conditions.

    Weighing 10 grams, the Ellipse 2 Micros provide a 0.1 degree accurate attitude and connects to external GNSS for navigation, offering a remarkable weight/performance ratio to integrators.

    All Ellipse 2 Micro models are now available for order. Product and pricing information is available from SBG Systems representatives and authorized dealers.

  • Ask an artificially intelligent question…

    There was plenty for a philosophy major to sink his teeth into at ION’s January workshop on Cognizant Autonomous Systems for Safety Critical Applications (CASSCA).

    What is knowledge? What is meaning? What is understanding? What is intelligence? What is learning? What is thinking?

    These questions excited Plato and Kant, Buddha and Descartes, perhaps out of intellectual or spiritual curiosity. Who’s to say? But the people asking them now are driven, quite literally, by practicalities. They have come to realize that we cannot ride in driverless cars or fly in pilotless plane-taxis, we cannot live in an autonomous, artificially intelligent environment without knowing a bit more exactly what knowledge is, in this brave new world.

    Without thinking about what thinking may be, for a machine.

    Why does this matter to a GPS/GNSS/PNT readership? Because as positioning and navigation engage more deeply with artificial intelligence (AI) generally, and with autonomy in particular, these issues emerge as part of the environment that such solutions explore, and in which they must verify and validate themselves.

    Welcome to the future, it’s yours. Now think about it.

    Culture Club. Some of us may have believed that only technical obstacles remain in the path of a driverless car and an otherwise automated society, salted with a few regulatory wrinkles to iron out. But as build-a-robot R&D projects transform into full commercial partnerships, cultural challenges jump up as well: inertia, instability of requirements, unanticipated expectations, magical thinking (the development of empathetic attitudes towards robots), misplaced trust and misplaced distrust. All this according to Signe Redfield, roboticist and mission manager at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.

    Joao Hespanha, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara, outlined three key concepts for AI development: computation, perception and security. The critical questions for the first named are, how much computing will be done onboard the platform, how much learning will be done onboard, and how much of each process will be distributed to offboard computation. Perception, a crux for autonomy, is closely bound in a feedback loop with control. The platform must gather data to make autonomous decisions (control), and those decisions must maximize the gathering of information (perception).

    Amply consider security. All safety-critical systems must provide for — and prevent where possible — decisions based on compromised measurements, which may stem from system or environmnetal noise, sensor faults, hacked sensors, or other corruptions.

     Second Wave. We are in the second wave of AI, according to Steven Rogers, senior scientist for sensor fusion at the Air Force Research Laboratory. In the first wave, 60s and 70s, large and complex algorithms, relatively low on data, drove new developments — but they hit real-world problems, hard. Since the mid-80s, we have been in the “classify” stage with relatively simpler programs generating and consuming lots of data. Intense statistical learning will eventually lead to the third wave of AI: Explain.

    On a timeline yet to be determined, contextual adaptation will give rise to “explainable” AI, capable of answering unexpected queries. That is, it will have learned how to teach itself.

    Some of this stuff gets pretty scary.

    Most future knowledge will be machine-generated.

    Let’s run through that one more time.

    “Most future knowledge on Earth will come from machines extracting it from the environment,” said Rogers. “Machine generation of knowledge is key for autonomy.”

    Here’s where the thought processes really started to levitate. “Current sense-making solutions are not keeping pace, not growing as knowledge is growing,” Rogers asserted. And he challenged us with the questions posed at the beginning of this column: in AI, the context we will use to explore much of the future, what is knowledge? What is meaning? And so on.

    He gave us one of his answers: “Knowledge is what is used to generate the meaning of the observable for an autonomous system. Correspondingly, machine-generated knowledge is what is used to turn observables into machine-generated meaning.”

    Slide from Steven “Cap” Rogers’ presentation at CASSCA.

     

    He suggested a book by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, Metaphors We Live By. Pretty heady stuff for a room full of engineers. I don’t know about you. I’m headed down to the library to check it out.

    Requirements, Simple/Not. We got back to earth with some technical challenges we could actually chew on with David Corman, program manager for Cyber-Physical Systems and Smart and Connected Communities at the National Science Foundation. Seemingly simple requirements for safety-critical applications break down into hundreds of requirements that no one has really thought about, Corman said, as he displayed a chart of “Some Example Research Problems.”

    Precision agriculture and environmental monitoring are two sectors where he thought autonomous operations come closest to being full realization, because their operational environments are structurally defined enough. In such constrained niches that we more fully understand, we can implement autonomous operations. Elsewhere, “we don’t know how to specify what we want, so that we get only ‘good results’ and no ‘bad results.’ ”

    He identified a looming Cambrian explosion in AI, analogous to that for plants and animas following the dinosaur extinction, in which systems interact, gather data, sense the environment, learn, improve and multiply. He suggested we browse “The Seven Deadly Sins of Predicting the Future of AI,” an essay by Rodney Brooks.

    The afternoon’s workshop talks followed, from experts in autonomous flight software, legal and insurance aspects of autonomy, the Ohio State University’s Center for Automotive Research, and the U.S. Department of Transportation. But I tell you, this morning done my brain in.

    Before folding up, I must mention a short video on autonomous flying taxis displayed by Paul DeBitetto, VP of software engineering at Top Flight Technologies. It depicts Pop.Up, a modular ground and air passenger vehicle for megacities of the future. Check it out.

    The CASSCA workshop was organized and moderated by Zak Kassas, an assistant professor at the University of California, Riverside and director of the Autonomous Systems Perception, Intelligence & Navigation (ASPIN) Laboratory. He is also co-author of two cover stories in GPS World, “LTE cellular steers UAV” and “Opportunity for Accuracy.”

    ION president John Raquet expressed the hope that we may see a fully fledged conference on this topic in the near future: CASSCA 2019, perhaps, to join the rotating repertory of ION annual meetings.

    Agreed. We need to think more.

    Don’t look back, the machines may be gaining on us.

  • TomTom Autostream provides map delivery for autonomous driving

    TomTom has launched TomTom AutoStream, an innovative map delivery service for autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance systems. The first partners to use the technology — Baidu and Zenuity — were unveiled at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show.

    TomTom AutoStream enables vehicles to build a horizon for the road ahead by streaming the latest map data from the TomTom cloud. By ensuring that the map used to power advanced driving functions is always the latest, TomTom AutoStream enhances driver comfort and safety.

    “The launch of TomTom AutoStream is a game-changer for OEMs and technology companies that are working on the future of driving,” said Willem Strijbosch, TomTom’s head of autonomous driving. “TomTom AutoStream allows vehicles to access the latest, most up-to-date TomTom map data for their driving automation functions.”

    TomTom AutoStream is designed in a flexible way, allowing customers to customize the map data stream based on criteria such as sensor configuration and horizon length. It can stream a wide variety of map data including ADAS attributes such as gradient and curvature, and the TomTom HD Map with RoadDNA. This flexibility allows customers to use AutoStream to power a wide range of driving automation functions.

    Strijbosch continued, “Our early investment in the TomTom advanced map-making platform means that we can continue to deliver revolutionary innovations like TomTom AutoStream. With TomTom AutoStream we can significantly simplify and shorten the development time for our customers, accelerating the future of driving.”

    TomTom AutoStream ensures that the TomTom map data used to power advanced driving functions is the latest, most accurate available, enabling a safer and more comfortable experience.

    “With AutoStream TomTom is offering an innovative map delivery system targeted at automated driving,” said Roger C. Lanctot, director, Automotive Connected Mobility for Strategy Analytics. “The development is targeted at helping automakers bring ADAS and autonomous driving functions to market faster.”

    TomTom AutoStream will be available for production usage in 2018.

  • 2G Robotics laser systems aid in Norwegian mine countermeasures

    The first of four ULS-500 PRO laser scanning systems from 2G Robotics has been shipped to Kongsberg Maritime for integration into the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency’s (NDMA) newly purchased Hugin autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

    The acquisition signifies the Royal Norwegian Navy’s transition to autonomous systems for mine countermeasures. During operations, Hugin AUVs will be used to complete surveys of subsea environments focused specifically on locating and identifying mines.

    The Hugin systems enable users to conduct fast and efficient operations with zero surface visibility while additionally improving safety conditions by allowing personnel to remain outside the minefield. In peacetime, the AUVs contribute to hydrographic operations.

    The ULS-500 PRO dynamic underwater laser scanner system will contribute to the detection, classification and assessment of mines. 2G’s system acquires data in real time and provides users with 3D models of targets and environments accurate to the sub-centimeter.

    The complete laser scanning system also includes the 2G Observer, an ultra-sensitive stills camera able to capture images at 12 fps, and the 2G Nova, an LED panel designed specifically for AUV integration providing almost 1,000,000 lumens.

  • Applanix offers Autonomy Development Platform for autonomous vehicles

    Applanix offers Autonomy Development Platform for autonomous vehicles

    Applanix, a Trimble Company, has introduced its Autonomy Development Platform to provide automakers, truck makers and Tier 1 vehicle suppliers the hardware, software, engineering and integration services they need to accelerate their development programs for on-road and off-road autonomous vehicles.

    By combining customized integration and engineering services along with Applanix’ GNSS-inertial positioning technologies, the Autonomy Development Platform advances driverless vehicle development projects at every stage of development and commercialization.

    “With the introduction of our Autonomy Development Platform, Applanix now offers on-road and off-road vehicle manufacturers the tools and engineering expertise necessary to support and augment their driverless vehicle development programs,” said Louis Nastro, director of Land Products at Applanix.

    “The platform delivers a navigation solution that is fully customizable and includes integration and engineering services, field-tested hardware and proprietary software for highly accurate positioning,” continued Nastro. “The navigation solution is capable of working with all sensors, including multiple cameras, lidar, radar and ultrasonic sensors, and with all vehicle types at all stages in the development and commercialization cycle.

    “The Applanix technology enables highly accurate assessments of the full 360-degree environment around a vehicle to produce a robust representation, including static and dynamic objects, critical for successful vehicle autonomy.”

    “Applanix has been committed to meeting the needs of autonomous vehicle manufacturers for more than a decade, going back to our success at the DARPA Challenges. In addition, our expertise in autonomous technologies is part of an extensive portfolio of Trimble solutions for automation and vehicle autonomy, which began more than three decades ago,” said Steve Woolven, president of Applanix. “Our refined positioning algorithms and expertise with sensor fusion and mobile robotic technologies enable us to provide a development platform that delivers the required performance and reliability for manufacturers to develop and produce self-driving vehicles for all environments and tasks.”

    The Applanix Autonomy Development Platform is available now through the Applanix worldwide sales channel.

    https://youtu.be/hF53U3MF_AE

  • Tallysman offers light-weight compact L1/L2 + G1/G2 antennas

    Tallysman, a manufacturer of high-performance GNSS antennas and related products, is offering a new light-weight compact GPS L1/L2 + GLONASS G1/G2 antenna, available either as an OEM (TW1829) antenna or in a housed version (TW8829).

    The antenna is designed for unmanned aerial vehicle use because of its low aerodynamic profile and very light weight. The TW1829 weighs 37 grams and is 48mm (d) x 12.2mm (h). The TW8829 weighs 52 grams and is 47.3mm (d) x 18.3mm (h).

    The antennas employ Tallysman’s Accutenna technology, which has proven its ability to provide high-level rejection of multipath signals, a phase linear response and tight phase centre variations (PCV).

    Additionally, the antenna has pre-filters to prevent the saturation of the front end LNA by strong near frequency and harmonic signals.

    The antenna is available with a choice of connectors and custom cable lengths. Additionally, Tallysman can custom tune the TW1829 for the customers’ enclosure to ensure optimal performance.

  • Launchpad: Spoofer detection for surveyors

    OEM

    RF front-end board

    7-channel multi-GNSS multi-band for software-defined receiver

    The NT1065/66_USB3 multi-channel GNSS RF front-end board is based on NTLab’s RF ICs: NT1065 (four channels for GPS / GLONASS / Galileo / BeiDou / IRNSS / QZSS, L1/L2/L3/L5 bands) and new NT1066 (two channels for all previously mentioned GNSS signals, plus one extra-channel for IRNSS S-band). The board supports USB3 connection, allowing users to process captured satellite signals on a PC or DSP platform. The board is accompanied by comprehensive software and manuals. Features include six channels for L1/L2/L3/L5-band signals + one channel for S-band signals simultaneous reception; up to four coherent channels; IF bandwidth up to 32 MHz; acquisition of wideband signals up to 64 MHz (such as Galileo E5) by two coherent channels; USB3 interface (up to 800 Mbit/s); ability to connect four x CRPA. NTLab offers an academic discount program for universities, colleges and institutes, allowing them to purchase this powerful research tool with significant savings.

    NTLab, www.ntlab.com

    GNSS OEM RTK boards

    With rover radio for wireless applications

    Three new Tersus GNSS HRS kits feature high-precision BX305, BX306 and BX316 GNSS RTK boards. The kits consist of RTK receivers, GNSS antennas, RS05R radio station modems, radio station antennas, and related cables and converters. Embedded in the receivers are the Tersus RTK boards. They are compact-design, energy-efficient, centimeter-level accurate GNSS real-time kinematic (RTK) boards that bring high-precision positioning accuracy to the market. Different from the standard BX305/306/316 GNSS kits, the new HRS versions are equipped with the RS05R lightweight and robust UHF rover radio for wireless applications. It provides reliable data communication for demanding conditions that require a combination of stability, high performance and long-range operation. The kits can be used in a variety of applications, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), surveying, mapping, precision agriculture, construction engineering and deformation monitoring.

    Tersus GNSS, www.tersus-gnss.com

    SURVEY & MAPPING

    Spoofer detection

    Spoofing alerts for surveyors

    Spoofer detection is now available on all JAVAD GNSS original equipment manufacturer (OEM) boards. When a receiver equipped with a JAVAD board detects more than one correlation peak for any PRN code, it warns the user of the presence of spoofing (false signals) and identifies the spoofed satellites. The receivers then switch to other signals and sensors that are not being spoofed to maintain accurate positioning. The user can also employ the receiver to try to identify the direction from which the spoofing signals are originating.

    JAVAD GNSS, www.javad.com

    Laser scanner

    Scanning range reaches 1 kilometer

    The ScanStation P50 combines all the features of the P40 plus a longer range scanning capability of more than 1 kilometer. The rugged, versatile laser scanner enables professionals to 3D capture at great distances with angular accuracy paired with low-range noise and survey-grade dual-axis compensation. The ScanStation P50 opens new business opportunities for reality-capture professionals, helping them to scan what was previously unreachable such as big mine pits, long bridges, dams and skyscrapers. With its range, the P50 enables users to scan any tall or wide infrastructure or dangerous sites from a remote and safe position. This newest member of the P-Series provides the highest quality 3D data and high-dynamic range (HDR) imaging at an extremely fast scan rate of up to 1 million points per second and ranges of more than 1 kilometer.

    Leica Geosystems, leica-geosystems.com

    TRANSPORTATION

    Smartphone data analysis

    Integrates gamification and real-time data

    Azuga FleetMobile: Standalone Smartphone Edition (SSE) is a smartphone-based solution for driver behavior monitoring, mobile timecard management and GPS tracking. Azuga FleetMobile SSE leverages data analysis components of the original Azuga FleetMobile application, including driver behavior monitoring, location-based timestamps for timecards, gamification and driver rewards, without requiring separate hardware installation via a vehicle’s OBD port. Azuga’s GPS fleet-tracking offerings feature a driver rewards program to help fleets reduce accidents by up to 70 percent. The standalone application, which works on both Android and iOS smartphones, integrates gamification and real-time data to encourage self-coaching and healthy competition. Azuga’s data science team can then leverage information about driving behaviors and combine them with route patterns, fleets’ vehicle health information and environmental factors to identify opportunities for performance improvements in fleet operations.

    Azuga, azuga.com

    Vehicle tracker

    Able to receive MobileEye ADAS alerts

    The RIFA series of full-featured GPS trackers have built-in gyro and G-sensors, and supports OBDII and J1939 protocols. In addition to 4G/3G communication, it provides options to use low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN) such as NB-IOT or LoRa, which can reduce communication costs significantly. The unique CAN-to-ADR (automotive dead reckoning) function provides accurate positioning in situations of weak GPS signals, such as driving in tunnels, indoor parking facilities, urban canyons or when GPS signal obstruction hinders positioning, without additional cabling for wheel speed input.

    Antzer Tech, www.antzer-tech.com

    UAV

    Thermal imaging payloads

    Ethernet/IP-Based connectivity

    The ThermalCapture IRnet provides an Ethernet interface for live data streaming to new and existing FLIR Tau 2 drone cores and FLIR Vue Pro/R cores. The market has increased its demand for connectivity by Ethernet, with professional drone manufacturers choosing Ethernet for communication on board UAVs. The ThermalCapture IRnet allows for real-time access via Ethernet while recording radiometric data to microSD, bringing real-time access in drone flight operations to thermal imaging data. It stores the full 14-bit radiometric thermal data on a microSD card. Real-time access remains available while radiometric data are being recorded; operators can also control the camera and settings via Ethernet. Using Ethernet also offers data privacy.

    TeAx, thermalcapture.com

    Airborne lidar mapping

    Centimeter-level accuracy for 3D mapping products

    The Think 3D Stormbee multicopter integrated with Trimble’s AP15 provides efficiency, accuracy and performance for lidar surveys from unmanned vehicles. The Stormbee is a directly georeferenced UAV lidar solution for 3D industrial mapping applications, designed to collect survey-grade spatial data more cost effectively and efficiently than static lidar. Stormbee’s 3D mapping technologies include Faro’s Focus 130 laser scanner, Trimble’s AP15 high-performance GNSS/inertial receiver, Applanix’s POSPac UAV GNSS/inertial post-processing software and Stormbee Beeflex software for lidar point-cloud generation. By using the high-performance Trimble AP15 with two antennas and the Applanix post-processing software (POSPac MMS) for georeferencing the lidar data, Stormbee provides an accurate real-time and post-mission solution for all motion variables.

    Think 3D, think3d.be

    Applanix, applanix.com

  • Helix Technologies to develop GNSS antennas for driverless cars

    Helix Technologies Ltd., a U.K.-based developer of high-performance, ceramic-based helix antennas, has secured funding that will enable continued development of antennas for a wide range of applications including autonomous vehicles, drones, internet of things and machine-to-machine communications.

    Photo: HelixAntenia
    Photo: HelixAntenia

    The company closed its Phase B funding round with GBP 650,000 of financing provided by private investors.

    The company said that the driverless car segment, both GNSS and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) applications, represents the most immediate and compelling need and business opportunity for its helix antenna technology.

    Helix Technologies said its dielectric-loaded helix antennas will provide significant performance advantages over incumbent antenna technologies for next-generation GNSS and V2X applications.

    The use of a dielectric ceramic core gives its antennas unique properties including unsurpassed gain/efficiency per unit of volume and more effective and predictable behaviour in a wide range of challenging user scenarios.

    “We are grateful for the support of our investors which allows us to develop innovative solutions for this exciting growth market,” said John Yates, managing director of Helix Technologies. “The first self-driving cars are widely forecast to be on the market between 2019 and 2021. Any navigation and communications equipment used onboard will have to fulfil the highest-possible standards on safety, integrity and accuracy.”

    The company expects to have prototypes of its V2X DSRC antenna available by the second quarter of  2018 and its NEXTGEN GNSS antenna by the third quarter of 2018.

    According to the company, the use of the ceramic core enables the fabrication of antennas that are physically smaller than conventional antennas, behave much more effectively and predictably in a wide range of challenging user scenarios and have many compelling technical advantages which include:

    • Maintaining radiation efficiency near absorbing objects (such as the human body)
    • Improving the accuracy of GNSS systems in multipath environments (such as in cities)
    • Operation in sub-optimal orientations towards the sky
    • Are able to be placed into very tightly integrated systems
    • Operation in slim devices without a ground plane
    • Unsurpassed gain/efficiency per unit of volume
    • Simple and robust design and construction for durability and reliability
    • Excellent beamwidth (omni-directionality)
    • Multi-frequency, tailored frequency response

  • Unmanned taxis, solar-powered UAS in development

    This month’s highlights from the UAV industry include:

    • more on the potential for unmanned airborne taxis,
    • a drone recovery system aimed at satisfying FAA requirements for flying over people,
    • a temporary stumble for camera supplier GoPro as it withdraws from the UAS end-product business, and
    • a possible commercial re-emergence of the high-altitude, solar-powered drone.

    Passenger drone tested in UK

    Y6S passenger-carrying drone. (Photo: Autonomous Flight)

    If a passenger-carrying drone could cost about the same as a regular passenger car, like those used by taxi and Uber drivers, then the economics might work. So it’s interesting that an outfit in the United Kingdom — Autonomous Flight — is talking about building passenger-carrying drones for around $25,000.

    Autonomous Flight says has a prototype up and running, testing the concept in Southern England;  testing with passengers is expected to get underway this year. The YS6 is battery-powered with multiple redundant systems for safety and is designed to fly at 70 mph, with a range of 80 miles at 1,500 ft.

    This happens to meet a design goal of covering a distance from Heathrow Airport to Charing Cross train station in 12 minutes, a journey that would normally take around an hour by car in London traffic. There are similar “hops” that could save a massive amount of time in almost every city in the world.

    But don’t hold your breath. It could take more than five years to get regulatory approval for the vehicle and for the initial routes over cities — never mind the time needed to get this particular concept into large-scale production to achieve the target price. But it’s nevertheless a good sign with good prospects for the future.

    Drone Recovery System

    While the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) considers the regulations for drone flights over people, in the meantime several applications have been developed for people-overflight with drones equipped with parachutes.

    Presumably, a drone would be safer if lowered by parachute in the event of equipment failure, but apparently such applications that rely on parachutes for risk mitigation have all been turned down by FAA. University of Alabama and Virginia Tech research has indicated a 70 percent chance of significant injury or death when a drone the size of an 8.85-pound DJI Inspire 2 fails and falls onto people.

    Indemnis in Anchorage, Alaska, has been working with the FAA and other interested stakeholders to draft the regulatory standard for flight over people and has now gone on to develop its Nexus ballistic drone recovery system, which it plans to have on the market by next summer.

    With a retail price of between $1,700 and $2,500, the system is expected to satisfy these coming FAA regulations for UAS flight over people and in urban areas for Part 107 commercial operations, but would seem to be quite expensive for smaller recreational drones.

    The system is scalable for drones from eight pounds to “several thousand” pounds. The Nexus system is designed to automatically deploy within 30 milliseconds of detecting a failure on the drone or of entering unrecoverable flight, and the system is capable of determining normal flight or a failure to within six feet of vertical movement.

    According to Indemnis, more than 10,000 requests for flight over people have been received by the FAA in the last 14 months, but all those that rely on parachutes for risk mitigation have been refused. This is apparently because conventional parachute systems have a tendency to become tangled with the aircraft or manual deployment is required. It is also said that current quadcopter drone safety systems — which cut power to an engine to prevent tumbling and which slow descent by adding power to the remaining engines — are inadequate for flying over people.

    The Nexus system automatically detects failure, cuts engine power, and deploys an aircraft parachute within 30 milliseconds, slowing vertical speed to around 7 mph. This should be slow enough to allow the operator to catch up with the vehicle before it hits the ground. However, reducing vertical speed is only half the solution, as a vehicle under parachute will still travel horizontally due to wind velocity. So Indemnis is testing their parachute system with an airbag on a 33.29-pound DJI M600 drone. The airbag turns the drone “into a giant pillow” once the chute deploys.

    The expected FAA standard is anticipated to require 45 tests in two failure modes — critical motor failure and full motor failure — at full flight speed, hover, and in automatic and manual deployment scenarios. Tests with a DJI Inspire 2 cutting one motor, two motors or four motors have pitched the drone violently just before it enters a slow roll — at 60 mph, it will roll quickly and violently.

    This drone safety and recovery system is expected to be on the market within the next few years, following release of the projected FAA standards.

    GoPro Karma hits the dust

    In what would seem to be an unusual turn of events in a rapidly expanding market, GoPro has decided to exit the UAS vehicle business. GoPro cameras are still a favorite on a wide range of UAVs, but the company has chosen to get out of the business of making end-item unmanned vehicles, despite reaching second place in market share in 2017 for its price range.

    At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Jan. 9-12 in Las Vegas, GoPro explained that its decision was based on inadequate returns versus the investment required to support their single-product UAS business.

    However, Karma’s demise was apparently brought on not only by an expensive initial product recall, but also by the apparent additional financial pressure of poor Hero5 camera sales.

    Nevertheless, GoPro still feels that the “action-camera” market has the legs to sustain growth, so it’s likely UAV manufacturers will not have to go looking for another reliable video camera source any time soon.

    Joint venture for solar HALE UAS

    The solar-powered Helios in flight.

    In late 1990s/early 2000s, NASA contracted with AeroVironment to develop a high-altitude solar-powered UAS for NASA’s Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology, or ERAST, program.

    In August 2001, the Helios prototype reached a world-record altitude of 96,863 ft., and in 2002 the Pathfinder Plus prototype provided from 65,000 feet high-definition television (HDTV) signals; third-generation (3G) mobile voice, video and data; and high-speed internet.

    AeroVironment has now formed a joint venture with Japanese SoftBank Corporation to develop a solar-powered high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) UAS for commercial operations that may include applications such as high-altitude pseudo-satellites.

    The joint venture — known as HAPSMobile — is a Japanese corporation in which AeroVironment holds minority ownership but is still able to directly exploit commercial and military opportunities outside Japan.

    Summary

    It’s encouraging to see another airborne taxi initiative joining the folks who were demonstrating prototypes in Dubai back last September. If the market is there, more entrants should help make this option a reality.

    It’s also good news that a company already has a drone recovery system in the works that could reduce the potential for injury in the event one falls out of the sky. This might start to reverse adverse public opinion about drones and help the FAA move forward with regulations allowing wider usage.

    Meanwhile, it’s sad but true that new industries inevitably see some entrants pull back and even leave in the early stages. It’s fortunate that popular drone camera supplier GoPro still has the ability to retrench and fall back on its existing business.

    Finally, the promise of high-altitude solar-powered drones would seem to be still alive. If it could be possible to hang TV and other comms systems on these high-altitude loitering vehicles, there might be a much less expensive way of getting transmitters into very high altitude orbits without the cost of a space launch. Then many areas around the world could benefit from low-cost signal distribution that might not otherwise work commercially.