GPS World

Tag: Canada

  • Canada awards Arctic surveillance contract to Space Flight Laboratory

    The Canadian Department of National Defence has awarded a $11.44 million contract to Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) for the development of multipurpose microsatellites to support Arctic surveillance.

    Upon successful completion and testing of the prototype, two additional microsatellites will be built to create a small formation.

    The UTIAS SFL microsatellites, which are now being developed, will include multiple sensors on a constellation of microsatellites operating in close formation in low Earth orbit to allow for quick and timely detection and identification of surface or airborne targets.

    The concurrently obtained sensor observations are expected to improve the reliability of the detection and identification performance, which is not feasible when individual sensors are located on non-collaborating satellites.

    On behalf of Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan, member of Parliament for York Centre, Michael Levitt announced the contract on Feb 1 during a ceremony at U

    TIAS in Toronto. The contract was awarded through Public Services and Procurement Canada under the All Domain Situational Awareness (ADSA) Science & Technology (S&T) Program.

    “Space Flight Laboratory is honored to assist the Department of National Defence in developing next-generation satellite technology that could be used to monitor Canada’s vital Arctic region,” said SFL Director and Founder Robert E. Zee. “We are pleased that this investment acknowledges SFL as one of the world’s preeminent developers of advanced attitude control and formation-flying technologies for microsatellites.”

    Established in 1998 as a self-sustaining specialty lab at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS), SFL has built more than 25 nano- and microsatellites with over 95 cumulative years of successful operation in orbit. SFL’s attitude-control technologies have also been applied successfully in several other microspace programs as well, including the 2016 GHGSat-D greenhouse gas emissions monitoring satellite and the 2013-2014 BRITE space astronomy constellation.

    As outlined in its defence policy Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Department of National Defence is investing in defence research and development to produce innovative solutions to surveillance challenges in Canada’s North, particularly in the priority areas of Arctic joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

    Surveillance solutions support the Canadian government’s ability to exercise sovereignty in the North and provide a greater awareness of safety and security issues, as well as transportation and commercial activity in Canada’s Arctic. In addition, solutions achieved under the ADSA program will contribute to joint efforts between Canada and the United States to modernize elements of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

    The ADSA S&T Program leverages innovative science & technology expertise from other government departments, academia, industry and allies, to identify, assess and validate technologies in support of air and maritime surveillance, particularly in the North. Through a five-year investment of $133M through to 2020, the ADSA S&T Program is supporting the development of options for enhanced domain awareness of air, maritime surface and sub-surface approaches to Canada, in particular those in the Arctic.

  • Drones survey for geothermal energy in British Columbia

    Global UAV Technologies Ltd. has completed a drone-based geothermal energy exploration survey for Borealis GeoPower Inc. The survey used UAV-mounted geophysical and thermal imaging sensors over an area in northern British Columbia, Canada.

    Global UAV subsidiary Pioneer Aerial Surveys collaborated with Hummingbird Drones to collect and analyze high-resolution magnetometer and thermal data over the 2,200-hectare survey area.

    The survey was conducted using both day and night flight operations to maximize efficiency and data quality. The survey produced high-resolution deliverables on the geological and geothermal features of the survey area.

    The work was conducted at the Terrace, British Columbia, geothermal project, near the location of one of the world’s largest hot springs. Borealis is refining its reservoir model in advance of drilling in 2019.

  • First autonomous shuttle drives on Canada’s public roads

    Keolis Canada and Montreal suburb City of Candiac have launched a long-term demonstration project of an autonomous electric shuttle on public roads in Canada. The shuttle will complement the public transit services currently available in Candiac.

    The pilot project will take place over a period of 12 months, with about eight months dedicated to serving citizens.

    This initiative was made possible through the financial support and expertise of the Quebec government and the collaboration of Propulsion Québec, the Cluster for Electric and Smart Vehicles and the Technopôle IVÉO.

    Screenshot from Keolis Canada video.
    Screenshot from Keolis Canada video.

    The NAVYA autonomous shuttle will operate along a two-kilometer route between the park-and-ride lot and exo’s bus terminal and the intersection of Marie-Victorin and Montcalm North boulevards with several stops along the way, including City Hall, a retirement complex and local businesses.

    The autonomous shuttle, which will coexist with regular traffic, will allow employees in the area to reach their workplaces from the bus terminal.

    Along the route, the shuttle will go through a railway crossing and an intersection where it will communicate with four traffic lights. During the winter period, a research and development project, without passengers on board, will test how the autonomous electric shuttle adapts to Quebec winter conditions.

    “This initiative is exciting because it’s the first pilot project in Canada, and the way it’s carried out will set the course for the next one,” said Marie Hélène Cloutier, vice president, Passenger Experience, Marketing & Sales for Keolis Canada. “For Keolis Canada, multimodal service is the key to the future of transportation. Autonomous electric shuttles are a great example of this because they complement existing services. The enthusiasm for this project has surpassed our expectations, which is very promising for the future.”

    “We are extremely proud to be enabling Candiac residents to participate in this historic achievement,” said Normand Dyotte, mayor of Candiac. “It’s an outstanding opportunity for our citizens to be able to travel aboard the first-ever electric autonomous shuttle on a public road in Canada. We invite all public transit users and anyone who is curious or interested to come and try it now.”

  • Free highway exits, interchanges data provided for Maptitude 2018

    Image: Caliper
    Image: Caliper

    GIS software company Caliper has released new highway exit data for the United States and Canada.

    Users of Maptitude 2018 with the Canada or United States country packages can download a free point layer containing all signed and numbered highway exits within their respective country.

    The highway exits layer allows users to find the nearest highway interchange to a particular location or determine proximity to a desired interchange. Applications include site location assessment, commercial real estate, franchise development and accessibility studies.

    The data can also be used in conjunction with the free U.S. traffic count data to determine traffic volumes around a chosen exit.

    The Highway Exits and Interchanges layer can be added to any Maptitude 2018 map.

    Image: Caliper
    Image: Caliper

  • SimActive updates Correlator3D for mining

    According to SimActive, users can now process raw data, produce point clouds and digital surface models, and perform volumetric calculations with the Correlator3D workflow. (Photo: SimActive)
    According to SimActive, users can now process raw data, produce point clouds and digital surface models, and perform volumetric calculations with the Correlator3D workflow. (Photo: SimActive)

    SimActive has updated its Correlator3D end-to-end photogrammetry software to include tools for users to generate precise statistics on mining activities, with improved volumetric calculation.

    The integrated tools allow users to generate precise statistics on mining activities.

    The Correlator3D software performs aerial triangulation and produces dense digital surface models, digital terrain models, point clouds, orthomosaics and vectorized 3D features.

    Applications like mineral extraction monitoring can be done seamlessly within the software.

    Users can process raw drone data, produce point clouds and DSMs, and perform volumetric calculations in the same Correlator3D workflow.

    “Our clients often require project delivery within 24 hours”, said Jennifer Waugh, principal at Alietum Ltd., a Canadian company using unmanned technology to support construction, consulting and government clients. “SimActive enables us to meet this demanding turnaround time.”

    Based in Montreal, Quebec City, Canada, SimActive has been a developer of photogrammetry software since 2003.

  • Drone Delivery Canada to expand testing to the US

    Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) is expanding its commercial testing program to the United States at the New York Griffiss International Airport unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) test site in Rome, New York.

    DDC anticipates that the U.S. Pilot Program will begin in this quarter of 2018 and run through the balance of the year.

    The new initiative expands DDC’s testing program to include geographies within the U.S. using its Sparrow X1000 drone, which achieved Compliant UAV Status with Transport Canada in December 2017.

    For testing, DDCs will use its proprietary FLYTE management software to support semi-autonomous flight, as well as BVLOS (beyond visual line of site) flights designed for commercial drone deliveries.

    The Griffiss International Airport UAS test site in Rome is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved facility designated to conduct research vital to integrating UAS into the national airspace system. The site is the fifth of six test sites that are operational in the U.S.

    The U.S. testing initiatives will complement DDC’s extensive Canadian testing program scheduled for 2018, which will include testing its BVLOS capabilities at the Transport Canada-approved UAS Centre of Excellence in Alma, Quebec.

  • Canada investigates collision between drone and aircraft

    The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is conducting an investigation into the collision between a drone and a passenger aircraft that took place on approach to the Jean Lesage International Airport in Québec City on Oct. 12.

    On that day, a Beech King Air A100 operated by Skyjet M. G. was on an instrument flight rules flight from the Rouyn-Noranda (Quebec) airport to the Jean Lesage International Airport in Québec City with two crew members and six passengers on board.

    The aircraft was approaching runway 24 and had just passed the final approach fix when the crew noticed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) off the left wing. The aircraft struck the UAV at an altitude of 1500 feet and the crew declared an emergency.

    Aircraft rescue and firefighting services were deployed and the aircraft safely landed on runway 24. The aircraft inspection revealed a few scratches and some paint transfer on the top surface of the left wing and scrape marks on the de-icing boot.

    The aircraft was then returned to service. No one was injured.

    Learn more about the investigation here.

    The TSB is an independent agency that investigates marine, pipeline, railway and aviation transportation occurrences to advance transportation safety.

  • Canada awards drone airspace management contract

    Canada awards drone airspace management contract

    Public Services and Procurement Canada has awarded a contract to Ottawa-based Kongsberg Geospatial for an emergency operations airspace UAV tracking system.

    Kongsberg Geospatial, an Ottawa-based developer of geospatial software technology, was awarded the contract to produce an Emergency Operations Airspace Management System (EOAMS) for evaluation by Canadian government agencies for safely managing drones at emergency and disaster scenes.

    The contract was awarded via a competitive request for proposals under the Canadian Safety and Security Program in a project for Defense R&D Canada’s Centre for Security Science.

    A small UAV is shown surveying the movement of a forest fire. The EOAMS would allow first responders to deploy drones at disaster scenes without endangering other emergency response aircraft or commercial flights. (Photo illustration: Kongsberg Geospatial)

    The EOAMS is a portable display that interfaces with a variety of local sensors, including radar and Automatic Dependence Surveillance — Broadcast (ADS-B) receivers to give a clear picture of the airspace around disaster areas.

    The system is intended to allow first responders to safely use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to survey the area, without risking collision with other emergency aircraft, including water bombers or rescue and police helicopters.

    The system would also provide a warning to first responders if unapproved UAVs approach the area – providing a degree of protection against what is becoming an increasing problem with the proliferation of small consumer camera drones at fires and accident scenes.

    The Government of Canada is expected to begin flight operations testing with the new Emergency Operations Airspace Management System in the summer of 2018.

    “Securing and managing the airspace around disaster scenes or at big public events is becoming a real concern for all levels of government,” said Paige Cutland, IRIS program director for Kongsberg Geospatial. “Even if a drone operator isn’t acting with malicious intent, they have the potential to cause considerable harm if, for example, they fly into the path of an air ambulance. We need effective tools to help prevent this while also allowing legitimate UAV operations to be safely integrated into the emergency airspace.”

    The new EOAMS will be based on Kongsberg Geospatial’s IRIS UAS airspace visualization system. The IRIS spatial awareness system evolved from technology originally developed for air traffic management display systems, and for supporting flight operations for military UAV systems like the U.S. Navy Triton Global Hawk.

    The system has been developed for safely operating UAVs beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS), and has been adopted by the FAA ASSURE group for use in research toward developing regulations for commercial BVLOS operations in the United States.

    “Kongsberg Geospatial has been pioneering innovation in airspace management for unmanned aircraft for over a decade,” said Ranald McGillis, president of Kongsberg Geospatial. “With the EOAMS project, we have the opportunity to introduce some really exciting capabilities in a portable system that will help first responders use UAVs in new and effective ways to support emergency response efforts.”

  • Unmanned update: Government and industry join to resolve issues

    Unmanned update: Government and industry join to resolve issues

    The White House has joined in to support continued growth of the emerging unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry. Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technologies are powering a revolution in unmanned flight.

    Already used by government, by research organizations, and by industry for more efficient and safe applications, drones are now becoming a developing part of the United States economy. A new initiative by the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) brought together 150 UAS community leaders for a recent workshop at the White House. The event was held to find out more about the UAS industry, where it’s headed, and to seek ideas for how government might contribute.

    Given that the current administration has only limited time remaining, the group proposed some significant issues that could be launched, or at least where there should be focus. The only short-term goal that could be achieved by the end of the year is the release by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for UAV operations over people.

    One principle objective should be for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop rules in concert with industry for licensing allocated frequency spectrum. While the FAA has yet to develop rules for higher altitude, larger-UAV operations, the UAS industry requires spectrum for command and control of aircraft at high altitudes and for beyond visual line of sight operations. The FAA and FCC regulations should be developed in parallel.

    The group felt another problem that should be tackled is UAS Traffic Management (UTM). While NASA has been investigating prototype UTM options and various industry leaders have been advocating a number of different approaches, the group seemed to indicate that unless government took some form of leadership role, a number of different, incompatible solutions might be developed.

    Finally, there was discussion about how a number of states are implementing local UAS regulations, while the FAA believes it has responsibility for all U.S. airspace. However, large numbers of small UAS (sUAS) are expected to operate at lower altitudes, so local authorities believe they should assert more control, even though they were comfortable in the past ceding control of manned aviation to the FAA. However, nationwide, uniform safety regulations appear to be just as critical for UAS as for manned aircraft, which seems to imply that the FAA should lead the effort.

    So, some good issues were identified that need serious work to enable UAS operations, but it’s always a problem when someone else gets stuck with the responsibility to find solutions — which will be the case when the administration changes. Hopefully the new guys will also believe how beneficial UAS will be for the economy and will chase down and help overcome these barriers.

    Package Delivery

    Meanwhile, on the package delivery front, Google’s Project Wing has been approved by FAA to begin testing, albeit within the confines of Northern Plains UAS test site in North Dakota. The heavier Google delivery drones will be tested from the ground up to 29,000 feet with external loads, and efforts will be made to fly them beyond line of sight without chase aircraft. Google will also prototype a low-altitude airspace management system for the tests that uses inexpensive comms and data technologies.

    While authorization in the U.S. was still pending, Google went looking for somewhere to test its prototype drone delivery system, and in August 2014 undertook testing in Queensland, Australia. At that time Google was using a vertical take-off UAV system — they delivered portable radios and water bottles to farmers.

    Google tests delivery drones in Australia.
    Google tests delivery drones in Australia.

    Word is that Google is now looking at fixed-wing UAVs and cargo slung from them — maybe for transporting heavier packages.

    Google’s new delivery drone?
    Google’s new delivery drone?

    And further North in Ontario, Canada, Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) is moving forward with the development and implementation of a commercial drone delivery platform for retailers, service organizations and government agencies. In remote parts of Canada, access to some communities can be difficult to impossible for conventional means. DDC expects to add additional sites later this year for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) testing, working with the Canadian government towards obtaining its operator status. DDC also just announced an agreement with a Canadian retailer to test and integrate its drone system with the retailer’s existing depot-to-depot delivery logistics.

    DDC prototype drone delivery system.
    DDC prototype drone delivery system.

    And not to be left out of this picture, 7-Eleven has been working with drone manufacturer Flirtey to test autonomous delivery of convenience store items. Dispatched from a Nevada 7 Eleven store, two deliveries were completed to a local customer’s house using precision GPS, where the Flirtey drone hovered and gently lowered each package of goodies.

     

    Flirtey drone delivers 7-Eleven goodies.
    Flirtey drone delivers 7-Eleven goodies.

    So, while the White House now seems to be actively engaged in supporting the introduction of UAS into commercial operations in the U.S., we still have many significant obstacles to overcome — not least are access to control frequencies, the development and introduction of drone traffic-control systems, and the coordination of federal and state rule-making. But this apparently has not deterred several organizations, including Google, DDC, Flirtey/7-Eleven, Amazon, Walmart and others, to trial drone package delivery. U.S. states have also recognized the promise of everything connected with UAVs and their operations, and are collaborating with the FAA to establish large swaths of the airspace for UAV testing.

    What with the White House and states already on the UAV bandwagon, surely it won’t be long before we crack the nut and get significant commercial operations approved and underway.

    Tony Murfin
    GNSS Aerospace

  • Mapping ‘Hell on Earth’

    A mapping feature from GPS World magazine’s June issue.

    STILL BURNING: This false-color image shows burned areas in yellow and healthy vegetation in purple. The bright spots are where the fire was actively burning when the image was taken.
    STILL BURNING: This false-color image shows burned areas in yellow and healthy vegetation in purple. The bright spots are where the fire was actively burning when the image was taken. (Image courtesy of DigitalGlobe, © 2016)
    On May 1, a wildfire ignited southwest of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. At first, wildfire MWF-009 seemed like others residents had experienced — smoke and haze, but no real danger. Two days later, the winds shifted.

    The fire swept through Fort McMurray, destroying more than 1,600 homes and buildings and forcing the largest wildfire evacuation in Alberta’s history.

    People described it as hell on Earth, comparing the disaster to movies, war, and the apocalypse. By the end of the week, the fire had grown to more than 101,000 hectares, significantly larger than the city of Calgary.

    BURN SCAR: On May 4, the Landsat 7 satellite’s Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus acquired this false-color image combining shortwave infrared, near infrared and green light (bands 5-4-2). Near- and short-wave infrared help penetrate clouds and smoke to reveal hot spots of fire (red), smoke (white) and burned areas (brown).
    BURN SCAR: On May 4, the Landsat 7 satellite’s Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus acquired this false-color image combining shortwave infrared, near infrared and green light (bands 5-4-2). Near- and short-wave infrared help penetrate clouds and smoke to reveal hot spots of fire (red), smoke (white) and burned areas (brown).

    The entire city population of 88,000 evacuated in a rush, many through falling embers from wildfires beside roadways.

    On May 5, DigitalGlobe’s WorldView-3 satellite (WV-3) peered through smoke using shortwave infrared to take the image on the left. GIS analysts can also measure the intensity of the fire using the image.

    As of press time, the fires continue to spread across northeast Alberta, impacting Canada’s oil sand operations, and into the neighboring province of Saskatchewan.

    The wildfire may become the most costly disaster in Canadian history.

  • Mapping ‘Hell on Earth’

    A mapping feature from GPS World magazine’s June issue.

    STILL BURNING: This false-color image shows burned areas in yellow and healthy vegetation in purple. The bright spots are where the fire was actively burning when the image was taken.
    STILL BURNING: This false-color image shows burned areas in yellow and healthy vegetation in purple. The bright spots are where the fire was actively burning when the image was taken. (Image courtesy of DigitalGlobe, © 2016)
    On May 1, a wildfire ignited southwest of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. At first, wildfire MWF-009 seemed like others residents had experienced — smoke and haze, but no real danger. Two days later, the winds shifted.

    The fire swept through Fort McMurray, destroying more than 1,600 homes and buildings and forcing the largest wildfire evacuation in Alberta’s history.

    People described it as hell on Earth, comparing the disaster to movies, war, and the apocalypse. By the end of the week, the fire had grown to more than 101,000 hectares, significantly larger than the city of Calgary.

    BURN SCAR: On May 4, the Landsat 7 satellite’s Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus acquired this false-color image combining shortwave infrared, near infrared and green light (bands 5-4-2). Near- and short-wave infrared help penetrate clouds and smoke to reveal hot spots of fire (red), smoke (white) and burned areas (brown).
    BURN SCAR: On May 4, the Landsat 7 satellite’s Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus acquired this false-color image combining shortwave infrared, near infrared and green light (bands 5-4-2). Near- and short-wave infrared help penetrate clouds and smoke to reveal hot spots of fire (red), smoke (white) and burned areas (brown).

    The entire city population of 88,000 evacuated in a rush, many through falling embers from wildfires beside roadways.

    On May 5, DigitalGlobe’s WorldView-3 satellite (WV-3) peered through smoke using shortwave infrared to take the image on the left. GIS analysts can also measure the intensity of the fire using the image.

    As of press time, the fires continue to spread across northeast Alberta, impacting Canada’s oil sand operations, and into the neighboring province of Saskatchewan.

    The wildfire may become the most costly disaster in Canadian history.

  • Fugro awarded contract to provide hydrographic surveys in Canada

    Fugro has been awarded a supply arrangement by the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) to provide vessel-based hydrographic survey services. Under the contract, CHS will procure hydrographic surveys as needed, anywhere in Canada, to enhance its capacity for data acquisition and processing in support of its nautical charting program.

    Hydrographic survey data from ports, harbors, nearshore and offshore regions will be acquired and processed using Fugro’s vessels, equipment and personnel. The resulting data will be used by CHS to update its nautical charts.

    The supply arrangement, together with a supply arrangement for airborne lidar bathymetry (ALB) awarded in 2013, will enable Fugro to support Canada in its plans to implement an integrated multi-platform methodology to hydrographic surveying anywhere in Canada, including the Arctic region.

    Fugro provides International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) compliant survey services to numerous governments throughout the world.