GPS World

Tag: China

  • Directions 2018: BeiDou builds, diversifies, expands

    Directions 2018: BeiDou builds, diversifies, expands

    By Changfeng Yang,
    Chief Architect of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System

    Changfeng Yang

    As one of the four major GNSS providers, the establishment of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) has been steadily developed, following a three-step strategy. By around 2020, BDS will form a nominal space constellation consisting of 30 satellites, including three satellites in geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), three satellites in inclined geosynchronous satellite orbit (IGSO) and 24 satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO). It will provide global users with open and high-quality services free of charge, including navigation, positioning, timing, short message communication, search and rescue and so on.

    BDS is aimed at developing into a world-class global navigation satellite system, with innovative and advanced technologies, extraordinary user experience, international development and worldwide presence, which can provide fundamental time and space reference for national defense and economic-social development, and advance the progress of high-tech and IT industries.

    BDS has initiated several innovative attempts in the fields of both international satellite navigation and domestic aerospace for the first time, and paved a unique development path of a satellite navigation system, with an eye on the state conditions and distinctive features. On Jan. 9, 2017, the BD-2 Project won the top National Scientific and Technological Progress Award. In 2017, BDS achieved fruitful results in the aspects of system construction, integrated applications and international development.

    System Construction

    Through upgrading and reconstructing the ground system, the service performance, stability and availability of the BD-2 constellation have been improved. To achieve user-oriented services, the updated Interface Control Document (ICD) for B1C and B2a open service signals (Version 2.1) was released in accordance with the constellation change.

    The international GNSS Monitoring and Assessment System (iGMAS) has been built, consisting of eight domestic monitoring stations and 16 overseas stations, to monitor and assess the service performances of BDS, GPS, GLONASS and Galileo at real-time worldwide. It has taken all factors into consideration, including constellation status, signal-in-space, navigation message, service performance and high-precision products, and so on. According to its analysis results, the nominal positioning accuracy of the BD-2 system in the coverage area has been optimized from 10 meters to 8 meters.

    Development of the BD-3 System. On Nov. 5, the first pair of the 24 BD-3 MEO satellites were successfully launched, while another pair is planned to be launched by the end of the year.

    Liftoff of the first pair of the BD-3 MEO satellites on Nov. 5, 2017. (Credit: Xinhua)

    The BD-3 satellites are equipped with B1C and B2a signals with optimized performance, which are compatible and interoperable with other GNSS signals. The interface control document of B1C and B2a signals (beta version) was released in September. The BD-3 satellites also adopt the higher-performance rubidium atomic clock with stability of E-14 and hydrogen atomic clock with stability of E-15. By utilizing new technologies, the signal-in-space (SIS) accuracy will be superior to 0.5 m; the position accuracy will be doubled or quadrupled, and reach 2.5 m to 5 m.

    The BD-3 system will retain the short message communication service of its predecessors, and further enhance basic positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) service capabilities. Satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) and search-and-rescue (SAR) services will be added and developed according to international standards.

    After in-orbit tests and networking validation, the BD-3 satellites will be able to provide operational services, and accelerate the global coverage of BDS.

    Ground-Based Augmentation. The Phase I construction of the BDS/GNSS ground-based augmentation system has been completed, consisting of 150 framework reference stations, 1,200 reference stations of higher density network, national data processing center, six industrial data-processing centers, and manufacturing of user terminals. This system has achieved basic service capabilities, and its service performance standard (version 1.0) has been released. Through integration with the internet, a cloud platform has been established to provide high-precision space-time information services, including real-time navigation services at meter-level and decimeter-level, as well as precise positioning services at centimeter-level and millimeter-level.

    Satellite-Based Augmentation. Based on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, system demonstration and validation work on the BeiDou Satellite-Based Augmentation System (BDSBAS) has been completed, and the technical status of the system has been confirmed in accordance of the next-generation SBAS Dual Frequency Multiple Constellation (DFMC) standards.

    Integrated Applications

    Currently, a great number of independent, self-controlled intellectual property rights on the fundamental BDS products have been achieved. World-class, advanced technologies have been developed. With the release of the first Chinese in-house developed meter-level fast positioning BDS chip, BDS applications have begun to embrace the era of meter-level positioning.

    In 2017, the sales volume of BDS navigation chips and modules exceeded 50 million pieces, and that of high-precision surveying boards and navigation antenna captured 30% and 90% of market shares respectively. There are more than 14,000 enterprises (including more than 50 publicly listed companies), and more than 450,000 employees in China engaging in BDS-related business.

    The annual output value of the publicly listed company in 2017 is more than RMB 50 billion (US $7.53 billion). The number of terminals produced by domestic enterprises surpasses 40 million pieces/sets. BDS has gained recognition from mainstream chip producers such as Qualcomm, Trimble, Hemisphere GNSS, Huawei, Samsung, u-blox, MTK, Broadcom, NovAtel and more, and the total number of terminals is estimated to surpass 300 million pieces or sets.

    BDS continues to:

    • promote integrated applications and development of related industries;
    • bring GNSS high-precision services in combination with cloud computing, Internet of Things, big data and other technologies;
    • push forward the integration between BDS-related industries and high-end manufacturing, software, and integrated data industries.

    BDS has been applied in the transportation, logistics, emergency rescue, marine fishing and other fields, which has greatly improved production efficiency, reduced resource consumption, and lowered pollution. For example, benefiting from the BDS applications in traffic management industry, the number of major accidents has decreased by 46.7%, and the death toll has been reduced by 48.9%. With BDS-based maritime applications, more than 10,000 lives have been saved.

    BDS/GNSS augmentation services have been applied to precision agriculture, land mapping, monitoring on deformation and displacement of large-scale public facilities, and earthquake and geological hazard measurement and survey; the latter has provided important monitoring for public safety. As a result, the production of precision agriculture has increased by 5%, and the oil consumption by agricultural machinery has decreased by 10%. The time for surveying and mapping of national land is shortened from a few days to several seconds.

    BDS has been fully put into mass applications. BDS-based navigation services have been adopted by various enterprises, such as Huawei, ZTE, Baidu, Autonavi, Alibaba, JD and others in the fields of manufacturing of mobile and smart terminals, location-based services (LBS), e-commerce, and so on. BDS-based LBS have been widely applied in the mass consumption sector and people’s livelihood, and many innovative applications have emerged, such as caring for seniors and children, shared vehicles, BDS-based logistics, and so on, which have been changing people’s lives and providing more convenience for the public.

    International Development

    At present, BDS has covered more than 50 countries and more than 3 billion people. BDS-related products have gained access to the markets of more than 70 countries and regions, more than 30 of which are along the (land-based) Belt and (maritime) Road (in line with the Belt and Road Initiative). Through joint applications with other compatible navigation satellite systems, BDS provides global users with diversified choices for better application experience.

    Meanwhile, the iGMAS has contributed to the implementation of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization project, iGMAS-International GNSS Service Pilot experimental project, and Sino-Russian monitoring and assessment cooperation, and has provided GNSS users with authentic third-party assessment results. China continuously pushes forward BDS to be recognized by the ICAO, International Maritime Organization (IMO), mobile communication standard Partnership Project and other organizations, to serve the world in line with international conventions.

    In October, three PRN codes which are essential to the development of BDSBAS were assigned; the SBAS service provider identifier and UTC standard identifier have been assigned to BDSBAS by ICAO, which marks BDSBAS an official SBAS provider in the ICAO family, and lays the foundation for the follow-up construction of BDSBAS, as well as its provision of standard navigation services for the civil aviation sector.

    In March, a multi-system (including GPS, BDS and GLONASS) ship-borne receiver standard was approved by the IMO. BDS has also been included in the PNT guidelines of maritime applications.

    In the field of mobile communication, 26 technical standards that support the BDS positioning function have been adopted by the third- and fourth-generation mobile communication standard Partnership Projects.

    Future Plans

    BDS will keep improving its continuous stability and service accuracy. Two more BD-2 replacement satellites will be launched in 2018, ensuring its regional service performance will be remain stable and be enhanced.

    Eighteen BD-3 MEO satellites and one BD-3 GEO satellite will be launched by around the end of 2018. Upon the deployment of those 19 satellites, BD-3 will possess the initial operational capability and serve the countries along the Belt and Road. The official version of ICD for B1C and B2a open service signals, as well as other system documents, will be released, in line with the operational status of BD-3 satellites, for the convenience of public applications.

    In regard to augmentation systems, China plans to complete the construction of Phase II BDS/GNSS ground-based augmentation system in 2018, and advance the recognition of BDS-based high-precision services as public goods. In 2018, the first BDSBAS GEO satellite with the BDSBAS payload will be launched to start the deployment of the BDSBAS system.

    In terms of applications and international development, China will give full play to the role of BDS in the integration procedure between industrialization and IT applications, to promote the development of information industry, adjustment and upgrading of industrial structure.

    China will also strengthen the cooperation and communication with other navigation satellite system providers, carry out coordination under the framework of international organizations and multilateral platforms, improve the international development of BDS, provide better services for users along the Belt and Road, and expand BDS services to serve users worldwide.

  • US, China cooperate on interoperability for better civilian service

    The United States and China have negotiated compatible signal characteristics that will both protect and enhance service for users of the U.S. GPS and Chinese BeiDou constellations.

    The achievement resulted from several years of discussions between U.S. and Chinese GNSS experts. The consensus to make the systems compatible and interoperable at the user level will mean better service for users of both systems worldwide.

    The U.S.Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Office of Space and Advanced Technology represents the United States in the ongoing U.S.-China GNSS Cooperation Dialogue, which began in May 2014 and covers various topics.

    Compatibility of the Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) with GPS has been a core focus of the discussions. The U.S.-China Joint Statement on signal compatibility and interoperability is below and on the gps.gov website.

    Joint Statement on Civil Signal Compatibility and Interoperability Between the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS)

    December 4, 2017

    In May 2014, China Satellite Navigation Office and the Office of Space and Advanced Technology, U.S. Department of State, jointly established the U.S.-China Civil GNSS Cooperation Dialogue, a bilateral government-to-government mechanism to promote cooperation between the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).

    Over the past three years, representatives and experts from both sides have studied and discussed various topics related to civil service provision and user applications, among which BDS compatibility and civil interoperability with GPS is one of the core focus areas.

    Both sides have carried out extensive in-depth analysis, and have engaged in persistent discussion and coordination.

    As a result, the two sides have reached the following consensus conclusions regarding compatibility and interoperability between GPS and BDS:

    1. Consistent with the bilateral frequency compatibility coordination completed in 2010, GPS and BDS are radio frequency compatible under the framework of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU); and
    2. The GPS L1C and BDS B1C civil signals, using two different types of multiplexed binary offset carrier (MBOC) waveforms are interoperable, which means users can receive better service by jointly using these civil signals without a significant increase in receiver cost or complexity.

    Both sides agree to continue their consultations and cooperation related to compatibility and interoperability in order to provide better services for global users.

    (signed by)

    Ran Chengqi, China Satellite Navigation Office

    David A. Turner, Office of Space and Advanced Technology, U.S. Department of State

    For more information, contact [email protected]. Follow the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs on Twitter at @StateDeptOES.

  • Autonomy assembled: Driverless kits to hit the road in 2020

    Autonomy assembled: Driverless kits to hit the road in 2020

    A major new global-scale venture by China’s Internet giant Baidu aims to put artificial intelligence behind the wheel of fully autonomous vehicles on the road by 2020.

    Regulatory considerations aside, the technical challenges are considerable, but like its U.S. counterpart Google, Baidu is pushing a big pile of chips onto its artificial intelligence (AI) bet.

    Similar to Android, it has made much of the Apollo program’s code, which is completely open-source and available on Github.

    The ecosystem, launched at the Baidu developers conference in Beijing in April, has enlisted at least 50 partners worldwide, with more anticipated.

    A key participant is AutonomouStuff, which started out as an autonomous components supplier, but lately self-transformed into a full-fledged system integrator, with core GNSS and inertial capabilities drawn from manufacturers in the positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) industry.

    Other Apollo partners include major Chinese auto manufacturers; tier 1 suppliers such as Bosch, Continental Automotive and ZF Friedrichshafen AG; components providers such as NVIDIA and Microsoft Cloud; mapper TomTom; and drive-sharing companies.

    AutonomouStuff kitted out two standard Lincoln MKZ sedans for demonstration drives at the Beijing conference, with one technician completing each vehicle in about three hours — a task that would normally take a team of workers up to six weeks. The two Lincolns then drove simultaneously, driverless, around a test track.

    The technology has been developed to be transferrable to other vehicles. Models already demonstrated include the Ford Fusion, a street-legal golf-cart-type electric vehicle called the Polaris GEM, and an off-road Ranger buggy platform.

    AutonomousStuff presents the Apollo kit at the Baidu developer’s conference in April. (Photo: AutonomousStuff)

    How It Works

    Each car is modified by adding lasers, camera, radar sensors, GPS and inertial measurement unit (IMU), a drive-by-wire computer interface and computer engine.

    Laser Sensors. A 64-beam lidar sensor on the roof gives a 360-degree field of vision for mapping, and lidar localization algorithms drawing on more than 2.2 million points of data per second generate a point cloud giving distance, angle and intensity values. This data is integrated with data from the GPS and IMU to generate a base map. Two smaller lidar sensors on the front corners of the vehicle provide obstacle detection and tracking.

    Rotating four-beam laser sensors with 110-degree view and 200-meter range cover blind spots and facilitate fusing all raw data into one scan. Together, they detect other cars, trucks, bikes, pedestrians and background objects, and generate detailed data on their position, motion and shape. Distance and angular resolution data are used to offset camera and radar data.

    Cameras. The platform uses two visible-light cameras mounted on the windshield, relying on laser sensors for nighttime operation. An image-processing chip provides real-time detection of lanes, vehicles and pedestrians, and measures dynamic distances from the vehicle.

    Radar. Five radar sensors provide object detection, with various placements around the vehicle, and varying ranges and fields of view. Jointly, they provide a 360-degree bubble around the car.

    Navigation. The kits provide GPS navigation combined with a tightly coupled IMU to provide data when GPS is not available.

    Together, this provides accuracy to 2 cm, according to the company, when used with a real-time kinematic (RTK) base station; this obviously limits vehicle range. Another option is to use correction data from satellite-based correction services such as TerraStar, yielding achievable accuracies on the order of 4 cm.

    Documentation

    The aim of the Apollo project is to enable partners and customers to develop their own self-driving systems. The information supplied by Baidu encompasses a complete set of end-to-end instructions to convert a regular car to an autonomous-driving vehicle:

    Software Instructions. A set of files that contain:

    • architecture of the classes and the files within each class.
    • code instructions for:
      • coordinate system
      • third-party libraries
      • calibration table.

    Hardware Documents. Instructions to install the hardware and software for the vehicle include:

    • Vehicle:
      • industrial PC (IPC)
      • GPS
      • inertial measurement unit (IMU)
      • controller area network (CAN) card
      • hard drive
      • GPS antenna
      • GPS receiver
    • Software:
      • Ubuntu Linux
      • Apollo Linux kernel
    • Hardware reference guides:
      • vehicle
      • IPC
      • GPS
      • CAN card

    https://youtu.be/eiSfP-Rn6n4

    Manufacturers

    The AutonomouStuff Apollo kit incorporates a choice, depending on user needs, of a selection of NovAtel GNSS receivers, including the ProPak6 GNSS receiver and the SPAN-IGM-A1 GNSS+IMU combined system, IMUs such as the IMU-ISA-100C incorporating Northrop-Grumman Litef GMBH’s inertial measurement technology, and antennas such as the GNSS-703-GGG-HV high vibration triple-frequency GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, and Galileo antenna.

    A 64-beam Velodyne lidar sensor and 16-beam HDL-16E provide laser data.

    The onboard computer system is the AStuff Nebula embedded controller, an IPC powered by an Intel Skylake core i7-6700 CPU. The CAN card used for the IPC is the ESD CAN-PCIe/402.

  • China Eagle builds production base for industrial drones

    China Eagle builds production base for industrial drones

    China Eagle’s Sharp Sword is in prototype testing.
    China Eagle’s Sharp Sword is in prototype testing.

    China Eagle is building the country’s largest production base for industrial drones.

    A Beijing-based UAV developer, China Eagle is maker of the Divine Eagle and the Sharp Sword stealth drones. The firm also works with the state oceanic administration to produce drones for shore patrols.

    The production base in Jingjiang’s economic and technological development zone in east China’s Jiangsu province is expected to produce its first industrial UAV this month. The drones will be designed for mapping, aerial inspection and unmanned cargo transport.

    With an investment of 510 million yuan ($74 million), China Eagle’s new production base is designed with an annual production capacity of 5,000 units. Its total output value is estimated at 3 billion yuan a year. Analysts say the general aviation sector is unable to meet the needs of industrial customers in China, where demand is high.

  • Implications of BeiDou explored in US congressional report

     

    The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission has issued a staff report titled “China’s Alternative to GPS and Its Implications for the United States.”

    The report examines the objectives behind Beijing’s decision to develop the system as an alternative to GPS, its efforts to build an industry around the system, and the effects this might have in security, economic and diplomatic terms for the U.S.

    “The system’s primary purpose is to end China’s military reliance on GPS, although China’s associated industrial policies will likely affect U.S. firms operating in China’s market. Industry professionals assess there are no inherent risks to products such as smartphones receiving data from BeiDou.”

    China’s BeiDou is projected to achieve global coverage by 2020.

    The commission was created through a congressional mandate in October 2000, and is responsible for monitoring and investigating national security and trade issues between the United States and People’s Republic of China.

    Beidou constellation

    Key Findings

    • China has sought to field its own satellite navigation system in order to (1) address national security requirements by ending military reliance on GPS; (2) build a commercial downstream satellite navigation industry to take advantage of the quickly expanding market; and (3) achieve domestic and international prestige by fielding one of only four such systems yet developed, cementing China’s status as a leading space power and opening the door to international cooperation opportunities.
    • Industry professionals assess there are no inherent risks to products such as smartphones receiving data from Beidou. While concerns have been raised that malware in devices could allow China’s government to track users, experts (1) are not aware of ways to feasibly transmit malware through a navigation signal and (2) assess that manufacturers will be unlikely to include Beidou’s unique messaging function due to cost factors. Restrictions on technology purchases from China by U.S. government and military users can help guard against malware being physically installed.
    • Beidou is of foremost importance in allowing China’s military to employ precision-guided conventional strike weapons—a central feature of Beijing’s efforts to counter a U.S. intervention in a potential contingency—if access to GPS is denied.
    • GPS and Beidou signals are both provided for free and are not in “competition” for market share. Also, the satellite navigation industry is trending toward “multi-constellation” receivers that work with all systems. This means that the U.S. firms that currently dominate the downstream satellite navigation industry will likely be able to incorporate Beidou functionality and continue to compete, although prospects in the China market may narrow.
    • China plans to expand Beidou coverage to most of the countries covered in its “One Belt, One Road” initiative by 2018, indicating it sees the system as playing a role in its economic diplomacy efforts. China has also sought to incentivize countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East to begin using Beidou, and seeks to build a network of ground stations throughout Asia to improve the system’s accuracy.
    • In response to these developments, the United States can consider allowing government and military users to take advantage of multi-constellation devices, while continuing to monitor the industry to assure that security threats do not materialize; promote interoperability to ensure its firms remain competitive; and continue to invest in maintaining its leadership in space.
    Current coverage of BeiDou constellation
    (from report).
  • Spirent, Tata Elxsi V2X automotive test system adopted by researchers

    Spirent, Tata Elxsi V2X automotive test system adopted by researchers

    A V2X test system developed by Spirent and Tata Elxsi has been adopted by CAICT, a scientific research institute directly under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China.

    V2X, or “vehicle to everything,” includes vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) connected technology as well as vehicles to pedestrians, devices or transportation grids.

    Tata Elxsi, based in Bangalore, India, is a design and technology services provider for product engineering in industries including broadcast, communications and automotive.

    The next-generation test system provides a flexible, scalable and comprehensive test environment for testing and performance benchmarking of V2X applications, in various stages of the development cycle, from early research up to pre-production.

    The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) in Beijing.
    The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) in Beijing.

    Using a combination of Tata Elxsi’s patent-pending V2X Emulator software and Spirent’s advanced solutions for GNSS and radio channel simulation, the integrated V2X test bed offers the ability to bring real-world traffic scenarios into the lab, significantly reducing costs and time associated with extensive field testing.

    Various driving scenarios can be emulated under a variety of terrain, wireless channel and atmospheric conditions. The V2X test bed, which supports both WAVE-DSRC (U.S., Asia) and ITS-G5 (Europe) standards, offers a comprehensive platform for both functional and performance assessment of V2V and V2I/I2V safety applications, V2X security testing and test report generation.

    “V2X technology is gaining tremendous interest among global OEMs and tier-1 companies for delivering safer driving experience,” said Nitin Pai, senior vice president of marketing, Tata Elxsi. “With China being the largest automotive market in the world, this latest win with CAICT in China is significant for us and automotive companies targeting this market.”

    The V2X Test System enables multi-standards compliance testing using a single solution. The system has the capability to emulate more than 100 onboard units (OBU) and roadside units (RSUs) on a single hardware, enabling repeatable testing of complex scenarios from early development stages without the high risks and costs associated with live vehicle testing.

    “V2X communication will contribute significantly to making the autonomous car a safe and secure reality,” said Peter Tan, Greater China and East Asia, Spirent. “The U.S. DOT’s [Department of Transportation] newly issued regulation proposal mandating V2V communication for light vehicles is another confirmation of this widely accepted fact. With test solutions for conformance, functionality and performance developed in partnership with Tata Elxsi, Spirent is proud to help our customers ensure that their devices meet all conformance functionality and performance requirements to master these major changes ahead.”

    Tata Elxsi is showcasing the V2X Test System along with an array of other automotive solutions covering integrated e-cockpit, infotainment, ADAS, autonomous vehicle technology and telematics at its booth 6223 at CES 2017, Las Vegas.

  • Directions 2017: BeiDou’s road to global service

    Directions 2017: BeiDou’s road to global service

    An effective approach has been taken by the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), and significant progress has been witnessed in 2016, from the aspects of launching new satellites, verifying new technologies, promoting applications and industrialization, strengthening international cooperation, and formulating fundamental policies.

    Li Wang
    Li Wang

    Construction Update. In March 2016, a BDS satellite was launched into an inclined geo-synchronous orbit (IGSO); another geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellite was launched in June. These became the 22nd and 23rd BDS satellites overall and further enhanced service capability. The BDS has been maintaining stable operation, and the performance of BDS Open Services has steadily improved. The availability and continuity surpass 99.9%, which can satisfy the nominal requirements of 95% and 99.5%.

    The deployment of a BDS global constellation has progressed steadily. Five new-generation BDS satellites have been successfully launched so far, to verify advanced signal structure, crosslink, on-board clocks with higher accuracy, and other new technologies. Test results showed that the inter-system technical status is coordinated, the accuracy of orbit prediction was increased by 50%, and accuracy of time maintenance was upgraded by about 60% due to crosslink.

    Meanwhile, the construction of augmentation systems is being accelerated. A nationwide reference station network has been built, and the construction of the basic system has been completed. System performance is under test, including meter and decimeter level for wide-area real-time services, centimeter level for areas within Beijing, and millimeter level for post-processing services.

    As for satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), BDS is actively participating in the design and international coordination activities for the next generation dual-frequency multiple-constellation (DFMC) SBAS standards. The 30th SBAS Interoperability Working Group (IWG) meeting was successfully held in China.

    The document “Development of BDS and Applications of Multi-Frequency Multi-Constellation Navigation Satellite Systems” was submitted by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) during the 39th meeting of International Civil Aviation Organization. This represents Chinese civil aviation authority’s official support of construction of BDSBAS. Development of applications of multi-frequency multi-constellation has been proposed to the international civil aviation community.

    BDS Applications. With the enhancement of BDS service capability, its applications are also making remarkable progress, already producing a BDS industrial chain which comprises the basic products, application terminals, application systems and operational services.

    BDS-based chips have been upgraded in quality and quantity. Great efforts are being made to carry out demonstrations of BDS industrial and regional applications. Mass market applications are flourishing. Chinese industrial production in the field of satellite navigation reached 190 billion renminbi yuan (US$28 billion) in 2015, of which BDS would contribute about 30%. So far, BDS-related products have already been exported to more than 70 countries, and applications and services are available in over 30 countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (the Belt and Road) region.

    International Cooperation Activities. BDS continuously carries out bilateral and multilateral exchanges and cooperation, in line with the principle that “BDS is developed by China, and dedicated to the world.”

    To provide better services for global users, BDS carries out exchanges and coordination with the other navigation satellite systems in terms of compatibility and interoperability, monitoring and assessment, frequency resource, augmentation systems and other areas. It also strives to implement applications cooperation with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, members in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the League of Arab States (LAS), to bring more benefits to a wider range. On multilateral platforms, BDS continuously contributes to efforts and meetings of the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) and the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). In addition to these international academic activities, China has also been organizing the China Satellite Navigation Conference for seven sessions.

    Fundamental Policies. A whitepaper on BDS released in June 2016 interprets its development concepts and propositions, and is available on the official BDS website. The major content includes: to provide open services for global users free of charge; to continuously improve service performance and enhance the service quality; to promote compatible applications with other navigation satellite systems and to improve users’ benefits; to disseminate BDS information in a timely manner; to protect the radio-navigation satellite frequency spectrum according to law and to firmly reject harmful interference; to enhance BDS applications, industrial development and international application; to actively carry out international cooperation and exchanges, to participate in multilateral activities in the field of international satellite navigation and to promote the ratification of the BDS by international standards.

    The “BeiDou Navigation Satellite System Signal In Space Interface Control Document” (Version 2.1) was published in November.

    As for the standardization process, the “BeiDou Satellite Navigation Standard System” (Version 1.0) has been released, and BDS has been included in the Receiver Independent Exchange Format (RINEX, Version 3.03), approved by the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services Special Committee 104 on GNSS Service, RTCM SC-104.

    Follow-up Deployment Plans. In 2017, three to four launches of BeiDou satellites will occur. BDS will provide basic services to the countries along the Belt and Road region by 2018, and possess global service capability by 2020.

    BDS will keep improving its nationwide reference station network and steadily enhance its service performance. The dense reference stations for the nationwide frame network will be constructed by 2018, providing meter and decimeter level real-time location services for users in China, even centimeter level service in some areas.

    BDS will carry out the design, validation and construction of SBAS in accordance with international civil aviation standards. The first GEO satellite of BDSBAS will be launched in around 2018. The satellite-based augmentation services covering China and surrounding regions will be provided from 2020, to provide CAT-I services to civil aviation users.

    China will promote construction of a national comprehensive positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) system based on BDS, and strive to establish such a national PNT system with a united benchmark, no-gap coverage, security and effectiveness by 2030, as well as to upgrade capabilities to provide time and space information.

    Summary. BDS will boost the deployment of a global constellation, continuously enhance performance, fulfill its service commitments, make all efforts to advance satellite navigation applications, promote the development of GNSS, and better serve the world and benefit mankind.

  • Global and Chinese GPS industry analyzed in new report

    The new report, “Global and Chinese GPS Industry — 2016,” is an in-depth study on the current state of the global GPS industry with a focus on the Chinese market, offered by Research and Markets.

    The report provides key statistics on the market status of the GPS manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry.

    It provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2011-2016 market shares for each company.

    Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global and Chinese total market of GPS industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and Chinese import/export.

    The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis The report then estimates 2016-2021 market development trends of GPS industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out.

    In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of GPS Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2011-2021 global and Chinese GPS industry covering all important parameters.

    For more information, visit the Research and Markets website.

  • Open Earth observation data now more accessible

    At the 13th Group on Earth Observation (GEO) Plenary Meeting, representatives from GEO’s 103 member governments and 106 participating organizations convened to launch a new look for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) Portal. The meeting was held Nov. 9-10 in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation.

    Participants also addressed how best to advance GEO initiatives linked to its sustainable development goals and, for the first time, to engage with the commercial sector through a plenary panel session.

    “Open data not only maximizes tax payers’ money in government infrastructure, it promotes economic growth, education and capacity building.” said GEO Secretariat Director Barbara Ryan. “GEO brings all sides of the conversation together so that data is broadly and openly available, free to the user and can be used to create value-added products and services to benefit society.”

    The plenary meeting was held for the first time in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region. New member governments announced at the plenary were Uruguay, United Arab Emirates and Mongolia. Among the new participating organizations approved in 2016 are the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC); the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT); the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS); the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS); and the World Health Organization (WHO).

    The plenary opened with a message from the International Space Station. In the recorded video message, the cosmonauts observed it is easy to understand the interconnected nature of the planet. Space technologies help to understand Earth’s complicated processes and problems. Humankind is facing global challenges today, and international cooperation plays a crucial role in tackling these issues. The work of GEO makes Earth observations more widely available and meaningful, for the benefit of humanity.

    https://youtu.be/C7nmvNb1z14

    “We express our pleasure at the success of the GEO-XIII Plenary due to strong cooperation between the GEO community, Roshydromet and Roscosmos,” said co-host Alexander Frolov, head of Roshydromet. “Numerous side events organized by members and participating organizations clearly demonstrate the constantly evolving influence of GEO as an intergovernmental body.”

    “Coordination of activities, and the joint harvesting and usage the data of Earth Remote Sensing (ERS) that was organized at the GEO-XIII Plenary is very relevant for all of the GEO community,” said Mikhail Khailov, deputy director general for Automatic Space Complexes of the State Corporation Roscosmos. “We are developing the technologies of ERS data processing and thematic services to benefit the people of the Earth through improved coverage, increased volume, quality and promptness of acquired ERS data.”

    Philemon Mjwara, director-general, Department of Science and Technology, Republic of South Africa, reiterated the benefits of having access to EO data as an “enabling resource that allows us to begin addressing the Water-Food-Energy nexus, and other nexus, as a stepping stone to clearly understanding how the Earth’s systems work, and ultimately realizing GEOSS.”

    “Downscaling implementation of GEOSS at national and regional levels has become extremely important to ensure broad engagement and sufficient resources to realize our ambitious vision,” said Pengde Li, deputy director general, National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation of China. “Fortunately, we see more and more members start establishing national inter-ministerial coordination and using regional initiatives as a vehicle for broad engagement.”

    The Group on Earth Observations (GEO). The intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is comprised of 103 Member governments, and 106 Participating Organizations. Established in 2005, GEO strives to improve the world’s observation systems and provide policy makers and scientists with accurate and useful data that can be used to make informed decisions on issues affecting the planet. GEO’s primary focus is to develop a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) to enhance the ability of end-users to discover and access Earth observation data and convert it to useable and useful information. GEO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

  • China launches pulsar navigation satellite

    China launches pulsar navigation satellite

    XPNAV-1 (Image Source: Weibo)
    XPNAV-1 (Image Source: Weibo)

    China has successfully launched a navigation satellite that will conduct in-orbit experiments using pulsar detectors to demonstrate new technologies, reports The Indian Express.

    The X-ray pulsar navigation satellite XPNAV-1 was launched Nov. 10 atop a Long March 11 solid-fueled rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China’s northwest.

    The experimental pulsar navigation mission carries two sensors to pick up incoming X-rays from objects scattered across the galaxy, and use the detections to plot the craft’s position without relying on GPS satellites or pre-loaded navigation fixes.

    Physics World published an article that describes pulsar navigation in June 2013.

    Chinese officials said the XPNAV-1 satellite weighed more than 440 pounds (200 kilograms) at launch, and was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., a contractor in the country’s state-run space industry.

  • Report delves into military GPS/GNSS device market

    A new market report focuses military GPS and GNSS devices. The “Global and Chinese Military GPS/GNSS Devices Industry, 2011-2021 Market Research Report” is an in-depth study on the current state of the industry, with a focus on the Chinese market.

    The report provides key statistics on the market status of device manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry, according to publisher Wise Guy Reports.

    The report provides a basic overview including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure and development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures.

    The report states the global market size (volume and value), and the segment markets by regions, types, applications and companies are also discussed.

    Market analysis is provided for major regions including the United States, Europe, China and Japan, and other regions can be added. For each region, market size and end users are analyzed as well as segment markets by types, applications and companies.

    The report also focuses on global leading industry players with company profiles, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information. Industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.

    Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.

    In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.

    For more information, email [email protected].

  • Esri agreement to provide access to Chinese maps, imagery

    Dean Angelides, director of International Operations, Esri (left), and Feng Xianquang, director for NGCC, signed the historic agreement to share data with users around the world.
    Dean Angelides, director of International Operations, Esri (left), and Feng Xianquang, director for NGCC, signed the historic agreement to share data with users around the world.

    Esri and the National Geomatics Center of China (NGCC) have signed an agreement providing access to NGCC’s mapping web services, starting this fall.

    The historic agreement will allow more users outside of China to access the country’s authoritative cartographic and imagery data. Users of the Esri ArcGIS platform will have access to the maps for no additional charge.

    NGCC is a government agency attached to National Administration of Surveying, Mapping (NASG) and Geoinformation of China. NGCC is responsible for national data that is used in surveying and mapping projects in China, as well as facilitating the scientific and technological communication between agencies in China, in the areas of sharing geographic data and services over the web.

    “The cooperation between NGCC and Esri will enable a large number of ArcGIS online users to gain access to the rich regional online geodata of China,” said Zhigang Li, NASG chief engineer, on behalf of NASG. “The agreement will facilitate the scientific and technological communication between agencies by sharing geographic information and services over the web in the Asia Pacific Region. NGCC hopes this joint work is able to promote regional, even global, promotion of spatial data.”

    “We are honored to work with the government of China to provide access to the most current and authoritative basemaps for the country,” said Jack Dangermond, president of Esri. “We look forward to continued collaboration.”

    The web services will be available in the third quarter of 2016.

    Photo: Esri