GPS World

Tag: geopositioning

  • Astradia star tracker designed to fill in for GNSS

    Astradia star tracker designed to fill in for GNSS

    Sodern announces the commercial launch of Astradia, a daytime star tracker which, when combined with an inertial navigation system, allows more precise and robust navigation under GNSS-denied environments.

    Specifically designed for civil and military aircraft, Astradia can operate day or night guided by stars. Astradia offers tracking capacity to within a few arc-seconds, equivalent to 1 meter at a distance of 70 km. This function, which is extremely useful for aligning inertial navigation systems or its registration during mission, opens the door to applications with demanding tracking requirements, including stealth missions.

    The sensor delivers measurements to the aircraft without interruption, providing operational capacity at any point on Earth, including over the oceans, with no need to update maps or charts in order to carry out the mission. This sensor effectively reduces navigation drift during long flights and more generally improves the security of in-flight positioning.

    Astradia is an endo-atmospheric star tracker that provides daytime and nighttime attitude measurement, for precise, robust and reliable onboard geopositioning data. It helps counter the natural drift in inertial navigation systems. It also offers the advantage of emitting no waves, which could otherwise expose an aircraft to detection.

    Astradia is compact (176 mm x 185 mm x 207 mm) and weighs less than 3 kg. It was specifically designed for easy integration on all types of aircraft. This optimized design makes Astradia ideal for a wide range of applications, including drones and surveillance aircraft.

    Several thousand of Sodern’s star trackers are already in service, along with a star catalogue and proven detection algorithms. This technology has also undergone conclusive in-flight testing.

    Astradia will be featured at the Sodern stand during the 2025 International Paris Air Show.

  • Brandt acquires Sokkia Canada from Topcon

    Brandt acquires Sokkia Canada from Topcon

    Brandt logoEffective July 2, the Brandt Group of Companies successfully acquired the assets of Ontario-based Sokkia Canada in a deal with owner Topcon Positioning Systems.

    The acquisition, which directly affects the Ontario and Quebec markets, makes Brandt the exclusive dealer for Sokkia optical survey instruments, accessories and parts for the Canadian market.

    The news signals Brandt’s entry into Central Canada’s geopositioning technology market and is the latest in a growing list of acquisitions and dealer agreements made by the Regina, SK-based company since its purchase of Ontario/Quebec/Newfoundland and Labrador John Deere Construction & Forestry dealer Nortrax in late 2019.

    “Expanding our Sokkia offering into Ontario and Quebec has been a high priority for Brandt,” said Brandt CEO Shaun Semple. “Central Canada is an important new market for us and we are 100% committed to delivering exceptional value for the survey, engineering and construction industry here. This addition is a big step forward for us.”

    The survey-focused Sokkia brand has a 100-year history and is owned and marketed by Topcon Positioning Systems, a U.S.-based division of Japanese precision equipment manufacturer Topcon Corporation.

    The Sokkia product lineup will be distributed and supported through the company’s Brandt Positioning Technology division and includes total stations, GNSS receivers, data collectors, digital levels and a full complement of field accessories.

    The move will consolidate Sokkia distribution for the first time under one banner and will further establish the Brandt’s position as a premier privately-held Canadian company.

    The Brandt Group of Companies — headquartered in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada — is comprised of Brandt Agricultural Products, Brandt Engineered Products, Brandt Equipment Solutions, Brandt Road Rail, Brandt Positioning Technology, Brandt Truck Rigging & Trailers, Brandt Finance, Brandt Developments Ltd., Brandt Road Technology, Brandt Mineral Technology and Brandt Tractor Ltd. (the world’s largest privately owned John Deere Construction & Forestry equipment dealer.)

    Brandt has more than 100 locations in Canada and the U.S., more than 3,400 employees, and a growing international customer base. It serves the construction, forestry, agriculture, rail, mining, steel and energy industries.

  • New Topcon Talks aimed at professionals at home during COVID-19

    New Topcon Talks aimed at professionals at home during COVID-19

    Photo: Topcon
    Photo: Topcon

    New series of free webinars for construction, geopositioning and agriculture facilitate learning

    Topcon Positioning Group is launching a free webinar program for the construction, geopositioning and agricultural sectors, exploring key topics affecting the industry and providing the latest updates and project management solutions.

    The Topcon Talks series, consisting of numerous informative webinars, has been created in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and aims to provide those working from home with valuable educational resources, while maintaining steady communication with Topcon customers, dealers and the wider industry.

    The webinars will focus on a range of topics such as improving productivity using digital construction workflows, overcoming barriers to technology adoption, and more practical how-to sessions for customers and dealers on specific Topcon solutions.

    The webinars will be delivered by a range of Topcon experts, with input from several other industry specialists, and cover a multitude of topics including:

    • Always One Step Ahead – an overview of Topcon’s latest product developments, market focuses and acquisitions
    • State of the Industry series – looking at the barriers to technology adoption in construction, such as attracting talent and bridging the skills gap
    • Detailed technical sessions showcasing latest hardware, software and web services to get the most out of Topcon solutions

    The content series is live on the site, with new sessions taking place regularly over the coming weeks. All sessions are free to attend, and those wanting to participate will first need to register on the Topcon website.

    “Everyday life has changed very quickly, and businesses across the world are having to adapt. At Topcon, we are working tirelessly to help the industry weather this storm. We’re aware that at this time, the majority of people are working from home, and we want to continue to support our customers and colleagues as much as possible,” said Ron Oberlander, vice president of global professional services at Topcon Positioning Group. “That’s why we’ve developed this webinar series — to provide an opportunity for continued professional development so that professionals can remain as productive as possible during this challenging time and be in the best position possible to accelerate the industry’s recovery when we come out the other side.”

    The webinars are also recorded and uploaded to the site once complete, so those who are unable to attend the session can access the content in their own time.