Topcon Positioning Group announces the release of two new mapping kits for its Sirius Pro fixed-wing unmanned aerial system (UAS). The kits are designed to produce the most accurate solutions for automated mapping of construction sites, building facades, mines, quarries, disaster areas — and more without regard to terrain.
Both systems include an enhanced MAVinci Desktop Flight Planning software upgrade.
The first new package — Sirius UAS City Mapping Kit — includes a Fuji X-M1 8 mm lens designed to better capture urban surroundings.
“It allows the image capture of vertical facades such as buildings, infrastructure and construction sites,” said Charles Rihner, vice president of the Topcon GeoPositioning Solutions Group. “The upgraded flight planning software optimizes the planning, preparation and processing to automatically produce a textured 3D model. Additionally, the kit allows the acquisition of 3D models and orthophotos when flying below 50 m altitude,” he said.
The second new package — the Sirius UAS High Resolution Mapping Kit — comes with a Fuji X-M1 27-millimeter lens. “This package allows the collection of images at the highest possible resolution for applications such as construction site monitoring, survey and mapping topography,” Rihner said. “It allows operators to obtain higher resolution images at the same altitude as compared with a standard lens.”
“Every QGIS user now has access to the vast volumes of mobile mapping data,” said Peter Bonne, CEO of Orbit GT. By connecting to Publisher, the QGIS user has access to spherical imagery and point-cloud data of unlimited volume and size onto their desktop.
With the Orbit GT plugin for QGIS, the use of native Mobile Mapping content becomes easy, the company said. Any challenge of volume and performance is tackled by the Orbit Publisher. Users can measure, copy any measurement into QGIS, and overlay QGIS features on the Mobile Mapping imagery.
Phase One Industrial has introduced its Phase One 4-Band Solution, which incorporates an innovative batch-processing tool that automates and simplifies the four-band aerial image generation process.
Adding a fourth band of near infrared (NIR) image data to three-band color (RGB) image data yields multispectral information useful in vegetation studies — in applications ranging from crop metrics for optimization, to vegetation health, environmental contamination and city observations for green site monitoring.
Synchronized Phase One metric aerial cameras.
The solution is composed of two synchronized Phase One metric aerial cameras mounted side by side on a specially designed base plate, a Phase One iX Controller and Phase One iX Capture software.
Images are captured in NIR and RGB bands simultaneously, and processed automatically to generate distortion-free images and perform fine co-registration of the pixels from NIR to the RGB images — including processing different image sizes — with seven different output options, including multispectral CIR images.
Complementing the solution’s software functionality, the use of two separate cameras to support higher system sensitivity permits operators to separately control capture settings so that they can operate under a wider range of lighting conditions.
“We very easily installed the cameras into the gyro mount, and all power and communications were automatically configured with the iX-Controller,” said Peter Bochmann, operator of Aerial SurveyS GmbH. “The output four-band images were incredible, showing an area of forest vegetation straight-away that needed attention; we would not have seen this detail with RGB images alone. The flexibility of the solution is also great, since you can combine any two Phase One metric medium-format cameras and accomplish multiple jobs without changing the setup.”
The Phase One 4-Band Solution offers a variety of benefits:
100MP sensors for RGB and NIR images, no NIR up scaling is needed;
CMOS sensors for maximum sensitivity;
Post processing is automatic, using the solutions’ iX Controller along with iX Capture;
Automatic individual aperture control and auto exposure mode is available for both cameras;
Direct connection to GNSS/IMU systems; coordinates are stored inside the EXIF data of each image to speed later post-processing;
Also available with 80MP RGB and 60MP Achromatic Sensors.
Esri customers in the United States can now purchase Septentrio’s Altus NR2 high-accuracy GNSS receiver, according to an announcement today from the two partner companies.
The open-architecture Altus NR2 is fully compatible with Esri’s new version of Collector for ArcGIS, giving Esri users a powerful combination for GIS data gathering in applications requiring centimeter-level positioning, the companies said in a news release.
The intuitive web interface built into the NR2 allows for easy receiver configuration for Collector for ArcGIS using a standard web browser so that no additional device is needed to configure the receiver.
“This new reseller agreement builds on our longstanding strategic alliance with Septentrio to develop high-accuracy GNSS/GIS solutions optimized for easy integration with our ArcGIS Online platform,” said Jeff Shaner, product manager. “The Altus NR2 GNSS receiver, coupled with Collector for ArcGIS, provides a seamless solution for high-accuracy, offline field data collection using the ArcGIS platform.”
“We have worked closely with Esri to ensure our new-generation GNSS receiver technology integrates smoothly with Esri’s new high-accuracy Collector for ArcGIS,” said Neil Vancans, vice president of Septentrio Americas. “Our open architecture enables Esri users to record important parameters like height, horizontal coordinates, error variance and other attributes in the field using their familiar Collector workflows.”
The Altus NR2 offers advanced features such as dual cellular antennae with automatic switchover, built-in Wi-Fi, hot-swappable batteries and open architecture to Esri ArcGIS Online. It has been thoroughly tested with the new high-accuracy version of Collector for ArcGIS.
Septentrio’s advanced RTK engine delivers unbeatable accuracy at centimeter-level for GIS professionals in urban and regional planning, transportation, water industry, real estate, forestry, telecommunications and other sectors. The NR2’s integrated communication systems make for fast and easy field work. The Bluetooth module enables rapid data streaming into Collector. The built-in GSM/GPRS modem provides robust access to RTK data corrections, while the Wi-Fi provides access to Septentrio’s intuitive web user interface for easy status monitoring and straightforward configuration.
The iX series of robotic total stations uses ultrasonic technology.
Sokkia has introduced a new line of robotic total stations. Featuring ultrasonic technology, the iX series is designed to provide smooth, accurate prism-tracking and is “lighter and faster,” according to a Sokkia news release.
“Ultrasonic technology is the driving force for the iX series,” said Ray Kerwin, director of global surveying products. “The Ultrasonic motors are the thinnest, lightest and most reliable on the market. With a rotation speed of 150 degrees per second, the iX series offers the efficiency of a single-operator robotic system and the power of long-range reflectorless measurements of up to 800 meters and 6,000 meters with a reflector.
“Our new UltraTrac technology gives you increased prism-tracking strength in all conditions. Advanced instrument algorithms deliver the confidence you need to move ahead,” he said.
The system is designed to be a compact solution and is a third smaller and lighter than previous robotic Sokkia instruments.
Along with complementing Sokkia products, the instrument is designed with an open platform for additional compatibility with non-proprietary software and controllers. The iX series also features a five-year motor warranty.
FAA clarifies changes before small drone rule takes effect
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new small drone rule — formally known as Part 107 — is effective on Monday, Aug. 29. The FAA has released information to help drone users understand the new requirements.
Below is information on Part 107’s effect on Section 333 waivers, along with how to obtain a Part 107 waiver.
Section 333 vs. Part 107: What works for you?
The biggest question is whether you are better off flying under the provisions of Part 107, or should continue using your existing exemption? The video below explains what happens to your Section 333 exemption grant or petition for exemption.
Your exemption is valid until it expires — usually two years after it was issued. Even after Part 107 becomes effective, you may choose to fly following the conditions and limitations in your exemption.
However, if you want to operate under the new Part 107 regulations, you’ll have to obtain a remote pilot certificate and follow all of the rule’s operating provisions. You must apply for a waiver if some parts of your operation don’t meet the rule’s requirements.
If you already have a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) under your Section 333 exemption, you can continue to fly under the COA limitations until it expires. If you don’t already have a COA, you probably won’t need one when the new drone rules go into effect.
However, if you want to fly in controlled airspace, you will need permission from FAA air traffic control. Details about obtaining that permission will be online at www.faa.gov/uas when the small drone rule is effective on Aug. 29.
If you applied for a Section 333 exemption but haven’t received it yet, you should have received a letter from the FAA with specific information about the status of your petition. Generally, if your petition is pending and falls within the provisions of the rule, you should follow the steps outlined in the rule.
Whether you choose to fly under your exemption or under the new small drone rule is your choice, depending on how you want to operate your aircraft. You’ll have to compare the conditions and limitations in your exemption to the operating requirements in the rule to determine which one best addresses your needs.
Applying for a waiver under the new drone rules
Part 107 allows for some expanded operations based on technology mitigations if you can make the safety case for a waiver of some provisions. Operators can apply for waivers to operate at night, beyond line of sight, above 400 feet and other specific types of operation.
Here’s what you need to know about the waiver process:
Under Part 107, you may request a waiver of certain provisions starting Aug. 29 if your operations don’t quite fit under the rule’s provisions. On Aug. 29, the FAA will have an online portal you can use to request waivers of applicable Part 107 regulations at www.faa.gov/uas.
The FAA won’t grant waivers automatically, and processing your waiver request may take time. The exact length of time will depend on the volume of requests the agency receives and the complexity of the waiver application. You should submit your waiver requests to the FAA as early as possible, at least 90 days before you plan to fly.
If you have a Section 333 exemption grant, and we previously said you could operate under Part 107 with a waiver, you will receive a letter notifying you that we have granted you a 0waiver or that we need additional information for you to make your safety case. (See above section.)
Information on the regulations potentially eligible for a waiver is here. Below is a short video on the waiver process.
Esri technology has been in full force in Louisiana during both the search-and-rescue phase and cleanup and disaster recovery efforts following massive flooding in Baton Rouge. Esri’s ArcGis Online is providing a way to collect, monitor and report field activities to be sure all departments are on the same page using real time imagery, data and apps.
In an emergency situation, location is a key component in response efforts — from maps showing affected areas to first responders; to where relief supplies are located; to evacuation routes and impending weather.
The Esri Story Map references the locations of civil air patrol photos.
Esri’s Disaster Response Program provides software support, data support, and consulting/technical support for active disasters. The program is available to any agency supporting a disaster, regardless of whether they are an Esri customer.
Currently, the Esri Disaster Response Program is supporting the efforts to respond to the wildfires in California as well as the flooding in Louisiana, but the tools are called into action on countless disaster situations and are available at any time.
For the flooding, a Public Information Map is updated continuously with multiple data streams such as social media and weather reports. There are also a Flooding Story Map and a Local Impact Map available. Similar resources are available for the wildfire emergency.
The Arctic SDI Board, — which includes mapping executives from Canada, Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the U.S. — met June 14-16 in Anchorage, Alaska, to further develop a robust Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure.
The Arctic SDI is a cooperation based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the eight National Mapping Agencies and is intended to ensure Arctic geospatial data is easier for users to access, validate and combine.
Erosion and climate change along Alaska’s Arctic Coast. (Photo: USGS)
A spatial data infrastructure (SDI) provides tools for data distributors to ensure geospatial data is easier for users to access, validate and combine with other data. Important data sets are produced and distributed by many stakeholders — in the public and private sector — and most of it can be geographically referenced.
“It’s important that scientists, resource managers, decision-makers and citizens can discover, access and use trusted data to conduct research, make informed decisions, and respond to emergencies in a changing Arctic,” said Kevin Gallagher, the USGS associate director for core science systems and current Arctic SDI Board chair. “The Arctic SDI initiative brings together geospatial experts and scientists in a voluntary cooperation between these country’s national mapping agencies in direct support of the priorities of the Arctic Council and other important stakeholders.”
The Arctic SDI cooperation has built a foundation on which important strategic work is being conducted by lead countries through several working groups in alignment with the five-year Arctic SDI Strategic Plan 2015-2020 adopted last year.
Polar bear mother and two cubs on the Beaufort Sea ice. (Photo: USGS)
The Arctic SDI Geoportal, launched in 2014, includes a continuously updated, harmonized pan-Arctic basemap using data delivered by the individual countries and national mapping agencies. Together they are working to increase the number of national authoritative datasets available through the Geoportal. The basemap, geoportal and access to data are continually being improved.
Additionally, an Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Arctic Spatial Data Pilot, sponsored by Natural Resources Canada and the USGS is underway to test interoperability of standards, increase the inventory of available Arctic data, and advance the understanding of best practices for distribution and sharing of data by showcasing the value of a standards based, data rich environment.
In 2009, the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials gave unanimous formal support to the Arctic SDI initiative and while the Arctic Council represents its primary stakeholder group, the Arctic SDI is aligned with the global, regional and national geodata context, including:
The United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM),
The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS),
The European Commission’s Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE)
The U.S Federal Geographic Data Committee National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI),
and Canada’s Spatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI).
Additionally, the work adheres to Open Data principles, including facilitation of open and interoperable data based on OGC and ISO standards, specifications, architecture and software.
Arctic SDI Working Groups are continuing communication and outreach with stakeholders, especially the Arctic Council Working Groups, to advance understanding of data sharing and management techniques, and best practices to improve data access and availability. This work also includes development of communication materials, user guides and a manual.
Additionally, elevation experts from the national mapping agencies have been cooperating with the National Science Foundation and Polar Geospatial Center to provide data and expert reviews in support of a high quality Pan-Arctic Digital Elevation Model being developed in support of a U.S. Chairmanship Arctic Council Initiative.
Geospatial Corporporation announces the long-awaited passage of the PIPES Act of 2016. The bill, recently signed into law by President Obama, empowers the Pipeline Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) to require various certifications, data management, testing and mapping of all types of the more than 3 million miles of buried energy pipelines across the USA.
“The PIPES ACT impacts all segments of the industry, including gathering systems, transmission and distributions systems,” said Mark Smith, Chairman and CEO of Geospatial Corporation. “The Oil and Gas markets are a major part of our current and future business, and recently we have clients giving serious attention to accuracy and completeness of their asset mapping in anticipation of the new regulations. ”
As a Google Maps Technology Partner, Geospatial Corporation is positioned to provide management capabilities, technology, software and data management processes to owners of critical underground infrastructure located across the United States in compliance with the new legislation.
Pokévision, a third-party app for the viral mobile game Pokémon Go, uses Esri’s location-based data and mapping platform ArcGIS to help players of the game find Pokémon around them.
Pokévision helps Pokémon Go players hunt more strategically by displaying location changes and time spent in each place; the length of time in a given location depends on the rarity of the character.
A web map powered by ArcGIS services, Pokévision shows all Pokémon near user-requested locations. When visitors type an address or drop a pin on the map, Pokémon are displayed in real time.
“When we created Pokévision, we chose Esri ArcGIS almost immediately because it was the only option that was able to scale at the rate we were growing,” said the Pokévision founder Y. Liu. “Using Esri alleviated many of the concerns we had with scaling, and helped us to quickly and seamlessly keep pace with our growing user base.”
Pokévision had 20 million unique users in the first five days and is growing. Its peak usage exceeded 320,000 visitors with map requests reaching into the tens of millions.
Pokévision developers chose Esri for its open-source, mobile-friendly interactive mapping capabilities. The developers first built the locator for a few friends, but the tool was so popular it quickly went viral. Within hours of creation, Esri experienced double the normal hit rates, and use of interactive maps used to display Pokémon rose by more than 30 percent.
“The ArcGIS Online platform is designed to scale in high-performance, high-growth environments,” said Paul Ross, product manager for ArcGIS Online at Esri. “Even large data sets at high volume can be handled in real or near real time, as happened with the Pokévision locator.”
Developers can bring the Pokévision location to their apps using ArcGIS regardless of their experience in creating geospatial applications. Web, mobile, and desktop apps can incorporate the same mapping, visualization, and analysis that hundreds of thousands of organizations around the world rely on every day.
Florida is home to more than 3.6 million women aged 15 to 44 years. With more than 400 Zika virus cases reported in Florida to date, the state has become a top focus in the public health battle to curb the spread of Zika infections in the U.S.
Gathering and mapping such data using GIS software from Esri is part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response’s (ASPR) effort to combat this growing health risk domestically and internationally.
The health impacts of the Zika virus are greatest on developing fetuses. Drawing on U.S. Census data, Esri is showing experts at the ASPR and other agencies within HHS where best to target information and reach women of child-bearing age and their partners.
To plan for the domestic assistance that states may need, ASPR also is using Esri software to monitor the spread of the Zika virus across the U.S. and in 34 other countries where infections have been found.
Using Esri software, ASPR created a publicly available interactive map that shows the number of cases in each state. The information is automatically updated each week.
The Zika virus is spread to people primarily through the bites of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes; however, the virus has also been found to be transmitted sexually. The virus can cause Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults and children and can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly.
“Prevention is the first course of action in protecting public health, but people need information to make decisions about what preventive actions to take,” said Este Geraghty, chief medical officer and health solutions director, Esri. “Using GIS technology to locate the most vulnerable populations is a first step in educating people on the risks of the Zika virus and about actions that can protect health and curb the spread of disease.”
For more information on Esri and using GIS for vector-borne disease surveillance and control, visit go.esri.com/pr-zika.
A new world of opportunities for drone operators will open on Aug. 29 when the new small drone rule for non-hobbyists becomes effective. To enable people to take advantage of the new rule, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has provided the following information on the required aeronautical knowledge test.
Under the new rule — also known as Part 107 — the person actually flying a drone must have a remote pilot certificate with a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) rating, or be directly supervised by someone with such a certificate.
To qualify for the certificate, you must either pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center or have an existing non-student Part 61 pilot certificate. If you are qualifying under the latter provision, you must have completed a flight review in the previous 24 months and must take an FAA UAS online training course. The Transportation Security Administration will conduct a security background check of all remote pilot applications before issuing a certificate.
