GPS World

Tag: GIS

  • Drone Aviation to Provide Imaging, Surveillance Aerial System for Defense

    The Drone Aviation WASP system.
    The Drone Aviation WASP system.

    Drone Aviation Holding Corp., a developer of specialized lighter-than-air aerostats and tethered drones, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Drone Aviation Corp. (DAC), has received an order from specialized defense contractor Troll Systems for a set of Winch Aerostat Small Platform (WASP) aerostat systems.

    Drone Aviation is exhibiting at the AUVSI Unmanned Systems 2015 show, being held May 4-7 in Atlanta (booth #550).

    Under terms of the award, DAC and Troll will jointly form a working group to integrate the L-3 Wescam MX-10 advanced optical sensor system into the WASP platform for an international customer. The working group plans on commencing integration in May with initial flight testing expected to take place by Q3 2015.

    Drone Aviation also announced that CNN is working with the company to explore how their tethered drone technology might be used in newsgathering operations in urban areas, as part of its FAA partnership, also announced at the AUVSI show. CNN selected Drone Aviation to leverage its WATT-200 tethered drones to gather footage from never-seen-before angles and heights. WATT-200 was unveiled at the AUVSI this week.

    DAC develops and manufactures the WATT Electric Tethered Drone, Blimp in a Box (BiB) and WASP aerostat product lines. The WATT Tethered Drone, as well as the BiB and WASP aerostats, utilize a secure, high strength tether line that remains connected to the ground for safe and reliable operations.

    DAC’s systems are intended to provide semi-persistent, mobile intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (“ISR”) and extended communications for various applications. Each system can provide low cost, mobile ISR and mobile communications for days, weeks or months. BiB and WASP aerostats are currently in use in a number of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) applications as well as at State and Local Police and Departments of Transportation where they provide silent, cost effective day and night monitoring and mobile communications.

    Drone Aviation is exhibiting this week at AUVSI Unmanned Systems 2015 in Atlanta.
    Drone Aviation is exhibiting this week at AUVSI Unmanned Systems 2015 in Atlanta.

    DoD-owned WASP systems are currently participating in sponsored exercises and are part of future capability studies as part of the DoD’s evaluation of the WASP as a highly mobile, tactical aerostat for ISR and communications. The DoD-owned WASP systems have successfully completed operations in a series of the United States Army Network Integration Experiments (NIEs) and have been recognized by the Army as a tactical battlefield solution that can support soldiers on the ground.

    “Drone Aviation is pleased to partner with Troll Systems to expand the capabilities of our WASP platform and to help them meet the stringent requirements of their overseas customers,” said Felicia Hess, CEO of Drone Aviation Holding Corp. “With the addition of the L-3 Wescam MX-10 optical package, we are greatly expanding the operational capabilities of the WASP tethered aerostat system, further demonstrating the platform’s ability to flexibly deliver simple, secure and cost effective tactical surveillance and communications to customers.”

  • Exelis Showcases CorvusEye 1500 Analytics at Unmanned Systems 2015

    Exelis has improved the way its CorvusEye 1500 wide-area airborne system processes and analyzes the vast amount of data it collects, which is crucial in helping customers make critical decisions, the company said.

    CorvusEye 1500 is one of the programs Exelis is featuring at Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International’s (AUVSI’s) Unmanned Systems 2015 May 4-8 in Atlanta (booth #2449). From an altitude of 15,000 feet, CorvusEye 1500 provides color and infrared imagery of a city-sized area unavailable with comparable airborne systems. At Unmanned Systems 2015, visitors will see how users work with the real-time analytics and processed data to search for vehicle tracks based on location and time.

    “It’s all about context,” said Dwight Greenlee, director, regional persistent surveillance, Exelis Geospatial Systems. “Conventional video surveillance systems with their ‘soda straw’ views can miss critical activities, making it hard to understand what’s happening over a wide area. CorvusEye now has real-time analytics that automate certain tasks. For example, users can set ‘watch boxes’ or ‘trip wires’ in as many as 10 areas of interest. Users are then alerted if anything moves in or out of that area, and they can automatically track that moving object. Because of the context provided by CorvusEye, users can be more confident in the data to make decisions.”

    Another new capability in CorvusEye is the ability to cue a second sensor, such as a hyperspectral sensor, to scan a location for certain spectral “signatures” indicating the presence of a material or gas. Analysts also can easily integrate full-motion video sensors into the cueing capability.

    Processing CorvusEye data post-flight provides analysts with a database of all moving objects in the entire scene, allowing them to gather critical forensic intelligence and enabling a better understanding of behaviors and patterns across the region.

    At 15 inches in diameter and weighing less than 95 pounds, the CorvusEye turret and sensor package can fit on most midsize unmanned and manned aircraft and uses standard interfaces to swap into virtually any 15-inch airframe mounting location. CorvusEye is exportable to many military, intelligence and security customers around the world, Exelis said.

  • gvSIG 2.2 Release Available for Download, Feedback

    The first gvSIG 2.2 Release Candidate (gvSIG 2.2 RC1) is now available for download.

    The gvSIG project team is asking for the gvSIG community to help test and debug version 2.2 as soon as possible so the final version can be released. The gvSIG team encourages users to test the software and send them any errors and suggestions in the users mailing list.

    The main new features of this version are:

    • New editing extension, including new functionalities
    • Labeling by scale
    • Legend by scale
    • Hyperlink to folders
    • OGC services publishing
    • Seismic formats
    • Sailing symbols library

    The development team says the new version represents a marked change from the previous version, and therefore may have still-unidentified errors. A new manual has also been developed.

  • Trimble Provides Software Enhancements for GIS, Remote Sensing

    Trimble has announced a series of new software enhancements that enable photogrammetry, GIS, geospatial and remote sensing professionals to streamline workflows, achieve faster results and gain increased value from highly accurate geospatial data. Enhancements include the Trimble Inpho version 6.1 photogrammetric suite, UASMaster version 6.1 and UASMaster Lite for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) applications, and eCognition  version 9.1 and eCognition Essentials version 1.1 image analysis software.

    The announcement was made at the Imaging and Geospatial Technology Forum (IGTF), formerly ASPRS, held May 4-8 in Tampa, Fla.

    “Optimizing software workflows for our customers to gain value from imaging data is critical for the success of geospatial professionals and a continued focus of Trimble Geospatial,” said Alain Samaha, business area director of GIS and Geospatial Software Solutions for Trimble’s Geospatial Division. “The new enhancements will enable customers to streamline processes and increase their efficiency and productivity, which translates to increased cost savings and decreased operational expenditures.”

    Photogrammetry professionals generating high-quality deliverables, with Trimble’s Inpho software, such as 3D CAD line work, GIS layers and DTMs, can now reduce production time by days through optimized geo-referencing capabilities and new tools for CAD object creation. The Inpho version 6.1 enhancement allows snapping-to-elevation and draping lines-to-elevation models—for greater efficiency in creating CAD data layers—while maintaining the highest level of accuracy.

    The UASMaster version 6.1 software enhancement offers greater productivity through new support for precise GNSS data that allows users to reduce the number of ground control points required without compromising accuracy. For professionals new to the UAS market, UASMaster is now also available in an entry-level “Lite” edition. The new UASMaster Lite edition allows users to quickly extract high quality deliverables within a simplified workflow, while obtaining the same industry-leading quality offered with Inpho software.

    Inpho version 6.1 and UASMaster version 6.1 now also include a direct interface connection to Trimble’s eCognition analysis software, making it easier to obtain actionable and valuable information from imagery data in land classification maps, GIS layers and change analysis.

    eCognition version 9.1, an object-based image analysis software, now includes enhanced multi-core processing, allowing GIS, geospatial and remote sensing professionals to extract valuable information from satellite and aerial based data faster than before. New GIS-based analytic tools and improved tools for packaging applications make it easier to create customer solutions.

    eCognition Essentials version 1.1 provides up to 50-percent faster processing than previously, including improved flexibility and control of classification workflows for professionals generating land-cover mapping deliverables.

    The new versions are available now.

  • Phase One Releases iX Capture 2.0 Software for Aerial Photography

    Phase One Industrial, a manufacturer of medium format aerial photography equipment and software solutions, has released Phase One iX Capture 2.0, a control, capture and RAW conversion application designed specifically for aerial photography.

    Features include:

    • Support for up to six cameras. iX Capture 2.0 can support full oblique/nadir arrays with multiple Phase One aerial cameras or dual-camera arrays, such as RGB/NIR or arrays to capture wide swaths.
    • Auto Exposure mode. After a user selects a priority with specific ranges set for each parameter, the camera can evaluate the current image and adjust the ISO, aperture and shutter speed for subsequent captures. Auto exposure mode helps operators avoid post flight adjustments in exposure when light conditions change.
    • Offline processing of files and complete folders. iX Capture can now process images post flight, enabling users to process files previously captured or even process the same files, but with different settings applied. With a choice of three offline processing recipes, individual images or folders can be processed individually or simultaneously.

    Learn more at the Phase One website.

  • AirMap Digital Map Enables Safe, Legal Drone Flying

    AirMap-O

    AirMap — a free, comprehensive digital map — allows unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operators to visualize the airspace around them, including areas where they may not be permitted to fly.

    AirMap removes barriers to compliance of complex airspace rules by providing the low altitude airspace information that unmanned aircraft operators need. AirMap was cofounded by aviation expert and entrepreneur Ben Marcus and Gregory McNeal, a legal scholar on drones, public policy and air rights.

    AirMap integrates multiple sources of reliable data and gives UAS operators an easy-to-use, yet detailed, solution providing a single view of the restricted areas around an area of operations, its makers said. The beta version of the site is now live in the U.S. and will launch soon internationally, enabling UAS operators to immediately start benefiting from the free service. AirMap also features a feedback function that will allow beta testers to request additional features.

    AirMap is a fully digital map that shows only the airspace rules that impact UAS operators. By focusing on airspace information from ground level up to 500 feet, AirMap strips away the clutter of higher altitude airspace labels found on charts that were created for manned aviation, its makers said.

    When using AirMap, an operator can customize their display based on the type of operation they are involved in. Operators can select layers depicting the following:

    • Recreational use, which will display the airspace areas around airports which are limited by community-based guidelines;
    • “Blanket COA” rules applicable to holders of FAA Section 333 exemptions for commercial UAS operations; and
    • Controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, and E) at 500 feet and below, allowing UAS operators to voluntarily comply with the airspace rules proposed in the FAA’s recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Operation and Certification of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

    “As UAS use continues to expand, the airspace in which operators are flying is also growing more complex. With this in mind, we’ve launched AirMap, which will serve as a resource for drone operators to immediately fly safely and in compliance with legal requirements. We want to make safe flying easy,” Marcus said.

    Marcus and McNeal teamed to launch AirMap after they realized that operators needed a tool that would let them understand the complexities of restricted airspace for unmanned aircraft operations. Marcus, who co-founded aircraft brokerage firm jetAVIVA, will lead development and business growth functions. McNeal will apply his expertise and research in local regulatory environments to help AirMap reach and educate users throughout the country. In addition to his role with AirMap, McNeal is an associate professor of law and public policy at Pepperdine University and a Forbes contributor.

    “As a drone operator I found it hard to know what the airspace rules were in the places where I wanted to fly. There were no accurate visuals or reliable electronic tools that could tell me and other operators where we can and cannot fly. AirMap solves this problem and helps to educate operators about this complex regulatory environment,” said McNeal. “The demand for AirMap is clear, as it is the most thorough resource for drone operators to ensure safe, legal and hassle-free flight.”

    AirMap’s advisory board includes Steve Crocker, chairman of the ICANN; Stuart Banner, UCLA law professor and author of Who Owns the Sky?; Tom McInerney, former scientist at Apple; and Mike Mothner, founder and CEO of WPromote.

    In February 2015, AirMap launched its first service, NoFlyZone.org, which accepts registrations from property owners who prefer UAS not overfly their land. These parcels are displayed in AirMap to help operators avoid sensitive areas, and minimize the hassles associated with disputes about where unmanned aircraft should be operating. AirMap also displays hospitals, schools and helipads and will be adding other sensitive sites in the future.

  • TopoDrone-100 Captures Near Infrared Mapping Data

    DroneMetrexNIRfarm

    DroneMetrex has captured high-quality near-infrared (NIR) mapping data with its TopoDrone-100 UAV. DroneMetrex said in a news release that this is the first time such high quality NIR imagery has been captured by a UAV.

    High-quality NIR data is a tool to detect chlorophyll. Because chlorophyll is emitted by all vegetation to various degrees, experts from land and forest departments, agronomists, vignerons and pastoralists will be able to discriminate between health and vigor of vegetation and between different types of vegetation. The data collected helps determine vegetation stress, disease, pest infection, irrigation faults and nutrient variations.

    “We say ‘unique high-quality mapping’ because the data are both radiometrically and geometrically unparalleled from a drone,” said Thomas Tadrowski, managing director of DroneMetrex. “From the one-flight sortie, TopoDrone-100 users are able to perform vegetation analysis mapping as well as accurate 3D contours/DTM mapping. The pixel resolution is unsurpassed. The data geometry is unsurpassed. The radiometric mapping is unsurpassed.”

    DroneMetrex offers its Extended Spectrum Mapping (ESM) camera modification as an option with the TopoDrone-100. After ESM modification, the camera is supplied with three external screw-on lens filters. Simultaneously using the NIR filter and a high-accuracy L1/L2/L5/GLONASS/COMPASS (BeiDou-2) PPK direct georeferencing solution, the TopoDrone-100 captures three-band imagery, with the near-infrared band recording unparalleled radiometric quality and chlorophyll discrimination.

    The high radiometric quality is achieved because DroneMetrex specialists perform the necessary camera modifications themselves, and have designed the external filters specifically to match the requirements of accurate, discriminative vegetation mapping, DroneMetrex said.

    DroneMetrexVeg01NIR
    Burnt vegetation.
    DroneMetrexBurntVeg01NDVI
    Burnt vegetation NIR.

  • 4D Inspector for Building Monitoring Comes to MundoGEO

    Gexcel’s 4D Inspector will be officially presented to the South American market during MundoGEO, to be held in Brazil May 5-7.

    4D Inspector software can remotely manage any Focus3D laser scanner and run an automatic 3D monitoring session of buildings and infrastructures. 4D Inspector automatically transfers the scans to a remote PC where automatic deformation check runs and alarm emails can be sent to the site managers.

    If required, 4D Inspector can also control a protective enclosure (ScanArmor) that can protect the Focus3D from damages.

    The 4D Inspector+ScanArmor system has won the FARO Asia Pacific Product Innovation Award 2014. Designed for real-time monitoring of indoor application, 4D Inspector is has easy-to-use interface and installation procedures, according to maker Gexcel Software Solutions.

    Gexcel will provide will provide an interactive demo at its booth, #187, at MundoGEO.

  • Esri CityEngine 2015 Provides Advanced 3D City Design

    esri-cityengine-2015-provides-advanced-3d-city-design-lg
    Modern layer management and enhanced real-time shadows based on daytime and location are available in the latest release of CityEngine.

    The release of Esri CityEngine 2015 allows GIS professionals, architects, planners, and urban designers to create 3D city models faster and share them easily via ArcGIS Online. These new features open the use of 3D models for every day, real-world simulation, emergency response, urban planning, and entertainment scenarios.

    “CityEngine 2015 is faster, sports higher-quality visuals, and introduces an innovative and unique 3D design experience. The latter is possible with Procedural Handles, a novel user interface for the intuitive editing of 3D models. We worked very hard on this and are excited to release it,” said Pascal Mueller, director of the Esri R&D Center, Zurich AG.

    Companies like Esri partner SmarterBetterCities use CityEngine to help clients view and investigate building development proposals in a true 3D environment.

    “CityEngine provides decision makers with the opportunity to do more advanced planning than when they are using a typical CAD or spreadsheet system,” said Antje Kunze, CEO, SmarterBetterCities. “We are now able to help our clients better visualize rules and regulations and perform analytics that no one has been able to address in the past.”

    Advancements from user requests—including a modern editor for managing layers, real-time shadows based on daytime and location, faster data export, and improved publishing workflows—have been implemented. More information can be found in the release notes.

    “With CityEngine 2015, we made a huge step forward in user experience and speed, resulting in less coding and more designing,” said Dominik Tarolli, director of international business development for 3D geodesign at Esri.

    CityEngine 2015 is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. A free 30-day trial with full export capabilities can be downloaded at esri.com/cityengine.

    Esri-CityEngine-O
    Credit: Esri website.

  • FAA Awards Harris $238M Contract for Weather Support

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected Harris Corporation for an eight-year, single-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a potential value of $238 million to design and implement a system that will disseminate real-time, comprehensive weather pictures to all aviation users across the National Airspace System.

    The Common Support Services–Weather (CSS-Wx) program will help minimize flight delays and cancellations by providing additional weather data with increased accuracy to more aviation consumers, supporting real-time operational planning and decision-making.

    “About 70 percent of flight delays are caused by weather,” said Carl D’Alessandro, vice president and general manager, Civil Programs, Harris Government Communications Systems. “The enterprise-wide, data-sharing design of the CSS-Wx solution will reduce these delays, saving the FAA and flying public precious time and money.”

    The Harris CSS-Wx system is scalable, with Open Geospatial Consortium standards for common weather formats, and highly advanced geospatial- and temporal-based filtering methods to process meteorological data. It applies expertise the company has gained from work on mission-critical weather programs for the FAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Defense.

    Harris has a long history of developing and integrating system solutions for the FAA in support of the National Airspace System (NAS). The company is the prime contractor for the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) program, which provides critical voice, data and video communications for NAS operations and mission support functions. FTI securely connects more than 4,500 national and international FAA and DOD facilities, manages over 26,000 services, and supports more than 50,000 users. Other FAA programs developed by Harris include:

    • The Weather and Radar Processor, which provides weather processing dissemination and display capabilities to air traffic controllers in the en-route air traffic control environment;
    • Datacomm, which provides air-to-ground digital data link networks to connect FAA air traffic control sites and data communications-equipped aircraft;
    • The NAS Voice System, which provides a secure, IP-based voice network for critical communications between air traffic controllers, pilots and ground personnel nationwide;
    • The Operational and Supportability Implementation System, which serves the General Aviation community in Alaska by providing weather briefing and flight planning services; and
    • The National Air Space Enterprise Messaging Service, which will provide the FAA with the network-centric, collaborative information-sharing capabilities afforded by System Wide Information Management.

  • Optech to Exhibit LiDAR, Imaging for UAVs at AUVSI

    Optech Galaxy LiDAR system.
    Optech Galaxy LiDAR system.

    Optech will be exhibiting its latest lidar and imaging solutions at the Unmanned Systems 2015 Conference in Atlanta, Ga., May 4-7, at the Teledyne Booth 2311. Optech’s solutions include a fully implemented lidar/camera workflow for UAV operations, as well as other airborne, mobile and stationary sensors.

    Visitors can drop by the booth to learn more about Optech’s UAV solution, which combines the rugged Optech ILRIS terrestrial laser scanner and the new Optech XR6 photogrammetry small UAV with an integrated software workflow. The solution merges aerial camera imagery from the UAV with high-resolution data from Optech lidar to deliver comprehensive, georeferenced and highly accurate 3D planimetric data. The ILRIS lidar system can also be operated remotely through a web interface.

    For advances in airborne sensing and surveillance using mid-size to larger UAVs, Optech will discuss the features of the compact Optech Galaxy lidar system and its PulseTRAK technology, which ensures a continuous operating envelope and steady point density even in rugged terrain, vastly simplifying mission planning, and eliminating “blind zones” — overcoming a long-standing limitation inherent to lidar sensors lacking PulseTRAK technology. Galaxy is compatible with all Optech mounts for integrating digital metric cameras, enabling clients to customize their solution with the right mix of LiDAR, multispectral, LWIR, MWIR and RGB sensors for their application.

    Optech will also be showcasing the Optech Titan, a commercial multispectral airborne lidar, which accomplishes highly automated land classification using its separate 532, 1064 and 1550 nm laser channels, and performs combined topographic/bathymetric mapping down to a depth of 15 meters in clear conditions.

    Visitors who need rapid coastal monitoring and object detection will be particularly interested in the new Optech CZMIL Nova, Optech’s upgrade of the award-winning CZMIL airborne bathymetric mapper. CZMIL Nova maintains its predecessor’s sensing power, including its unmatched turbid water penetration, while boosting installation flexibility and cost savings with a more efficient laser and much lighter hardware, facilitating operation in smaller aircraft.

  • UAV Solutions to Display New Fixed-Wing UAS at AUVSI Show

    UAV Solutions will display its new fixed-wing unmanned aerial systems (UAS) at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems 2015 show, to be held May 5-7 in Atlanta.

    In booth 1109 the company will introduce the Talon 120LE, a lightweight hand-launched air vehicle, and the Sidewinder, a high altitude, multi-fuel, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) asset. The Intruder UAS, a multiple intelligence gathering platform with a gross take-off weight of 850 pounds, will be located in booth 2303.

    With a wingspan of 12.5 feet, the Talon 120LE is a 16-pound electric UAS that may fly for nearly 2.5 hours. The system was created with open architecture software and hardware components for future flexibility. The company recommends the Talon 120LE for inspecting crops, surveilling power lines or conducting search and rescue missions. Its payload capacity is 2.5 pounds.

    The jet powered Sidewinder UAS flies at high altitudes and operates in a low vibration environment ideal for ISR payloads. The Sidewinder can use various heavy fuels including diesel, kerosene and Jet A. It has a wingspan of 16 feet and a payload capacity of 10 pounds.

    UAV Solutions’ new Intruder is capable of operating at higher density altitudes. It also is able to collect information via satellite communication, signals intelligence, communications intelligence and imagery intelligence. It has retractable landing gear, and the agnostic center-of-gravity mounted payload location accommodates up to 100 pounds.

    Along with the UAS the company is showing, it also will feature its multi rotor UAS — Phoenix 60, Phoenix 30 and Phoenix 15 – as well as the Dragon View camera sensor.

    Dragon View sensors can be integrated onto unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), antenna towers, buildings or other structures to provide day and thermal imagery, video recordings, object tracking and geolocation data. The sensors are lightweight, mechanically and digitally stabilized gimbals with electro-optical and infrared cameras.

    They also can easily be mounted onto UAVs, antenna towers and other structures for police organizations.