Tag: infrastructure

Testbed enables infrastructure for autonomy, smart cities

Rooftop view of the central parts of Aarhus with the harbor area and the sea in the background. (Photo: DTU Space)

A testbed in an active urban center can show real-world effects on GNSS as an aid for developing autonomous systems for green mobility, smart-city applications or transportation, to name a few.

Sited in Denmark, the 600-square-kilometer Testbed in Aarhus for Precision Positioning and Autonomous Systems (TAPAS) covers both a densely populated city center and suburbs, a large industrial harbor and parts of Aarhus Bay. Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark with a population of 350,000 people.

The GNSS antenna at TAPAS station TA01. (Photo: DTU Space)

Based on RTK methodology, TAPAS is a sound ground-based testbed to support, test and validate technological developments with a need for fast, efficient, flexible and reliable precision positioning. It is designed as a geodetic innovation platform, with both physical and virtual networks providing positioning to the centimeter (cm) level.

Autonomous systems within transportation, agriculture and environmental monitoring constitute a large growth area for businesses and governments. Automated vehicles, drones and vessels are linked closely to geodetic infrastructure and communications networks such as 5G. TAPAS provides developers in these fields with opportunities to observe GNSS in urban canyons and under canopies, as well as challenges for coastal marine applications. The testbed is available for third-party research projects, and testing of ideas, initiatives and concrete prototypes.

TAPAS is fully funded and owned by the Danish Agency for Data Supply and Efficiency (SDFE), the Danish agency for geodesy and geographical data. TAPAS is developed by the National Space Institute at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Space), and is supported by the city of Aarhus. The TAPAS testbed was established partly because of Denmark’s National Space Strategy, which points to the new technological development within positioning, as well as possibilities for use of Galileo, the European GNSS, to the benefit of as many citizens as possible.

In this article, we review the TAPAS testbed, including design and installation of the GNSS reference stations and the data-processing center, as well as initial performance testing carried out by DTU Space.

Network of GNSS Reference Stations

The network of TAPAS stations in and around the city of Aarhus in Denmark. (Map: DTU Space)

The basic component of TAPAS is high-accuracy carrier-phase-based GNSS positioning using the network RTK methodology, which can provide real-time position accuracies for the end user down to the cm level.Essentially, TAPAS is based on a network of 11 GNSS reference stations as well as data communication infrastructure, a central processing facility with a data server, processing software and data storage.

TAPAS was designed to provide real-time position uncertainties for objects in motion within 1 cm in three dimensions (1 cubic cm), for end users with modern GNSS equipment. A dense network of GNSS reference stations was originally designed with stations 5 km apart in the city center and up to 10 km apart in the suburbs.

Because suitable locations had to be found, in the final network distances range from 4.1 km to 22.3 km, with the longest distances across the water to station TA04 (see the network plot in the graphic above).
Stations TA01, TA03, TA05, TA06 and TA08 are in the city center. Stations TA02 and TA04 are across Aarhus Bay, ensuring coverage for marine applications and contributing to more robust positioning near the sea and in the harbor area around station TA01.

TAPAS Stations

The TAPAS GNSS reference stations are equipped with the newest generation of GNSS receivers and antennas capable of tracking all available signals from the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou systems. The stations also have an antenna splitter, power supply, fuse box, programmable logic controller (PLC) for monitoring and control, trustgate, modem and uninterruptible power supply with battery pack (Figure 1). All units were integrated in the cabinets and tested in the lab before installation The stations are modular and flexible for future iterations and updates.

The receivers can be accessed remotely via a VPN line to a web interface for monitoring, changing settings or firmware updates. All TAPAS stations transmit data to servers at DTU Space where the data is used for estimation of RTK corrections. Also, data is transmitted to servers at the SDFE for storage and backup (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Design schematics of the TAPAS stations. (Image: DTU Space)

After installation in the fall of 2018, GNSS data quality was verified for each station by estimating preliminary positions and analyzing data quality. Also, signal strength as given by the carrier to noise ratio (C/N₀) of the received signals was analyzed and plotted with 24 hours of data from each of the stations (Figure 2).

Network Real-Time Kinematic (RTK)

Data from the TAPAS stations streams in real time to the Central Processing Facility (CPF) operated at a dedicated server at DTU Space in Lyngby, North of Copenhagen. The GNSS observations are processed using the GNSMART 2 software from Geo++, where corrections for network RTK positioning are estimated. The corrections are estimates for errors affecting the GNSS positioning, such as inaccuracies in satellite positions and clock drift parameters as well as ionospheric and tropospheric effects. The dense network of reference stations in TAPAS will assure that corrections for the atmospheric effects will be of very high quality.

For estimation of the RTK corrections, standard software settings are used. All corrections are estimated by a state space representation (SSR) technique, where error sources are modeled individually. This means TAPAS can deliver both RTK corrections and corrections for precise point positioning (PPP).

TAPAS corrections are generated in the RTCM format and output using the NTRIP protocol. Registered users can access the corrections through the internet via an NTRIP caster. On the user side, the TAPAS corrections are applied in the positioning process of a GNSS receiver. To make full use of the TAPAS data, user equipment should be capable of tracking carrier-phase-based GNSS data and applying the TAPAS correction data supplied in the RTCM version 3.x format.

An example of a use of TAPAS is provided in the photo in Figure 9 below where the authors of this article tested the position accuracy of TAPAS for a typical land surveying task, using a Septentrio Altus APS3G receiver with an allegro2 controller unit for RTK positioning. The user’s GNSS equipment can, however, be many other different types and makes of GNSS antennas and receivers, and the equipment can be installed on many different platforms for instance in vehicles, on drones, in robots etc.

Geodetic Basis

When determining positions with uncertainties at the 1-cm level, it is important to be aware of the geodetic reference frame used for the positioning. In this case, coordinates for the TAPAS stations have been estimated by DTU Space, using Bernese GNSS software, in the national Danish reference frame which is a realization of the European Terrestrial Reference System (ETRS).

When applying corrections from the TAPAS caster in the positioning calculations at the user side, positions will be obtained within the same reference frame (coordinate system). In this case, where the national geodetic reference frame is used, this means that the user will obtain positions compliant with maps, charts and other types of geodata geo-referenced in the same coordinate system.

For 3D positioning, the Danish geoid model must be applied on the user side to obtain heights relative to mean sea level in the national Danish Vertical Reference (DVR90).

It is possible to configure the setup of the central processing facility using another reference frame for TAPAS given that precise coordinates for the TAPAS stations can be provided in the given reference frame. Future work with TAPAS can involve the use of dynamic geodetic reference frames and transmission of coordinate transformation parameters to the users.

Performance Testing

After the stations were installed, DTU Space conducted performance testing, including testing data communication between the TAPAS stations and the TAPAS server, analyses of data completeness from the TAPAS stations, and field tests carried out after the network RTK processing had become sufficiently stable.

Performance test in static mode. In February 2019, a static mode test took place in a park-like area within the three innermost stations. Two different high-accuracy survey-grade RTK-receivers were used for the field test. RTK positions were estimated at 1 Hz for 30 minutes. For each minute, an average position was calculated based on the 60 observations, and for each of the minute-bins the standard deviation with respect to the reference position was computed.

Test location indicated with purple circle in the network plot. (Image: DTU Space)

Altus APS3G unit mounted at the test location. (Photo: DTU Space)

The results are shown in the plots below, where standard deviations are provided for each epoch (i.e., for each bin of 60 seconds).

Standard deviation in meter for each 60 second with GNSS receiver Altus NR3 (left) and Altus APS3G (right). Results provided in meter. (Images: DTU Space)

In the plots, results are provided for the vertical (red), the horizontal (blue) and the 3D position (green). Results of using the two different receivers are comparable, and focusing on the 3D solutions the largest standard deviation is 1.6 cm which is for the fourth epoch with receiver APS3G. Most of the 3D results shown in the plots are better than 1 cm.

The same test was carried out using a dual-frequency non-survey-grade receiver developed for machine control and autonomous vehicle applications. This receiver was connected to the same antenna mounted on a tripod. Results of using this receiver in static mode are shown in the plot below. In this case, the 3D results are all better than 3.1 cm, and many of the 3D results are better than 1 cm in this open test area.

Standard deviation for each 60 second with GNSS receiver u-blox F9P dual frequency (DF). Results provided in meter. (Image: DTU Space)

Performance test in kinematic mode. In the same area used for the static test, a kinematic test was carried out with the same three receivers.

The test was performed using a camera dolly and by placing approximately 10 m of rail on the ground. The camera dolly was pulled back and forth along the rail, a setup that provided a stable trajectory for testing positioning performance while the GNSS antennas were moved slowly and smoothly. A rigid bench, where the GNSS antennas could be mounted, was constructed and installed on the dolly. The three GNSS receivers with antennas were mounted on the bench, and the dolly was pulled back and forth along the tracks 10 times.

Kinematic Test: Camera dolly with GNSS equipment pulled along tracks. (Photo: DTU Space)

For each 1-meter section of track, the standard deviation of the differences with respect to the reference trajectory of the 10 repetitions was calculated. Results for the two survey-grade receivers are shown in the plots in Figure 3. All of the 3D standard deviations are better than 1 cm for both survey-grade receivers.

Figure 3. Kinematic test results are provided for the vertical (red), horizontal (blue) and 3D (green) positions. (Image: DTU Space)

The non-survey-grade dual-frequency receiver also was mounted on the test bench, and the results of using this receiver are shown in the plot below. With this receiver, the 3D results are below 2.1 cm for all sections of the trajectory, except for the first meter, a deviation that may have been caused by issues with initialization of the test.

Binned standard deviation of 10 repetitions with GNSS receiver u-blox F9P dual frequency (DF). Results provided in meter. (Image: DTU Space)

These tests show that it is possible when using TAPAS to obtain position solutions at the cm-level in open areas in both static and kinematic mode.

Performance test in dynamic mode. In November 2019, DTU Space carried out a performance test of TAPAS in dynamic mode, using a car with roof-mounted GNSS equipment. The car was driven within the TAPAS coverage area, passing through urban canyons, open streets and the harbor area. During the test, the car drove in normal Aarhus traffic, at speeds varying from zero at traffic lights up to 60 km/h on the wider roads leading into the city center.

Four different receivers were strapped in the car and connected to either a small patch antenna or a survey-grade antenna mounted on the roof. A survey-grade receiver was mounted on the roof.

Three different GNSS antennas mounted on the roof of the car used for dynamic testing. (Photo: DTU Space)

Data from the receiver was converted to KML files, which can be used with Google Earth to illustrate the quality of the positioning obtained during the drives through the city. The plot in Figure 4 shows the quality of the position solution. The best quality is obtained when the ambiguities are fixed, such as an RTK fixed solution at the cm level (green). The second-best quality is with ambiguities estimated to float values, such as an RTK float solution at the dm level (purple). Orange shows differential position solutions at the meter level when corrections for the carrier-phase data have not been obtained. Finally, a few positions were stand-alone GNSS solutions when no aiding from TAPAS was applied in the roving GNSS receiver (blue).

Figure 4. Quality of RTK positions obtained during one drive through the City of Aarhus. (Map data: Google, TerraMetrics)Photo:

The plot clearly shows, as expected, that the quality of the positions determined by the survey-grade receiver in the car is good most of the time. But it suffers in areas with narrow streets aligned with buildings or trees.

These results do not tell the actual uncertainty of the position solutions. But GNSS carrier-phase data collected with one of the receivers in the car during the drive will be post processed to serve as a reference trajectory. Upcoming analyses of the data will then reveal the uncertainty of the positions determined in real time as compared to the post-processed reference trajectory.

Test Conclusion. After the field tests, we conclude that the TAPAS testbed is able to provide correction data that makes it possible to perform GNSS-based positioning in real time in both static and dynamic mode with position uncertainties at the cm-level. Further, as we analyze the test data thoroughly, TAPAS will be able to set a tone for new research. For instance, the plot in Figure 4 provides a foundation for testing assistance procedures to gain better coverage in the most densely built areas. In this way, TAPAS will aid research into feasible infrastructure for the technologies of tomorrow, such as autonomous driving.

Outlook and Future Work

Because TAPAS is not commercial, it is possible, upon agreement with the SDFE, to make changes to the system to adapt to specific testing or development needs. Examples are removing data from some stations in the estimation of RTK correction data, installing an extra receiver in one or more stations using the antenna splitters, or making changes to the settings in data processing on the TAPAS server for shorter time intervals.

At DTU Space, plans for the testbed include further development of software for ionosphere and integrity monitoring. The station receivers can estimate total electron content (TEC) along the GNSS signal path in Earth’s atmosphere, as well as indices for ionospheric scintillation. DTU Space is researching using this output for an ionosphere monitoring service and to develop it into an integrity monitoring service for GNSS users.

Upcoming additions to the RTCM data format will support more advanced modeling of the effects of the ionosphere and troposphere, and this will allow for full benefit of the TAPAS SSR network corrections. Research on such models to be applied on the server side, as well as on the user side, will be carried out by DTU Space and tested with TAPAS as a contribution towards the integration, or hybridising, of PPP and RTK. This is also referred to as PPP-RTK positioning which is expected to be especially useful for mass market applications such as autonomous driving. When implemented in TAPAS, such solution may effectively increase the number of simultaneous users as well as use-cases for TAPAS.

TAPAS provides many opportunities for testing precision or high-accuracy applications, such as autonomous vehicles, vessels, drones and robots; location-based services requiring high accuracy on various digital platforms; and solutions for a more digitized and intelligent city environment through smart-city and green mobility initiatives.

TAPAS is prepared for the implementation of the coming 5G technologies, and station intercommunication capabilities enable testing of internet of things (IoT) technologies where precision positioning is part of the development. The testbed also provides an excellent environment for validation of new services such as the Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS). Another area in which TAPAS can play an important role is verification and validation of future 5G-based positioning services.

For more on TAPAS, visit www.tapasweb.dk/english.

Acknowledgments

The TAPAS testbed was developed with close cooperation between DTU Space and SDFE. SDFE contributors include Kristian Keller, Casper Jepsen, Henrik Olsen, Martin Skjold Grøntved, Brigitte Rosenkranz, Maria Rask Mylius and Søren Fauerholm Christensen. DTU Space contributers include Ole Bjerregaard Hansen, Finn Bo Madsen, Lars Stenseng, Daniel Haugård Olesen, Stefan Emil Steffensen, Thor Heine Snedker, Per Knudsen and Niels Andersen.

Manufacturers

The GNSS receivers at the TAPAS stations are Septentrio PolaRx5S, and the antennas are Leica AR20. For field testing, a Septentrio Altus NR3 receiver, a Septentrio Altus APS3G receiver and a u-blox ZED F9P dual-frequency receiver were used. The TAPAS station cabinets were assembled and mounted by Nordtec-Optomatic A/S. The TAPAS testbed software solution is based on the GNSMART 2 software package from Geo++ GmbH. Data analyses and processing has been carried out using the Septentrio SBF Analyser and SBF Converter, the RTKlib and the Bernese GNSS software.

Anna B. O. Jensen is senior advisor and team lead of the GNSS group at DTU Space in Denmark. She is also a part-time professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden.

Per Lundahl Thomsen is a chief consultant at DTU Space. He has many years of experience with management of space technology projects and is project manager for the TAPAS testbed.

Søren Skaarup Larsen is a Ph.D. student at DTU Space. Along with his GNSS studies, he runs the RTK-part of the TAPAS testbed.

February 3, 2020
MGISS and vGIS take a geospatial view of augmented reality

Photo: MGISS

The development of augmented reality as a tool to manage and visualize hidden infrastructure assets has taken a major step forward following the announcement of a partnership between two technology companies.

MGISS, a U.K. geospatial specialist, has partnered with Canada-based vGIS to transform traditional GIS, BIM and CAD data into stunning augmented-reality visualizations.

Augmented reality provides an interactive experience of an environment where objects that reside in the real world, such as underground pipes, are displayed and enhanced with additional intelligence such as attribute information and maintenance records.

A specialist in the use of geospatial technology in the utility, infrastructure and environment sectors, MGISS said it understands the demands for improved spatial data quality and the requirement to communicate complex, asset dense, 3D environments in an easy-to-consume way.

Photo: MGISS

By combining authoritative survey-grade positions and associated data with consumer-grade hardware MGISS enables users of vGIS to access augmented reality visualizations from any suitable smart device.

vGIS is the leading augmented and mixed reality visualization technology for GIS data. Using the vGIS system, field personnel can see an augmented view that includes holographic infrastructure objects, improving environmental assessments and increasing situational awareness.

“Initiatives such as digital twinning and the expectation of ‘business as usual’ operations require the capture and representation of increasing complex real-world environments. Asset owners and operators face a number of challenges and opportunities including the need to improve safety, reduce risk and ensure what lies beneath our feet meets future infrastructure needs,” said Mike Darracott, managing director and founder of MGISS.

“vGIS truly understand the needs and the challenges facing these sectors. In fact, vGIS goes further than any other Augmented Reality solution by providing a full range of 3D spatial data capabilities; all within a platform that works with existing enterprise systems and data structures,” added Darracott.

“Value is often hidden deep within the structure of data. By helping people ‘see’ data in more intuitive ways, they gain new insights and can subsequently do more with that information. That’s been the core operating philosophy of vGIS,” said Alec Pestov, founder and CEO of Canada based vGIS. “To achieve this we are building an ecosystem bringing together top experts to work jointly towards a common goal. MGISS possesses deep expertise in the spatial services and solutions sector and we are looking forward to joining forces to deliver augmented and mixed reality visualizations in the UK.”

January 21, 2020
UN, Geospatial Media cooperate on geospatial infrastructure
Letter signed to advance role of geospatial knowledge infrastructure in global society and economy

Geospatial Media & Communications has signed a letter of cooperation with the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) to work together to advance the role of geospatial knowledge infrastructure in global society and economy.

Consistent with their respective mandates, the UNSD and Geospatial Media will collaborate to carry out activities related to their common objective of demonstrating the value of global geospatial knowledge, the data ecosystem, public-private partnerships, and their contribution towards building Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure and the Global Development Agendas.

The agreement was signed by Stefan Schweinfest, director, UNSD, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and Sanjay Kumar, CEO, Geospatial Media, in New York on Oct. 31.

“The United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is ambitious and requires countries to have solid national information systems to successfully stir the process of implementation. It is a central task of my office, the United Nations Statistics Division, to support countries in building the necessary national information capacities, both in the area of statistics and geospatial information. For this challenging task we need the cooperation of the private sector through well established public-private partnerships. Geospatial Media & Communications is a unique partner in this respect, due to its global reach and its in-depth knowledge and understanding of country needs. I am, therefore, delighted to cooperate with them closely in the coming years,” said Mr. Schweinfest.

“Pursuing its vision to make a difference through geospatial knowledge in world economy nad society, Geospatial Media has been evangelizing geospatial industry globally for over two decades through research, advocacy, media and knowledge exchange platforms. It has contributed in the formation and strengthening of several institutions, including the Association of Geospatial Industries (AGI), World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC), UNGGIM Private Sector Network and the National Think Tank on Geospatial Strategy for New India. Through this collaboration, our intent is to further our vision to showcase high level value of geospatial knowledge in global development agenda and facilitate alignment and evolution of geospatial stakeholders with emerging socio-economic development models in the fourth Industrial age,” said Mr. Sanjay Kumar.

The intended collaboration will focus on a number of common objectives at national, regional and global levels which will include:
1. Working together to create joint programs and projects to develop geospatial knowledge infrastructure, networks and human resource capacities;
2. Assessment of the prospective role of geospatial knowledge infrastructure in global society and economy;
3. Collaboratively developing broader methods, guidelines, architectures and policy frameworks for the adoption, utilisation and benefits of geospatial knowledge infrastructure;
4. Develop documents, training modules and other resources to assist National Geospatial Information Agencies in their transformation and modernization aspirations in alignment with the national to global vision of the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework;
5. Facilitate a collaborative knowledge exchange and engagement atmosphere between the commercial geospatial industry, national geospatial agencies, and the broader user industries and civil society, towards developing public-private partnership models for co-creating geospatial knowledge infrastructure and strengthening of industry and institutional capacities; and
6. Advocate, communicate and promote the value and utility of geospatial information and enabling technologies for sustainable development.
November 12, 2019
Eos releases underground infrastructure mapping solution for Collector for ArcGIS

Eos Locate for Collector for ArcGIS enables utilities to map buried assets with submeter or centimeter accuracy

A worker using an Arrow receiver and vLoc from Vivax Metrotech. (Photo: Eos Positioning)

Eos Positioning Systems Inc. (Eos) has released its underground utility asset-mapping solution: Eos Locate for Collector for ArcGIS.

Eos Locate for Collector combines three core technologies: Eos Arrow GNSS receivers, Esri Collector, and the Vivax-Metrotech vLoc Series of locator devices.

With Eos Locate for Collector, one field worker can collect both GNSS locations and locator data (such as depth below cover) for any buried asset including water, sewer, electric, cable, gas, fiber infrastructure and more. They can do so quickly, accurately and without the need for any additional field or office support.

“We are giving our Arrow GNSS customers a solution today that allows them to combine both locator data and high-accuracy locations in web maps,” Eos CTO Jean-Yves Lauture said. “This greatly simplifies their workflow by allowing one person to do underground locates and GIS mapping simultaneously.”

“This is a big step forward for utility organizations who need to gain better visibility of their infrastructure,” said Doug Morgenthaler, Esri program manager. “With today’s technology, utilities can already see where new assets are being put in the ground. The challenge historically has been figuring out where existing assets are.”

Eos Locate for Collector not only streamlines underground-asset mapping, but also improves office production times. It eliminates the need to manually combine datasets from the locator and GPS devices within ArcGIS.

“Seeing all that information from utility locators and GPS receivers packaged directly into a GIS application is exceptional,” Vivax-Metrotech Eastern Regional Sales Manager Kelvin Cherrington said. “This solution will help utilities create maps of their underground assets with a much more modern and efficient methodology.”

Indiana American Water Early Adoption

Earlier this year, Indiana American Water approached Eos to seek a solution that consolidated their utility-locate workflow with their Arrow and Collector field work.

“We had the manpower to put paint down,” said Todd Chapman, Indiana American Water Senior GIS Analyst. “But we would need to hire another person to map the locations with our Arrow Gold GNSS receivers.”

Chapman estimates Eos Locate for Collector will cut their field time in half as well as enable the creation of extremely accurate buried-infrastructure maps in ArcGIS.

“Previously, we were seeing that our old water mains could be off by up to 20 feet,” Chapman said. “With the new Eos Locate for Collector, we’re seeing that it’s accurate to under an inch.”

The initial release of Eos Locate for Collector runs on Apple’s iOS iPhones and iPads and supports the vLoc Series from Vivax Metrotech. Future releases of Eos Locate for Collector will support additional locator models including the vScan series.

With accurate digital twins of their buried infrastructure, utilities across sectors can expect improvements to safety, damage prevention, field efficiency and regulatory compliance.

“Not only does this mean quicker responses to 811 tickets and fewer liabilities during field digs,” Lauture said. “But it also constitutes a major step forward toward the highly efficient future of 3D asset management and viable augmented-reality workflows.”

October 30, 2019
Seen & Heard: Robot pizza delivery, NavIC rising

“Seen & Heard” is a monthly feature of GPS World magazine, traveling the world to capture interesting and unusual news stories involving the GNSS/PNT industry.

Photo: Nuro

Hey, R2, Where’s my pizza?

Domino’s pizza will start using Nuro’s R2 unmanned vehicles for delivery in Houston, Texas, later this year. Once customers have opted in, they can track the R2 vehicle via the Domino’s app and will be provided with a unique PIN code to unlock a compartment to get their pizza. Nuro is already at work in Houston delivering goods from dinner to dry cleaning.

Screenshot: BBC

Drone Attack

A BBC documentary has sent the drone industry into a tizzy. “Britain’s Next Air Disaster? Drones” begins with the December 2018 Gatwick Airport incident when two drones entering airport airspace led to a disruption of operations for three days. Dronemakers dislike the documentary’s thrust that drones are a threat to public safety and a tool for terrorists, while barely mentioning their positive contributions in fields such as search and rescue, plant inspections and agriculture.

Photo: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

NavIC Rising

The Indian Space Research Organisation is in talks with chipmakers Qualcomm and Broadcom to substitute GPS in Indian mobile phones with its own satellite system (NavIC). The Times of India noted that cellphones hold the biggest commercial potential for NavIC, with more than 650 million mobile users in India. ISRO and the Indian Air Force are also working to equip fighter jets with the navigation system, and commercial vehicles registered after April 1 are mandated to have NavIC trackers.

Photo: Monitum Pty Ltd.

Infrastructure sensors are Mthing

Internet of things (IoT) project Mthing is researching GNSS monitoring sensors to record near-real-time measurements of infrastructure construction. The 18-month project in Brisbane, Australia, aims to develop GNSS IoT sensors that will provide cost-efficient, constant and high-precision monitoring that will connect to cloud services and provide instant alerts. Mthing aims to produce low-cost sensors with broad market potential. The research team includes Queensland University of Technology, survey company Monitum, and the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre.

July 30, 2019
Septentrio GPS/GNSS helps cars avoid collisions on a smart highway

Belgium has launched its first smart highway test environment. Septentrio GPS/GNSS receivers are integrated into vehicles and infrastructure to provide dependable, high-accuracy positioning and to aid sensor fusion in driverless navigation and truck platooning.

Septentrio’s high-precision GPS/GNSS technology will be one of the key components in a Smart Highway system, which launched April 8 with a live demonstration in Antwerp, Belgium. A section of a highway will be dedicated as a test environment for technology which prepares Belgium for automated driving and truck platooning.

When vehicles are aware of each other’s position and velocity, road efficiency and safety can be significantly improved by smoothing traffic flow and automatically breaking if slowing traffic is detected ahead.

Roadside units along the highway will feature GNSS receivers acting as reference stations, sending out continuous positioning corrections. Onboard GNSS units will use these corrections together with built-in quality indicators to calculate trustworthy, sub-decimeter positioning. They will also provide precise timing for syncing the multitude of sensors onboard these “smart vehicles.”

“We are excited to be a part of the Smart Highway testbed which is aimed at improving road safety and traffic flow,” said Jan Van Hees, business development director at Septentrio. “The automotive ecosystem is undergoing a shift towards automation enabled by the latest technology in communications, sensors and precise positioning. Our role in this project builds upon our strategy to continue providing high-accuracy, reliable positioning solutions aimed at the automotive industry.”

The Advanced Interference Mitigation (AIM+) technology shields Septentrio receivers from interference. On a highway, an increasing number of trucks are equipped with illegal jamming devices to avoid road tolling. These jamming devices can interfere with GPS signals used by other vehicles and infrastructure.

Smart Highway is a project of the Flemish government coordinated by imec, a world-renowned research and innovation hub of nano-electronics and digital technology. Septentrio, Toyota, Ericsson and Telenet are contributing industry partners for the project, while UAntwerpen, UGent and others are research partners.

On the European level, the CONCORDA project supports research and development of automated vehicle technology and infrastructure in Germany, Spain, France, Netherlands and Belgium.

Featured image: Septentrio

April 8, 2019
A geo window on Africa

Image: Esri/Joint Research Centre/CARTO

Since 1990, the urban population of Africa has doubled, with more than 80 percent of its denizens living in urban areas. Urbanization can contribute to sustainable growth, if managed well.

However, its speed and scale bring challenges, including meeting accelerated demand for affordable housing, transport systems, infrastructure, basic services and jobs.

Population data such as shown above is only a sample of the geospatial data available in Esri’s new Africa GeoPortal (www.africageoportal.com). The Esri-led initiative is a cloud-based platform that provides and receives geographic data and imagery from Esri and its partners.

The African Union, African Development Bank, other international agencies, nongovernmental organizations, academia, businesses and national government funds will be able to use the geoportal to address the most urgent development challenges facing the continent — including economic development, climate adaptation, conservation and health care.

The complimentary software-as-a-service geoportal is offered to anyone supporting African nations for positive economic, social and environmental outcomes — African citizens, NGOs and international development agencies. The geoportal offers access to spatial analytics capabilities and authoritative content for charting compelling, educational, informational, entertaining and beautiful maps of Africa.

The Global Human Settlement Layer from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) is a complete, consistent, global, free and open dataset on human settlements, and helps to quantify and understand the issues that drive urbanization. The above example comes from the JRC in its Esri story map “Building Knowledge for Sustainable Development in Africa,” which shows how the JRC contributes to the African Union (AU)-European Union (EU) partnership.

April 1, 2019
Going Beyond. Visual line of sight, that is.

Few commercial UAV operations would be able to inspect transmissions lines, pipelines or train tracks without beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) capability, but these key pieces of infrastructure often situate close to or transit across population centers. Further, many population centers have airports and low-level air traffic. Any tools to keep drones away from air traffic during BVLOS operations will significantly inspection companies. We review three promising solutions here.

Pipeline Inspection

Kongsberg Geospatial in Ottawa, Canada has developed location visualization software tools that are used for air-traffic control, command and control, and air defense applications. The company has several decades of experience in these applications. Its IRIS software was used to support recent UAV oil pipeline inspection operations in Nigeria, providing safety critical airspace deconfliction, supervised by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

IRIS airspace situational awareness screenshot (Photo: Kongsberg Geospatial)

The pipeline project was undertaken by Aerial Robotix, a UAS services provider in Nigeria, who used adapted Kongsberg software in its control center to demonstrate safe BVLOS operations, and was then able to obtain the necessary permits. A Schiebel Camcopter S-100 UAV with a 200-kilometer BVLOS capability was used for flight inspection, operating both day and night, with real time high-definition payload imagery sent back to the control station.

Camcopter S-100 prior to BVLOS pipeline inspection flight in Nigeria. (Photo: Schiebel)

Nigeria has a major problem with gasoline theft from pipelines similar to those lines inspected during this project. Recently, 105 people perished in a blast from a ruptured pipe 30 miles north of the city of Umuahia, possibly during scavenging for leaking fuel. It has been claimed that the pipeline had been ruptured by saboteurs earlier, and for the following six weeks villagers had been collecting fuel. Pipeline vandalism is common in Nigeria, even given the risk of fire or explosion, or the risk of prosecution, or even the possibility of being shot on sight.

Unmanned Companion Fighter Aircraft

Boeing just unveiled a concept UAV which is apparently aimed at providing an airborne team-partner for manned aircraft. The concept was introduced at the Australian International Airshow by the Australian Minister for Defense, the Hon. Christopher Pyne MP. The project is slated for a significant R&D investment by the Australian Government and Boeing Australia.

Boeing Airpower Teaming System. (Photo: Boeing Company)

Boeing Airpower Teaming System. (Photo: Boeing Company)

The concept model has fighter aircraft lines with a projected 2,000-mile range, autonomous capability, and significant intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensor capability. Flying alongside manned fighter/attack aircraft with artificial intelligence simplifying control, the Airpower Teaming System is designed as a low-cost force multiplier.

The concept includes a pitch for international collaboration offering significant customization so countries can add local content, a key element for any aircraft program designed for off-shore sales.

XQ-58A demonstrator in flight. (Photo: U.S. Air Force)

A day or so after the Airshow (maybe not wanting to be upstaged by Boeing’s announcement?) a release showed up about the first flight of the previously secret XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator. This is apparently a program by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) partnered with Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems to develop a UAS which looks to have very similar capabilities to that of the Boeing concept, perhaps at a significantly further advanced stage, with a much more mil-spec UAV sounding name.

The AFRL indicated that the XQ-58A is part of a Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) (guess that means they don’t much mind losing a few) effort to come up with low-cost force multipliers which can be built quickly using commercial technology and operating from unprepared runways.

(From the Air Force: “The thought is to develop an inexpensive, configurable and producible on demand air vehicle. A number of military applications can be envisioned for an air vehicle with such a capability. One potential application is to use hundreds or thousands of such units in a campaign to overwhelm an enemy’s air defenses and “punch a hole” to enable higher value, less replaceable [aircraft] to engage or monitor enemy systems. Another potential application is to augment the capabilities of high-value intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, systems which may be limited in a specific campaign by distances, quantities, or threats. For all applications, the weapon system is expected to be an air vehicle that would return to base or to a separate location to be recovered. However, because of the mission and because of the low cost, the air vehicle would be attritable, meaning the Air Force would expect and could afford to lose many of the assets.”)

The current program took 2½ years to get to this flying prototype, which still seems pretty lengthy in terms of today’s commercial UAVs. The first flight from Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona lasted an hour and a quarter and all went as expected. Five test flights are planned to check out functionality, aerodynamics, and launch and recovery systems. Kratos is perhaps better known for its family of target drones which have been in use by the US and internationally for some time.

Kratos BQM-177 Navy drone declared operational. (Photo: Naval Air Systems Command)

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. announced in early March that its BQM-177A Subsonic Aerial Target (SSAT) has achieved Initial Operational Capability as reported by the US Navy. A Navy statement said “The first site the BQM-177A will be operated from is Pt Mugu, California. The target is capable of speeds in excess of 0.9 Mach and a sea-skimming altitude as low as 10 feet which provides sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missile threat emulation for the US Navy.”

Parachute System for DJI Phantom 4

Recent testing of the descent rate of a Phantom 4 equipped with a SafeAir parachute system indicated that this UAV/parachute combination may well meet the FAA’s recently published draft rules for flight over people. The parachute system uses on-board indicators to trigger parachute deployment. ParaZero (manufacturer of the SafeAir UAV parachute system) has developed standards, and promises to provide customers with certification data to support waiver applications for flight over people.

Wrap-up

So now we have intuitive software using terrain data and sensor inputs which can provide a visual overlay to supports BVLOS flights, concepts designs and prototypes to support the ‘Loyal Wingman’ approach – flying UAVs alongside existing defense aircraft as force multipliers – and advances towards UAV flight over people using certified parachute safety systems. Just a flavor of the flurry of recent new developments in the world of unmanned aircraft.

March 20, 2019
Surveyors and smart cities — partners in technology

Image: Celebrating200years.noaa.gov

Everywhere we turn today, the term “smart” is attached to an item or to a process. Smartphones, smart cars, smart electricity grids, smart home appliances; you name it, someone is making it a “smart” item or process. Advancement in technology has increased computing power, expanded data storage capability, and has allowed for miniaturization of circuits and processors. This forward progress has led to the creation of these smart item/processes, and together creates the real possibility of making many of life’s tasks and normal operations more automated. This potential automation also brings new systems monitoring conditions of various entities and operations within our daily lives, such as increased efficiency of HVAC systems, utility metering that adjusts to our patterns of consumption and landscape watering that only provides water when needed.

In addition to the personal systems now being controlled with these machines, there is now revitalized interest in the creation of “smart cities.” The concept of this type of a civilized urban metropolis once existed only in science fiction, but technology has brought this concept to life in ways not imagined by the best of those writers. Surveyors have a big role in the development, installation and maintenance of these cities, so let us spend some time digging into the element that go into our future environments.

What is a smart city?

For those old enough to remember, the concept of a smart city only existed on “The Jetsons” cartoon from the early 1960’s, with cities in the sky, flying cars and some technological advancements that do exist today. While Orbit City may not come to fruition in the next several generations, many of the concepts of a smart city are taking shape today.

For the definition of a smart city, we go to the Google search engine and find the following entry from Internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com:
A smart city is a municipality that uses information and communication technologies to increase operational efficiency, share information with the public and improve both the quality of government services and citizen welfare.

Establishing a smart city requires forward thinking leadership and substantial funding to be created and maintained; however, the real function lies within the computing infrastructure and collection/manipulation of large quantities of data to create an environment of efficiency and conservation. A true comprehensive system combines available historical data, a collection of sensors and data collectors transmitting real-time information, and a powerful computing system containing analytical programming with extensive database functionality.

Is smart cities technology and adoption really that important?

Population trends worldwide continue to show that urban and suburban areas are expanding while rural areas are seeing a large reduction in residence. Several factors are at play, with technology being the central reason for the migration from the farm/small towns to the bigger cities.

Statistics show that in 1960, two billion people worldwide lived in rural areas while one billion lived in urban sections. As the population has increased drastically, the percentages for each category have reversed; in 2007, the two categories were equal and by 2017, the urban sector has jumped to 4.13 billion versus the rural population of 3.4 billion.

Chart: Our World in Data

Population experts estimate by 2050, upwards of 70 percent of the world’s population will be living in urban areas. Whether this population shift goes directly to the city centers or the less dense outskirts, municipal facilities and services will need to be upgraded and expanded with the continuing trend. Add to this surge the challenge to create a more sustainable environmental infrastructure and ecosystem, and it becomes a maintenance challenge and logistical nightmare. By using technology to create smarter infrastructure monitoring and management systems, the creation of smart cities with advancing technology will be key to successful and sustainable growth for municipalities and its citizens.

One of the biggest challenges faced by most municipalities is aging infrastructure. Utility systems, including water supplies and stormwater drainage, was installed several generations ago without a plan for replacement and/or expansion. Redevelopment in older urban areas are now taxing these aging systems well beyond their initial capacity, all while these facilities begin to fail simply because of continued use well beyond their original designed life span. Municipalities are forced to spend money on repairing and modernizing the existing infrastructure before entertaining the idea of upgrading new installations to “smart city” specifications. However, many municipalities are mandating that new developments and infrastructure improvements meet these specifications so any future upgrades can include computerized systems.

All these systems, new and future, will require extensive planning and mapping to be effective and efficient to justify their expense. Surveyors, utilizing a variety of tools based around high-accuracy mapping and data collection, can provide the necessary base information for these systems.

Where does surveying fit in?

Just as computers and electronic technology has allowed many industries to evolve, the surveying profession has also advanced with new methods and equipment. Our ability to perform advanced measurements and establish positional location information is critical in providing the base data necessary for smart city services. Previous surveying, mapping and record keeping systems were sufficient for the needs of the time period. However, these historical data points were nearly impossible to place into a single database simply because of one factor: georeferencing.

The surveyor has the unique responsibility of being recognized as expert measurer and locator of physical points on the ground in relation to property and boundary rights. It is because of this distinctive role within the community that the surveyor can provide a significant role in the development of the groundwork of a smart city. The introduction and implementation of newer technology and tools has allowed the surveyor to become a valuable member of the infrastructure mapping team. It always hasn’t been this way and the surveying profession shoulders most of that blame.

Past promises: digital vs. smart

Many surveyors will make the argument that our profession has been ahead of the game for years with our data collection processes having been transformed from notes in a field book to electronic devices. Digital data, however, isn’t necessarily smart data as many factors go into establishing the difference. The physical form of the survey information has no direct correlation to the basis of the data; in this case, the records need to be based upon a spatial reference frame rather than an assumed data system.

Also on the topic of spatial reference systems, we can also address the lack of respect given to geographical information systems (GIS) from surveyors during its initial introduction and implementation. GIS was discounted as a convoluted graphical database not sophisticated enough for the high-accuracy world of surveying. Little did the surveying profession know that GIS would become the spatial basis for many mapping systems and be utilized in millions of locations worldwide. Only now does the surveying community realize that we missed the bandwagon and can help to provide the crucial link between spatial data and actual points on the ground in relation to physical improvements and property ownership.

Another digital platform not initially embraced by the surveying community is building information modeling or BIM. This software is a three-dimensional modeling program used mostly by architects and mechanical engineers for depicting and designing buildings and plumbing systems. One of the advantages of BIM versus traditional CAD is a database information link containing data regarding the entities within the BIM. Among the attributes contained with BIM are documentation, spatial reference, time, cost, operational applications, and related applications (contracts, purchasing, suppliers, procurement solutions, etc.). The existing spatial data necessary for this system can be supplied by surveyors using a variety of methods but not many have implemented the software.

Technology, availability, cost of entry and overall usefulness

Surveying instruments and measuring techniques has turned a significant corner in the past two decades. While conventional measurement methods are still used (including steel tapes, laser-based total stations, and GNSS receivers), more types of sensors are being introduced to enhance the accuracy and expand the volume of data points being collected. Scanners, using phase-based and time-of-flight methodologies, are now more popular than ever as ease of use has increased while the cost of ownership has greatly decreased. Ground-based and mobile LiDAR used to be only available to large firms and the government, but new models are being introduced at price points affordable to many surveyors. Many articles have been written regarding the lightspeed adaptation of surveying, engineering and construction firms with UAV use of photogrammetry methods to quickly map areas that were previously inaccessible and meeting standards not thought possible. We are also seeing more implementation of new scanning methods, including SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) using handheld and backpack devices.

The common thread for all these technologies and methods is one thing: georeferencing. What was once nearly impossible is now a reality; data collection from various methods all being located within a common horizontal coordinate and vertical datum systems. The ability to obtain literally millions of data points with high-accuracy horizontal and vertical values is phenomenal with most of the credit going to the United States Department of Defense and their implementation of the GPS. Yes, the technology of scanners and data collection would have been invented without the overall coordinate tie-in but having the ability to reference that same data to a common system is the key.

Also key to the smart city data collection methodology is the surveyor as the expert measurer. A trained and experience surveyor can lead the data collection of significant projects, including location of existing improvements and establishment of future installations. From establishment of parcel/right-of-way lines to integration of point clouds from scanners and photogrammetry, the surveyor can assemble this data together to provide the groundwork for successful analyzation and planning. By combining data from various areas of a municipality, including utility atlases, existing improvements, and future expansion plans, a database can be created in which a smart city will rely upon for oversight and monitoring. The surveyor fills a vital role to determining the accuracy and effectiveness of data like no other profession and should not be overlooked when assembling a team for the creation of a smart city.

Future opportunities

Like all technological discoveries and enhancements before, the future is bright with many possibilities to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of a smart city. More types of sensors are being introduced on a regular basis and in every way imaginable, including wireless communication, RFID tags, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices.

Image: GetKidsintoSurvey.com & www.elaineball.co.uk

One of the latest buzzwords is the “Internet of Things” (IoT), with many new devices being created to interconnect a network of web-enabled computerized devices using microprocessors, a variety of sensors and wireless communication hardware to gather, transmit and perform actions on information acquired from their environments. IoT presents advantages to users by enabling them to monitor their overall business processes and improve the customer experience. These actions can also precipitate changes to allow the company to save time and money, enhance employee productivity, integrate and adapt business models, make better business decisions, and generate more revenue.

As discussed in previous articles (GPS World March 2018 and GPS World November 2018), the next big technology to look forward to is the telecommunications upgrade to 5G. Once a full 5G network is running with extended coverage, we can look forward to new opportunities for indoor location services with similar accuracy to our existing GNSS capability.

What’s next?

The technology sector will continue to push the limits of computing speed, physical size and data capacity looking for the “next big thing.” The surveying profession has enjoyed many of the fruits of that success so one has to imagine that many more advances will be coming soon. Smart cities will continue to evolve as citizens of Earth keep migrating to the urban areas and forcing the existing infrastructure to expand or face failure. Surveyors will continue to help provide a variety of services to those citizens and municipalities, with an eye on the future for more advancing technology. I can’t wait to see what is next.

March 6, 2019
Durham public works uses Nearmap to manage massive city growth

Nearmap high-resolution aerial image of Durham, North Carolina, photographed Jan. 15. (Photo: Nearmap)

Location content provider Nearmap has partnered with the city of Durham, North Carolina, to help it manage infrastructure projects.

The city’s Public Works Department uses Nearmap’s high-resolution imagery to aid in managing all infrastructure data for the city, including the city’s $16 million a year Stormwater Utility Fund.

“Having access to imagery back to 2014, we’re able to go back in time during the thrust of development and monitor it forward,” said Edward Cherry, Durham’s GIS administrator. “With Nearmap, we’ve been able to update development processes and policies to support the revitalization of the downtown district as well as rapid city growth.”

After using satellite imagery systems with low resolution and infrequent captures, Cherry and his staff of 14 GIS professionals determined the city needed superior mapping imagery.

Captured every six months at a 2.8-inch ground sample distance, Nearmap supplies Durham with clear images that are up-to-date and accessible through web-based cloud servers, the company said.

The result is better monitoring of pavement conditions; time savings and documentation of road repairs; more detailed maps of city riparian zones; and accurate and detailed customer billing.

February 6, 2019
Roll over, Eindhoven. And tell tectonics to move.

A free lesson for those in charge of critical infrastructure systems such as the power grid, communications, financial markets, emergency services, and industrial control.

Many of these systems have functioned smoothly and efficiently for years, thanks to the precise timing provided by GPS receivers. That could change, suddenly and without warning, if predictive and preventative steps are not taken.

The GPS receivers somewhere near the hearts of these critical systems, if not thoroughly vetted, tested and checked for up-to-dateness, could constitute a vulnerability — a vulnerability that would be catastrophically exposed on April 6, 2019. In 6 months’ time.

Image: Orolia

The GPS constellation transmits the proper date and time to all receivers, worldwide, by supplying the current week and the current number of seconds into the week. This enables the receiver to translate the date and time into a more typical format: day, month, year, and time of day. Infrastructure systems use the precise timing to synchronize many complex operations across their respective networks. Critically, the field that contains the week number is a 10-bit binary number. This limits the range of the week number to 0 – 1023, or 1024 total weeks.

GPS week zero started January 6, 1980. The 1,024 weeks counter ran out and rolled over on August 21, 1999. The week counter then reset to zero, and it has been recounting ever since. The next time the counter will reach week 1,023 and roll over to zero is on April 6, 2019.

If the GPS receiver is new or has received firmware updates, it can accommodate and adjust for this change. But do you know for sure? Only if you test. Otherwise, your critical systems may go into a time warp, 19.7 years out of date. Visualize that discrepancy rippling outward from the core component of a critical timing system throughout your infrastructure. Or, simply not working at all.

It is incumbent upon all managers to verify that such an issue will not occur — well before its possibility arises. At a minimum, experts recommend consulting your receiver manufacturer to confirm that the issue has been fully tested and will not occur. Many manufacturers have already issued compliance statements, and are expected to continue doing so over the next year, up until the event occurs.

To be sure that your system will not experience any failures related to this issue, it is possible to test for this event using a GPS/GNSS simulator. The requirements for the simulator are straightforward. The basic yet key information necessary to undertake such testing will be communicated in a free webinar on Thursday, November 15.

The panel of expert speakers includes Lisa Perdue, product manager and applications engineer, Orolia; Stefania Römisch, leader, the Atomic Standards Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Dana Goward, president, Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation.

You may register for this free webinar here, to attend it live or download it for later viewing at your convenience.

Here is a useful reference from the last time the rollover occurred, with a mention of the next one.

Photo: Technical University of Eindhoven

Eindhoven, the Netherlands, is home to the Eindhoven University of Technology, an incubator for technology startups where many scientists active in GPS research and in the direction of the Galileo satellite navigation program have trained.

Tectonics is the study of plates in the Earth’s crust that move in different directions and speeds. To study plate motion, GPS instruments are anchored firmly in bedrock to measure how it moves, infinitesimally yet measurably, thanks to the nanosecond timing provided by the GPS constellation and interpreted by properly calibrated and updated instruments.

Roll over, Beethoven.

November 6, 2018
Bentley Systems releases open-source library, iModel.js

Open-source JavaScript library for creating immersive connections to infrastructure digital twins.

Bentley Systems has released its iModel.js library, an open-source initiative designed to improve the accessibility, for both visualization and analytical visibility, of infrastructure digital twins.

iModel.js can be used by developers and IT professionals to quickly and easily create immersive applications that connect their infrastructure digital twins with the rest of their digital world, the company said.

iModel.js is the cornerstone of Bentley’s new iTwin Services that combine iModelHub, reality modeling and web-enabling software technologies within a Connected Data Environment for infrastructure engineering.

iModelHub manages an iModel as a distributed database with an intrinsic ledger of changes — enabling alignment, accountability and accessibility of its digital components — to form the backbone of an infrastructure digital twin.

The iModel.js library is a comprehensive collection of JavaScript packages that build on the most open, popular and flexible standards for modern cloud and web development. It is written in TypeScript and leverages open technologies including SQLite, Node.js, NPM, WebGL, Electron, Docker, Kubernetes, and HTML5 and CSS. The same codebase can produce cloud services and web, mobile and desktop applications. The source code is hosted on GitHub and is distributed under the MIT license.

With iModel.js, it is simple to create a web-based experience that shows interactive “nD” views (1D, 2D, 3D, 4D, etc.) of iModels that are assembled and synchronized from BIM files and other digital engineering models, as well as from data created directly with iModel.js.

Those same views can also include digital (reality) context, real-time sensor data, and other data from enterprise sources and analytics. Since the iModel is synchronized by iModelHub, it always reflects the most recent updates from all project participants, who are thus able to visualize and analyze changes between points in time or between versions. Importantly, only users and applications authorized by the iModel owner, through iModelHub, are granted access through iModel.js.

“iModel.js gives Hatch the ability to implement a stakeholder engagement technology that extends the iModelHub visionary technology,” said Johan Palm, program manager of digital project delivery at Hatch. “We can expose complex project information to a level that is accessible, consumable and extendable via the cloud and in context to the 3D model. Most importantly we can do so in a manner that embraces change as the project progresses. iModel.js aligns with Hatch’s internal development strategies as it is built on modern, highly portable web technology. Bentley is a key software technology partner on Hatch projects globally where our main objective is to provide a positive impact to our client’s assets and operations.”

“The digital twin powered by iModelHub is efficiently improving project management, substantially reducing the waste of resources caused by site problems and will achieve digital handover after completion of the project for visual operations and maintenance,” said Cai Chengguo, chair and general manager at Shenzhen Expressway Consulting Group.

“We firmly believe that iModel.js, and of course the foundation upon which it is built, is the most open, productive, intuitive and powerful development environment for capital projects and infrastructure assets, ever,” said Keith Bentley, Bentley Systems’ founder and CTO. “We’re excited to work with user organizations, strategic partners and third-party developers to build an open ecosystem around iModels to tap the vast potential of infrastructure digital twins. With iModel.js, the well-refined techniques of mainstream cloud and web development can leverage the physical and virtual reality in digital twins with near-zero impedance. By open-sourcing the libraries we use to create our iTwin cloud services, we expect to foster a substantial and vibrant ecosystem of innovation.”

October 17, 2018