GPS World

Tag: mapping

  • Nearmap expert joins Aug. 31 mapping and UAV webinar

    Tony Agresta of Nearmap has joined the panel of speakers on the Aug. 31 webinar, “Integrated Technologies for Industrial Positioning.”

    Tony Agresta, Nearmap

    The webinar is free (register here) and focuses on applications in the electric utility/telecom sector, such as site inspections, drones and geographic information systems (GIS) mapping in general. Participants will learn how to maximize reach and capabilities using various sensors and technologies integrated with GPS aboard unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) platforms.

    Agresta leads the U.S. marketing effort including customer use cases for Nearmap across industries.

    Nearmap provides instant access to high resolution aerial imagery including ortho, oblique and now 3D — at scale. Today, this imagery is used for site locate analysis, planning and tracking change over time. The webinar presentation will review the different forms of imagery, how they are captured, managed and delivered in the cloud and used inside ESRI and AutoDesk.

    Nearmap provides cloud-based subscription access to up-to-date 2-D orthomosaic aerial imagery. Using its patented HyperCamera2 technology, Nearmap is applying the same access model to the oblique aerial imagery market.

    Screen capture from a Nearmap 3D fly-through of Austin, Texas, rendered from Nearmap oblique Imagery.

    Because this new camera system provides a high degree of overlap from different angles, Nearmap can reconstruct the real world in stunning detail, producing not only high-resolution orthomosaic and oblique imagery, but also surface and terrain models, natural-color point clouds and textured 3-D meshes.

    Other Speakers on the Panel

    Jeff Fagerman, Lidar USA

    Jeff Fagerman. Fagerman, a professional surveyor and certified photogrammetrist, is founder and owner of Lidar USA. He holds a master’s degree in photogrammetry from Purdue University. During his tenure with Intergraph from 1985 to 1999, he worked as a photogrammetric software developer on that company’s innovative photogrammetric workstations. In 1999, he started Fagerman Technologies, now known as Lidar USA. In 2010, the main corporate focus became mobile lidar aboard UAVs.

    Lidar USA provides solutions for GIS, surveying, civil engineering, agriculture, forensics, BIM, heritage mapping — all things 3D and beyond. In addition to UAV-based mapping and surveying, the company has developed ground—based lidar, building an economical mobile mapping system called ScanLook, incorporating scanning, imaging, and navigation. The company has provided client services in survey/mapping, agriculture, law enforcement, military, archaeology, and education.

    Chris Lund, Honeywell

    Chris Lund, Honeywell Corporation. Lund will focus on inertial sensors as the centerpiece of any robust industrial positioning solution. Given they can’t be interfered with, inertial sensors are the glue that binds the information from all the other sensors together to reveal the desired insights and maximize operator uptime/efficiency.

    Lund is a senior director of product marketing for Honeywell’s Navigation and Sensor business. He has experience running product lines for inertial measurement units as well as for surface and marine navigators. Previously, he had engineering roles as a researcher, project lead and technical manager. Lund has an M.S. in the management of technology. He has been working on navigation-related technologies since the late 90s, holds multiple patents, and has co-authored several conference papers and presentations.

    Derrick Reish, LTI

    Derrick Reish, Laser Technology Inc. (LTI). (LTI) started working with the U.S. government more than 30 years ago by designing lasers that measured distances between two planes in-flight for a de-icing exercise. The company then won a contract with NASA to build a custom laser that could measure both distances and speeds for space docking missions. Its first professional measurement device was a hand-held reflector-less total station launched the GPS laser offset sector.

    LTI addresses real world needs and applications, including forestry, mining, utilities and surveying, among others. The company focuses on facilitating data collection and GPS/GNSS mapping for professionals, with innovative solutions aboard Android and UAV platforms.

    Register here for the free Aug. 31 webinar.

  • Lidar/UAV and inertial experts join panel on free webinar: Integrated tech

    Jeff Fagerman, Lidar USA

    Jeff Fagerman, a professional surveyor and certified photogrammetrist, has joined the panel of speakers on the Aug. 31 webinar, “Integrated Technologies for Industrial Positioning.” The webinar is free (register here) and focuses on applications in the electric utility/telecom sector, such as site inspections, drones and geographic information systems (GIS) mapping in general. Participants will learn how to maximize reach and capabilities using various sensors and technologies integrated with GPS aboard unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) platforms.

    Also joining the panel for the Aug. 31 webinar is Chris Lund from Honeywell Corporation. He will focus on inertial sensors as the centerpiece of any robust industrial positioning solution.  Given they can’t be interfered with, inertial sensors are the glue that binds the information from all the other sensors together to reveal the desired insights and maximize operator uptime/efficiency.

    The two new speakers join Derrick Reish of Laser Technology, Inc., for the webinar.

    Fagerman is founder and owner of Lidar USA. He holds a Master’s degree in photogrammetry from Purdue University. During his tenure with Intergraph from 1985 to 1999, he worked as a photogrammetric software developer on that company’s innovative photogrammetric workstations. In 1999, he started Fagerman Technologies, now known as Lidar USA. In 2010, the main corporate focus became mobile lidar aboard UAVs.

    Chris Lund, Honeywell

    Chris Lund is a senior director of product marketing for Honeywell’s Navigation and Sensor business. He has experience running product lines for inertial measurement units as well as for surface and marine navigators. Previously, he had engineering roles as a researcher, project lead and technical manager. Lund has an M.S. in the management of technology. He has been working on navigation-related technologies since the late 90s, holds multiple patents, and has co-authored several conference papers and presentations.

    Lidar USA provides solutions for GIS, surveying, civil engineering, agriculture, forensics, BIM, heritage mapping — all things 3D and beyond. In addition to UAV-based mapping and surveying, the company has developed ground—based lidar, building an economical mobile mapping system called ScanLook, incorporating scanning, imaging, and navigation. The company has provided client services in survey/mapping, agriculture, law enforcement, military, archaeology, and education.

    Derrick Reish, Laser Technology, Inc.

    Laser Technology Inc. (LTI) started working with the US government more than 30 years ago by designing lasers that measured distances between two planes in-flight for a de-icing exercise. The company then won a contract with NASA to build a custom laser that could measure both distances and speeds for space docking missions. Its first professional measurement device was a hand-held reflector-less total station launched the GPS laser offset sector.  

LTI addresses real world needs and applications, including forestry, mining, utilities and surveying, among others. The company focuses on facilitating data collection and GPS/GNSS mapping for professionals, with innovative solutions aboard Android and UAV platforms.

    Register here for the free August 31 webinar.  A final speaker expert in aerial photography  will be announced soon.

     

  • Intergeo preview: Photogrammetry heads for new markets

    We’ve entered a new golden age for photogrammetry, powered by the ease of digitizing images and their ubiquitous availability.

    Photogrammetry is the science of making measurements from photographs. While science drives the process, business is driving a wealth of associated applications.

    “Photogrammetry is ahead of its time because everything is already fully digital in this discipline,” said Heinz-Jürgen Przybilla, professor of Geodesy at Bochum University of Applied Sciences.

    UAVs, digital cameras and image sensors on the Internet of Things, in aircraft or on satellites are opening up applications that only the world of science was predicting a few years ago.

    Intergeo Show. The developments that photogrammetry is setting in motion will be on display at Intergeo 2017, Sept. 26–28 in Berlin.

    The art of using photographs for surveying, which laid the foundation for present-day photogrammetry, dates back 150 years and involves developing processes to derive information from images that go far beyond simply viewing them. In recent years, the discipline has made huge progress, with businesses discovering new application areas.

    The high level of automation makes it possible to interpret huge volumes of data from sources such as large-scale satellite imagery. The process also works in real time — a prerequisite in applications such as autonomous navigation.

    “Automation in image evaluation makes people incredibly flexible. We’re no longer restricted to viewing the world from our own height,” said Christian Heipke, president of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS).

    Photogrammetry applications are moving into numerous sectors and tackling a host of challenges. Global change is being documented using images from space. Image data is being used to forecast crop sizes. Inaccessible structures are being monitored with the help of images from UAVs.

    As Przybilla said, image evaluations from UAVs are already being used for high-precision land register surveys. What took days manually can now be accomplished in minutes.

    Disaster Prevention. Other applications include disaster prevention and monitoring refugee movements. In many cases, drones provide a rapid overview, while satellites offer the large-scale basis for evaluating a situation.

    In architecture, 3D models from aerial images complement computer-aided design (CAD) plans.  In conjunction with virtual reality, 3D models enable design variants for a building to be depicted in the actual environment.

    Information is also being shared with disciplines such as computer vision and robotics, with “seeing robots” increasingly recording and mapping their surroundings.

    Industrial site in 3D: A digital elevation model from a series of overlapping photos taken from a UAV at 300 feet above ground level.
    Industrial site in 3D: A digital elevation model from a series of overlapping photos taken from a UAV at 300 feet above ground level. (Image: Eric Gakstatter)

    More and more, the processes and algorithms on which image evaluations are based are becoming like a “black box” for users — hard to understand from the outside. While the black box is getting bigger, scientists are refining their methods.

    “We’re increasingly combining existing data and this will leverage a huge amount of new potential,” explained Heipke. The black box for photogrammetry will be discussed at Intergeo.

    Once the process of image content recognition is automated, applications are limitless.

    Several sessions organized by the German Society for Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Geoinformation (DGPF) at Intergeo will be looking at topical issues in photogrammetry. The contents of the presentations range from new sensors and remote sensing to “engineering geodesy meets photogrammetry.” Numerous companies will also be showcasing their image-evaluation solutions at Intergeo’s specialist exhibition.

  • TerraGo adds advanced features to Magic apps

    TerraGo adds advanced features to Magic apps

    New features are now available for TerraGo Magic, including laser-rangefinder integration, offset data capture, Apple and Google turn-by-turn navigation, and proximity alerts. Also new is extended waypoint guidance for finding off-road assets and infrastructure.

    TerraGo Magic is a zero-code platform-as-a-service that enables customers to build their own custom mobile apps without writing any code by choosing from a menu of available, field-tested features.

    TerraGo Magic is also the underlying platform used to build TerraGo Edge, which includes these latest features in version 4.1, available for download from the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

    “With the addition of laser positioning and offsets for remote data collection, TerraGo helps us rapidly capture high-accuracy data for more assets and infrastructure, even those in difficult to reach locations,” said Fernando Mutia, IS supervisor for San Jose Water Company.

    Partnership with Laser Technology

    TerraGo is now partnering with Laser Technology Inc. (LTI) to enable all custom apps built by TerraGo Magic to seamlessly utilize LTI’s professional-grade laser rangefinders.

    TerraGo Magic partners and customers can now add TruPulse rangefinder support to their custom iOS and Android apps with the click of a button using the TerraGo Magic zero-code app platform.

    Also, Seiler Instrument – Geospatial, a partner of both LTI and TerraGo, will now add TruPulse support to its new Field2GIS app, which was built using TerraGo Magic and is now available from iTunes and Google Play.

    “We’re very happy to launch this partnership that we feel responds directly to our customers’ goals and the industry’s demand for improving the quality and productivity of their field data collection work,” said Derrick Reish, senior product manager at LTI. “By leveraging laser precision and cloud-based mobility, we can help our joint customers collect the accurate data they need at a level of efficiency that wasn’t possible just a few years ago.”

    “With TerraGo Magic, we totally change the traditional way of thinking about how custom mobile app versions get built, released and upgraded,” said Dave Basil, vice president of product development at TerraGo. “When we publish a new feature in Magic, it’s immediately available to all customer apps but doesn’t force it on all customers or require an upgrade beyond their control.”

    “With TerraGo Magic’s platform-as-a-service, customers can evaluate and include features based on their priorities, timeline, business requirements and users’ needs, giving them the flexibility and control of a custom solution  without the cost of custom app development,” Basil said.

    Webinars

    TerraGo is hosting a webinar on Aug. 15 at 12 p.m. ET with a live demonstration of the latest features in TerraGo Magic Apps and TerraGo Edge.

    To learn more about the technical details and operational benefits, join TerraGo and LTI in the webinar Advanced Mobile Data Collection Finds the Range with Laser-Precision, on Aug. 22 at 12 p.m. ET.

  • GeoCue’s GNSS kit for drones provides survey-level accuracy

    GeoCue’s GNSS kit for drones provides survey-level accuracy

    GeoCue Group has released a GNSS positioning system that will allow users of DJI Phantom 4 Pros and Inspire 2 drones, as well as most drones using higher end cameras, to achieve survey-level accuracy with minimum ground control.

    Loki, GeoCue’s new direct geopositioning system for small unmanned aerial systems, solves the two fundamental problems associated with this technology:

    • Positioning Accuracy. Loki uses the new AsteRx-m2 multi-frequency, multi-constellation GNSS engine from Septentrio, which has 448 hardware channels.
    • Camera Events. GeoCue has invented a patent-pending method of detecting camera events from Phantoms/Inspires and synchronizing those events to GNSS positioning. No modifications to the drone are necessary; the adapter cable is “plug and play.”
    GeoCue’s Loki positioning kit uses the Septentrio AsteRx-m2 GNSS engine.

    Loki is a self-contained kit that provides all of the hardware and software needed to equip a drone with a post-processed kinematic (PPK) multifrequency, multi-constellation, differential, carrier-phase GNSS.

    Using a local base station (not included), Loki provides centimeter-level positioning with minimal, and in some cases, no ground-control points (though GCPs are always recommended for quality assurance).

    “GeoCue has been a long-time Septentrio OEM development partner,” said Neil Vancans, vice president of Septentrio Americas. “They have offered our previous generation sUAS board on their high-end AV-900, achieving remarkable results in both accuracy and reliability. By solving the problem of connecting the virtual camera trigger on DJI drones to our AsteRx-m2 GNSS engine, they can achieve professional mapping accuracies with consumer-grade UAVs.”

    DroneDeploy of San Francisco has become a leader in cloud-based processing for DJI, as well as other drones. DroneDeploy has enabled users of Phantom and Inspire drones to easily upload drone images, work online with analytics, and download point clouds and orthophotos to desktops for advanced processing.

    Without Loki, achieving acceptable network accuracy requires the time-consuming placement of ground-control targets throughout the mapping site.

    GeoCue and DroneDeploy have been working together to ensure a smooth Loki-DroneDeploy workflow from field to finish.

    “The GeoCue Loki system is an exciting product for anyone using drones to make maps with high accuracy,” said Mike Winn, CEO and co-founder of DroneDeploy. “The Loki’s combination of high-end GNSS positioning and DJI camera synchronization enables survey-grade accuracy with the simplest workflow that we’ve seen — making the Loki a great fit for the DroneDeploy platform.”

    “I am very excited to be working with industry leaders such as DroneDeploy on our Loki project,” said Lewis Graham, president and CTO of GeoCue Group. “Loki provides high accuracy positional data to downstream processing solutions. More significantly, it does this for DJI Phantom 4 Pro and Inspire 2 drones. Combining DJI, Loki and cloud processing solutions such as DroneDeploy provides a very streamlined and cost effective solution for high accuracy site surveys.”

    The Loki kit includes:

    • Loki PPK Controller using the Septentrio AsteRx-m2 GNSS engine (GPS L1, L2, L5 and GLONASS L1, L2, L3, 448 hardware channels).
    • Maxtena M1227HCT-A2-SMA high performance, active, multiband GNSS antenna
    • Antenna ground plane with mounting kit
    • Antenna to controller cable
    • USB cable for data transfer and Loki controller charging
    • Personality cable (user selects either DJI or DSLR)
    • AirGon ASP software suite
    • Mounting kits for DJI Inspire 2 and Phantom 4 Pro
    • 1 year of maintenance and technical support

    Loki requires a local multifrequency base station (not included but available from GeoCue). Loki is shipping to early adopter customers in August 2017. It will be available for the general market in September 2017.

    It will release with direct support for DroneDeploy and AirGon’s Bring Your Own Drone (BYOD) Mapping Kit. Loki’s introductory price will be USD $4,995. GeoCue is currently accepting preorders.

    Loki will be on display September 6-8 at the InterDrone 2017 conference in Las Vegas and at Commercial UAV Expo, also in Las Vegas, October 24-26. A workshop dedicated to high accuracy mapping with DJI drones using Loki is being held in conjunction with the Commercial UAV Expo. Register at www.expouav.com.

  • Launchpad: OEM, survey and mapping, transportation, UAVs

    Launchpad: OEM, survey and mapping, transportation, UAVs

    OEM

    Narrowband cellular chipset

    With integrated GNSS

    The ALT1250 narrowband CAT-M1 and NB1 (NB-IoT) chipset includes GNSS functionality. Its extreme level of integration eliminates the need for most external components required to design a cellular Internet of Things (IoT) module. Less than 100 x 100 square millimeters, the ALT1250 module features support for both Release 13 standards — CAT-M1 and NB1. It includes a wideband RF front end supporting unlimited combinations of LTE bands within a single hardware design; a multi-layered and hardware-based security framework; an internal application MCU subsystem; and packaging that enables standard, low-cost printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing.

    Altair Semiconductor, www.altair-semi.com

    Grandmaster clock

    Carrier-grade, packet-based timing and synchronization

    Hardware on the TimeProvider 5000 IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) grandmaster clock has been updated to support Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and multi-GNSS constellations to ensure better reception and higher security in a wide variety of telecommunications network applications. Looking forward to mobile infrastructure with LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) and 5G services, support for IPv6 and alternate GNSS constellations is rising in importance for deploying a robust, secure and future-proof synchronization network. The device offers multiple constellations in accordance with the directives in certain countries to remove sole dependency on GPS. Support for GLONASS and Galileo also makes systems more robust and secure to certain GNSS vulnerabilities. The TimeProvider 5000 provides redundant hardware, user-configurable PTP profiles and Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) support with optical small form-factor pluggable (SFP) modules.

    Microsemi Corporation, www.microsemi.com

    Post-processing board

    Designed for effective data collection, management

    The Precis-BX316R is a GNSS Post-Processing Kinematic (PPK) board for accurate positioning. It supports raw measurement output from two antennas: GPS L1/L2, GLONASS G1/G2 and BeiDou B1/B2 from the primary antenna and GPS L1/L2 from the second antenna. The SD card on board (up to 32 GB) makes it convenient for users to collect data for post processing. Working with GNSS antennas, it can output stable measurement in challenging conditions. Integrated with versatile interfaces and connectors, Precis-BX316R aims to facilitate applications such as precision navigation, precision agriculture, surveying and UAV, and enforcing effective GNSS data management.

    Tersus GNSS, www.tersus-gnss.com

    GNSS module

    Integrated module eases embedded designs

    The u-blox SAM-M8Q GNSS receiver with integrated antenna is housed in a 15.5 x 15.5 x 6.3 millimeter package. It can be embedded in small devices that require location information, such as asset tracking and telematics systems, and generic automotive after-market applications. The module offers simultaneous reception of GPS, GLONASS and Galileo. The combination of an integrated wide-band antenna along with the module’s SAW filter and low-noise amplifier (LNA) architecture ensures that the SAM-M8Q receiver delivers robust performance in the presence of high-frequency signals from other electronic equipment that can cause interference, such as cellular modems.

    u-blox, www.u-blox.com

    Dual-band antenna

    Tight pre-filter protects against high-level cell signals

    The TW3892 is a through-hole mount dual-band plus L-band GNSS antenna. It employs Tallysman’s Accutenna technology and is capable of receiving GPS L1/L2, GLONASS G1/G2, BeiDou B1, Galileo E1 plus L-band correction services (1213MHz to 1261MHz + 1525MHz to 1610MHz). The TW3892 is a precisely tuned antenna with a tight pre-filter to protect against intermodulation and saturation caused by high-level cellular 700 MHz and other signals.

    Tallysman, www.tallysman.com

    Multi-constellation board

    Protection against jamming interference

    The credit-card sized AsteRx-m2 offers all-in-view multi-frequency, multi-constellation tracking and centimeter-level real-time kinematic (RTK) position accuracy for low power. It can receive TerraStar satellite-based correction signals for precise point positioning (PPP). The board features Septentrio’s AIM+ interference mitigation system that can suppress a wide variety of interferers, from simple continuous narrowband signals to complex wideband and pulsed jammers. The RF spectrum can be viewed in real time in both time and frequency domains.

    Septentrio, www.septentrio.com

    Test suite

    For in-vehicle and V2V connectivity

    Spirent’s TTsuite-WAVE-DSRC (Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments – Dedicated Short-Range Communications) conformance test solution includes a set of tests required for U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) certification. TTsuite-WAVE-DSRC consists of four different protocol conformance test suites as per the USDOT Certification Operating Council (COC) conformance test specifications. It enables full test automation, includes frameworks for individual adaptation, and it is extensible with many plug-ins to meet constantly changing development requirements. TTsuite-WAVE-DSRC is targeted at companies supplying or testing WAVE-DSRC ITS technology.

    Spirent Communications, www.spirent.com

    Survey & Mapping

    GNSS receiver

    Multi-frequency, multi-application and multi-use

    The SP90m GNSS receiver is a powerful, highly versatile, ultra-rugged and reliable GNSS positioning solution for a wide variety of real-time and post-processing applications. Integrated communications options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UHF radio and cellular modem as well as two MSS L-band channels to receive Trimble RTX correction services. The SP90m can be used as a base station, campaign receiver, continuously operating reference station (CORS), real-time kinematic (RTK) or Trimble RTX rover, or be integrated on-board a machine. The receiver uses all available GNSS signals to deliver fast and reliable positions in real time, and allows the connection of two GNSS antennas for precise heading or relative positioning determination without a secondary GNSS receiver. It features an internal removable battery, internal memory and optional accessory kits for specific applications.

    Spectra Precision, www.spectraprecision.com

    Field-to-office software

    For total stations, robotics and GNSS rover systems

    GeoPro Field provides a graphical user interface designed to collect field measurements for land surveying and construction activities. GeoPro Field is a tool to collect and import measurement data into design and drafting software, increasing productivity with CAD functionality in the field. It is compatible with various software workflows, and point files are easily exported to third-party software. Sokkia GeoPro Office is the office-processing complement to the field software — designed to clean, process, and analyze field data into its easiest-to-use form. The office software can also be expanded with an optional 3D and road design module, for further versatility to design roads with the processed field measurements.

    Sokkia, www.sokkia.com

    RTK base and rover

    Ready for highway and site construction

    Hemisphere GNSS’ C321 GNSS Smart Antenna is designed for heavy highway and site construction. When paired with SiteMetrix Site Management software, the multi-frequency, multi-GNSS C321 antenna can be used as an all-in-one construction base and rover site controller. The C321 combines the Athena GNSS engine and Atlas L-band correction technologies. The ruggedized antenna is designed for the most challenging environments and meets IP67-standard requirements. Powered by Athena GNSS engine, the C321 provides best-in-class, centimeter-level RTK. Athena excels in virtually every environment where high-accuracy GNSS receivers can be used. Tested and proven, Athena performs with long baselines in open-sky environments, under heavy canopy, and in geographic locations experiencing significant scintillation. The C321 ships pre-configured to test-drive corrections from Hemisphere’s Atlas L-band corrections service. C321 also uses Hemisphere’s aRTK technology, powered by Atlas. This feature allows the receiver to operate with RTK accuracies when RTK corrections fail. If the C321 is Atlas-subscribed, it will continue to operate at the subscribed service level until RTK is restored.

    Hemisphere GNSS, www.hemispheregnss.com

    RTK GNSS tablet

    Centimeter-level positioning

    Toughpad is Panasonic’s newest professional-grade notebook, specifically designed for precision agriculture, machine control and robotic guidance applications in harsh environments and conditions. Embedded in the tablet is a u-blox NEO-M8 GNSS receiver module delivering high integrity and precision in demanding applications worldwide. First tested for collecting snow in Hokkaido, Japan, the Toughpad tablet uses Panasonic’s own satellite positioning technology combining a satellite radio receiver module, wireless WAN, and a single-band real-time kinematic (RTK) GNSS receiver connected to an external antenna. The system enables high-precision positioning down to centimeter level in open-sky conditions.

    Panasonic, www.panasonic.com
    u-blox, www.u-blox.com

    Mobile app

    Aids in understanding the oceans

    Esri has released an Ecological Marine Units (EMU) app for mobile devices. The app provides a new way to measure marine environments on a 3D interactive map for more cost-effective fishery planning and informed conservation. It is a resource for scientists, educators, governments and industries seeking accessible information and imagery about the ocean’s long-term physical and nutrient properties. The EMU app puts data such as temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen from 52 million locations throughout the world’s oceans at any user’s fingertips. This data informs how livable marine environments are for ocean-dwelling species as well as the overall health of the ecosystem. The app is free from the App Store and Google Play.

    Esri, www.esri.com

    Post-processing software

    Delivers CAD drawings from ground-penetrating radar data

    DX Office Vision is a utility post-processing software for mapping ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data from the field into a CAD drawing. It allows even non-experienced users to obtain professional 3D CAD drawings and visualize the detected underground utilities in a simple way. The intuitive interface enables users to filter, select, identify and make annotations of the located targets. With DX Office Vision, post-processing for all ground-penetrating data requires no add-on or third-party software.

    Leica Geosystems, www.leica-geosystems.com

    Transportation

    Infotainment testing

    For the connected-car market

    Averna has entered a strategic partnership with M3 Systems to distribute their StellaNGC GNSS Simulator on VST NI platforms for the infotainment segment of the automotive market. M3 Systems’ GNSS simulator, based on National Instruments’ Vector Signal Transceiver (NI VST), will now be available as part of Averna’s AST-1000 platform, extending its capability to navigation and GNSS testing. Launched in July 2016, the AST-1000 is an RF solution designed for radio, navigation, video and connectivity testing. Also based on the NI VST, the software-defined AST-1000 supports infotainment RF signals, including AM/FM, DAB, RDS, HD Radio and Sirius/XM as well as GNSS navigation. The combination provides a comprehensive solution and enables applications for testing infotainment systems.

    Averna, www.averna.com

    LTE automotive-grade module

    Optimized for connected cars

    The LE940A9 automotive-grade module is designed to support LTE Advanced Category 9 (Cat 9) networks. The series offers three multi-band, multi-mode variants — including voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) — and is optimized for automobile manufacturers to deploy next-generation connected-car technology in world markets. The LE940A9 delivers 450 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload speeds with extremely low latency and advanced security. The xE940A9 40×40 mm LGA form factor nests with the 34x40mm Telit xE920 automotive module family, offering flexibility for the OEM or tier-one integrator. It powers the entire connected-car platform, supporting current needs while including advanced features that enable future integration of upcoming services. The module can run in-vehicle applications inside a secure processing environment from the built-in application processor, storage and memory. Automotive application programs can run entirely and securely on the module itself, protected by advanced cyber-security capabilities.

    Telit, www.telit.com

    Reference design

    Nine antennas including four LTE, two Wi-Fi, GNSS, SDARS and DSRC

    The Axiom is a reference design for a low-profile, compact multiple-antenna solution for the next generation of connected cars. The Axiom reference design helps automobile manufacturers more quickly advance antenna configurations that work for their particular make and model. As many as 18 antennas are needed to power the next-generation connected car, including multiple cellular antennas for network connectivity; Wi-Fi for hotspot connectivity; GNSS for navigation, emergency call systems and other location-based technologies; satellite radio (SDARS); AM/FM antennas; radar antennas for object detection; Bluetooth antennas for smartphones and other devices, and dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) antennas for vehicle-to-vehicle/infrastructure applications.

    Taoglas, www.taoglas.com

    Ground robotics

    Ruggedized module based on military design principles

    The Duro is a ruggedized version of Swift Navigation’s Piksi Multi dual-frequency RTK GNSS receiver. Built for outdoor operations, Duro combines a rugged enclosure with centimeter-accurate positioning. Leveraging design principles typically used in military hardware, the GNSS sensor is protected against weather, moisture, vibration, dust, water immersion and unexpected circumstances that can occur in outdoor long-term deployments. It is ready to connect out of the box. Primary industries for this product include robotics, precision agriculture, mapping, military, outdoor industrial and maritime.

    Swift Navigation, www.swiftnav.com
    Carnegie Robotics, www.carnegierobotics.com

    UAV

    GPS-INS for drones

    Now in beta mode for summer release

    The μINS is a precision miniature GPS-aided inertial navigation system (GPS-INS) designed to provide high-quality direction, position and velocity data for drones and robotic applications. It uses a u-blox L1 GPS receiver. Advanced algorithms fuse output from micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) inertial sensors, magnetometers, barometric pressure, and a high-sensitivity GPS (GNSS) receiver to deliver fast, accurate and reliable attitude, velocity and position even in the most dynamic environments. Sensor calibration, standard on all units, minimizes undesirable effects of manufactured variation and maximizes sensor performance. Features include GPS UTC time synchronization; an inertial measurement unit with comprehensive calibration for bias, scale factor and cross-axis alignment; –40°C to 85°C temperature compensation; a measurement of 15.6 x 12.5 x 6.3 millimeters; and a weight of 2 grams.

    Inertial Sense, www.inertialsense.com

    UAV helicopter

    Designed for high-altitude flight

    The Scout B-330 UAV helicopter is built with a payload capacity of up to 50 kg. (110 pounds), flight endurance of at least three hours, and the capability of flying at high altitudes (up to 3,000 meters above sea level) in a typical mission scenario. This includes a full autonomous take-off sequence, a mission flight at variable speed, and a landing sequence. The Scout B-330 is specifically designed for lidar-based powerline mapping missions. It pairs with Riegl airborne and unmanned lidar sensors such as the Riegl VP-1 Helicopter Pod, the Riegl VUX-1UAV lightweight UAV laser scanner, and the Riegl VUX-1LR lightweight, long-range airborne laser scanner.

    Aeroscout, www.aeroscout.ch

    Situational awareness

    Certifiable application for unmanned traffic management

    The IRIS UAS Airspace Situational Awareness application meets the requirements of the DO-278A Assurance standard for Air Traffic Management systems, providing a certifiable option to monitor drones and airspace. By anticipating the regulatory requirements for airspace visualization with Unmanned Traffic Management or UTM, the IRIS display will be a regulatory-approved component increasing the safety of commercial drone flight operations — especially when operating beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). The application had its genesis in supporting military UAV flight operations and was developed to help operators safely pilot UAVs in BVLOS operations. It was also used by regional airspace UTM managers to monitor the operations of multiple drones simultaneously. The DO-278A standard is used by certification authorities such as FAA, EASA and Transport Canada.

    Kongsberg Geospatial, www.kongsberggeospatial.com

    Precision pointing gimbal

    Better than 0.3-degree accuracy, plug-and-play

    The miniature Epsilon series of gyro-stabilized gimbals now have a precision geo-pointing feature. The feature, Precision Geo-Lock, combines a GPS-aided inertial navigation system (GPS/INS) with dedicated software algorithms and payload operator software. Precision Geo-Lock provides the user with highly accurate target geo-location, range-to-target, as well as Geo-Lock functionality and moving map user interface. It incorporates VectorNav’s VN-200, which offers a high-level of performance in a form factor small enough to be integrated directly into the optical bench of the gimbal. Precision Geo-Lock provides better than 0.3-degree accuracy and is plug-and-play, so the customer can install the Epsilon gimbal and get accurate results on any platform and in a high-vibration environment.

    Octopus ISR Systems, www.octopus.uavfactory.com
    VectorNav Technologies, www.vectornav.com

  • TomTom focuses on integration of traffic data with maps at Esri UC

    TomTom‘s Kenneth Clay highlights traffic features the company offers with its mapping services. TomTom exhibited at the 2017 Esri User Conference, which took place July 10-14 in San Diego, California.

  • Orbit GT releases UAS Mapping v17.1 with cloud feature

    OrbitGT_UAS-Mapping-v17.1-W

    Orbit GT has released v17.1 of its UAS Mapping desktop product including the all-new Upload to the Cloud feature. It is available for download from the company website.

    “This upgrade includes the capability to upload any UAS Mapping content directly to www.3dmapping.cloud, our SaaS based sharing and collaboration platform,” said Peter Bonne, CEO of Orbit GT. “It adds a great new feature for everyone collecting and creating drone based content.”

    Upload to the Cloud allows for users to instantly bring their drone/UAS/UAV data online. The upload process is fluently integrated in the known workflows of the product, with the required checks and validations. Upload time depends on the internet connection.

    Once uploaded, the data is immediately available for sharing on www.3dmapping.cloud. The new Catalog tool adds insight and overview of all data collection jobs done, indisspensible to manage large jobs.

    The update is free for holders of a license with maintenance.

  • Trimble Penmap for Android designed for field surveying

    Trimble has introduced Penmap for Android, a cloud-connected application for field surveying and high-accuracy geographic information system (GIS) data collection that works on mobile handhelds, smartphones and tablets.

    Trimble Penmap for Android focuses on core survey and mapping tasks such as cadastral and boundary surveys, as well as establishing local control, stake-outs, quality checks and asset management for utilities. It provides both professional surveyors and field workers with an intuitive, easy-to-use map-based interface to manage features and attributes for high-accuracy GIS and complete survey documentation.

    The application is also ideal for use in the energy distribution industry for locating infrastructure and recording critical information on encroachments, clearways and existing monuments, the company said.

    The application runs on a variety of Android devices, including the rugged Trimble TDC100 handheld, and supports full-featured Trimble GNSS receivers such as the Trimble R10, R8s and R2 receivers.

    Trimble Penmap for Android is optimized to integrate with the new Trimble Catalyst service, a software-defined GNSS receiver that connects to the small, inexpensive plug-and-play DA1 antenna, and allows surveyors to choose an accuracy level from meter to centimeters to suit their application needs.

    Together, Penmap and Trimble Catalyst — both purchased through a fixed monthly subscription — offer an on-demand, lightweight and low-cost professional surveying system that provides value, convenience and flexibility, the company added.

    “The addition of Penmap expands our portfolio to address the needs of organizations that require a value-packed, flexible survey system,” said Matt Delano, general manager of Trimble’s Land Administration solutions. “Surveyors using the Penmap application with Trimble Catalyst can easily manage seasonal shifts in survey activity by scaling up or down without a capital investment. Survey managers will find it an efficient way to carry out field checks without tying up expensive equipment used by their field crews. They can simply use a phone, the Penmap application, a Catalyst subscription and the DA1 antenna.”

    Trimble Penmap for Android includes the Penmap Project Manager, which is used to set up projects, create templates and add team members.

    Penmap Project Manager works with the Trimble Connect platform for storing and transferring data between the field and office.

    Trimble Connect, which is also included in the Penmap subscription, is a collaborative cloud-based platform that enables organizations to set up and deploy projects to their field users. Information collected in the field is synced back to the office in real-time where it is stored, managed and communicated to team members.

    Data can also be exported from Penmap Project Manager into back-office systems in a variety of file formats for viewing and sharing.

  • Boundless partners with Mapbox on mapping platform

    Boundless, an open source geographic information systems (GIS) company, has announced a new partnership with Mapbox, a real-time location and mapping platform for developers.

    The partnership enables developers to build applications that help people move through cities and understand their world better by giving Boundless users access to premium basemap content from Mapbox using Boundless Connect subscription service.

    Additionally, Boundless has released a new version of its Desktop GIS software, which — along with Boundless Connect — was first introduced in November 2016. Boundless Desktop 1.1 includes increased support for PKI authentication, new options for styling, new image discovery and terrain analysis toolbars, in addition to Mapbox basemaps. Users can quickly search through an image library and discover image scenes based on location, cloud cover, acquisition date and more.

    New Partnership

    “This announcement signifies the massive growth and capabilities of Boundless Connect and accelerates the movement towards open GIS software and developer tools by expanding access to important content like Mapbox’s datasets and gorgeous maps,” said Andy Dearing, CEO of Boundless. “Partnering with Mapbox has been phenomenal and will only add value to our users. Making this data and content easily accessible through the Boundless ecosystem allows for significant productivity gains and unparalleled flexibility to our customers.”

    Today, Boundless Desktop users can easily access this content through the Boundless Connect plugin. Mapbox content is also accessible through Boundless Suite and Exchange subscriptions. These basemaps include:

    • Mapbox Streets: A comprehensive, general-purpose basemap used for styling transit networks
    • Mapbox Outdoors: A basemap with curated tilesets and specialized styling tailored for adventurous use cases such as hiking or biking
    • Mapbox Light & Dark: A subtle, full-featured basemap that provides geographic context while highlighting data
    • Mapbox Satellite: A full global basemap, perfect as a blank canvas or overlay
    • Mapbox Satellite Streets: Combines Mapbox Satellite with vector data from Mapbox Streets, providing a comprehensive set of road, label and POI information; bringing greater clarity and context to the crisp detail in high-resolution satellite imagery
    • Additional premium services for routing, geocoding and more will be available in the near future.

    “This partnership just makes sense. Mapbox and Boundless share a mission: helping developers build amazing applications that change the way people move and understand their world,” said Matt Irwin, head of strategic partnerships at Mapbox. “Boundless’s open, flexible platform pairs perfectly with Mapbox’s live-updating, customizable maps. The Boundless community now has tools and content, all in one place. We’re excited to see what they build!”

    Boundless Desktop 1.1 Release

    The Boundless Desktop 1.1. update includes increased support for PKI authentication, new options for styling, new image discovery and terrain analysis toolbars, and access to Mapbox basemaps.

    Boundless Desktop is a cross-platform desktop GIS built upon proven open source software. Its ecosystem consists of more than 600 plugins that make working with geospatial data simpler.

    The release of Boundless Desktop 1.1 signifies the company’s ongoing commitment to creating the world’s premier open GIS ecosystem. Boundless aims to continually provide customers with improvements and updates that make open GIS a viable and preferred alternative to proprietary GIS software.

    Key features include:

    • Access to premium basemap content from Mapbox made possible through a new partnership with Mapbox.
    • Improved support for terrain analysis through a new toolbar that exposes common analysis techniques in a single location.
    • Increased support for imagery with a new image discovery plugin. This feature enables users to conduct a quick search through image libraries and discover image scenes based on location, cloud cover, acquisition date and more.

    “Boundless continues to evolve its ecosystem of open GIS software with each release,” said Anthony Calamito, VP of product at Boundless. “Boundless Desktop 1.1 includes enhancements designed to make working with Desktop GIS easier for all. Access to premium basemaps, increased image capabilities and easy access to analysis tools were added in direct response to customer feedback. We encourage customers to submit their feedback to our Ideas Portal, so that we can continue to deliver software that meets the needs of our user base.”

    Boundless offers a complete open GIS solution through a unique combination of technology, products and experts, to give enterprises deeper intelligence and insights into their location-based data. The Boundless platform is built upon open-source technology and open APIs that generate actionable location intelligence across third-party apps, content services and plugins for enterprise applications.

  • Communication matters with spatial data

    International Cartographic Conference much more than just cartography

    I’ve always been a strong proponent of good cartography since my early days in geographic information systems (GIS) when I saw countless examples of very poor GIS map products. Regrettably, many early practitioners of GIS understood the software but lacked an appreciation and understanding of the good cartographic principals that are absolutely necessary to communicate spatial data well.

    Consequently, the International Cartography Conference (ICC 2017) was an event I didn’t want to miss, especially since this was the first time in 39 years that this prestigious conference has been held in the United States.

    The 28th annual International Cartographic Conference, ICC 2017, was held in Washington, D.C., July 2-7 with moe than 1,000 attendees from 80 countries representing government, academia and international companies.

    Two years ago at a an Esri Federal User Conference, I met Dr. Eric Anderson and Lynn Usery of the Cartography and Geographic Information Society of the US (CaGIS).  Both were promoting the ICC 2017 and heavily involved in its planning and organization.

    Dr. Anderson was a research scientist and executive with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for 35 years and is now the executive director of CaGIS and a faculty member of the College of Charleston. Lynn Usery is a senior scientist of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and director of the Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science. ICC events have been key activities of the International Cartographic Association (ICA).

    George Washington, First in the Arts of Mapmaking

    In a keynote address, Director Robert Cardillo from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) explained the interesting history of NGA citing George Washington, surveyor and mapmaker, as NGA employee number one.

    Washington also appointed the nation’s first geographer and father of military mapping, Robert Erskine, whose work helped win the American Revolutionary War.

    He also spoke of the Civil War use of manned balloons with telegraph wires tethered to the ground, used to verbally aim indirect artillery defilade fire. He continued the history lesson up to modern times, leading to imagery and Big Data.

    Other keynote speakers included: Tom Patterson, senior cartographer, U.S. National Park Service; Lee Schwartz, geographer, U.S. Department of State; and Mikel Maron, Mapbox, OpenStreetMap Foundation.

    Among the many interesting presentations was one from Payam Tabrizian, Anna Petrasova and Vaclav Petras, all Ph.D. candidates at North Carolina State University and special guests of CaGIS. They  demonstrated their unique physical 3D sandbox system using low-cost gaming scanners and GRASS GIS.

    Imagine being able to hold a GIS in your hands: feel the shape of the earth, sculpt its topography, and direct the flow of water.

    This open-source interface physically, interactively manifests geospatial data, making GIS more intuitive and accessible for beginners, and creating new opportunities for developers. It consists of a near real-time feedback cycle of interaction, 3D scanning, point-cloud processing, geospatial computation and projection.

    Peer Review

    Although the word cartography was dominant, the conference covered a much broader range of topics, with a heavy emphasis on GIS and the science of mapping spatial data.

    Dr. Anderson reminded me that the conference is an outgrowth of the International Journal of Cartography, published on behalf of the ICA. The publication is a peer-reviewed journal, and much of the conference provides an opportunity for originators to present their work to a live audience.

    The conference ran from July 3-7 with more than 600 presentations and sessions. There were also several days of pre-conference meetings and field trips in the D.C. area. My colleague, William Tewelow, who has taken over my monthly Geointelligence Insider column, and I were both overwhelmed with the number of presentations.

    William was only able to attend part of the conference, but found a wealth of new material to digest and write about during the coming year.

    To give you an idea of the scope, below is a list of ICC Commissions (special interest groups), with each holding dozens of break-out sessions:

    • Art and Cartography
    • Atlases
    • Cartographic Heritage into the Digital
    • Cartography and Children
    • Cartography in Early Warning and Crisis Management
    • Cognitive Issues in Geographic Information Visualization
    • Education and Training
    • Generalization and Multiple Representation
    • Geospatial Analysis and Modeling
    • GI for Sustainability
    • History of Cartography
    • Location Based Services
    • Map Design
    • Map Production and Geoinformation Management
    • Map Projections
    • Maps and Graphics for Blind and Partially Sighted People
    • Maps and the Internet
    • Mountain Cartography
    • Open Source Geospatial Technologies
    • Planetary Cartography
    • SDI and Standards
    • Sensor-driven Mapping
    • Topographic Mapping
    • Toponymy
    • Ubiquitous Mapping
    • Use, User and Usability Issues
    • Visual Analytics

    You can read the session abstracts through the online schedule.  Additionally, ICC smartphone apps permit the download of text and some PowerPoint presentations. Go to your app store and search for and install “ICC2017.”

    Once you install the app, you can search for topics or presenters. You can view most presentation summaries, and even view or download some PowerPoint presentations and PDFs. (I’m not sure how long these will be available, so act soon).

    Expo and Posters

    The ICC featured several map/poster areas including a collection of maps created by children from around the world. Also included was an expo area with booths from organizations and businesses.

    Since this was a more academic conference that fell between GEOINT and the Esri User Conference, geospatial businesses were lightly represented. Below are video clips of some of the exhibitors.

    • Jill Saligoe-Simmel of MapDiva demonstrates Ortelius map design software for the Mac:

    • Markus Fuchs-Winkler with OCAD, a cartographic software program:

    • Liu Xiang Ming and Tao Wang of Top MAProducts at Qingdao Geotechnical Investigation & Surveying Research Institute. The comprehensive geoscience research institute focuses on geotechnical investigation, surveying, GIS and map culture. Ming and Wang were displaying some unique gift items with mapping themes. If you know someone with a gift shop or need some unique trade show or conference gifts, email Top MAProducts at [email protected].

    All in all, this was a very robust conference that I wish I could have seen more of. Lynn, Eric and the organizing committee did a superb job with such a complex effort.

    Photo and video by Art Kalinski

  • TerraGo Edge version 4 uses iOS, Android flexibility

    TerraGo Edge version 4 uses iOS, Android flexibility

    The profession of land surveying has taken advantage of many technological location and measuring advancements, yet most of the data collectors used today are still based upon aging proprietary data collectors and even older operating system platforms.

    A common tool for most surveyors is the smartphone or tablet, so TerraGo developed an application that takes advantage of the nimble programming of iOS and Android.

    The TerraGo Edge 4 mapping application utilizes all the best features of today’s mobile technology, according to TerraGo. Besides an intuitive interface, Edge 4 allows users to customize how their data is collected and presented, including overlays on Google and Apple maps.

    Depending on the user’s needs, Edge 4 can use the device’s Bluetooth connection to an external GNSS receiver for greater accuracy.

    Sharing is also easy with publishing and ArcGIS exporting plug-ins, all in a mobile environment most users are familiar with using every day, the company said.

    GPS and GIS features include:

    • Sub-meter and centimeter precision
    • Real-time GPS monitor
    • Full NMEA GPS metadata display and capture
    • GPS accuracy settings
    • RTK support
    • Dynamic BT device list
    • Auto-record GPS Lines and Polygons
    • Import and export Esri file geodatabase, Shapefile, KML, CSV, JSON
    • OGC GeoPackage (SQLite) vector and raster

    Learn more on the TerraGo Edge features page.

    TerraGo Edge version 4.0 offers a completely redesigned app based on customer feedback, field user observations and task-centered design cycles, as well as a host of new features including the addition of Google and Apple basemaps.

    “The new interface is so much more than just a ‘look and feel’ change; it will allow us to more efficiently execute projects and improve data quality in less taps and less time, which is a force multiplier when you’re talking about thousands of data points per day,” said Scott Riccardella, director of oil and gas business development at Structural Integrity Associates. “Having the right tool is essential to getting any job done right, and TerraGo is ahead of the game when it comes to giving my field teams the best possible tool for the fastest, most accurate and highest-quality asset inspections.”

    “We have completely rebuilt the mobile user interface from the ground up to improve all aspects of the app’s performance, and while users will notice the stunning graphics and aesthetics, the real value is that the feature or data you need is always just one tap away,” said Dave Basil, vice president of product development at TerraGo. “By incorporating the latest native design elements like tabbed navigation, responsive split screens and adaptive list views, we found ways to improve the speed and efficiency of the work our customers do every day.”

    TerraGo Edge’s latest features include:

    • Reimagined user experience: Rebuild of the Edge mobile user interface incorporating both years of user feedback from the field and interactive design cycles with live users.
    • Google and Apple maps: Standard, satellite and hybrid maps are available for data collection and are paired with new precise location pin icons for a cutting edge data collection experience.
    • Tabbed app navigation: With the new, easier to reach tabbed navigation, it’s easier to collect data in the field.
    • Quick capture button: Allows users to create notes, complete forms, take photos, drop points and draw lines/polygons from virtually anywhere in the app, with only one tap.
    • Unlimited attachments: Now users can attach as many forms, photos or videos as you would like to a single note.
    • Responsive split screen view: When holding a tablet or larger mobile device in landscape mode, new split screens will automatically allow userse to view lists/maps or lists/details on one screen.
    • Detailed list view: The new detailed list view shows more of the important note data making it easier to find notes, and enables one-tap actions directly from the list.
    • One-tap forms and maps lists: Now users can view all the form templates, and instantly create notes using them, or view all your offline maps and directly access them, from one master list.
    • Precise location: Users can capture a more accurate location when creating notes by using the center crosshair target and coordinate level accuracy for dropping points and drawing lines/polygons.
    • Filter by map extent: This new feature keeps the notes on a map and in a list dynamically in sync.
    • Quick basemap preview: Preview online and offline basemaps in real-time from the selection screen to choose a map with one tap and no toggling back and forth.
    • Arc2Edge plug-in: ArcGIS Desktop users can directly share maps and features with mobile users, allowing them to roundtrip updates and new features from the field back to ArcGIS.