Antenova Ltd. is adding a new offering to its range of miniature surface-mount-designed (SMD) antennas and modules for GNSS applications. The new antenna, Agosti (part number SR4G080), measures 9.0 x 5.8 x 1.7 mm and operates with exceptional efficiency in a reduced space on a corner of a printed circuit board (PCB).
The key advantage of the Agosti antenna is its small ground-plane requirement. Most SMD antennas use the surface of the PCB around the antenna as a ground plane from which to radiate the signal — the ground-plane requirement, not the physical dimensions of the antenna, define the space it needs.
Antenova’s radiated measurement results show Agosti operating well on small ground planes of 40 x 20 mm, 70 x 25 mm and 80 x 30 mm, making it a suitable choice for small form-factor designs, such as small wearable devices, trackers and on-board diagnostics (OBDs).
Agosti is designed to integrate and co-exist with other antennas within the same device. OBDs and trackers often use 4G/LTE with A-GPS for fallback. The Agosti antenna has been tested with Antenova’s Pharoah antenna (part number SR4L073), which also has a very small ground-plane requirement. The two antennas have excellent isolation and can operate in close proximity to each other in a very small device without the 4G signal interfering with sensitive GNSS signals.
“Small SMD antennas such as Agosti are an exciting alternative to the common delicate ceramic patch antennas used in GNSS designs,” said Michael Castle, product marketing manager, Antenova. “This is not just because the SMD antennas are significantly smaller. It is also because they provide omni-directional performance.
“Patch antennas are typically 12 mm or 14 mm square, are heavier than SMD antennas, and need a much larger ground plane and keep-out area,” Castle said. “They also have to be placed in the center of a circuit board and only work well when they point at the sky. Antenova’s new generation of SMD antennas overcome all of these limitations and perform well regardless of position and orientation of the device.”
A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the August 2022 issue of GPS World magazine.
OEM
Receiver Module
Designed for autonomous applications
Photo: Trimble
The Trimble BD9250 dual-frequency receiver module supports Trimble RTX correction services and is designed to deliver high-accuracy positioning for high-volume, autonomous-ready applications in agriculture, construction, robotics and logistics. The compact receiver has an industry-standard form factor and pinout, allowing for easy system integration and configuration. Equipped with Trimble’s advanced ProPoint positioning engine, the BD9250 delivers robust and accurate positioning. It is compatible with Trimble RTX correction services or real-time kinematic (RTK) and supports GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou as well as QZSS and NavIC. Support for the Indian NavIC S-Band signal is also available.
The AsteRx-U3 ruggedized GNSS receiver is the successor to the AsteRx-U for construction, mining and other machine control applications. It combines a triple-band precise positioning GNSS core with extended wireless communication features including Wi-Fi, UHF and 4G LTE, making it easy to fit it into any control system. The AsteRx-U3 offers low latency of under 10 msec with a high data rate, which allows machines to work rapidly and accurately. An IP68-rated housing, with fixing brackets and robust M12 connectors, enables quick installation.
The M20071 integrated GNSS receiver module, measuring 9 x 9 x 1.8 mm, incorporates the MediaTek AG3335MN flash chip. The receiver tracks four GNSS constellations concurrently (GPS + Galileo + GLONASS + BeiDou). The 1.8-volt system power supply provides outstanding low power consumption. Its multipath algorithms improve position accuracy in inner-city environments. The onboard low noise amplifier provides good performance in weak signal environments such as wearable devices.
The Strategic Anti-jam Beamforming Receiver – M-Code (SABR-M) enables precise geolocation and strike capabilities in highly contested battlespaces. It integrates receiver technology with advanced antenna electronics in a small, hardened package designed to meet challenging performance requirements. It delivers accurate position, velocity, altitude and timing data, as well as strong protection against GPS signal jamming and spoofing. At 4.5 x 6 x 1 inches, the SABR-M meets size, weight, power, cost (SWaP-C) and thermal requirements for space-constrained military applications. It uses advanced beamforming technology to improve GPS signal reception and counter threat signals.
The GPS Resilient Kit (GRK) is a cybersecurity device that comes with two antennas for monitoring and protecting time-critical infrastructures. It can be integrated with any GNSS receiver, either as a retrofit or in greenfield deployment. The GRK features a proprietary interference filtering algorithm for maximum protection, up to 40-dB attenuation of jamming signals with the premium option. It requires minimal power consumption while providing cloud-based monitoring with real-time reporting of jamming attacks. It protects GPS L1 (C/A code) with a latency of 100 ns ±15 ns (fixed).
GBaaS enables providers to combat PNT cyberattacks
Photo: ADVA
GNSS-backup-as-a-service (GBaaS) enables service providers to help operators safeguard services that rely on positioning, navigation and timing (PNT). In-network timing based on network time protocols (NTP) and precision time protocols (PTP) are also increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats. GBaas is based on ADVA’s aPNT+ platform, which leverages a suite of technologies, including multi-band GNSS receivers and management software based on artificial intelligence and machine-learning. Service providers can offer ADVA’s aPNT+ protection as a subscription-based service as part of their service-level agreements.
The i73+ pocket-sized receiver is a powerful and versatile receiver with an integrated UHF modem that delivers survey-grade accuracy in all jobsite configurations. It has 624 GNSS channels and the latest iStar technology and can be operated as either a base station or a rover. The i73+ is a highly productive NTRIP rover when used with a handheld controller or tablet and connected to a GNSS RTK network via CHCNAV LandStar field software. The receiver takes advantage of GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou, in particular the latest BeiDou 3 signal, to provide robust data quality at all times.
The Geode GNS3 GNSS receiver allows users to collect real-time GNSS data with sub-meter, sub-foot and decimeter accuracy options. With a scalable accuracy platform, users can purchase what they need now, while having the option to increase accuracy in the future. It offers sub-meter accuracy with a single-frequency antenna, while its multi-frequency antenna supports all constellations on L1, L2 and L5. Atlas L-band corrections allow the Geode to be used in water utility locating, agriculture and irrigation mapping, as well as mapping projects in remote locations where other correction services are not available. The Geode GNS3 can be used with Windows, Android, iPhone and iPad devices.
Improved colorization to contextualize point clouds
Photo: GeoSLAM
The ZEB Vision is a camera accessory for the ZEB Horizon system that can be used to capture 360° panoramic photography in 4K definition for point cloud colorization. Data is captured as the user walks through the area of interest. The ZEB Vision uses GeoSLAM’s SLAM algorithm to automatically and accurately position panoramic photos on a point cloud for an interactive viewing experience. The ZEB Vision attaches easily to the ZEB Horizon. The 4K resolution increases feature definition of objects within the point cloud, allowing for a new perspective on data by navigating within a virtual representation of an environment. This means industries such as architecture, construction and facilities can add real-world context to point clouds for the creation of CAD/BIM models.
The Leica Chiroptera-5 is a high-performance airborne bathymetric lidar sensor for coastal and inland water surveys. It combines airborne bathymetric and topographic lidar sensors with a four-band camera to collect seamless data from the seabed to land. Compared to previous models, the Chiroptera-5 provides 40% higher point density, a 20% increase in water-depth penetration, and improved topographic sensitivity for generating more detailed hydrographic maps. Its high-resolution lidar data supports nautical charting, coastal infrastructure planning, environmental monitoring and landslide and erosion risk assessments.
The Clirio application combines mobile lidar 3D scanning with smart remote collaboration tools to offer teams an end-to-end 3D solution to capture, organize, share and problem-solve. This is all based on real-time field observations and data, whether team members are on site or a continent away. Clirio is a set of mobile, web and VR/AR apps for instantly capturing, sharing, reviewing and resolving worksite field observations. At a field site, Clirio users collect notes, photos and 3D scans (using the laser scanner built into a new iPad Pro or iPhone Pro). These field observations are automatically geo-referenced within the map-based workspace and synced to a secure cloud workspace. An intuitive interface allows colleagues, managers, partners, or stakeholders to sort, review, compare, and act on field observations.
The Visual Parking System (VPS) by Bird is designed to keep track of scooter parking in a scalable, efficient and vandalism-immune way that requires zero infrastructure within a community. Powered by Google’s ARCore Geospatial API, VPS enables scooter parking with pinpoint accuracy. When parking a scooter, riders will be prompted to take a quick scan of their surroundings. The system seamlessly compares a rider’s images against Google’s data and Street View images in real time to produce the best available parking solution. Stationary objects such as buildings and signs are used as reference points, while more dynamic objects such as people and vehicles are disregarded. The near-instantaneous process results in a precise, centimeter-level geolocation that enables Bird VPS to detect and prevent improper parking with extreme accuracy, helping ensure Bird vehicles are only left in approved areas.
Supports Industry 4.0 with real-time visibility of assets
Photo: Pozyx
The Pozyx Platform is an asset tracking and identification solution for seamless indoor and outdoor tracking, following packages or other assets from trucks to their destination. It is based on the omlox hub, an open standard for real-time location systems that combines GPS data with data from ultra-wideband, 5G, radio-frequency identification, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The Pozyx Platform offers a seamless indoor/outdoor transition with zoom-in from a worldwide map to a detailed indoor map, showing highly accurate locations up to 10 cm. It is designed for smart manufacturing, providing a supply-chain solution that supports Industry 4.0. It tracks and identifies any asset, providing real-time data to facilitate warehouse and inventory control, keep track of critical tools, and slash lost asset costs.
Antenna manufacturer Harxon has launched a new company website, which features eye-catching animations and dynamic illustrations.
“We’ve optimized the website in both the layout and the content,” the company stated in a news release. “You’ll find more detailed product pages, seven major industry applications, and more information about Harxon Corporation.”
New additions include Antenna Customization and Antenna Selection pages, designed to help customers determine which products meet their project needs.
Harxon’s latest products include the survey GNSS antenna HX-CSX633A, the ruggedized HX-CVX606A and the X-Survey OEM antenna HX-CSX179A.
A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the July 2022 issue of GPS World magazine.
OEM
RTK Receiver
Hybrid high-precision GNSS
Photo: PP Solutions
The handheld RTAP2U is a hybrid high-precision, dual-frequency GNSS receiver. It can receive and process GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo and QZSS signals. Its user-friendly web interface accesses and configures signal reception, skyplot, data collection, stop-and-go surveying, map display and more. With u-blox’s ZED F9P module, RTAP2U provides 2 cm or better accuracy within a few seconds. A firmware upgrade can provide precise point positioning (PPP) and real-time kinematic (RTK) capability.
The AsteRx-U3 Marine GNSS receiver offers accurate positioning near shore and offshore via centimeter-level real-time kinematic (RTK) or the built-in Fugro precise point positioning (PPP) sub-decimeter subscription service, delivered either over NTRIP internet or L-band satellite. Corrections delivered over L-band allow dredging, bathymetry or marine construction projects even in areas where there is no internet service. The AsteRx-U3 Marine receiver, enclosed in an IP68-rated housing, offers a dedicated L-band demodulator with a separate L-band RF input, which allows for the use of dedicated antennas for excellent reception of L-band signals even at high latitudes.
The HGuide o360 is a compact single-card, all-attitude GNSS/inertial navigation system (INS) that delivers accurate and robust position and attitude even in GNSS-challenged or denied environments to industrial and autonomous applications. The HGuide o360 contains a multi-frequency, multi-constellation, real-time kinematic (RTK) GNSS receiver with dual antennas, Honeywell’s i300 inertial measurement unit (IMU) technology, and a high-grade calibrated magnetometer. It is designed for platforms that require high-performance navigation data in an ultra-low size, weight and power (SWAP) package.
Offers optimal heading performance and resistance to vibration
Photo: SBG Systems
The Quanta Micro GNSS-aided inertial navigation system (INS) offers a high level of navigation performance despite its low size, weight, power and cost (SWAP-C). It brings direct georeferencing to UAV and land-based surveying. Quanta Micro leverages a survey-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) for optimal heading performance in single-antenna applications, and high immunity to vibrating environments. An optional secondary antenna enables fast heading initialization in low dynamic applications.
The GridTime 3000 GNSS time server is a software-configurable solution for utilities, providing redundancy, security and resiliency to protect against surges, adverse weather and cyberattacks. It generates precise time and frequency signals to synchronize analog and digital communication systems. The resilient timing platform incorporates multiple timing inputs for protection in the event of a GNSS signal disruption caused by severe weather, environmental disturbances or signal jamming or spoofing.
The Auterion OS serves enterprises that need component and payload flexibility, alongside a centralized and streamlined software workflow. Features include availability of precise mapping data in real time, automated processing for fast decision-making, standardization across Auterion-powered vehicles, connectivity that enables automated end-to-end workflows with no need for manual data transfer, and integration with third-party data-processing software such as Esri Site Scan or Propeller.
Designed to meet the need for highly accurate data
Photo: YellowScan
The YellowScan Vx20 lidar is the most accurate, fully integrated system of YellowScan’s product range. It can fly up to 330 feet (100 meters) while maintaining high accuracy throughout the point cloud. The Vx20 series is designed for applications that require sharp, accurate descriptions. Its Applanix APX-20UAV GNSS/inertial sensor provides precision of 1 cm and accuracy of 2.5 cm. With battery, the lidar scanner weighs 6.25 pounds (2.84 kg). It can be integrated with either multirotor or helicopter drones.
The WingXpand seven-foot expandable-wing drone folds to fit in a backpack. Its U.S.-made patented design combines the small size of a quadcopter with the horsepower of an airplane. The drone expands in less than 2 minutes and weighs less than 10 pounds. It can carry high-resolution cameras and other modular payloads such as a real-time pattern analysis system. More than 10 WingXpand UAS can fit in a public safety vehicle, more than 30 in a pickup, and 250 on a standard airlift pallet. WingXpand maximizes capability, efficiency and safety for the military and public safety officials. It also can be used by farmers, surveyors and inspectors.
The E300 drone package includes the E300 real-time kinematic (RTK) drone, flight-control software and an optional camera. It is suitable for topographic survey, urban construction, forestry investigation, emergency rescue, 3D modeling, mining and surveying. The drone is embedded with a high-precision K8 GNSS module that supports GPS L1/L2/L5, BeiDou B1/B2/B3/B1C/B2a, GLONASS L1/L2, Galileo E1/E5-a/E5-b/AltBOC/E6 and QZSS L1/L2/L5. With its intelligent recognition algorithms, the E300 can capture high-resolution images consistently even in complex environments.
The AR3 unmanned aerial system (UAS) now has a “hot-swappable” vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) capability, able to switch from horizontal launch to vertical. It also now has integrated synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The AR3 is a shipborne UAS that supports multiple types of maritime and land-based missions up to 16 hours. With the upgrade, the AR3 becomes more operationally flexible. The newly added SAR provides the AR3 with a vastly greater operational range, and the ability to effectively detect, recognize and identify targets under any weather condition. Covering more than 20,000 square nautical miles per mission, the new AR3 is suitable for wide-area surveillance missions.
The P300 is a high-precision, in-cab Android tablet designed for precision agriculture, autonomous driving and machine control. Embedded with the K8 OEM module, the P300 tracks GPS, BeiDou, BeiDou-3, GLONASS, Galileo and QZSS signals to achieve centimeter-level accuracy. It provides enhanced heading and positioning performance for everyday field use. The P300 series is available as the P300 Plus (10.1-inch) and P300 Mini (8-inch).
Intergraph G/Technology, an advanced utility geographic information system (GIS), enables utility companies to plan, design and document networks. It acts as a definitive source of reliable, location-based information that can be shared with users and systems across an organization. Available on the Oracle Cloud Marketplace, G/Technology provides utility operators with a scalable, secure and highly available GIS solution with reduced start-up costs and needed infrastructure. Running G/Technology on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure eases initial system deployment, enhances performance and automates scalability, availability and cybersecurity protection, ensuring the system is always up to date with the latest features and enhancements.
The Mosaic X mobile mapping camera captures extremely accurate photos and 360° videos, while simultaneously creating photorealistic 3D photogrammetry models, without the use of lidar. It can achieve 1-cm accuracy on road surfaces. The built-in CPU and GPU allow users to operate the camera and capture data without the need for a computer within the vehicle. Meticulous mechanical engineering and design ensure reliable and dependable use in harsh conditions such as moisture, mechanical shock and extreme temperatures. It can create high-quality 3D models, 3D reconstructions, and dense point clouds without the use of lidar. It comes with an AUX port to connect with external GNSS devices or lidar.
Qualcomm Technologies has unveiled new wearable platforms, the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 and Snapdragon W5 Gen 1.
The platforms are designed to advance ultra-low power and breakthrough performance for next-generation connected wearables with a focus on extended battery life and premium user experiences. They incorporate a series of innovations including low power islands for GNSS, Wi-Fi and audio; ultra-low power Bluetooth 5.3 architecture; and low power states such as Deep Sleep and Hibernate.
New enhancements to the flagship Snapdragon W5+ platform offer 50% lower power, 2X higher performance, 2X richer features, and 30% smaller size, compared to our previous generation, enabling wearable manufacturers to deliver the differentiated experiences consumers demand. Based on the hybrid architecture, the purpose-built platform is comprised of a 4 nm-based system-on-chip and 22 nm-based highly integrated always-on co-processor.
By using these platforms, manufacturers can scale, differentiate and develop products faster in the continuously growing and segmenting wearables industry, Qualcomm said.
Qualcomm also announced two reference designs from Compal and Pegatron, which showcase the capabilities of the platform and the company’s collaboration with ecosystem partners, helping customers develop products faster.
Tallysman Wireless has added the housed TW3885T dual-band (L1/L5) Accutenna technology timing antenna to its line of GNSS products.
The dual-band TW3885T antenna supports
GPS/QZSS L1/L5
Galileo E1/ E5a/b
BeiDou B1/B2/B2a
GLONASS G1/G3
Satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS) in the region of operation: WAAS (North America), EGNOS (Europe), MSAS (Japan) or GAGAN (India).
Historically, dual-band antennas and receivers commonly supported GPS L1 and L2 and GLONASS G1 and G2. In recent years, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and NavIC have added GNSS signals in the L5 frequency band (1164-1217 MHz). As a result, the new dual-band GNSS standard has become L1 and L5. Tallysman’s new TW3885T antenna has been tuned to provide optimal support for both the upper (L1/ G1/E1/B1/) and lower (L5/G3/E5/B2) GNSS bands.
The TW3885T is housed in a through-hole mount, weatherproof (IP69K) enclosure. For permanent installations, L-bracket (PN 23-0040-0) or pipe (23-0065-0) mounts are available. Tallysman provides an antenna installation guide that recommends a 100-125 mm ground plane and provides antenna installation and cable connector waterproofing best practices.
The radio frequency spectrum has become congested worldwide as many new LTE bands have been activated, and their signals or harmonic frequencies can affect GNSS antennas and receivers. In North America, the planned Ligado service, which will broadcast in the frequency range of 1526 to 1536 MHz, can affect GNSS signals. New LTE signals in Europe (band 32, 1452–1496 MHz) and Japan (bands 11 and 21, 1476–1511 MHz) have also affected GNSS signals. Tallyman’s new TW3885T mitigates the effects of these new signals.
Quectel Wireless Solutions has released the LC29H, a dual-band multi-constellation GNSS module. Built using the Airoha AG3335 platform, the LC29H is available in multiple variants and optionally integrates real-time kinematic (RTK) and dead reckoning.
The LC29H series offers high performance with power efficiency to meet the market needs of high-precision positioning at the centimeter and decimeter levels. The modules are suited to an expanding market for autonomous lawn mowers, drones, precision agriculture, micro-mobility scooters and delivery robots as well as other industrial and autonomous applications.
“High-precision positioning with centimeter-level accuracy is becoming increasingly vital for many new IoT [internet of things] applications,” said Patrick Qian, Quectel CEO. “Robotics, UAV and industrial applications needing precise navigation are driving new market requirements, and we are very excited to launch our newest generation of high-precision positioning modules.”
The LC29H concurrently receives and processes signals from GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo and QZSS. The module supports L1 and L5 dual-band signal reception, speeding up convergence time, improving positioning accuracy, and achieving fast response times even when signals are interrupted. The dual-band design significantly mitigates the multipath effect experienced near high-rise buildings or in deep urban canyons, and provides reliable positioning performance, Quectel stated.
In addition, some versions of the LC29H contain a six-axis inertial measurement unit (with three-axis accelerometer and three-axis gyroscope) and integrate RTK and dead-reckoning positioning algorithms, allowing for continuous lane-level positioning where the satellite signal is partially or completely blocked, such as underground parking lots, tunnels, urban-canyons or forests. When the satellite signal is reacquired, the LC29H combines inertial sensor data with GNSS signals, and the integrated navigation can provide fast convergence times and decimeter level positioning accuracies.
The LC29H is available in variants, each targeting different application scenarios. The LC29H(EA) is aimed at the growing market of agricultural drones as well as electricity power detection terminals, and can improve the anti-interference capability of complex systems. The LC29H(BA) is well suited to agricultural machinery and specialized vehicles, and the LC29H(DA) can enable centimeter-level accuracy in connected lawnmowers and safety helmets.
Septentrio’s latest GNSS boards and modules now support PX4 Autopilot for faster integration of high-accuracy positioning into UAVs and robots.
Both the AsteRx-m3 and mosaic receivers support PX4 Autopilot, opening the door to reliable and resilient real-time kinematic positioning.
PX4 Autopilot is one of the largest commercially adopted open-source navigation control stacks, enabling an innovative community to build and maintain drone hardware and software in a scalable way. Drones and robots, which operate autonomously or where a high level of safety is required, now benefit from Septentrio’s accurate positioning receivers, known to be secure against GPS jamming and spoofing with built-in AIM+ Advanced Interference Mitigation technology.
“Our developer community is looking forward to integrating Septentrio’s secure GNSS positioning technology into UAVs and robots, especially in those applications where reliability matters from mapping to surveillance and delivery,” said Ramon Roche, general manager, Dronecode Foundation. “Septentrio’s presence and talk at the PX4 Developer Summit will be an opportunity for developers and integrators to connect with Septentrio and to learn about the latest high-accuracy positioning tech for the PX4 ecosystem.”
“Septentrio has had a fantastic collaboration momentum with Dronecode and the larger PX4 community during the integration of Septentrio receivers into the PX4 Autopilot ecosystem,” said Gustavo Lopez, market access manager at Septentrio. “This collaboration is important because it brings resilient and secure GPS technology to the UAV industry, with tremendous potential in terms of assured positioning and improved safety.”
PX4 is supported by Septentrio’s GNSS boards and modules with both single-antenna and dual-antenna configurations, which offer either heading and pitch or heading and roll angles on top of accurate GNSS positioning.
The Septentrio PX4 driver is freely available on the GitHub.
Harxon has launched a high-precision GNSS antenna, the HX-CSX633A. The HX-CSX633A has an upgraded architecture for more durable use and more flexible installations, making it suitable for agricultural vehicles, small robots and surveying applications.
Photo: Harxon
The HX-CSX633A features a durable, future-proof design with an IP67 waterproof housing. It meets MIL-STD-810-H for vibration and shock, increasing robustness for use under high-vibration conditions. The HX-CSX633A supports flexible installations including magnetic mount, screw mount and pole mount. Consequently, integrators can be confident this powerful antenna can be used in system designs for years to come, the company said.
The HX-CSX633A is fully functional, powerful and stable. The phase center remains constant with a multi-point feeding design. The ability to receive low-elevation signals with high gain and wide beamwidth makes it suitable for tracking visible satellites in tough environments, Harxon said.
The antenna’s low-noise amplification (LNA) features excellent out-of-band rejection, which can suppress electromagnetic interference and prevent disconnection when receivers are operated in complex electromagnetic environments.
Key Features of the HX-CSX633A:
supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS, QZSS, IRNSS and SBAS signal reception
stable phase center guarantees positioning accuracy within the millimeter-level
strong anti-interference ability to endure challenging operating environments
Burkhard Boeckem and a Boston Dynamics robot dog share insights into smart digital realities. (Photo: Hexagon)
At HxGN LIVE Global 2022, in-person attendees experienced the full breadth of what the flagship conference has to offer for the first time since 2019. The conference is taking place this week at the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas.
Tuesday began with a keynote address by Burkhard Boeckem, chief technology officer, who discussed the importance of smart digital realities and their role in the potential of the metaverse to impact and enhance the physical world. Hexagon’s technology platform Xalt enables intelligence at scale. By integrating sensors and data integration across systems and solutions, like the BLK series and HxDR, Xalt provides the next level of connectivity to harness and utilize data for autonomous systems.
Summit-specific keynotes by speakers from Hexagon, its partners and sponsors provided expertise on issues, solutions and innovations shaping and reimagining various industries.
The Digital Innovation in Construction summit begins. (Photo: Hexagon)
Tuesday was also the first day of breakouts for all summits, with more than 100 sessions throughout the day covering everything from training and tips for Hexagon products to project success stories, panel discussions of industry trends, and a look at the precision engineering of Formula 1 cars with Hexagon partner Oracle Red Bull Racing. Sessions continue through the close of the conference on Thursday.
The Zone, the massive technology expo floor, officially opened for the first time this morning, where attendees explored some of the latest advancements, products and solutions available across seven summit-specific “islands” offering hands-on demonstrations and an opportunity to ask the questions that will help them make the best use of autonomous technology in their field.
Surveyors get the lay of the land at the Pure Surveying Island. (Photo: Hexagon)Advances in digital construction were provided by Leica Geosystems. (Photo: Hexagon)
In the evening, summit events took attendees around the grounds of the Venetian resort for various experiences.
Latest atomic clock designed for commercial, military and aerospace operations; launch webinar scheduled for July 7
Photo: Orolia
Orolia has introduced an upgraded edition of its low size, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C) miniaturized rubidium oscillator product line, the mRO-50 Ruggedized, to meet the latest military and aerospace requirements where time stability and power consumption are critical.
The mRO-50 Ruggedized provides a one-day holdover below 1 µs and a retrace below 1E-10 in a form factor (50.8 x 50.8 x 20mm) that takes up only 51 cc of volume (about one-third of the volume compared to standard rubidium oscillators) and consumes only 0.36 W of power, which is about 10 times less than existing solutions with similar capabilities, the company said.
With these competitive advantages, the new mRO-50 Ruggedized miniaturized rubidium oscillator provides accurate frequency and precise time synchronization to mobile applications, such as military radio-pack systems in GNSS-degraded or denied environments. Its wide-range operating temperature of -40°C to 80°C is also suitable for a wide range of applications such as underwater, military communications, radars, low Earth orbit, electronic warfare, airborne and unmanned vehicles.
“Our dedication and innovative design have contributed to the most accurate GNSS systems in service today,” said Jean-Charles Chen, Orolia Atomic Clocks Product Line director. “Orolia launched the mRO-50 in 2020, bringing the best rubidium technologies into one small form factor and ultra-portable packaging.”
The mRO-50 Ruggedized enhances this breakthrough technology with modifications providing wider thermal range, quicker lock and higher stability.
Orolia’s timing solutions support space agencies and research institutes worldwide, including the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, SpaceX, Blue Origin, the Centre National d’Étude Spatiales (CNES France), the National Physics Laboratory (NPL UK), Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR Germany) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
ESA awarded Orolia two contracts to provide atomic clocks for the first 12 satellites for the Galileo Second Generation System. Each of the new satellites, designed to provide unprecedented accuracy worldwide, will contain three Orolia Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standards (RAFS) and two Orolia atomic clock physics packages integrated with Leonardo’s Passive Hydrogen Masers (PHM).
Septentrio, a leader in high-precision GNSS positioning solutions, has appointed Peter Fairhurst as new vice president of Sales. In this role, Fairhurst will lead the sales and application support teams at Septentrio globally.
Fairhurst succeeds Neil Vancans, who is retiring at the end of June, and who has led Septentrio sales for the last five years.
Fairhurst joins Septentrio with 15 years of experience in the GNSS industry. He most recently was head of Product Strategy at ublox. Before that, he worked many years at Leica Geosystems.
“Peter is an experienced business leader with a proven track record of creating value for customers and fits perfectly in our vision to help our customers be successful in their markets,” said Antoon De Proft, CEO of Septentrio. ”Peter will play a crucial role in implementing our growth strategy and empowering our sales teams to solve our customers’ mission-critical positioning challenges.”
“I am thrilled to join Septentrio and to bring their world-class GNSS solutions to industrial customers around the globe,” Fairhurst said. “Septentrio has unique capabilities and products and is an ideal partner for industrial OEMs for whom reliable and accurate positioning is crucial for their success.”
