Mower-maker Husqvarna has installed a wireless sensor device co-developed by Telit and Wireless System Integration (WSI) in its city robotic mower pilot program. Cities are using the Husqvarna mowers to collect data about the environment, the quality of air, water, and levels of light and sound, while maintaining the cities’ green spaces, saving time and money, reducing emission and noise pollution.
A Husqvarna robotic mower patrols a lawn along Prince’s Street in Edinburgh, Scotland. Equipped with a GPS-enabled Telit module, it gathers real-time sensor data on the city’s green space environmental conditions.
In parks in seven cities — Edinburgh and London in the United Kingdom, Gothenburg and Stockholm in Sweden, Almere and Leeuwarden in the Netherlands and San Francisco in the United States — mowers autonomously cut the grass daily and collect real-time data on UV radiation, air quality, ambient noise, luminosity and vibration.
The sensor box, designed by Telit, is mounted on top of the mower, uses the robot’s main battery for power supply, and recharges whenever the robot returns to its base. The sensor box transmits the data using Telit’s HE910-G cellular module which includes a GPS L1 receiver with reported 3-meter accuracy to acquire mower position.
Telit HE910 cellular module has GPS option.
Geofencing is enabled for the mower as well as location-based alarms to disable it should it be moved without authorization. To ensure public safety, sensors detect any nearby objects, including people and animals, causing machines to turn away.
Telit’s global Internet-of-Things (IoT) connectivity data plans and platform seamlessly connect, manage and deliver the environmental data in a ready-to-use format.
Environmental Gains. One of the biggest roadblocks to reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is the lack of data. Cities need better environmental data to improve health and create cities people want to live in. The project measures the environmental gains and potential time savings of mowing public lawns with robotic mowers. The test will measure the reduction of noise pollution as well as direct emissions when replacing petrol-powered products with battery driven robotics.
In cooperation with Husqvarna, Quantified Planet, an organization that links innovation to science, receives the data and publishes it for citizens to review. The cities can then analyze the environmental data sent by the robots and implement programs to improve the health of its citizens, based on these insights.
“This new data can provide insights and innovation on how to develop and improve sustainable open green spaces which impact the citizens living nearby,” said Maja Brisvall, CEO, Quantified Planet.
“The need for green spaces is growing more and more in urban areas. The pilot program affords the possibility to increase sustainability and productivity in professional landscaping for urban areas,” said Pavel Hajman, president of the Husqvarna division.
“Cities are using IoT to become more sustainable and efficient,” added Yosi Fait, Interim CEO, Telit. “Through this collaboration we have been demonstrating again our sensor-to-cloud capabilities, cutting our customers’ time to market through our integrated lines of products and services as well through our professional services team’s significant IoT knowhow.”
A Belgian container terminal is about to become Europe’s largest, and GNSS technoloy will be integrated.
The MSC PSA European Terminal (MPET) in Antwerp, Belgium, is moving its operations from the Delwaidedock on the right bank of the river Schelde to the Deurganckdock on the left bank.
The move is part of an expansion of its capacity of 9 million TEUs annually. TEUs are a 20-foot equivalent unit, a term used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals.
When fully moved and operational, the left bank terminal will feature a total of 41 quay cranes across 10 berths, 200 straddle carriers and a quay length of 3,550 meters.
“For this project, we were looking for a positioning solution that was compatible with the solution that has been in use on the terminal since 2008,” said Douwe Witteveen, senior project manager at PSA MPET. “We need to accurately know where every container is picked up and dropped off without interfering with the actions of the driver. “Based on sensors in the vehicle, the GNSS unit must detect a pick-up or drop-off and provide a position to our system. Unfortunately, the receivers used previously were no longer available, so we needed to find someone who could make a new custom integration fast.”
Multipath mitigation copes with GNSS reflections caused by metal cargo containers. (Photo: Airobot)
Airobot was selected by MPET to create a solution, and did so in less than four months, said Jan Leyssens, managing director at Airobot.
The SC-PSA-GNSS unit integrates the AsteRx-m GNSS receiver from Septentrio NV and uses EGNOS to provide submeter accurate positions. The receiver has multipath mitigation technology on board to cope with the many GNSS reflections caused by all the metal containers, and combines GPS and GLONASS to provide a solution close to the quay cranes.
“We started discussions about the requirements in January and have delivered 100 units in less than four months’ time,” Leyssens said. “Fortunately, we have a lot of experience integrating GNSS technology into our drone solutions, so we could act fast. We also listened to the people in the field to make sure the unit is easy to install and existing cable installations could be used.”
“We believed that the know-how and expertise of the Airobot team could help us to get a solution fast, and they delivered what they promised,” said Douwe.
Septentrio debuted the AsteRx-m2a and AsteRx-m2a UAS GNSS OEM engines at Commercial UAV 2017, held Oct. 24-26 in Las Vegas.
The two new OEM boards provide precise and reliable multi-frequency, all-in-view real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning and heading — along with interference technology — with low power consumption, the company said.
Both boards are smaller than a credit card and feature Septentrio’s AIM+ interference mitigation and monitoring system. AIM+ can suppress a wide variety of interferers, from simple continuous narrowband signals to the most complex wideband and pulsed jammers.
The AsteRx-m2a board by Septentrio. Photo: Septentrio
Increasing levels of radio-frequency pollution, coupled with the intrinsic danger of self-interference in compact systems such as UAS, makes interference mitigation a vital element in any UAS system that uses GNSS positioning.
Both boards are designed to bring high-precision positioning and attitude to any space-constrained application. According to the company, both receivers are designed to serve as core components in any multi-sensor application.
The AsteRx-m2a UAS is aimed specifically at unmanned applications, bringing plug-and-play compatibility for autopilot systems such as ArduPilot and Pixhawk. Event markers accurately synchronize camera shutter events with GNSS time. The board can be powered directly from the vehicle power bus via its wide-range input.
The AsteRx-m2 UAS board by Septentrio. Photo: Septentrio
The AsteRx-m2a UAS works seamlessly with GeoTagZ software, providing offline re-processed RTK accuracy without the need for either ground control points or a real-time datalink.
“We’ve taken the hugely successful AsteRx-m2 and added a second antenna input for high-precision GNSS heading,” said Gustavo Lopez, OEM product manager at Septentrio. “No need to manoeuvre around in a figure of ‘8’ trying to initialise INS heading or find space or additional power for a separate INS module now. All you need is a second antenna and you’re good to go.”
Septentrio is located at booth 206 of Commercial UAV Expo 2017.
It’s been a couple of months since we ran an update on unmanned aircraft, so there are lots of news items to dust off and maybe look at more closely.
I suppose we’ve all seen those futuristic movies with masses of orderly air traffic traveling rapidly down invisible roads hundreds of feet above cities — maybe the Jetsons first got us thinking about this vision of tomorrow? Well, unmanned flying taxi demos in Dubai certainly caught my attention. Could this be the launch of the first phase of “airborne street traffic”?
Demo UAVs in Dubai, China
The two-seater UAV built by Volocopter demonstrated in Dubai has 18 rotors, and during the five-minute demo for the media, Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed was flown at around 200 meters over sand, rather than over a populated city. There surely could be a number of safety elements yet to be implemented before we see this become operational — but you have to start somewhere.
The Volocopter demo was preceded at the beginning of this year by the appearance of a single-seat Chinese demo vehicle. This smaller eight-rotor drone by EHang took a shot at being a future “over-city” cab.
Urbain Air Project
In the meantime, Airbus and HAX, a start-up investor, are seeking innovators to participate in a four-month program to advance developments in urban-air mobility — innovations which could speed-up development of “flying cars.”
The project is looking for technologies already being developed in:
Urban air transport vehicle technology
UAV sense and avoid technology
Airport runway and landing detection systems
Emergency safety systems for airborne vehicles
Required infrastructure for airborne transport vehicles
Autonomous airborne vehicle technology
Aerial maneuver decision making and support systems
Air traffic management systems
Aerial collision detection and avoidance systems
Battery packaging and management systems for airborne vehicles
Several startups could be funded with at least $100,000 each, and will be asked to spend four months in Shenzhen, China, turning their concepts into prototypes with support from HAX and Airbus engineers.
Safety Standards?
All interesting stuff, but at some stage someone has to take a serious look at the safety standards needed to protect prospective passengers. The existing designs appear to have some flight control redundancy, and there are hints of a possible loss of data-link reversionary mode, but there might be more significant work to be done before any regulatory agency such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were to validate system reliability. But good luck to these innovators and other companies who are working towards implementing this fascinating concept.
At the other end of the drone spectrum, Renishaw Canada recently showed off a drone made of titanium and produced using 3D printing.
The Firefly is a 3D-printed titanium rocket-powered drone that can fly at nearly supersonic speeds, with onboard telemetry and a spring-released wing. The Mach 0.8 drone has been produced by the Renishaw additive manufacturing group for an unnamed North American aerospace company. The drone can apparently house a number of miniaturized sensors for data collection.
Possible applications of this unique high-speed, short-duration drone could include data collection flying into storms and hurricanes, or perhaps for longer distance surveying when launched from a future Mars rover.
Boeing Acquires Aurora Flight
And on the business front, the recent news is that Boeing is in the process of acquiring Aurora Flight Sciences Corp. Adding Aurora as an independent operation alongside Insitu will probably lead to migration of technology between the two Boeing UAS units, which is presumably why Aurora is being acquired.
Aurora has focused on electric propulsion systems and automation and autonomy for robotic operations and UAVs. Aurora has also collaborated with Boeing in the past on rapid prototyping for drones, and structural assemblies for military and commercial applications.
As a unit of the Boeing Company, Aurora technologies for long-endurance aircraft, robotic co-pilots, and autonomous electric multi-rotor UAVs will have a better opportunity to make it to product level, and wider applications should be possible for these unique capabilities.
Based in Manassas, Virginia, with facilities and offices in five other states around the United States — including R&D facilities right next to Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge — Aurora employees more than 550 people. They also have an office in Luzern, Switzerland.
FAA Regulations Revisited
Finally, according to AUVSI, in the year since the FAA released the Part 107 regulations for the operation of small UAS (sUAS), users have requested more than 1,000 waivers to work outside the parameters of these regulations. The Part 107 regulations permit users to request such waivers, provided operations can be shown to be safe. The majority of these waiver requests were to operate at night — whereas the regulations only permit operation within Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) in daylight.
AUVSI argues that certain commercial operations have only been possible through the use of these waivers, and therefore the regulations should be revised to enable normal operations without the need to grant individual waivers on a case-by-case basis. The FAA’s position may be that until such operations can be proven to be safe over time, the agency wants to know who’s exceeding which parameters, and under what conditions — hence the need for individual written applications, so that analysis of safety aspects is possible. Then subsequent monitoring will show that levels of operation may be safely exceeded on a regular basis.
This is how aviation agencies have always managed aviation safety. A UAS operator might demonstrate operational capabilities, show an acceptable safety level, and thereby prove that pushing the envelope is okay. Sometimes it can take time, but with good visibility on both sides, it’s possible that progress could be made reasonably quickly.
32 GPS channels for faster, more accurate position lock
The HOOK3 radio is 30 percent smaller and 40 percent lighter than the HOOK2 radio, and has a smaller, longer lasting battery. The embedded GPS module has 32 channels, enabling a faster position acquisition time, more accurate position reporting and better performance under forested or densely vegetated areas or near structures. The radio transmits encrypted GPS, user identification, situation reports and other critical information to rescue teams and aircraft in short bursts to reduce the risk of detection. The radio can also use multiple GNSS. The HOOK3 provides direct line-of-sight voice and encrypted two-way data communications to help combat search-and-rescue teams quickly and accurately locate and rescue downed pilots and isolated military personnel. It automatically activates and transmits location data when specific G-force or salt water is detected.
The LM940 is a global full PCI Express mini card (mPCIe) module for the router and gateway industry supporting LTE Advanced Category 11 (Cat 11) with speeds of up to 600 Mbps. The internet of things (IoT) module will be available, with various mobile network operator approvals, in the fourth quarter of 2017. The module includes quad-constellation integrated GNSS and is in an mPCIe form factor to support Cat 11 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 LTE modem. The industrial-grade LM940 delivers significant flexibility and a competitive edge to original equipment manufacturers looking to quickly deploy next-generation products. 3x carrier aggregation leverages extended capabilities of the network for increased coverage and bandwidth. The industrial-grade module is designed for the router and gateway market supporting high-bandwidth dependent applications like high-definition video streaming with digital signage.
The Rohde & Schwarz TS-LBS test solution allows mobile manufacturers, chipset manufacturers, test houses and network operators to verify chipsets and mobile devices to obtain permission to operate them in a particular network. The successful Assisted BeiDou (A-BeiDou) verification of a Media-Tek device under test using the Rohde & Schwarz test system means the setup can be used to validate and verify a device in the U-plane and C-plane for A-BeiDou location-based services (LBS). The TS-LBS uses an R&S CMW500 as the base-station simulator and an R&S SMBV100A GNSS simulator. The CMW500 provides assistance data to the device under test and the SMBV100A simulates the BeiDou satellites. The test system can be used to obtain Global Certification Forum (GCF) and PTCRB certification as well as network-operator-specific certification for chipsets and mobile devices.
Next-generation quad-system GNSS module in small package
The UM482 is a multi-frequency high-precision heading module with a 30 × 40 millimeter footprint. It supports the satellite signals BDS B1/B2, GPS L1/L2, GLONASS L1/L2, Galileo E1/ E5b and SBAS. The module is designed for applications such as robotics, drones, intelligent drives and mechanical control. Features include surface-mount (SMD) packaging; 1-centimeter real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning accuracy and 0.2-degree heading accuracy with a 1-meter baseline; dual antenna input with support of antenna signal detection; supports simultaneous output of heading and positioning with a 20-Hz data output rate; adaptive recognition of RTCM input data format; and on-board micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) integrated navigation. The UM482 GNSS RTK module adopts Unicore’s new-generation Nebulas II chip and UGypsophila real-time kinematic (RTK) algorithm.
Underlying tech, security benefits described in new application note
The NTP Reflector is one of many differentiating features of Microsemi’s new SyncServer S600 series network time servers. The Reflector is a real-time, hardware-based NTP packet identification and time-stamping engine uniquely designed to protect the SyncServer CPU from excessive network traffic denial of service (DoS) attacks. It will and notify the operator if NTP traffic is above expected levels. This enables extremely high-bandwidth, high-accuracy, high-reliability and security-hardened NTP operations.The Security Hardened SyncServer features denial of service (DoS) resilience, monitoring and notification functions.
Provide a high degree of multipath signal rejection
The TW3152 and TW3752 are high-gain (50dB) GNSS antennas useful where long cable runs are required, such as in timing systems and GNSS re-radiator systems. The TW3152 provides reception of GPS L1. The TW3752 provides reception of GPS L1, GLONASS G1, BeiDou B1 and Galileo E1 signals. Both antennas employ Tallysman’s Accutenna technology, which provides a high degree of multipath signal rejection through the full bandwidth of the antenna. The antennas are triple filtered to prevent the saturation of the front-end low-noise amplifier (LNA) by strong near frequency and harmonic signals — are a growing concern throughout the world. The antennas are available with a choice of radome shape (flat or conical), color of radome (white or grey), and a wide variety of connectors.
Penmap for Android is a cloud-connected application for field surveying and high-accuracy geographic information system (GIS) data collection that works on mobile handhelds, smartphones and tablets. It focuses on core survey and mapping tasks such as cadastral and boundary surveys, establishing local control, stake-outs, quality checks and asset management for utilities. It provides both professional surveyors and field workers with a map-based interface to manage features and attributes for high-accuracy GIS and complete survey documentation. In the energy sector, it can be used to locate infrastructure and record critical information on encroachments, clearways and existing monuments. The app runs on Android handhelds such as the Trimble TDC100 and supports the Trimble R10, R8s and R2 GNSS receivers.
The HX-DU1603D is an advanced, high-speed, Bluetooth-enabled wireless rover radio designed for GNSS/RTK surveying and precise positioning. The HX-DU1603D is a lightweight, ruggedized UHF receiver designed for data communications between 410 MHz and 470 MHz in either 12.5-KHz or 25-KHz channels, which can be widely used in GNSS/RTK surveying and GNSS precise positioning fields. It has a Bluetooth transceiver and is IP67 waterproof rated. It also has a 6800-mAh rechargeable internal battery and configurable transmit power between 0.5W and 2W. The 1.9-inch display screen supports frequency, protocols, power display, serial port baud rate and air baud rate. Users can instantly communicate with GNSS precise positioning receivers with the same protocols throughout the world.
Bathymetrics portal delivers data online for download
The Bathymetrics Data Portal allows users to search, purchase and automatically download water-depth information directly from an online store to their computer. It offers continuously expanding 2m Bathymetry data in shallow water areas and a global database of interpolated 90m bathymetry. The portal allows users to search for data in their areas of interest and purchase what they need. Data is priced by the square kilometer; the customer pays online with credit card and can download the data shortly after. Bathymetric products are used extensively by organizations involved in energy infrastructure development, port construction, environmental monitoring, aquaculture planning and hydrodynamic modeling.
Portfolio 2017 is a digital asset management (DAM) solution optimized for geospatial data. It enables users to organize, access and share geospatial datasets — including compressed MrSID files — along with associated graphics and documents. Divisions of Celartem Inc., LizardTech and Extensis collaborated in adding geospatial data management capabilities to the new version. The DAM solution indexes and catalogs photographs, videos, maps, audio files, Adobe Creative Cloud applications and Microsoft Office documents. A centralized repository for managing digital files should reduce time spent looking for datasets and eliminate costly replacement of misplaced files, according to LizardTech. Portfolio 2017 gives users instant access to imagery, lidar and video data captured by satellite, aircraft and UAV platforms. Geospatial files that have been compressed and saved in MrSID formats with the LizardTech GeoExpress solution can be loaded and viewed into Portfolio without any further data conversion. The new version extracts embedded metadata from compressed imagery and lidar files saved in MrSID formats — as well as GeoTIFF, JPEG 2000, NITF and LAS. Geospatial data can be indexed and stored alongside associated non-geospatial photographs and documents. Data can be retrieved by geographic coordinates or the metadata tag, such as a name, acquisition date or sensor platform. Users can also search by defining an area of interest on a map.
The ArcGIS book 10 Big Ideas about Applying The Science of Where has a companion website. The book provides mapmakers with the know-how and hands-on experience to practice what Esri calls “The Science of Where.” The accompanying website offers information and interactive education resources needed to use web-based geographic information system (GIS) technology to create maps, work with apps, create and use authoritative data and conduct spatial analysis. The book is available in print, as an interactive PDF and online. Chapters cover web mapping, ready-to-use apps, story maps, 3D GIS, spatial analysis, imagery and the Internet of Things, as well as curated content from Esri’s Living Atlas of the World.
Internet of things workflow automation application
WyzeTask is now available in the Geotab Marketplace. WyzeTask is a complement to the MyGeotab platform, which serves more than 14,000 Geotab customers. WyzeTask maximizes employee productivity by automating task tracking and job completion processes, freeing workers from paperwork and manual data entry. WyzeTask includes the WyzeBeacon, a wearable device that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to transmit data to a nearby BLE scanner, which can be a Geotab IOX-BT hub or a smartphone/tablet running the WyzeTask application. Employees click a button on their WyzeBeacon to have it log and share information such as their task status, time and GPS location.
The MX-15 electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) imaging system can be configured with up to six imaging and laser payloads, each of which shares the highest level of stabilization. It incorporates a GPS receiver and antenna, with options available for a GPS time-sync interface and GPS data interface. Sensor options include a high-definition thermal imager, color low-light continuous zoom, daylight step zoom spotter, day/night spotter, laser rangefinder and a laser illuminator. The MX series turrets are operational across 74 countries and on more than 137 different types of platforms, including Airb us helicopters.
The AG960 AutoSteer System is designed to accelerate the application of autopilot for precision agricultural machinery. By integrating high-precision real-time kinematic (RTK) receiver and software, the AG960 enables agricultural machines to operate in accordance with a pre-set planning path. Using precise GNSS guidance, the hydraulic system of the agricultural machinery is steered by the vehicle controller. Agricultural machines can operate aligned with the set route automatically, while graphical details are displayed on the vehicle display panel. The system includes a high-precision positioning receiver with GPS L1/L2, GLONASS G1/G2, BDS B1/B2, Galileo, QZSS and two GNSS antennas. Other features include a vehicle display panel computer, hydraulic valve (steering wheel optional), autopilot (controller), coaxial rotation direction sensor, electromagnetic hydraulic valve and radio receiving antenna mast/pedestal.
Maintains accurate heading during GNSS outages of up to 20 minutes
The GNSS Compass is a fully integrated wheelmark certified GPS/INS navigation and heading solution. It contains a 9-axis IMU that is integrated with a dual-antenna GNSS system with high-performance antennas. It provides higher heading accuracy than magnetic systems and does not require any calibration or setup. It features high accuracy RTK positioning and is plug and play for NMEA0183 and NMEA2000 integrations. Four product variants are available . The low-cost variant is an L1-only model suitable for commercial vessel navigation, while an L1/L2 variant meets the high accuracy requirements of surveying applications. It is also possible to choose between an NMEA0183/NMEA2000 interface and a power-over-Ethernet interface for maximum flexibility. The Ethernet variant features NTP and PTP timing servers for precise time synchronization.
In-vehicle system compliance tools for EU eCall regulations
Spectracom has introduced built-in scenarios for testing eCall in-vehicle systems compliance to the GNSS requirements of the regulation as an option with its GSG simulator products. These options will ensure that automotive manufacturers who plan to continue selling in Europe are equipped with the right tools for testing the eCall regulatory compliance of their equipment. The Spectracom GSG simulators simulate all the major GNSS constellations needed for testing compliance of critical signal-receiving equipment in a variety of eCall scenarios. Scenarios can test positioning accuracy under different conditions, time-to-first-fix, GNSS receiver sensitivity, reacquisition performance following signal outages, playing specific static and dynamic trajectory scenarios, and changing RF transmit-power-level manually or remotely sequenced as required by standard. European Union (EU) regulation 2015/758 requires new vehicle types of M1 and N1 to be equipped with eCall in-vehicle systems by March 31, 2018.
Titan GPS’ Titan Electronic Logbook (ELD) was one of the first devices to be registered as a certified ELD under the standards of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The Titan Electronic Logging Devices and Electronic Hours of Service Logbook App help fleets comply with hours of service regulations with error-free, easy-to-use electronic solutions. An intuitive interface, detailed analytics and easy installation ensure that fleets of all sizes can comply with the FMSCA mandate. Features include easy creation of a driver log faster roadside inspections and audits, pre- and post-trip DVIR reports. The logbook adheres to both U.S. and Canadian rules.
The Robusta GNSS antenna ia a very low-profile antenna in a new patent design for metal surfaces. The antenna operates in the 1559–1609 MHz bands and is designed for tracking metal objects and smart city applications. It is designed to answer to the challenge of operating on a metal surface or housing, where it is extremely difficult for an antenna to operate. It uses a patented new technology with two layers: The first layer is electrically isolated to provide RF shielding to the second layer, allowing the antenna to radiate effectively in the direction pointing away from the base material. It can be used on bicycles, motorcycles, vehicles, containers or other property that needs to be tracked and located accurately.
In kit with UAVCAN GNSS module, power module, long-range Wi-Fi
The ArduPilot-based Emlid Edge drone controller runs Linux on a quad-core system on chip, and offers an HDMI input, long-range 5.8GHz Wi-Fi and a UAVCAN GNSS module. The Emlid Edge kit offers an HDMI input to capture video from an HD camera such as the GoPro. An optimized, long-range 5.8-GHz Wi-Fi link can stream pre-compressed HD video and telemetry data up to 2 kilometers to Emlid’s QGroundControl station (GCS) software running on a laptop equipped with the same 5.8-GHz link. The kit provides a separate external UAVCAN GNSS module that includes a temperature-controlled dual inertial measurement unit (IMU) and barometer sensor subsystem. The module supports batteries up to 12S and current sensing up to 200A. The GCS software includes waypoint navigation, flight status monitoring, automatic return based on triggers, and payload control for devices like cameras, retractable landing gear, parachute or crop-spraying equipment.
The Falcon UAV comes with a complete first-person-view kit. A return-to-launch function enables the system to come back to the point of launch by command of the Ground Control Station or when it loses power. High-efficiency motors and actively braking propellers provide increased stability and response control, while hard-switch buttons on the command station reduce the in-field risk of operating the the aircraft and selecting the wrong mode or instruction. Autonomous software allows the operator to plan, control and fly missions using pre-determined flight paths via waypoint control. Its small noise footprint means the aircraft is undetectable at 150 meters.
The REX 1 is designed to disrupt GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou sateliite navigation signals; radio-frequency communications (900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.2–5.8 GHz); and mobile networks (GSM, 3G and LTE). Built on the Kalashnikov MP-514K rifle, it can be put in combat mode with the push of a button. It is equipped with interchangeable jamming units, a sight, foregrip, bipod and a mount for ancillaries such as a strobe light or a laser-beam pointer. The battery is installed in the rifle’s buttstock and has a continuous working time of 3 hours. It has a jamming distance of 1,000 meters (5,000 meters against GPS navigation), an angular coverage of 15° (180° against GPS navigation) and weighs 4.2 kilograms.
The Atlas Blue-J features a 3.5-meter wing span, four to six hours of flight time and a 150-kilometer operational range. Designed for large-scale security and inspection missions, the fixed-wing UAV can be operated in autonomous and semi-autonomous modes, including takeoff and landing. Made of carbon fiber, the Atlas Blue-J is light weight (11 kilograms) and can carry up to a 9-kilogram payload. It is suitable for high-speed, high-altitude missions, with long target duration capabilities and a low radar footprint.
Simultaneous capture of thermal, NDVI, high-resolution RGB imagery
The Omni quadcopter drone captures three distinct crop health data measurements in a single flight: thermal, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and high-resolution RGB. Pairing a DJI XT Thermal sensor with Omni’s standard Double 4K offers agronomists, crop consultants, advisors, and producers a precise agriculture data capture tool for multi-dimensional insights. Thermal data allows farmers to evaluate plant health and practices as reflected through plant and soil temperatures.
The Matternet Station enables fully-automated ground operations for Matternet customer networks, including battery and package exchange. It is integrated with Matternet’s autonomous M2 drone and Matternet’s cloud platform to provide an intuitive user interface for sending and receiving packages through Matternet. The station has a footprint of 2 square meters and can be installed at ground or rooftop locations. Its technology guides the Matternet M2 drone to precision landing on the station’s platform. After landing, the station locks the drone in place and automatically swaps its battery and payload. A user is able to send a package to another location by scanning it into the Matternet Station, or receive a package from the station by scanning a QR code. The first Matternet networks will service hospitals in cities across Switzerland.
Hemisphere GNSS (hall 2.1 / stand C2.008) has released the Crescent Vector H220, the next offering in a line of new and refreshed, low-power, high-precision, positioning and heading OEM boards.
The announcement was made at the Intergeo trade show, being held this week in Berlin, Germany. Hemisphere is showcasing the board at its booth in Hall 2.1, Stand C2.008.
The Multi-GNSS H220 by Hemisphere GNSS.
The single-frequency, multi-GNSS H220 provides added benefits over the prior generation H200 with a more robust positioning and heading solution and integrates Atlas GNSS Global Correction Service.
Designed with a new hardware platform, it offers true scalability with centimeter-level accuracy in either single-frequency mode or Atlas-capable mode that supports fast RTK initialization times over long distances, the company said.
The H220 offers fast accuracy heading of better than 0.30 degrees at 0.5-meter antenna separation in ideal conditions and aiding gyroscope and tilt sensors for temporary GNSS outages. The 109 x 71 millimeter module with 34-pin header is a drop-in upgrade for existing designs using the H200.
The latest technology platform enables simultaneous tracking of all L1 constellations including GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo and QZSS, making it robust and reliable. The updated power management system efficiently governs the processor, memory and ASIC, making it ideal for multiple integration applications.
The H220 offers flexible and reliable connectivity by supporting Serial, USB and CAN for ease-of-use and integration. Optional output rates of up to 50 Hz are also supported.
Advanced Features. The H220 offers integrated L-band support for Atlas corrections providing global sub-meter position accuracy while Hemisphere’s Tracer technology helps maintain position during correction signal outages.
Integrators, developers and OEMs can maximize their performance by including the H220 in their systems for antenna pointing, marine survey, machine control, and any application where high-accuracy positioning and heading is required.
Harxon has released the multi-constellation D-Helix Antenna at the 2017 Intergeo trade show, held Sept. 26-28 in Berlin, Germany. The Harxon booth is located at Hall 4.1, Stand C4.013.
The industrial, innovative D-Helix Antenna is capable of superior tracking of signals from GPS L1/L2 L-Band, GLONASS L1/L2, BDS B1/B2/B3 and Galileo. The innovative quadrifilar helix antenna design of low wind-resistance is ideal for UAV positioning and navigation.
The increased antenna gain and beamwidth ensure a better signal receiving performance of satellite at low elevation angle. The low noise figure enhanced transmission interference reduction and improve the signal quality.
The D-Helix antenna can be used in UAV patrol, UAV plant protection, unmanned patrol robot and unmanned surveying vessel. According to the company, it provides the centimeter-level positioning accuracy for a stable flightpath and prevents air turbulence, to enable a reliable positioning, height setting and heading information.
The antenna has been recognized by many industry experts and received inquiries from potential partners at the first launch day.
Other showcased products from the Harxon GNSS family include its survey antenna, rover radio, frequency hopping modules, smart antenna and H-RTK, are also appropriate for the fields of surveying and mapping, precision agriculture and UAVs.
The announcement was made at Intergeo 2017, the world’s largest conference on geodesy, geoinformatics and land management.
Comprised of a survey grade, multi-frequency, multi-constellation GNSS reference station complete with a foam Ground Control Target with integrated carrying case, the Smart Target Base Station logs the raw GNSS observables required to perform centimeter level post-processed Differential GNSS positioning of UAVs, and acts as a photo-identifiable Ground Control Point (GCP) for quality control.
Cost effective, simple to operate, and supported by both the Applanix POSPac UAV GNSS-inertial post-processing software for direct georeferencing on UAVs and Trimble UASMaster photogrammetric software, the Smart Target Base Station makes aerial mapping from UAVs easier, according to Trimble.
Users can place the foam target with its receiver in the project area and stake it down. With the included smartphone app or web user interface, users can remotely begin logging the raw GNSS observables data collected by the target that is required for post processing.
At the end of the mission, the user retrieves the target and downloads the raw GNSS data along with the data collected from the Trimble APX UAV GNSS-inertial system installed in the UAV.
Global coordinates of the reference station are computed automatically using the Trimble Centerpoint RTX post-processing service in POSPac UAV or, if local coordinates are desired, the foam target can be centered over an existing reference point.
“Efficient mapping from UAVs using cameras, lidar and other sensors requires the right solutions that need to be simple and easy to use,” said Joe Hutton, director of inertial technology and airborne products at Applanix, a Trimble Company. “The Smart Target Base Station is a result of listening to our customers’ needs for a GNSS reference station to support direct georeferencing on UAVs that is cost-effective, easy to deploy in all terrains, and does not require special knowledge to operate. Aerial surveyors can quickly realize greater value and significant cost savings with this system, while obtaining high accuracy.”
The Trimble GNSS Smart Target Base Station operates autonomously for up to four hours with its embedded lithium ion battery. Extended operation can be achieved with a user-supplied external USB battery.
The SMW200A GNSS simulator adds a high-end solution to the Rohde & Schwarz portfolio of satellite navigation system simulators. It can be extended to up to four RF outputs and allows GNSS signals to be simulated simultaneously in multiple frequency bands for multiple antennas.
The SMW200A can internally simulate a complex interference environment in parallel with GNSS signals.
The instrument was unveiled at ION GNSS+ 2017, which took place Sept. 25-29 in Portland, Oregon:
An increasing number of GNSS receivers are able to process signals from diverse navigation systems such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo or BeiDou in several frequency bands — and in some cases, with several antennas in parallel — to improve positioning accuracy.
Accuracy can be further improved with differential GNSS (DGNSS) techniques. These techniques are used in applications such as autonomous driving, and they are indispensable for precise and reliable positioning of aircraft during landing approaches. The GNSS receivers used in these applications must undergo extensive tests before deployment in vehicles or aircraft.
The new R&S SMW200A GNSS simulator now offers an innovative test solution for easy generation of complex and highly realistic test scenarios for a wide variety of GNSS applications. To test multi-frequency and multi-antenna systems, users now have access to 72 GNSS channels that can be assigned to up to four RF outputs.
The R&S SMW200A can generate QZSS and SBAS signals as well as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou signals. This solution enables users to quickly and easily verify the position accuracy of their receivers under realistic conditions.
The R&S SMW200A also has an internal noise generator and can generate complex interference scenarios with multiple interferers. All signals (GNSS, noise and interference) are generated directly in the instrument. Additional signal sources for external generation of interference signals are not necessary, considerably simplifying test setups.
No external computer is needed to configure and operate the R&S SMW200A. The integrated, intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) allows users to generate GNSS scenarios quickly and easily. Thanks to the multitude of instrument options, the solution can be optimally adapted to individual user requirements.
The R&S SMW200A is an extensible, future-proof platform ready to implement future test requirements such as testing new GNSS signals.
The R&S SMW200A with the new GNSS options is now available from Rohde & Schwarz.
Microsemi Corporation, a provider of semiconductor solutions, today announced its new approach to protecting critical infrastructure against GPS spoofing and jamming threats.
The BlueSky GPS Firewall is designed to provide security protection for GPS-delivered position, navigation and timing (PNT) data. It can be deployed in-line between any standard GPS antenna and stationary GPS receiver to provide protection against GPS signal incidents, both intentional or accidental, before they enter a GPS receiver system.
Microsemi is making BlueSky GPS Firewall Evaluation kits available in advance of its full production release, both in response to the growing number of GPS incidents and their potential threat to critical infrastructure, and to assist customers in rapid adoption.
BlueSky GPS Firewall filters the GPS signal in real time, removing anomalies before the signal is consumed by the downstream GPS receiver. This creates an intelligent and secure barrier against jamming and spoofing, and prevents the GPS receiver from being impacted by such incidents.
Deployment of the BlueSky GPS Firewall does not require any new cabling or alteration of the pre-existing antenna installation and is interoperable with standard GPS receivers. Additionally, the BlueSky GPS Firewall incorporates an Ethernet interface for remote management and monitoring and includes a secure web interface that any browser can use for configuration and set-up of the device.
The BlueSky GPS Firewall includes a broad range of data validation rules based on real, live-sky GPS threats, both intentional and unintentional. Similar to network security threats, new GPS vulnerabilities are on the rise and Microsemi is continuously tracking GPS signal manipulation including spoofing threats, jamming attacks, multipath signal interference, atmospheric activity and many other issues that can create GPS signal anomalies, disruptions and outages.
These advancements are incorporated into the software platform of the BlueSky GPS Firewall, which can be updated remotely using Microsemi’s TimePictra management system.
GPS Dependency
The dependency on PNT is increasingly important to critical infrastructure sectors such as telecommunications, energy, transportation, emergency services, financial services and enterprise infrastructure, and is mainly provided through GPS.
“Worldwide critical infrastructure dependency on unprotected GPS receivers is a serious security risk. These receivers are susceptible to jamming and spoofing incidents and the industry recognizes this as an increasing threat,” said Randy Brudzinski, vice president and business unit manager of Microsemi’s Frequency and Time division. “The vast number of GPS systems already in operation means a significant investment would be required if every system was to be replaced. Microsemi’s BlueSky GPS Firewall is a cost-effective and easy-to-deploy solution to protect GPS without requiring replacement of deployed GPS systems.”
Published best-practice documents by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) describe steps that can be taken to mitigate outages and disruptions with GPS reception. In alignment with these documents, Microsemi’s new BlueSky GPS Firewall provides critical infrastructure sectors with a first line of defense against GPS threats to help build out a secure, robust and resilient PNT platform for their infrastructures.
According to the 2017 GNSS Market Report, Issue 5, by the European GNSS Agency, professional market segments such as maritime, rail, telecom/utility/enterprise, surveying, aviation, agriculture and drones which use GNSS devices to operate their infrastructures, enable billions of people globally to benefit from them on a day-to-day basis—whether by enjoying the produce of sustainable and cost-effective agriculture, by using efficiently coordinated transport networks, or by leveraging on GNSS-synchronized telecommunications networks. The total installed base of GNSS devices in these professional segments was estimated at 14.4 million units in 2015 and is expected to grow to 97.8 million units by 2025.
VersaSync is a high-performance GPS master clock and network time server that delivers accurate, software configurable time and frequency signals under all circumstances, including GNSS-denied environments. Its compact size and high level of ruggedization make VersaSync suitable for mobile applications in harsh environments. Its small footprint allows for easy integration of the time and frequency functionality into systems architecture.
VersaSync accommodates an OCXO, a high-performance OCXO or a CSAC oscillator, allowing it to maintain frequency and time accuracy for long periods of GPS/GNSS outage. It can be re-synchronized by an external reference. VersaSync is available with a C/A L1 GPS receiver or with an L1/L2 SAASM receiver. An extension slot accommodates additional timing interfaces.
VersaSync physical inputs and outputs are software configurable and can adapt to various application requirements. I/O pins can be configured as TTL, 10 V pulse, RS232, RS485. This allows VersaSync to provide a high number of outputs of the same type, while still fitting into a small form factor. If the combination of software configurable outputs is not enough, VersaSync can accommodate an option board (within the same form factor), designed to customer requirements.
Because of its high level of ruggedization, VersaSync provides exceptional intrinsic reliability. Strong status monitoring capability, either locally or remotely, allows quick fault diagnoses. An internal, exportable log can be accessed.
Verasync Attributes
Low size, weight and power
Ruggedized (MIL-STD-810G)
High versatility with software configurable inputs/outputs
Design can be efficiently customized to match specific customer requirements
Easy integration due to small footprint and low power consumption
NTP/PTP precise time transfer over Ethernet, including security protocols that prevent network vulnerabilities
Low phase noise 10-MHz frequency distribution
Configurable pulse signals, including IRIG or HaveQuick timecodes
The Simceiver by IP Solutions now features Beidou as a simulated signal with access to full parameters rather than the record and playback function used previously.
The Simceiver is part of the Replicator system, a multi-frequency, multi-system GNSS simulator for advanced research and development, equipment testing and education. It can also function as a recording, playback and signal analysis instrument.
The Replicator is the result of a collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Besides the Simceiver hardware unit, components include the ReGen control software for real-time simulation, Streamer control software for recording and playback and ARAMIS software receiver for signal analysis.
The 24-channel Replicator provides real-time generation of GNSS signals, recording and playback of dual-frequency GNSS RF signals, and GNSS RF signal analysis with JAXA COSMODE ionospheric scintillation monitor.
The Replicator offers real-time simulation of dual-frequency GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou or GPS+GLONASS, GPS+BeiDou, GPS+Galileo signals. Comprehensive simulation models include atmosphere, multipath, and more. Also available is signal analysis based on JAXA COSMODE ionospheric scintillation monitor.
Two or more units can be used to simulate, record and playback more signals at the same time. Simulated and recorded signals can be stored in digitized format, analyzed by a MATLAB software receiver and played back as RF at any time.
ReplicatorAdvantages
User defined models with ANSI C API
Real-time simulation
Record and playback
GNSS signal analysis
Upgradable to more features , signals and frequencies for the difference in price.
4- and 7-channel boards for software GNSS receivers
The NT1065_USB3 and NT1065/66_USB3 multi-channel GNSS RF front-end boards are based on NTLab’s RF ICs: NT1065 (4 channels for GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/Beidou/IRNSS/QZSS, L1/L2/L3/L5 bands) and new NT1066 (2 channels for GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/Beidou/IRNSS/QZSS, L1/L2/L3/L5 bands and 1 channel for IRNSS S-band). Both boards support USB3 connection, thus allowing users to process captured satellite signals on a PC or DSP platform.
NT1065_USB3 BOARD
Multi-system multi-band 4-channel GNSS RF front end based on NT1065.
Features
IF bandwidth up to 32MHz for each channel
Acquisition of wideband signals up to 64-MHz (such as Galileo E5) with 2 coherent channels
Built-in 2-bit ADC
USB3 interface (up to 800-Mbit/s)
Ability to connect 4x CRPA
NT1065/66_USB3 BOARD
Multi-system multi-band 7-channel GNSS RF front end based on NT1065 plus new NT1066.
Features
All NT1065_USB3 features, plus:
2 additional L1/L2 GNSS channels
IRNSS S-band channel
Product Support
Both boards are accompanied by comprehensive software and manuals:
GUI for NT1065/66 registers access and USB3 data capture (Windows 7/8/8.1/10 and Linux Ubuntu 16.04 compatible)
Designed to test receivers against current and future signals
Constellator features top-end processing performance and RF quality and offers flexibility in simulation control. It performs fair-weather tests, but also is designed to subject receivers to suboptimal conditions, extreme situations and combinations of errors difficult to access in real-world tests — all of it finely controlled and indefinitely repeatable.
At constellator’s core is software, ensuring that all future constellations, satellites and codes can be handled. Most functional upgrades will then be software-only.
Constellator is used in aerospace and defense (among others) for multi-antenna receiver testing for spacecraft launchers, satellite onboard receiver testing (telecom and observation) and defense UAV receiver testing.
Constellator includes four spatial reference frames and trajectory editors for ground, marine, aerial and spatial motion and import facility. With hardware-in-the-loop, it receives position updates from test rigs in real time and generates corresponding GNSS signals and messages.
Propagation issues can be simulated at individual signal level with different models provided for ionosphere and troposphere.
Satellite error modeling options include orbital errors, onboard clock errors, satellite electronics (front-end) defects, satellite dysfunctions and signal fade, disappearance and “evil waveform” incidents.
Constellator Features
128 channels (extensible) delivering high-quality satellite signals on six distinct frequencies (L and S band)
Hardware-in-the-loop testing at 10- to 100-Hz refresh rates
Extensive simulation options:
Full-time and location control
Receiver trajectories with extreme dynamics
Background noise, interference and jamming/spoofing (two units)
The PwrPak7-E1 contains an Epson G320N micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) inertial measurement unit (IMU) to deliver NovAtel SPAN technology in an integrated, single-box solution. It has a powerful OEM7 GNSS engine, integrated MEMS IMU, built in Wi-Fi, onboard NTRIP client and server support and onboard internal storage. The PwrPak7-E1 also has enhanced connection options including serial, USB, CAN and Ethernet.
SPAN Technology
Synchronous Position, Attitude and Navigation (SPAN) technology brings together two different but complementary technologies: GNSS positioning and inertial navigation. The absolute accuracy of GNSS positioning and the stability of IMU gyro and accelerometer measurements are tightly coupled to provide an exceptional 3D navigation solution that is stable and continuously available, even through periods when satellite signals are blocked.
The CAST-5000 produces a single coherent wavefront of GPS RF signals to provide repeatable testing in the laboratory environment or anechoic chamber. The system generates up to seven independent, coherent simulations that reference a single point.With an intercard carrier-phase error of less than one centimeter, the CAST-5000 is extremely accurate.
The system generates a wavefront of GPS when its GPS RF generator cards are operated in a ganged configuration. Each generator card provides a set of GPS satellites coherent with the overall configuration. Several RF generator cards may be utilized together, ensuring phase coherence among the bank of signal generator cards.
The CAST-5000 is the only Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) tester that allows a full end-to-end test of the antenna system. The CRPA antenna, antenna electronics and the GPS receiver can be tested as a unit with or without radiating signals.
CAST-5000 Features
Generates single coherent wavefront of GPS
6 degrees of freedom (DOF) motion generation capability
A next-generation high-precision module for robots, drones
The UM482 is an all-system multi- frequency high-precision heading module with a small footprint. It supports the satellite signals GPS L1/L2, BDS B1/ B2, GLONASS L1/L2, GALI LEO E1/ E5b and SBAS. It is designed for applications such as robot, drone, intelligent drive and mechanical control.
The UM482 GNSS RTK module adopts Unicore’s new-generation Nebulas II chip and UGypsophila real-time kinematic (RTK) algorithm. Based on high-performance data-sharing technology and super-simplified operation system of the Nebulas II chip, the UGypsophila RTK algorithm dramatically optimizes matrix processing. It can involve all satellites from GPS, BDS, GLONASS and Galileo in RTK and heading processing, shorten RTK and heading initialization time to 5 seconds and significantly improve the reliability and accuracy of RTK and heading.
Furthermore, the UM482 integrates the onboard micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) chip and U-Fusion integrated navigation algorithm, resulting in optimized continuity and reliability of accurate heading and positioning output in tough environments such as city canyons, tunnels and overpasses. Inputs of odometer and external higher performance inertial components are supported.
The HG4930 is a very high-performance micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based inertial measurement unit (IMU) designed to meet the needs of applications across various markets including agriculture, industrial equipment, robotics, survey/mapping, stabilized platforms, transportation, UAVs and UGVs.
With industry-standard communication interfaces, the HG4930 is easily integrated into a variety of architectures. The extremely small size, light weight and low power make the HG4930 ideal for most applications.
The HG4930 includes MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers. It employs an internal environmental isolation system to attenuate unwanted inputs commonly encountered in real-world applications.
The internal isolation and other proprietary design features ensure the HG4930 is rugged enough to meet the needs of demanding users.
The HG4930 is not ITAR controlled. Its Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) is 7A994.
Example Applications
Aiding a camera pod to track a desired object: For example, a television viewing enhancement systems used in sports broadcasting.
Integration with GPS/GNSS to navigate an object from point A to point B: IMU performance is key; errors grow quickly without GPS/GNSS (such as in forested areas, underwater, dense urban).
Dynamic antenna platform stabilization: IMU measures small perturbations of a platform under motion (including vibration and shock) and feeds those measurements into a control system that then corrects and stabilizes the platform; without an IMU, communication can be degraded or lost.
Robots: Enables robots to navigate indoors with other aiding sources (such as radar or lidar); similar concept to GPS/GNSS aiding.
Supports restricted and classified signals from GPS, Galileo
The Spirent GSS9000 multi-frequency, multi-GNSS RF constellation simulator can simulate signals from all GNSS and regional navigation. The GSS9000 offers a four-fold increase in RF signal iteration rate (SIR) over Spirent’s GSS8000 simulator. The GSS9000 SIR is 1000 Hz (1ms), enabling higher dynamic simulations with more accuracy and fidelity. It includes support for restricted and classified signals from the GPS and Galileo systems as well as advanced capabilities for ultra-high dynamics. It can evaluate resilience of navigation systems to interference and spoofing attacks, and has the flexibility to reconfigure constellations, channels and frequencies between test runs or test cases.
Captures and replays GNSS signals at high resolution
The LabSat 3 Wideband record-and replay-device is small and battery-powered with a removable solid-state disk. It allows users to gather detailed, real-world satellite data and replay the signals on the bench.
Its recording bandwidth of 56 MHz allows for the capture of a wide range of live-sky satellite signals. Depending on the desired bandwidth, recording resolution can be set to 2, 4 or 6 bit. The GNSS frequency guide on the LabSat website shows exactly which signals can be recorded and at which resolution. It also has spare capacity for future planned signals.
Even with this increased capacity over the original LabSat 3, the new simulator remains easy to use: one-touch recording, no connection to PC required, battery powered for up to two hours, and with a removable 1-TB solid-state hard drive that can be replaced in no time, the LabSat 3 Wideband is convenient to use. It measures a compact 167 x 128 x 46 millimeters and weighs 1.2 kilograms.
Live-sky Signals Captured
LabSat 3 Wideband can record and replay the following signals:
Stanford Research Systems (SRS) rubidium frequency standards have excellent aging characteristics, extremely low phase noise and outstanding reliability.
The FS725 benchtop instrument is designed for calibration and research and development (R&D) laboratories, or any application requiring a precision frequency standard, such as metrology laboratories.
The FS725 unit integrates a rubidium oscillator (SRS model PRS10), a low-noise universal AC power supply, and distribution amplifiers in a compact half-width 2U chassis. It provides stable and reliable performance, with an estimated 20-year aging of less than 5 x 10-9 and a demonstrated rubidium oscillator MTBF (mean time between failures) of more than 200,000 hours.
It has two 10-MHz outputs and one 5-MHz output with exceptionally low phase noise (–130 dBc/Hz at 10-Hz offset) and 1 second Allan Variance (<2 x 10-11). The FS725 can be phase-locked to an external 1-pps reference (like GPS) providing Stratum 1 performance. A 1-pps output is also provided that has less than 1 nanosecond of jitter, and can be set with 1-nanosecond resolution.
Tallysman, a manufacturer of high-performance GNSS antennas, has released a family of high-performing economical wideband low noise amplifiers (LNAs) for choke-ring antennas.
Tallysman offers four models of the LNA with options of 35-dB and 50-dB gain. The capabilities of the models are shown in the table below. The LNAs are designed for upgrading existing choke-ring antennas with Dorne Margolin/EDO elements to receive new and expanding GNSS signals.
The LNAs provide consistent gain across the full bandwidth and include filters for suppression of out-of-band interfering signals, such as cellular LTE and Iridium signals, while maintaining a low noise figure, high third-order intercept point, small group delay and low power consumption, the company said.
The enclosure is designed to fit a wide variety of currently deployed choke-ring antennas.
The ArcGIS book 10 Big Ideas about Applying The Science of Where has a companion website. The book provides mapmakers with the know-how and hands-on experience to practice what Esri calls “The Science of Where.” The accompanying website offers information and interactive education resources needed to use web-based geographic information system (GIS) technology to create maps, work with apps, create and use authoritative data and conduct spatial analysis. The book is available in print, as an interactive PDF and online. Chapters cover web mapping, ready-to-use apps, story maps, 3D GIS, spatial analysis, imagery and the Internet of Things, as well as curated content from Esri’s Living Atlas of the World.
