Geodetics Inc. has teamed up with Silicon Valley’s Velodyne Lidar. Velodyne and Geodetics will work on a variety of initiatives to enhance each others technologies and products with the goal of offering a small-size integrated inertial navigation and LiDAR-based mobile mapping payload for UAVs and other autonomous platforms.
Payloads will include Velodyne’s HDL-64E, HDL-32E and VLP-16 real-time LiDAR systems combined with Geodetics’ Geo-iNAV inertial navigation systems.
Geodetics and Velodyne are exhibiting this week at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Show in Atlanta, being held May 4-7 (booth 1500J and booth 2838 respectively). See our show coverage page for more information.
Velodyne’s LiDAR sensors are the highest performance LiDAR systems on the market in their size, weight and power class. Geo-iNAV is a fully-integrated GPS-aided inertial navigation system that provides real-time, high-precision positioning and navigation for manned and unmanned air, sea and ground vehicles. It combines GPS and proprietary sensor fusion technologies to achieve centimeter-level real-time positioning and navigation for dynamic platforms.
“We’re delighted to work with Geodetics to ease the integration process for our customers,” said David Oroshnik, Technical Sales Engineer, Velodyne LiDAR. “Our decision to support Geodetics is based upon the growing demand for cost-effective, small-sized, fully-integrated mobile mapping payloads that deliver performance traditionally associated with higher-end systems.”
“Velodyne’s LiDAR systems enable Geodetics’ products to reach new markets and customers by delivering high performance in a smaller package and for a lower cost than competing devices,” said Lydia Bock, Geodetics president and CEO.
With recent advances in unmanned vehicle technologies, the GNSS ecosystem has expanded to support such mission-critical applications as mobile mapping. These applications increasingly require more accurate navigation to accomplish their mission. The Geo-iNAV family of inertial navigation products delivers this capability with features that support reliable and precise navigation with a low SWaP (size, weight and power) profile for autonomous vehicles and payloads on manned vehicles.
Geo-iNAV is offered in several configurations designed to meet a wide range of requirements. It is available in commercial as well as SAASM configurations, meeting a wide range of inertial navigation application requirements.
For years, when I was the GIS manager for the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), I’d get an annual visit from the Layton Graphics sales rep trying to sell me something. Layton Graphics was an Atlanta blueprint company. I never needed blueprint services so I politely listened and sent the sales rep on his way. In 2005 that changed when the sale rep demonstrated his company’s eye-opener GeoPDF, a significant leap in GIS-enabled map publishing. With the invention of the GeoPDF, the company was reformed as TerraGo, and the rest, shall we say, is history.
Screenshot of Edge on an iPhone showing data capture points in red and current location in blue.
Until GeoPDFs, we published our GIS data as Shapefiles on CDs and relied on users to display the data correctly using their own GIS software. Since many new GIS users had no cartographic training the resultant maps frequently looked terrible or, even worse, completely misrepresented the data. As the publishers of the raw data, we frequently got blamed for some very crappy-looking maps- including those created by our own ARC transportation and land-use planners. GeoPDFs changed that since the cartography remained intact. Not until Esri’s Map Publisher, now ArcGIS Publisher, and subsequent cartographic tools was cartography preserved as the originator intended.
A GeoPDF was a single Adobe document that bundled GIS data, imagery and resultant maps into one compact file with no lost data files, no improperly displayed data and no incorrect data pointers. The Acrobat file was, in effect, an interactive GIS map display that permitted a user to pan, zoom, turn layers on and off, view, import social media and navigate 3D models and many other functions in one single compact file. GeoPDFs proved so valuable that they became the Army’s and other federal agencies’ geospatial publication method of choice.
The Next Geospatial Leap
Recently, TerraGo made another geospatial technology leap, doing for geospatial data collection what the company did for geospatial data display. TerraGo streamlined and sped up geospatial data collection with its new product, TerraGo Edge. TerraGo Edge is a cloud-based application that works on PCs, tablets and even smartphones. A user downloads the app and can then build a data-collection environment that is completely tailored to the needs of an organization. Field personnel can then rapidly collect enterprise data using a PC, tablet or smartphone with very little training and no additional software. The application permits the collection of tabular data, photographs, video clips and more that are georeferenced using the mobile device’s built-in GPS to locate each data point. All data is saved in the cloud and instantly shareable with designated users.
Now the even better news: If the network connection is lost or weak, the field collection can continue in the disconnected environment. The collected data is stored locally, then automatically synced when the connection is restored. The simplicity of the system and disconnected use may help make the Army’s Future Combat Systems vision, in which each soldier is a data user and data collector, a cost-effective reality.
Field Test
Bryan Burns of TerraGo collects data with his iPhone and Bluetooth-connected Bad Elf GPS.
I had to see the system in actual operation, so I paid a visit to the TerraGo Atlanta offices last week. Scott Lee and Bryan Burns of TerraGo gave me a full demo. I previously loaded the TerraGo trial app on my iPhone, which you can also do by going to your app store and downloading the free trial application. The software is fairly intuitive, and I was able to shoot a georeferenced picture and record some notes on my own. Bryan and Scott demonstrated the more advanced Edge features, especially the creation of custom collection forms that greatly speed data collection by field users.
Form creation is an important aspect of Edge, because it not only speeds data collection, it also reduces the chance of errors. As most of you know, sloppy data capture can really corrupt a database. Poor spelling, missed keystrokes, etc., can make database searches difficult and even result in missed records. Developers have found that entry errors can be minimized and collection speed enhanced with several simple data collection tools and techniques that are part of TerraGo Edge. Some of these include the use of pull-down menus for frequently used terms, numeric/alphanumeric entry key restrictions, checkboxes, the use of “radio buttons” for multiple choices, and others. As a result, field users can collect data as quickly as they can walk from one location to another with minimal data entry errors or corruption.
How Much Does It Cost?
$360 per year, with up to three devices. If you want TerraGo to host your operation, storing and backing up your data, that’s another $360 per year. The only additional cost, assuming you already have a smartphone, is additional GPS hardware to achieve better accuracy than the native 5 meters of a smartphone. The additional hardware cost depends on your accuracy needs. A Bad Elf plug-in device gives you 2-meter accuracy for $300 and 1-meter accuracy for $600. Better is a sub-meter accuracy iSX Blue II for $2,000, and even an RTK centimeter system, the EOS Arrow 200, for $6,000. This graph shows the hardware comparisons.
Keep in mind that the GPS units permit data collection even if disconnected, and all available GPS metadata is captured with each fix, so additional post-processing could be done at a later date if needed. The system also comes with a ton of GeoPDF maps, vector data such as OpenStreetMap, WMS feeds and imagery to serve as a backdrop for your data collection. As you would expect, the data you collect can be saved and exported in popular formats such as Esri Shapefiles, KML and GeoPackage, the new OGC handheld standard being supported by AGC and NGA.
How Good Is It?
This image shows the water fountain in front of the TerraGo offices. The green dots show the data points I captured with the Bad Elf Bluetooth GPS.
We then went outside for a short data-collection test using the Bad Elf Bluetooth GPS. It was easy to pair the Bad Elf to my iPhone, and I was able to collect data as fast as I could walk from one location to another. Since this was a short test in the open, I couldn’t judge how quick data collection would be in less than ideal conditions such as building canyons or tree canopy cover. I’d certainly want to spend a day collecting under different conditions to get an accurate feel for the speed, accuracy and reliability of each hardware option in a production environment.
Go to the TerraGo website for a much deeper dive. Edge looks like it will give the competition a real run for the money, not to mention the very significant smartphone accuracy improvements being tested in the labs. So, in short, you can have in your hand a networked GPS datalogger with up to cm accuracy that can operate in a disconnected environment. It seems like smartphones are slowly replacing our stand-alone devices — watches, media players, digital/video cameras, car navigation, compass, level, PC and flashlight. I can even use my iPhone as a magnetometer. Now, even high-end GPS dataloggers are in the smartphone crosshairs.
A good way to see TerraGo Edge in action will be the GPS World webinar at 1300 EDT May 28. Registration is free.
P.S. With Mother’s Day and Memorial Day coming up soon, I’d like to call your attention to my column last year. We frequently read about the bravery and hardships of our military, but the families at home not so much. The mother in the column was so selfless I can’t forget her. You won’t either.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced a partnership with industry to explore the next steps in unmanned aircraft operations beyond the type of operations the agency proposed in the draft small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) rule it published in February.
“Government has some the best and brightest minds in aviation, but we can’t operate in a vacuum,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “This is a big job, and we’ll get to our goal of safe, widespread UAS integration more quickly by leveraging the resources and expertise of the industry.”
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta announced the initiative today at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Unmanned Systems 2015 conference in Atlanta, Ga. See more coverage of the show from Geospatial Solutons.
The FAA is working with industry partners on three focus areas, including:
Visual line-of-sight operations in urban areas: CNN will look at how UAS might be safely used for newsgathering in populated areas.
Extended visual line-of-sight operations in rural areas: This concept involves UAS flights outside the pilot’s direct vision. UAS manufacturer PrecisionHawk will explore how this might allow greater UAS use for crop monitoring in precision agriculture operations.
Beyond visual line-of-sight in rural/isolated areas: BNSF Railroad will explore command-and-control challenges of using UAS to inspect rail system infrastructure.
“Even as we pursue our current rulemaking effort for small unmanned aircraft, we must continue to actively look for future ways to expand non-recreational UAS uses,” Huerta said. “This new initiative involving three leading U.S. companies will help us anticipate and address the needs of the evolving UAS industry.”
The three companies reached out to the FAA to work on research continuing to expand use of UAS in the nation’s airspace. CNN and the FAA already have been working together through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA). BNSF has a draft CRDA that is nearly complete and PrecisionHawk has been working with the FAA on a possible research partnership.
Further developing these operational concepts supports the FAA’s overall strategy to expand UAS access, which currently includes rulemaking, reviewing operational data from the six national UAS test sites, expanding commercial operations via the Section 333 exemption process, and issuing operational authorizations for type-certified UAS.
The FAA published a proposed rule for small UAS on February 23, 2015 and received nearly 4,500 public comments by the end of the comment period on April 24. The agency will work as quickly as possible, but must address all the comments submitted before finalizing the rule. The number and complexity of the comments will play a role in determining the timeline for a final rule.
Trimble is partnering with unmanned aircraft system (UAS) manufacturer Multirotor service-drone, GmbH. The collaboration will allow Trimble to expand its existing UAS portfolio to provide its customers with additional solutions to choose from based on their aerial imaging project needs.
Multirotor service-drone, based in Germany, is a manufacturer of multi-rotor systems. Trimble will be Multirotor service-drone’s exclusive provider of multi-rotor vehicles for aerial mapping use in surveying, construction, mining, agriculture, oil and gas, and utilities. The combination of Multirotor service-drone’s stable and reliable platforms with Trimble’s industry-leading sensor technology and workflow efficiencies will provide customers with best-in-class solutions for aerial data capture.
Unmanned multi-rotor systems are powerful solutions for visually documenting smaller areas, vertical structures or environments where holding position is important. High-resolution imagery, orthophotos, terrain models and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) map deliverables created from multi-rotor data provide valuable information for the survey, engineering and agriculture industries that Trimble serves.
“We are very excited to partner with Multirotor service-drone. At Trimble we’re always looking for ways to meet our customer’s needs and enable them to solve the complex problems they encounter every day,” said Todd Steiner, product marketing director in Trimble’s Geospatial Division. “The collaboration will enable our customers to use a technology rapidly growing in popularity due to its flexibility and productivity.”
Drone Aviation Holding Corp., a developer of specialized lighter-than-air aerostats and tethered drones, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Drone Aviation Corp. (DAC), has received an order from specialized defense contractor Troll Systems for a set of Winch Aerostat Small Platform (WASP) aerostat systems.
Under terms of the award, DAC and Troll will jointly form a working group to integrate the L-3 Wescam MX-10 advanced optical sensor system into the WASP platform for an international customer. The working group plans on commencing integration in May with initial flight testing expected to take place by Q3 2015.
Drone Aviation also announced that CNN is working with the company to explore how their tethered drone technology might be used in newsgathering operations in urban areas, as part of its FAA partnership, also announced at the AUVSI show. CNN selected Drone Aviation to leverage its WATT-200 tethered drones to gather footage from never-seen-before angles and heights. WATT-200 was unveiled at the AUVSI this week.
DAC develops and manufactures the WATT Electric Tethered Drone, Blimp in a Box (BiB) and WASP aerostat product lines. The WATT Tethered Drone, as well as the BiB and WASP aerostats, utilize a secure, high strength tether line that remains connected to the ground for safe and reliable operations.
DAC’s systems are intended to provide semi-persistent, mobile intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (“ISR”) and extended communications for various applications. Each system can provide low cost, mobile ISR and mobile communications for days, weeks or months. BiB and WASP aerostats are currently in use in a number of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) applications as well as at State and Local Police and Departments of Transportation where they provide silent, cost effective day and night monitoring and mobile communications.
Drone Aviation is exhibiting this week at AUVSI Unmanned Systems 2015 in Atlanta.
DoD-owned WASP systems are currently participating in sponsored exercises and are part of future capability studies as part of the DoD’s evaluation of the WASP as a highly mobile, tactical aerostat for ISR and communications. The DoD-owned WASP systems have successfully completed operations in a series of the United States Army Network Integration Experiments (NIEs) and have been recognized by the Army as a tactical battlefield solution that can support soldiers on the ground.
“Drone Aviation is pleased to partner with Troll Systems to expand the capabilities of our WASP platform and to help them meet the stringent requirements of their overseas customers,” said Felicia Hess, CEO of Drone Aviation Holding Corp. “With the addition of the L-3 Wescam MX-10 optical package, we are greatly expanding the operational capabilities of the WASP tethered aerostat system, further demonstrating the platform’s ability to flexibly deliver simple, secure and cost effective tactical surveillance and communications to customers.”
Exelis has improved the way its CorvusEye 1500 wide-area airborne system processes and analyzes the vast amount of data it collects, which is crucial in helping customers make critical decisions, the company said.
CorvusEye 1500 is one of the programs Exelis is featuring at Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International’s (AUVSI’s) Unmanned Systems 2015 May 4-8 in Atlanta (booth #2449). From an altitude of 15,000 feet, CorvusEye 1500 provides color and infrared imagery of a city-sized area unavailable with comparable airborne systems. At Unmanned Systems 2015, visitors will see how users work with the real-time analytics and processed data to search for vehicle tracks based on location and time.
“It’s all about context,” said Dwight Greenlee, director, regional persistent surveillance, Exelis Geospatial Systems. “Conventional video surveillance systems with their ‘soda straw’ views can miss critical activities, making it hard to understand what’s happening over a wide area. CorvusEye now has real-time analytics that automate certain tasks. For example, users can set ‘watch boxes’ or ‘trip wires’ in as many as 10 areas of interest. Users are then alerted if anything moves in or out of that area, and they can automatically track that moving object. Because of the context provided by CorvusEye, users can be more confident in the data to make decisions.”
Another new capability in CorvusEye is the ability to cue a second sensor, such as a hyperspectral sensor, to scan a location for certain spectral “signatures” indicating the presence of a material or gas. Analysts also can easily integrate full-motion video sensors into the cueing capability.
Processing CorvusEye data post-flight provides analysts with a database of all moving objects in the entire scene, allowing them to gather critical forensic intelligence and enabling a better understanding of behaviors and patterns across the region.
At 15 inches in diameter and weighing less than 95 pounds, the CorvusEye turret and sensor package can fit on most midsize unmanned and manned aircraft and uses standard interfaces to swap into virtually any 15-inch airframe mounting location. CorvusEye is exportable to many military, intelligence and security customers around the world, Exelis said.
Trimble has announced a series of new software enhancements that enable photogrammetry, GIS, geospatial and remote sensing professionals to streamline workflows, achieve faster results and gain increased value from highly accurate geospatial data. Enhancements include the Trimble Inpho version 6.1 photogrammetric suite, UASMaster version 6.1 and UASMaster Lite for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) applications, and eCognition version 9.1 and eCognition Essentials version 1.1 image analysis software.
The announcement was made at the Imaging and Geospatial Technology Forum (IGTF), formerly ASPRS, held May 4-8 in Tampa, Fla.
“Optimizing software workflows for our customers to gain value from imaging data is critical for the success of geospatial professionals and a continued focus of Trimble Geospatial,” said Alain Samaha, business area director of GIS and Geospatial Software Solutions for Trimble’s Geospatial Division. “The new enhancements will enable customers to streamline processes and increase their efficiency and productivity, which translates to increased cost savings and decreased operational expenditures.”
Photogrammetry professionals generating high-quality deliverables, with Trimble’s Inpho software, such as 3D CAD line work, GIS layers and DTMs, can now reduce production time by days through optimized geo-referencing capabilities and new tools for CAD object creation. The Inpho version 6.1 enhancement allows snapping-to-elevation and draping lines-to-elevation models—for greater efficiency in creating CAD data layers—while maintaining the highest level of accuracy.
The UASMaster version 6.1 software enhancement offers greater productivity through new support for precise GNSS data that allows users to reduce the number of ground control points required without compromising accuracy. For professionals new to the UAS market, UASMaster is now also available in an entry-level “Lite” edition. The new UASMaster Lite edition allows users to quickly extract high quality deliverables within a simplified workflow, while obtaining the same industry-leading quality offered with Inpho software.
Inpho version 6.1 and UASMaster version 6.1 now also include a direct interface connection to Trimble’s eCognition analysis software, making it easier to obtain actionable and valuable information from imagery data in land classification maps, GIS layers and change analysis.
eCognition version 9.1, an object-based image analysis software, now includes enhanced multi-core processing, allowing GIS, geospatial and remote sensing professionals to extract valuable information from satellite and aerial based data faster than before. New GIS-based analytic tools and improved tools for packaging applications make it easier to create customer solutions.
eCognition Essentials version 1.1 provides up to 50-percent faster processing than previously, including improved flexibility and control of classification workflows for professionals generating land-cover mapping deliverables.
Phase One Industrial, a manufacturer of medium format aerial photography equipment and software solutions, has released Phase One iX Capture 2.0, a control, capture and RAW conversion application designed specifically for aerial photography.
Features include:
Support for up to six cameras. iX Capture 2.0 can support full oblique/nadir arrays with multiple Phase One aerial cameras or dual-camera arrays, such as RGB/NIR or arrays to capture wide swaths.
Auto Exposure mode. After a user selects a priority with specific ranges set for each parameter, the camera can evaluate the current image and adjust the ISO, aperture and shutter speed for subsequent captures. Auto exposure mode helps operators avoid post flight adjustments in exposure when light conditions change.
Offline processing of files and complete folders. iX Capture can now process images post flight, enabling users to process files previously captured or even process the same files, but with different settings applied. With a choice of three offline processing recipes, individual images or folders can be processed individually or simultaneously.
AirMap — a free, comprehensive digital map — allows unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operators to visualize the airspace around them, including areas where they may not be permitted to fly.
AirMap removes barriers to compliance of complex airspace rules by providing the low altitude airspace information that unmanned aircraft operators need. AirMap was cofounded by aviation expert and entrepreneur Ben Marcus and Gregory McNeal, a legal scholar on drones, public policy and air rights.
AirMap integrates multiple sources of reliable data and gives UAS operators an easy-to-use, yet detailed, solution providing a single view of the restricted areas around an area of operations, its makers said. The beta version of the site is now live in the U.S. and will launch soon internationally, enabling UAS operators to immediately start benefiting from the free service. AirMap also features a feedback function that will allow beta testers to request additional features.
AirMap is a fully digital map that shows only the airspace rules that impact UAS operators. By focusing on airspace information from ground level up to 500 feet, AirMap strips away the clutter of higher altitude airspace labels found on charts that were created for manned aviation, its makers said.
When using AirMap, an operator can customize their display based on the type of operation they are involved in. Operators can select layers depicting the following:
Recreational use, which will display the airspace areas around airports which are limited by community-based guidelines;
“Blanket COA” rules applicable to holders of FAA Section 333 exemptions for commercial UAS operations; and
Controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, and E) at 500 feet and below, allowing UAS operators to voluntarily comply with the airspace rules proposed in the FAA’s recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Operation and Certification of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
“As UAS use continues to expand, the airspace in which operators are flying is also growing more complex. With this in mind, we’ve launched AirMap, which will serve as a resource for drone operators to immediately fly safely and in compliance with legal requirements. We want to make safe flying easy,” Marcus said.
Marcus and McNeal teamed to launch AirMap after they realized that operators needed a tool that would let them understand the complexities of restricted airspace for unmanned aircraft operations. Marcus, who co-founded aircraft brokerage firm jetAVIVA, will lead development and business growth functions. McNeal will apply his expertise and research in local regulatory environments to help AirMap reach and educate users throughout the country. In addition to his role with AirMap, McNeal is an associate professor of law and public policy at Pepperdine University and a Forbes contributor.
“As a drone operator I found it hard to know what the airspace rules were in the places where I wanted to fly. There were no accurate visuals or reliable electronic tools that could tell me and other operators where we can and cannot fly. AirMap solves this problem and helps to educate operators about this complex regulatory environment,” said McNeal. “The demand for AirMap is clear, as it is the most thorough resource for drone operators to ensure safe, legal and hassle-free flight.”
AirMap’s advisory board includes Steve Crocker, chairman of the ICANN; Stuart Banner, UCLA law professor and author of Who Owns the Sky?; Tom McInerney, former scientist at Apple; and Mike Mothner, founder and CEO of WPromote.
In February 2015, AirMap launched its first service, NoFlyZone.org, which accepts registrations from property owners who prefer UAS not overfly their land. These parcels are displayed in AirMap to help operators avoid sensitive areas, and minimize the hassles associated with disputes about where unmanned aircraft should be operating. AirMap also displays hospitals, schools and helipads and will be adding other sensitive sites in the future.
DroneMetrex has captured high-quality near-infrared (NIR) mapping data with its TopoDrone-100 UAV. DroneMetrex said in a news release that this is the first time such high quality NIR imagery has been captured by a UAV.
High-quality NIR data is a tool to detect chlorophyll. Because chlorophyll is emitted by all vegetation to various degrees, experts from land and forest departments, agronomists, vignerons and pastoralists will be able to discriminate between health and vigor of vegetation and between different types of vegetation. The data collected helps determine vegetation stress, disease, pest infection, irrigation faults and nutrient variations.
“We say ‘unique high-quality mapping’ because the data are both radiometrically and geometrically unparalleled from a drone,” said Thomas Tadrowski, managing director of DroneMetrex. “From the one-flight sortie, TopoDrone-100 users are able to perform vegetation analysis mapping as well as accurate 3D contours/DTM mapping. The pixel resolution is unsurpassed. The data geometry is unsurpassed. The radiometric mapping is unsurpassed.”
DroneMetrex offers its Extended Spectrum Mapping (ESM) camera modification as an option with the TopoDrone-100. After ESM modification, the camera is supplied with three external screw-on lens filters. Simultaneously using the NIR filter and a high-accuracy L1/L2/L5/GLONASS/COMPASS (BeiDou-2) PPK direct georeferencing solution, the TopoDrone-100 captures three-band imagery, with the near-infrared band recording unparalleled radiometric quality and chlorophyll discrimination.
The high radiometric quality is achieved because DroneMetrex specialists perform the necessary camera modifications themselves, and have designed the external filters specifically to match the requirements of accurate, discriminative vegetation mapping, DroneMetrex said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected Harris Corporation for an eight-year, single-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a potential value of $238 million to design and implement a system that will disseminate real-time, comprehensive weather pictures to all aviation users across the National Airspace System.
The Common Support Services–Weather (CSS-Wx) program will help minimize flight delays and cancellations by providing additional weather data with increased accuracy to more aviation consumers, supporting real-time operational planning and decision-making.
“About 70 percent of flight delays are caused by weather,” said Carl D’Alessandro, vice president and general manager, Civil Programs, Harris Government Communications Systems. “The enterprise-wide, data-sharing design of the CSS-Wx solution will reduce these delays, saving the FAA and flying public precious time and money.”
The Harris CSS-Wx system is scalable, with Open Geospatial Consortium standards for common weather formats, and highly advanced geospatial- and temporal-based filtering methods to process meteorological data. It applies expertise the company has gained from work on mission-critical weather programs for the FAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Defense.
Harris has a long history of developing and integrating system solutions for the FAA in support of the National Airspace System (NAS). The company is the prime contractor for the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) program, which provides critical voice, data and video communications for NAS operations and mission support functions. FTI securely connects more than 4,500 national and international FAA and DOD facilities, manages over 26,000 services, and supports more than 50,000 users. Other FAA programs developed by Harris include:
The Weather and Radar Processor, which provides weather processing dissemination and display capabilities to air traffic controllers in the en-route air traffic control environment;
Datacomm, which provides air-to-ground digital data link networks to connect FAA air traffic control sites and data communications-equipped aircraft;
The NAS Voice System, which provides a secure, IP-based voice network for critical communications between air traffic controllers, pilots and ground personnel nationwide;
The Operational and Supportability Implementation System, which serves the General Aviation community in Alaska by providing weather briefing and flight planning services; and
The National Air Space Enterprise Messaging Service, which will provide the FAA with the network-centric, collaborative information-sharing capabilities afforded by System Wide Information Management.
Optech will be exhibiting its latest lidar and imaging solutions at the Unmanned Systems 2015 Conference in Atlanta, Ga., May 4-7, at the Teledyne Booth 2311. Optech’s solutions include a fully implemented lidar/camera workflow for UAV operations, as well as other airborne, mobile and stationary sensors.
Visitors can drop by the booth to learn more about Optech’s UAV solution, which combines the rugged Optech ILRIS terrestrial laser scanner and the new Optech XR6 photogrammetry small UAV with an integrated software workflow. The solution merges aerial camera imagery from the UAV with high-resolution data from Optech lidar to deliver comprehensive, georeferenced and highly accurate 3D planimetric data. The ILRIS lidar system can also be operated remotely through a web interface.
For advances in airborne sensing and surveillance using mid-size to larger UAVs, Optech will discuss the features of the compact Optech Galaxy lidar system and its PulseTRAK technology, which ensures a continuous operating envelope and steady point density even in rugged terrain, vastly simplifying mission planning, and eliminating “blind zones” — overcoming a long-standing limitation inherent to lidar sensors lacking PulseTRAK technology. Galaxy is compatible with all Optech mounts for integrating digital metric cameras, enabling clients to customize their solution with the right mix of LiDAR, multispectral, LWIR, MWIR and RGB sensors for their application.
Optech will also be showcasing the Optech Titan, a commercial multispectral airborne lidar, which accomplishes highly automated land classification using its separate 532, 1064 and 1550 nm laser channels, and performs combined topographic/bathymetric mapping down to a depth of 15 meters in clear conditions.
Visitors who need rapid coastal monitoring and object detection will be particularly interested in the new Optech CZMIL Nova, Optech’s upgrade of the award-winning CZMIL airborne bathymetric mapper. CZMIL Nova maintains its predecessor’s sensing power, including its unmatched turbid water penetration, while boosting installation flexibility and cost savings with a more efficient laser and much lighter hardware, facilitating operation in smaller aircraft.
