Swift Navigation’s David Fischer gives GPS World an overview of the company’s Skylark GNSS corrections service at Xponential 2018. According to the company, Skylark is cloud-based and delivers affordable, fast, centimeter-level accuracy and eliminates the complexity of deploying and maintaining GNSS networks.
Tag: Xponential 2018
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Intel shares updates on Insight Platform, drone solutions at Xponential 2018
Intel’s Anil Naduri discussed some of the company’s updates at Xponential 2018. Photos by Allison Barwacz Intel shared a number of updates at a presentation during AUVSI’s Xponential 2018, which took place April 30-May 3 in Denver. Among the company’s latest developments are its Insight Platform, Mission Control and Falcon 8+.
Intel Insight Platform
Intel’s Insight Platform is a digital asset management system that enables aerial data management and analysis. It allows customers to store, share and manage data that commercial drone systems collect. According to the company, the platform is designed to reduce costs, improve efficiency and fuel growth.
The Intel Insight platform takes the aerial data and can generate 2D and 3D models, take measurements and run data analytics.
“The asset-based approach allows you to tag repeated flights over the same location, and that provides a great foundation for you,” said Anil Nanduri, vice president and general manager of the Intel drone team.
Intel Mission Control
Intel’s Mission Control is the company’s next-generation flight planning software for its Falcon 8+ drone. According to the company, it is designed to increase workflow efficiency and enhance automation of drone flights for commercial missions.
Mission Control allows Falcon 8+ drone operators to create 2D and 3D flight plans for commercial surveying, mapping and inspection missions.
Intel Mission Control software is currently in beta testing with customers, Intel said.
Falcon 8+ drone
Intel revealed three new payloads for its Falcon 8+ at Xponential. Photo by Ryan Gerard During the presentation, Intel revealed three new payloads, as well as distance hold and distance guard features, for its Falcon 8+ drone.
The three new payloads are designed for inspection, surveying and mapping applications. According to Intel, the Falcon 8+ also now boasts distance hold and distance guard features on the Intel Imaging and Duel Imaging payloads. The distance hold feature allows the drone to maintain and hold a set distance from certain obstacles during inspections, and distance guard is another obstacle avoidance feature.
The company also shared how the drone has assisted with natural disasters and safety inspections. The Falcon 8+ played a role in disaster relief for the Sonoma County fires, as well as data recovery following Hurricane Harvey in Houston.
The drone also assisted with a gas terminal inspection in Scotland, as well as with Arctic wildlife research.
“Drones are going to be the most transformative business technology in the coming generation,” Nanduri said.
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Humanitarians using life-saving drones honored at AUVSI Xponential
Five organizations that flew drones on critical, life-saving missions are winners of the inaugural XCELLENCE Humanitarian Award by the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI).
The award, which is sponsored by DJI, was presented at the AUVSI Xponential 2018 conference at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
“We are thrilled to recognize and reward organizations who have utilized drone technology to make great contributions to their communities and the environment, through AUVSI’s inaugural Humanitarian Awards,” said Michael Perry, managing director of North America at DJI.
“We congratulate the winners and thank all those who have participated for sharing the innovative ways they use drones to support humanitarian and life-saving efforts around the world,” Perry said. “We hope this award will inspire more organizations and drone operators to accomplish great feats and help others in their community.”
In Rwanda, fresh blood is launched to a hospital using a Zipline drone. (Image: CNN video) These first recipients of the AUVSI XCELLENCE Humanitarian Award were recognized for using drones for disaster management, medical assistance and search-and-rescue operations at locations around the world:
- Aeryon Labs Inc.: Aeryon SkyRanger UAS provides critical aerial intelligence to first responders in Sint Maarten in the wake of Hurricane Irma (Canada).
- DroneSAR, DroneSAR UAV Search & Rescue (SAR) Solution: Executing autonomous aerial search and delivering live drone data to augment first response efforts (Ireland).
- Nepal Flying Labs: drone hazard and vulnerability mapping in Nepal (Nepal).
- ONG DroneSAR Chile: Emergency response team and humanitarian aid through the use of drones (Chile).
- Zipline International: Zipline’s medical drone delivery operation in Rwanda (Rwanda).
“As these organizations have shown, unmanned aircraft systems that are typically flown for commercial purposes are also capable of accomplishing vital humanitarian missions,” said Brian Wynne, president and CEO of AUVSI. “With sophisticated on-board cameras and sensors, drones can quickly fly to remote locations or areas that are inaccessible to ground vehicles because of roads blocked by storm debris or flooding.”
The five organizations will equally divide a $25,000 donation as prizes for their ground-breaking humanitarian and philanthropic efforts.
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Harxon exhibits positioning, data-transmission tech at AUVSI Xponential
Harxon showcased high-precision positioning GNSS antennas and its latest wireless data-transmission technologies for UAV applications at AUVSI Xponential, which was held April 30-May 4 in Denver.
The Harxon D-Helix Antenna. Harxon’s D-Helix is a patented D-QHA (dual-quadrifilar helix antenna) multi-constellation antenna supports excellent reception of GPS, Galileo, BeiDou and GLONASS, as well as L-band signals. Harxon D-QHA technology ensures the ability of low elevation satellites tracking while maintaining 4-dBi high gain, which makes the D-Helix antenna an excellent choice for any applications where the sky is partially visible, the company said.
The antenna’s low noise amplifier (LNA) with out-of-band rejection performance can suppress electromagnetic interference. Moreover, the D-Helix features the latest low wind resistance design with ruggedized IP67 protection for UAV inspection and monitoring, survey and mapping or agricultural UAVs.
Photo: Harxon The HX-DU2017D is a 5-gram frequency-hopping OEM transceiver supporting frequencies between 840 MHz and 900 MHz. It provides strong anti-jamming and signal receiving capability for complex data intensive applications. Its full duplex mode ensures data secure transmission, more stable long-range communication and short latency of data transmission.
Watch this video to learn more about the HX-DU2017D.
Other showcased Harxon GNSS products, such as Helix Antenna HX-CH7603A, HX-CH4601A and HX-CH6601A, are all featured with patented D-QHA technology. Moreover, the showcased Survey Antenna GPS 500, OEM Modem HX-DU1018D and Smart Antenna are also appropriate for surveying and mapping, as well as precision agriculture.
Photo: Harxon -
Phase One Industrial debuts iXM-100MP metric camera at Xponential 2018
Phase One Industrial’s Steve Cooper offers a rundown on the company’s iXM-100MP metric camera at AUVSI’s Xponential in Denver. According to the company, the iXM-100MP was engineered for for UAV-imaging missions.
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KVH and VectorNav collaborate to offer precision inertial navigation system
VectorNav’s Tactical Series line of inertial navigation systems now supports KVH’s high-performance fiber optic gyro-based 1750 IMU and 1775 IMU.
Inertial sensor companies KVH Industries Inc. and VectorNav Technologies LLC have announced that KVH’s fiber optic gyro (FOG)-based 1750 IMU and 1775 IMU will now be offered to enhance the operation of VectorNav’s VN-210 and VN-310 Tactical Series GNSS-aided inertial navigation systems.
The products are on display in KVH’s (#2600) and VectorNav’s (#2214) booths at the AUVSI Xponential conference in Denver, Colorado, taking place April 30-May 3.
The VectorNav Tactical Series products with KVH’s FOG-based inertial measurement units (IMUs) combine the precision and reliability of KVH’s FOG technology with the robust filters and high-performance navigation algorithms of VectorNav’s inertial navigation systems.
The combined capabilities represent an affordable, effective alternative to larger, higher-cost inertial navigation systems and provide improved accuracy in challenging environments, the companies said.
Photo: VectorNav/KVH VectorNav’s Tactical Series includes an onboard micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)-based IMU, which provides some advantages for customers who have constraints in terms of size and weight in their navigation and stabilization applications.
However, in terms of inertial accuracy, the most demanding applications require performance that can only be delivered by FOG-based IMUs, for which KVH is a leading provider.
The VectorNav Tactical Series products with KVH FOG-based IMUs are designed for such applications as:
- Satcom On The Move
- gimbal and camera pointing and stabilization
- weapons systems targeting and stabilization
- autonomous vehicle navigation
- lidar mapping
- georeferencing
or any application where MEMS-based solutions are unable to deliver sufficient accuracy and precision.
Watch this video from Xponential 2018 to learn more about the partnership.
A single cable connects the two systems, running from KVH’s 1750 IMU or 1775 IMU directly to the auxiliary port on the VN-210 or VN-310. This pairing creates a fully integrated FOG-based inertial navigation system designed to provide a high-accuracy, continuous positioning, velocity, and attitude solution.
KVH is a leading innovator for assured navigation and autonomous accuracy using high-performance sensors and integrated inertial systems. KVH’s widely fielded TACNAV systems are in use by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps as well as many allied militaries around the world.
KVH’s FOGs and FOG-based IMUs are in use today in a wide variety of applications ranging from optical, antenna, and sensor stabilization systems to mobile mapping solutions and autonomous platforms and cars.
“We are pleased to feature KVH technology in our Tactical Series and give our customers the option of utilizing a FOG-based IMU for higher precision performance to support a wide range of demanding applications,” said Jakub Maslikowski, director of sales and marketing for VectorNav.
“The combination of VectorNav’s Tactical Series products with our FOG-based IMUs provides a great solution for applications that require advanced inertial navigation capability and FOG-level IMU performance,” said Jay Napoli, vice president of FOG/OEM sales for KVH.
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Rockwell Collins showcases latest developments at Xponential 2018
Rockwell Collins’ Alex Postnikov discusses the latest technology the company brought to Xponential 2018, which took place April 30-May 3 in Denver.
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Harxon presents HX-DU2017D frequency-hopping modem at Xponential 2018
Harxon Corporation’s Elaine Tao offers a rundown on the company’s HX-DU2017D frequency-hopping modem at Xponential 2018 in Denver. According to the company, this modem has a frequency of 902-928MHz.
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AUVSI reveals Xponential 2018 keynote speakers
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) announced the keynote speakers for AUVSI Xponential 2018, taking pace April 30-May 3 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.According to AUVSI, the experts will present keynotes devoted to themes critical to the advancement and growth of unmanned systems.
On Tuesday, May 1, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s David Autor and PrecisionHawk’s Michael Chasen will highlight how unmanned systems are changing the way we work and how technology is influencing different industries.
On Wednesday, May 2, the University of North Carolina’s Zeynep Tufekci, Lockheed Martin’s Stephanie Hill and UPS’ Eduardo Martinez will explore the cross section between technology and society. This keynote will also cover the emergence of artificial intelligence, unmanned systems and robotics in the military, and the automated delivery of medication and vaccines to remote areas around the globe.
Finally, on Thursday, May 3, Northrop Grumman’s Chris Hernandez, as well as a panel, will discuss the humanitarian and public safety applications of unmanned systems to provide aid and support.
The panel will consist of the National Council on Public Safety UAS’ Charles L. Werner, Texas A&M University’s Robin Murphy, the Alameda County (California) Sheriff’s Office’s Thomas Madigan and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control’s Mike Morgan.
“We are pleased to welcome this exceptional line-up of experts to keynote the themed sessions at Xponential 2018,” said Brian Wynne, AUVSI president and CEO. “These outstanding speakers will enhance Xponential’s educational programming by lending their expertise, experience and unique perspective in unmanned systems, giving attendees a priceless opportunity to apply critical learning to real-life business challenges.”
