ComNav Technology has introduced the AG501 Pro autosteer system, an advanced solution for precision agriculture. This system offers improved accuracy and efficiency for various farming operations. The AG501 Pro features a streamlined design, incorporating the A100 Pro Smart Antenna, which integrates a GNSS antenna, GNSS module, gyroscope and datalink functionalities into a single unit.
The system utilizes ComNav’s high-performance GNSS module, which supports full-constellation tracking. By employing GNSS+INS terrain compensation technology, the AG501 Pro can achieve a pass-to-pass accuracy of 2.5 cm across diverse terrains, minimizing skips and overlaps.
It also includes free signal options, such as Galileo-HAS and Beidou-B2B services, allowing 5 cm to 10 cm accuracy without the need for mobile RTK base stations or RTK service subscriptions. This is particularly beneficial in areas with poor internet connectivity.
The AG501 Pro offers a variety of guideline options, including parallel straight lines, curves, A+ Heading and automatic U-turns, catering to different farming procedures. It operates within a speed range of 0.1 to 20 km/h and is compatible with major brands and various machine types, including tractors, sprayers and combine harvesters. The system’s user-friendly software interface seeks to simplify configuration and task management. It allows for quick AB line setting and easy engagement of the autosteer function. Additionally, the AG501 Pro software supports multiple languages, making it accessible to farmers worldwide.
Feyman Technology (FMI) has released the IM19, which fuses gyro and accelerometer data with GNSS data for high-precision attitude measurement and inertial navigation.
It features a 9-axis IMU with a gyroscope range of ±1000 deg/s and an accelerometer range of ±8g. When integrated with GNSS, IM19 offers better than 0.02° pitch and roll (1σ) and better than 0.25° yaw accuracy in real time.
With easy integration and proven reliability, it has been adopted worldwide for diverse applications such as tilt compensation(Sparkfun RTK torch, etc.), machine control, laser/lidar/radar-assisted RTK, and attitude stabilization. IM19 is a miniature SMD device measuring only 14.8*18.4mm, operating in temperatures from -40°C to 85°C and has a low power consumption of 130 mA at 3.3V.
TomTom and Esri have partnered to integrate TomTom’s global map and traffic data into ArcGIS, Esri’s comprehensive geospatial platform.
This collaboration aims to provide businesses and governments with location-based insights for various applications, including infrastructure maintenance, traffic flow analysis and retail site optimization. Esri is a prominent provider of geographic information system (GIS) technology, offering mapping and spatial analysis applications that facilitate efficient data collection, management and analysis. Organizations across various sectors — including governments, educational institutions, non-profits and businesses —can utilize the software.
In February 2023, Esri joined the Overture Maps Foundation, a collaborative effort initiated by Amazon Web Services, Meta, Microsoft and TomTom. This foundation aims to establish a location data standard and promote a data-sharing ecosystem to enhance maps, location technology applications and location-based insights.
Containers, stillages, trailers or reusable transport packaging — non-powered assets such as these play a central role in smooth supply chains and logistics processes. For a long time, however, non-powered assets could hardly be digitized due to a lack of sufficient battery life, thus eluding efficient management.
To plan and control logistical processes and supply chains, companies usually needed a large buffer/reserve stock and sometimes a lot of telephone/administrative work to determine the exact location and condition of such assets. Thanks to power-saving Internet of Things and wireless technology paired with high-performance sensors for environmental conditions and intelligent firmware, sufficiently robust trackers are now available for efficient use in the mass market.
Figure 1: Integrated modeling tools help to model and track the flow of assets across operations and locations.
The basics: Thousands of tracker data at a glance
In order for companies to derive real benefits for their business from pure tracking, they need a management platform that can do more than display the trackers on a map. Depending on the requirements, tracking hardware can be equipped with sensors for temperature, humidity or tipping movements, for example.
A management platform must then ensure that the multitude of trackers can be efficiently commissioned and administered and that their collected data is made available for use. After all, large amounts of data are only valuable if important insights can be gained quickly and intuitively. The tracking application, therefore, needs powerful search and filter functions and visually meaningful maps, dashboards and panels.
Integration into existing systems
However, for the data collected via tracking to fully benefit the company’s supply chains and logistics processes, it needs to be integrated into the company’s existing IT systems, such as ERP systems or tools for data analysis and business intelligence.
The data exchanges between the business applications can be useful in both directions: on the one hand, precise localization and sensor data from the tracking platform enrich reliable enterprise resource planning via the ERP system; on the other hand, it can be helpful to make data from the ERP system available to the tracker management platform — for example, to evaluate the utilization of a trailer or to simply display the contents of a container via a mobile app on-site.
Technically, such data exchange can be realized through open APIs (application programming interfaces), which such a management platform should have. This enables the professional implementation of system integrations that are needed in the business IT of many companies — for example with SAP, Microsoft Azure or AWS.
Designing/modeling process flows and making route patterns transparent
In order for companies to make their own processes around tracked assets transparent, a management platform needs tools that can be used to model and track the flow of assets across the different processes and, if applicable, locations (see Figure 1). Also important for this is the ability to define specific geographic areas of interest. Such geo-zones can then be used for inventory management, flow analysis or alerts. The mapping of load carriers or other assets to companies’ logistical processes and supply chains provides an accurate overview of how individual assets move from location to location, where they stop and for how long.
Based on the collected data, route patterns and travel times can be identified, rotation statistics with average and outlier analyses can be created (see Figure 2), and finally, planning and forecasts can be adjusted based on measured historical data. For appropriate visualization and evaluation, the tracking platform should provide the appropriate tools. This way, statistics can be generated for thousands of assets and/or an entire fleet, which can serve as a basis for further process optimization.
Figure 2: With a high-performance tracker management system, route patterns and travel times can be detected, and rotation statistics can be generated so that averages and anomalies can be identified.
Airbus example
Airbus develops, manufactures and delivers aerospace products, services and solutions worldwide, with more than 50,000 dedicated returnable transport packages circulating between sites and subcontractors. Thousands of returnable transport packages have been equipped with trackers and managed via a cloud-based platform over the past years. Airbus therefore benefits today from complete transparency. Inventory runs automatically, and stocks can be easily retrieved with their locations. The rotation capability of the packages has been improved, while their storage times and the circulating stocks have been reduced. Fleet capacity can also now be optimized, spare parts costs saved and subcontractor compliance better monitored.
The advantages at a glance
Precise inventory management of all mobile assets, from containers to returnable transport packaging to construction machinery.
Reliable condition monitoring: Continuous monitoring of environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity creates transparency — e.g., for compliance agreements.
Optimal process flows: Route patterns and turnaround times become transparent and anomalies easily identifiable, so that warnings can be sent in time and processes optimized overall.
Utilization monitoring: The utilization of each load carrier and each asset in a fleet can be precisely determined and optimized.
Predictive maintenance: Thanks to continuous monitoring, the maintenance of monitored assets can be planned and carried out in advance — before a breakdown interrupts important business processes.
Protection against theft: Lost or stolen assets can be easily recovered, so that financial damage can be minimized, especially in the case of expensive specialized assets.
All construction work begins with surveying to map the site and generally ends with surveying to document what was done on it — called “as built.” Therefore, surveyors are the first to arrive at a construction site, well before the first heavy machinery, and the last ones to leave, well after the construction crews have left with their equipment. During construction, surveyors get to work any time there are changes in the plans.
Surveyors are not the only ones to use survey-grade GNSS receivers on a construction site, though. GNSS for machine control is increasingly common on excavators, graders, dozers and other heavy machinery. It enables operators to achieve accurate earthmoving and grading operations with minimal manual intervention, significantly improving efficiency and reducing rework by providing real-time positioning data based on 3D design models. Additionally, a dedicated display in the cab allows operators to see a visual representation of the machine’s position relative to the design model and to make adjustments in real-time.
This month’s cover story features case studies from four companies:
CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) on grading for an airport construction project in Shanghai, China.
ComNav Technology on a river flow monitoring system to mitigate the effects of flooding in Japan.
Nearmap on solving the stormwater challenges of a small town in Michigan.
Frontier Precision on the repair of a canal in Montana in very challenging conditions.
Construction of a building cannot begin until the ground is level and matches the design so that it can bear the weight of the planned structure. At times, part of the ground needs to be sloped to ensure proper drainage or to meet the aesthetic needs of the project. However, the ground at a construction site is often uneven and/or sloped the wrong way. Therefore, a critical phase of any AEC project is grading, which is a specialized phase of the construction process that uses machinery such as graders, bulldozers, excavators, and dump trucks to move and shape large amounts of earth.
Traditionally, grading involved the use of string lines and optical levels, which are still valuable for smaller projects. These tools provide a visual reference for achieving the desired slope and allow for manual adjustments as needed. Modern construction practices rely on laser levels — which provide accurate measurements, ensuring a consistent slope — and, increasingly, on GNSS receivers, which aid in precise grading, especially in large-scale projects.
In a recent project to build an apron — a paved area where aircraft are parked, loaded, unloaded, refueled and boarded, also known as the ramp, flight line or tarmac — as part of the expansion of Shanghai Pudong International Airport, the construction company adopted CHCNAV’s i93 GNSS receiver solution. The project, by a large state-owned construction company, began at the end of July 2024 and is expected to take two years to complete. By directly loading the designed triangulated terrain model (TTM) for surface stakeout, the project managers were able to visualize the cut-and-fill values at any location in real time. This approach doubled the stakeout efficiency and significantly improved the quality of site grading.
Project challenges and solution
The airport project covered approximately 360,000 m², demanding high-precision grading. Traditional surveying methods could only verify cut-and-fill heights at grid nodes, failing to effectively cover areas between these nodes. This limitation increased the risk of uneven construction and restricted the comprehensiveness of elevation data. Additionally, the traditional stakeout process was cumbersome and inefficient, requiring point selection before stakeout. To overcome these challenges, the construction team needed a surveying solution that could significantly enhance stakeout efficiency while improving grading precision and construction outcomes.
The construction team used the CHCNAV i93 GNSS receiver and LandStar field survey APP. By using the surface stakeout function for site grading, it was able to load the TTM generated from design data directly into the LandStar software, simplifying the grading process. The software enabled surveyors to obtain cut-and-fill values at any location in real time, thereby eliminating reliance on grid nodes and enabling dynamic verification across the entire site for higher grading precision. Lastly, the solution doubled the stakeout efficiency by reducing the steps of selecting feature points before stakeout.
Using CHCNAV’s Satellite Wide Area System (SWAS) corrections network, a global system that offers users fast and precise centimeter-level positioning services, the surveyor was able to achieve an elevation accuracy of -3 cm ~ +2 cm. SWAS covers most of the inhabited areas in China and is expanding its network globally. CHCNav’s satellite Precise Point Positioning service is being developed and tested; it will become part of the SWAS service in the future. The surveyor guides the site grading by comparing the difference between the elevation in the design plans and the measured elevation. Therefore, when the site grading is complete, it should match the design plans.
Conclusions
“The project involves large areas of earth excavation and levelling,” said Yang, the chief of the survey team. “In the past, we had to stake out all the points of the grid after getting the design drawings, and then calculate the elevation difference of each point. If there were some special points, we also had to calculate their positions in the grid. Now, in LandStar 8, we can directly convert the grid drawing into a TTM file and stakeout, which makes it easy for us to set the elevation difference at any point without the limitation of the grid. This increased efficiency accelerated the progress of the project and reduced our workload.”
The adoption of CHCNAV’s surveying and construction solution significantly accelerated the project’s site grading work. This task, which traditionally would have taken about one month to complete, was fully accomplished in just half a month. During the project acceptance phase, the results met all design requirements and passed inspection smoothly. The construction unit reported that the CHCNAV i93 GNSS receiver and LandStar field survey APP greatly enhanced the efficiency and accuracy of the site grading portion of the construction project.
It is essential to take effective measures to mitigate the effects of natural disasters — such as earthquakes or hurricanes — and to prevent them when possible, such as sometimes with floods. This involves multiple aspects, including the development and rehearsal of emergency plans, the construction and reinforcement of infrastructure, and the monitoring of environmental changes. By identifying potential disaster risks and taking preventive actions, the damage caused by these disasters can be significantly reduced and the resilience of communities and cities can be enhanced, thus better preparing for future catastrophes.
How can these disaster mitigation and prevention measures be specifically implemented? First, by creating detailed emergency plans and conducting regular drills, which ensures a quick and effective response during critical situations. Second, by reinforcing critical infrastructure, such as protective embankments and resilient systems, which strengthens the overall preparedness of both urban and rural areas. Moreover, monitoring environmental changes plays a pivotal role in prevention efforts. Real-time observation systems, including advanced sensors and data integration platforms, enable the early detection of potential risks. This facilitates timely preventive actions, minimizing losses with optimal efficiency and resource utilization.
Mars Pro Laser RTK was used to precisely measure the positions of monitoring cameras in the Abukuma River basin.(Photo: Geosurf Corporation)
Monitoring systems
A key aspect of flood defense and disaster prevention is the establishment of monitoring systems and the enhancement of safety measures. In the Abukuma River basin, which flows through Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures in Japan, a flood monitoring system has been built that combines data from water level meters with real-time information on changes in water levels due to natural events such as typhoons. This provides residents with immediate visual updates to help them respond effectively.
ComNav Technology’s Mars Pro Laser RTK has played an important role in this flood prevention and disaster monitoring project. By using the device, which integrates advanced GNSS, IMU, and laser technologies, a team from Geosurf Corporation was able to accurately determine the locations for installing surveillance cameras, ensuring real-time monitoring of water flow conditions, and providing early warnings for natural disasters such as floods. The locations of these cameras typically include areas with a high risk of riverbank collapse, water level observation stations, and other critical spots that require close monitoring.
In the past, this task would have required using a total station. However, using Mars Pro’s very precise green laser, the crews were able to measure the locations of offset points that did not have a clear view of the sky, which is required to receive GNSS signals.
Centimeter-level accuracy
The green laser, which is visible in daylight, enabled the crews to achieve centimeter-level accuracy at any point within a range of 10 meters. They were also able to use its 120-degree tilt compensation feature to drive the stakes efficiently closer to the target point without worrying about leveling. During the RTK positioning process, the team used reliable correction information sources and precise post-processing analysis methods, ensuring that the measurement point consistency was maintained within 2 cm to 3 cm, thus ensuring high accuracy and consistency of the measurement results.
Positioning surveillance cameras in the Abukuma River basin required measuring not only their placements but also the reference points within their coverage areas. Beyond its convenience and reliability, the Mars Pro Laser RTK and its paired software, Survey Master, simplified the survey workflow by using wizard functions. Specifically, the procedure is to follow the instructions of the surveillance camera monitor to move onto the centerline and use the program’s Angle Offset Calculator to calculate the coordinates of a reference point at ±90 degrees to the line segment. Survey Master’s simple survey calculation tool eliminates the need to launch a CAD program in the field, making the staking more efficient.
For the correction information in RTK positioning, Geosurf Corporation used ichimil, a high-precision positioning service provided by Softbank. Geosurf also acquired raw data for post-processing at several locations at the same time and analyzed the measurement points using coordinate results from Japan’s Geospatial Information Authority.
The surveyor used Mars Pro Laser RTK and Survey Master software to measure the reference points within coverage areas of surveillance cameras. (Photo: Geosurf Corporation)
Conclusions
The monitoring system combines water level data collected from devices such as water level meters with changes in water levels caused by natural events such as typhoons, providing real-time visual information to residents. This allows them to stay informed about current water levels, identify potential flood risks early, and take appropriate preventive measures, effectively reducing disaster risks and safeguarding lives and property. More than 100 surveillance cameras have been installed so far in the Abukuma River and its associated watershed.
Through this project, Mars Pro Laser RTK not only enhanced emergency response capabilities but also showcased the versatility of laser RTK technology in disaster prevention and mitigation applications. Climate change is increasing the damage caused by typhoons and torrential rains worldwide. As a result, the demand for such monitoring systems is expected to grow. ComNav Technology plans to further improve user experience by integrating laser technology with additional sensors and developing more innovative tools to address future disaster prevention needs.
While surveyors are typically the first to begin working on a construction site, but they do not start completely from scratch. As a basemap for their measurements, they often use satellite and aerial imagery, the latter collected by planes and UAVs — the same imagery used in geographic information systems (GIS) by governments at every level and private companies to plan, build, and manage buildings and infrastructure. These data include high-resolution orthimages, which are taken pointing straight down at the ground and adjusted to have a constant scale of distance across them; oblique images, which can offer an alternative view of the landscape and structures where height is important; 3D datasets, including digital elevation models and models of buildings, collected using lidar; and AI-derived spatial information.
Additionally, historical imagery datasets document the evolution of land use over time and make it possible to compare conditions before and after natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes, to expedite emergency response and reconstruction planning.
An aerial image of southfield, Michigan, from Nearmap’s natural pervious surface AI data layer. (Photo: Nearmap)
Stormwater utilities project
With a diverse population, more than 10,000 businesses, and a commitment to urban development, the City of Southfield, Michigan is known for its robust economy, thriving commercial centers, modern urban living and innovation. When it needed help to effectively manage its stormwater utilities, the city hired OHM Advisors. Founded in 1962 and with a multidisciplinary team of more than 700 experts, the firm provides consulting in the areas of architecture, engineering, planning, urban design, landscape architecture, surveying, and construction engineering. In turn, for this project, OHM Advisors used location intelligence from Nearmap, an aerial imagery company founded in 2007 that captures urban areas across the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Initially, the city planned to have access to the Nearmap imagery for only a year, for use in its stormwater utilities project. However, once it realized how useful it would be across city departments and projects, it decided to continue buying it for the long term.
Aerial imagery
The City of Southfield is currently in the planning stages of considering a new initiative to assess stormwater fees based on the number of impervious surfaces — such as asphalt and concrete — which do not allow water to penetrate the ground, thereby contributing to increased runoff and straining municipal systems. However, the city is challenged by its limited budget for maintaining, let alone upgrading, its stormwater infrastructure. Additionally, the aerial imagery it had was old and one-time flyovers of the small city to update the imagery would have been prohibitively expensive, costing up $100,000.
By purchasing high-resolution aerial imagery (captured up to three times a year), geospatial data, and AI feature layers from Nearmap, as recommended by OHM, the city was able to efficiently map impervious surfaces and readily view, identify, and verify stormwater utilities at scale. This enabled the city to develop a highly accurate and equitable system for assessing fees based on near-real-time data. It also improved the precision and efficiency of its urban planning; enabled city planners to complete tasks remotely, spending less time in the field; and updated the imagery in its GIS.
Business impact
Using current aerial imagery, geospatial data, and AI data, Nearmap and OHM identified every impervious surface in the city, enabling Southfield to:
Accurately assess stormwater fees. Analysis of Nearmap imagery and AI data allowed OHM to tie impervious surface area to stormwater fees and establish a precise, data-backed fee structure that bolsters the city’s infrastructure funding.
Reduce costs. Nearmap offered a cost-effective alternative to traditional data collection, drastically reducing the city’s expenditure without sacrificing data quality.
Enhance urban planning. Access to Nearmap facilitated remote decision-making, allowing Southfield to optimize its urban planning.
Maintain consistent data. OHM and Nearmap led to the resolution of Southfield’s data discrepancies, ensuring reliable insights for future planning.
Conclusions
“Using the high-quality Nearmap AI data allowed the OHM Advisors’ GIS team to efficiently and effectively map out the impervious surfaces for the city,” said Mike Cousins, GISP, practice leader for GIS at OHM Advisors. “Having high-resolution and very recent imagery to pair with the impervious surface data helped with the analysis portion of the project at hand.” The collaboration between OHM Advisors and Nearmap marked a significant change in Southfield’s approach to stormwater management, illustrating the potential of advanced technology to improve urban governance.
The St. Mary Canal and siphon were completed in 1915 as part of the Milk River Project in North-Central Montana. The canal has delivered water to 110,000 acres of agricultural land in eastern Montana for 109 years. In June 2024, the siphon had a catastrophic blowout when both 90-inch siphon pipes failed, releasing 600 ft³ of water per second for more than 24 hours.
The stakeholders involved quickly went to work on a solution to replace the two siphon pipes. By mid-July, NW Construction, Inc. was brought on site to begin demoing and replacing the siphon. The company uses Frontier Precision as its supplier for all its surveying equipment. Utilizing a mix of GPS machine control, geospatial survey equipment, aerial drone surveys and CAD software, NW Construction will work through the blistering Northern Montana winter to restore the siphon in time for the 2025 irrigation season.
The harsh environment and speed of the project pose tough conditions for surveying. Winds regularly reach 60 mph with gusts up to 80 mph and temperatures go well below freezing for most of the winter. The surveyors on this project will have to overcome the challenges that come with this weather and the remoteness of the project.
The project has about six excavators, including two with tilt rotators, and four dozers, all equipped with GNSS machine control. “Everything we do is completely modeled for those guys through civil 3D and Trimble Business Center,” said Kenny Neskorik, project engineer for Northwest Construction. The GNSS receivers on the earth movers are running RTK as rovers and there is a single base receiver. “When we do any sort of concrete work for this project, we will also set up a robotic total station,” he said.
Additionally, the project uses a DJI Mavic UAV to collect aerial photogrammetry of such things as finished excavation and original ground stockpiles.
Requirements
The requirements for this project are atypical, Neskorik explained, due to its emergency nature. “The design and the construction are going on at the same time through two different entities,” he said. “My company is not the engineering firm stamping the plans. We’re the ones doing the work. I
could almost describe it as a design build, in which the contractor and the engineer meet in the middle to get the best product in the fastest way.”
The project’s biggest requirement is to get water back to the eastern part of the state by summer, when it will be needed to irrigate crops. “To do that,” Neskorik said, “we had to set control.” Because the project is only a few miles from the Canadian border, however, the power of radio broadcasts is restricted to only 2 Watts instead of the usual 35 Watts on RTK radios. “That really hurts your range to talk to your base,” he said. This required setting up several relay repeaters, especially since there’s almost no cell phone service in Montana
Challenges
An additional challenge is the solar cycle, which is nearing its peak. “We have noticed lots of Northern Lights, lots of auroras,” said Neskorik, “but we haven’t seen too many disruptions yet.”
Finally, the biggest challenge is the weather. “We’ve already had probably cumulatively two feet of snowfall,” said Neskorik. “Thankfully, some of that has already melted, but this area is one of the colder parts in the United States.” Browning, he pointed out, is just 30 minutes south of us, holds the world record for fastest temperature change in 24 hours — from 56 degrees Fahrenheit to negative 46 degrees. It’s not uncommon to see negative 50 degrees. “At that temperature, your batteries die really fast, you cannot use touch screens, and you have to drill to set stakes in the frozen ground is frozen. We’ve already experienced winds at nearly 80 miles an hour and that is pretty much how it goes for the entire winter. So, as you can imagine, it’s not an easy task flying a drone around here.”
Accuracy
“Our company standard for any excavator or dozer is an accuracy of one tenth of a foot,” said Neskorik. “We want our GPS rovers to have a vertical tolerance below 5/100s of a foot. Realistically, you’re probably getting a 1/10 of a foot. You cannot have any major fluctuations in the dirt because the pipe sits directly on it.” This all must happen in real time because there is no post-processing. “Everything is modeled and the machines are running on a model. We’re checking their grades as they’re doing the work.”
Honeywell and NXP Semiconductors have expanded their partnership to advance aviation technology and autonomous flight capabilities. This collaboration merges Honeywell’s aerospace expertise and Anthem avionics system with NXP’s high-performance computing architecture to develop AI-driven aerospace technologies.
The partnership aims to enhance operational efficiency in flight planning and management while facilitating smoother transitions to new chipsets and technologies. The companies will focus on developing next-generation cockpit displays with improved visual clarity and system efficiency. They are also working on simplifying migrations to newer avionics technologies and extending the lifecycles of critical aviation systems, according to Honeywell and NXP.
NXP’s domain-based architecture, which includes high-compute capabilities, integrated cybersecurity and functional safety, will be adapted for aviation applications on Honeywell Anthem, the industry’s first cloud-connected cockpit system. This builds upon the companies’ collaboration in building management, fire safety and security products.
For aerospace applications, Honeywell will utilize various NXP processors, including the i.MX 8 applications processors and S32N super-integration processors. These processors will enable Honeywell Anthem to deliver faster data processing for real-time AI-driven insights, potentially enhancing safety and optimizing performance both in flight and on the ground.
Vertical Aerospace, a leader in electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft development, is set to be an early adopter of this collaborative technology, incorporating it into its piloted VX4 prototype aircraft.
ANELLO Photonics has introduced its Maritime inertial navigation system (INS). The system integrates ANELLO’s Silicon Photonic Optical Gyroscope (SiPhOG) technology with an advanced sensor fusion engine, offering high-precision navigation for autonomous surface and underwater vessels.
The ANELLO Maritime INS combines optical gyroscope performance and silicon photonics technology, resulting in a compact, low-power consumption device designed for GPS-challenged environments. Its capabilities include reference-grade position, velocity and attitude data output at 100Hz, and a high-precision three-axis SiPhOG with less than 0.5°/hr unaided heading drift.
This system incorporates dual triple-frequency GNSS receivers with static heading capability and an AI-powered sensor fusion engine with GNSS spoofing detection. The INS provides accurate dead reckoning and is designed to withstand harsh maritime conditions, being waterproof and resistant to corrosion, salt spray, and chemicals. The system’s applications extend beyond maritime use, with potential benefits for industries such as construction, agriculture, robotics and defense.
Bad Elf and GEODNET have introduced a five-year RTK service for Bad Elf GPS receivers, designed to provide high-accuracy GPS positioning for professionals in surveying, agriculture, construction and geospatial data collection. The service offers real-time centimeter-level accuracy, designed to improve the precision of GPS data for users.
Benefits of the RTK service for Bad Elf GPS receivers:
Enhanced accuracy: Achieve centimeter-level accuracy in real-time to improve the precision of GPS data.
Seamless integration: The RTK service is designed to work with all Bad Elf GPS receivers, with one-click activation after setup.
Reliability: GEODNET’s robust network offers continuous and reliable service, even in challenging environments.
The RTK service is priced at $999 for five years, offering a long-term, cost-effective solution for professionals. It is compatible with all Bad Elf GPS receivers, including the Flex and Flex Mini models, and can be activated with a one-click setup process.
GEODNET’s network underpins the service, aiming to provide continuous and reliable performance across various environments. The company guarantees the availability of an RTK reference station within 40 km for subscribers in the United States and Europe, with potential expansion to other countries based on demand.
Geospatial professionals using iOS or Android devices can access the RTK corrections in supported regions, enabling them to perform complex location-based tasks with increased confidence in their GPS data accuracy. This service represents a significant development in the field of high-precision GPS technology, offering an integrated solution for professionals requiring accurate positioning data across multiple industries.
L3Harris Technologies has received a contract from the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command to develop design concepts for Phase 0 of the Resilient Global Positioning System (R-GPS) program.
This initiative aims to enhance the existing GPS constellation by integrating cost-effective small satellites, providing increased resilience for both military and civilian users. The R-GPS program seeks to augment the current 31-satellite GPS constellation with up to eight additional satellites. The new satellites are designed to counter various threats, including jamming, spoofing and more, ensuring uninterrupted positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services.
L3Harris has provided navigation technology for all U.S. GPS satellites launched to date. The company has also contributed to the development of control systems and monitoring receivers and user equipment for GPS. This experience serves as the basis for their proposed R-GPS solution.
L3Harris is leveraging its investments in transformational PNT technology to meet the Space Force’s evolving requirements by using commercial form factors and interfaces to create a modular, scalable solution, the company said. Additionally, L3Harris is collaborating with the Space Force as the prime contractor for the experimental Navigation Technology Satellite-3 program, which focuses on developing innovative technologies and accelerating development timelines.
Hexagon has entered an agreement to acquire Septentrio, a move aimed at advancing resilient assured positioning solutions across various industries.
The integration of Septentrio’s GNSS platform with Hexagon‘s positioning technologies aims to enhance accessibility to high-accuracy positioning solutions with reduced size, weight and power requirements. This acquisition is expected to impact various sectors, including robotics, UAVs and other autonomous systems, by providing improved positioning capabilities.
According to the company, Septentrio, based in Leuven, Belgium, employs approximately 150 people and is projected to generate over 50 million euros in revenue in 2024. The transaction, subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025.
Following the acquisition, Septentrio will continue its current business model, supplying GNSS technology to its existing OEM users. The company will be incorporated into Hexagon’s Autonomous Solutions division. It is anticipated to have significant implications for the positioning industry, potentially setting new standards for accuracy, resilience, and scalability in positioning technologies.
Notre Dame de Paris, the French capital’s cathedral, has reopened its doors five years after a devastating fire, showcasing its restored interior after extensive rebuilding work. The restoration, costing approximately €700 million ($737 million), was financed entirely by donations from around the world.
On April 15, 2019, Notre Dame tragically went up in flames, with the spire collapsing and the roof being destroyed. The following years were dedicated to rebuilding the cathedral, including the reconstruction of the spire and the restoration of stained glass and woodwork.
A crucial element in the restoration process was the point cloud data collected by Professor Andrew Tallon, an architectural historian from Vassar College, in 2010. Tallon’s project, which aimed to fully understand the Gothic structure and identify structural anomalies, involved creating a precise 3D model of Notre Dame using a Leica Geosystems terrestrial laser scanner.
This cloud of 1 billion points — with a TruView released by Leica Geosystems available to view here — proved to be indispensable for the digital recreation of the cathedral’s interior and exterior. Tallon’s laser scans were the only truly accurate as-built measurements of Notre Dame, translating point clouds into detailed representations of its buttresses, ribbed vaults, stained glass, ornate carvings and other architectural details.
Tallon, who died of cancer in November 2018, pioneered the use of laser technology to create a digital model of Notre Dame. Members of the restoration team and architectural historian Lindsay S. Cook — assistant teaching professor of architectural history at Pennsylvania State University, and a protégé of Tallon’s — said his work was critical to the cathedral’s rebuilding and refurbishing.
Tallon took some self-portraits as he mapped the cathedral. (Photo courtesy of the family of Andrew Tallon / Vassar College)
The value of point cloud data
While modern restoration efforts cannot fully replicate the artistry of centuries past, Tallon’s scans have been instrumental in reconstructing the Gothic cathedral, allowing architects to come remarkably close. Tallon’s groundbreaking work remained a vital resource for restoring the iconic cathedral to this day.
His meticulous 3D scans of Notre Dame provided architects with information crucial for the cathedral’s reconstruction, including:
Precise 3D models: Tallon’s precise 3D model of Notre Dame included intricate details of the cathedral’s architecture, such as flying buttresses, rib vaults, stained glass windows and ornate carvings. This level of detail was unmatched by any historical drawings or records, which often lacked precision.
Dimensional and formal reconstruction: Pascal Prunet, one of the architects tasked with rebuilding the cathedral, said in an interview with Lindsay S. Cook that the point cloud data provided an “exact trace” of the cathedral’s state at the time of scanning, allowing him and his team to reconstruct elements — such as the vaults — “without hesitation” regarding dimensions or forms. This was essential for accurately rebuilding complex structures such as flying buttresses and rib vaults.
Structural analysis: The scans revealed structural details that were previously unknown, aiding in understanding how the cathedral was originally constructed and how it changed over time. This information was vital for designing custom supports and ensuring structural stability during reconstruction.
Integration with modern technology: The point cloud data was integrated into Building Information Modeling (BIM) processes, which allowed architects to create a digital twin of Notre Dame.
Restoration guidance: The scans provided a highly detailed record of Notre Dame’s pre-fire condition, which helped restoration professionals select appropriate techniques for stabilizing and rebuilding various parts of the cathedral.
Tallon’s laser scans provided the only accurate as-built measurments of Notre Dame de Paris, capturing detailed representations of its architectural features. (Photo: Andrew Tallon (Vassar College / Columbia University))
Why precision matters
On Oct. 25, 2023, Philippe Villeneuve, architect in chief of historical monuments in charge of Notre Dame, and Pascal Prunet, a fellow restoration architect, delivered a Claflin Lecture at Vassar College in New York. They discussed their efforts to shore up, conserve and restore the cathedral since the devastating fire.
3D digital renderings were obtained from Tallon’s laser scans of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. (Photo: Andrew Tallon (Vassar College / Columbia University))
The two architects highlighted the crucial role Tallon’s laser scan of the cathedral played in their restoration process. They shared how this detailed digital model provided them with precise measurements and structural information, enabling Notre Dame to, in essence, “guide its own restoration.” By relying on this accurate data, the team could ensure its work remained faithful to the iconic cathedral’s original design and construction.
When speaking with Cook, Prunet shared, “At Notre Dame, we are doing an enormous amount of work, but we are not doing creative work; we are putting things back together again.” Villeneuve added, “What we’re doing isn’t very personal.” Tallon’s laser scan has enabled the architects to allow Notre Dame to “speak for itself,” according to Villeneuve.
Tallon had sent a copy of his point cloud to Villeneuve’s predecessor, Benjamin Mouton, before Mouton retired in 2013. After the 2019 fire, Marie Tallon saw that the architects had access to her late husband’s work. During their 2023 lecture and in a follow-up interview, Villeneuve and Prunet said Tallon’s scan — which Prunet called an “exact trace” of the state of the building at the time it was scanned — had been used in numerous ways since the fire.
For example, it aided the design of the wooden centering custom-made to cradle each unique flying buttress and rib vault and to rebuild the damaged vaults and the sole transverse arch destroyed when the tip of the spire separated from its base and fell westward, becoming a projectile that crashed into the nave.
The point cloud data was integrated into Building Information Models (BIM) processes, which allowed architechts to create a digital twin of the cathedral. (Photo: Andrew Tallon (Vassar College / Columbia University))
“Andrew Tallon’s point cloud, well, it’s a bit like listening to a Mahler symphony,” said Prunet, alluding to the scan’s scale and complexity. Prunet continued, “It’s a recording,” but one that “needs to be decrypted.”
Tallon’s laser scan of Notre Dame has proven invaluable in the restoration process. This digital twin, created in 2015, offers unparalleled precision and detail, capturing the cathedral’s every nuance with accuracy up to 5 mm. This level of detail allowed the restoration team to address the structure’s complexities and make informed decisions about the rebuilding process, ultimately helping to preserve Notre Dame’s authenticity and historical integrity.
Swift Navigation and Quectel Wireless Solutions have partnered to enhance GNSS accuracy across various industries. This collaboration integrates Swift’s Skylark Precise Positioning Service with Quectel’s high-precision GNSS modules.
Skylark, a cloud-based GNSS corrections service, is designed to improve standard GNSS accuracy from several meters to a few centimeters. It utilizes advanced atmospheric modeling and a carrier-grade network to provide reliable, scalable, and high-integrity precision.
The partnership offers three Skylark variants: Skylark Cx , Skylark Nx RTK and Skylark Dx. Each variant is tailored to meet specific industry requirements and can be paired with Quectel’s GNSS modules for various applications.
Integration and Applications
Automotive: Quectel’s LG69T module with integrated inertial measurement units combined with Skylark Cx offers lane-level accuracy for intelligent driving systems.
Outdoor Robotics: The LG290P module paired with Skylark Nx RTK offers centimeter-level accuracy for autonomous robots such as robotic lawnmowers.
Micromobility: Quectel’s LC29H module with Skylark Dx achieves decimeter-level accuracy for e-bikes and scooters in urban areas.
UAVs: The LG290P module with Skylark Nx RTK offers high accuracy for fast-moving UAV applications.
Quectel’s LG290P is a quad-band GNSS module designed to deliver high performance for demanding applications, ensuring RTK availability and quality even in challenging environments. When paired with Skylark Nx RTK, the LG290P achieves the centimeter-level accuracy needed to ensure the precision required for applications such as precision agriculture, robotic lawnmowers, surveying and personal robots.
The LC29H module is a dual-band multi-constellation solution with optional dead-reckoning capabilities that supports seamless integration with all Skylark variants and comes in a standard 12.2mm × 16.0mm footprint. Developers can transition from standard positioning to high-precision GNSS without hardware changes while choosing the Skylark variant that meets their specific requirements.
