Lockheed Martin has demonstrated an uncrewed capability with a surrogate HIMARS launcher. On Dec. 4, 2024, the company showcased the launcher’s ability to navigate autonomously using non-emitting perception sensors, enabling seamless day and night operations without a human crew.
This advancement marks a substantial step toward integrating autonomous solutions into the existing HIMARS fleet, supporting the U.S. Army’s modernization efforts for artillery capabilities. The technology offers enhanced adaptability in complex environments and aligns with Lockheed Martin’s 21st Century Security vision.
The autonomous HIMARS system is designed to be easily integrated into existing platforms, maximizing the Army’s investment while retaining the option for crewed operations. This flexibility allows for adaptation to changing mission requirements and supports all-domain deterrence.
Looking ahead, the Army envisions pairing manned HIMARS with autonomous wingman launchers for more efficient artillery operations. A follow-up demonstration is scheduled for the latter half of 2025.
Voyant Photonics has introduced the Carbon frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) lidar sensor. It features lidar on a chip with solid-state beam steering integrated into a fingernail-sized silicon photonic chip. The Carbon sensor offers high-resolution imaging with millimeter precision and object detection capabilities up to 200 m.
FMCW technology enables instant velocity measurement at each point, in addition to distance, reflectivity and intensity data. This 4D capability allows for high-fidelity point cloud data generation, providing a real-time view of the environment up to 20 times per second, according to Voyant Photonics.
The sensor’s performance is notable in various environmental conditions. It can operate effectively through dust, fog, rain, and snow and is immune to sunlight interference, particularly during sunrise and sunset. Additionally, it is not affected by highly reflective objects such as street signs, traffic cones and safety vests.
The Carbon sensor seeks to enhance machine perception capabilities across various industries, including industrial automation, robotics and security applications. Its software-defined lidar feature allows users to modify the frame rate and adjust the field of view during operation.
u-blox has launched the UBX-M10150-CC, a GNSS chip designed for wearable devices. It offers advancements in size, power efficiency and performance for battery-powered devices.
The chip measures 2.39 x 2.39 x 0.55 mm, making it suitable for integration into small wearable devices such as sports watches and smartwatches — it also includes a mode specifically designed for open water swimming. The UBX-M10150-CC utilizes low energy accurate positioning technology, which achieves power consumption as low as 10mW. This technology, combined with smart adaptation to signal conditions, allows for a 50% reduction in power consumption compared to previous M10 chips, according to u-blox.
It incorporates multipath mitigation technology, which enhances position accuracy, particularly in urban environments where signal reflections are common. This feature can be beneficial for maintaining accurate tracking in challenging signal conditions, u-blox said.
On Dec. 12, 2024, the European Union decided to include Bulgaria and Romania in the Schengen visa-free zone. On the same day, Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, began experiencing interference with GPS signals. The interference, as reflected in aviation ADS-B systems and reported on GPSJam.org, continued through the new year and is ongoing as of this writing.
While these two events may be entirely unrelated, Vladimir Putin has a history of using GPS jamming and spoofing to show his displeasure with his neighbors growing closer to the West.
On Dec. 15, 2023, Poland activated a U.S. Aegis anti-missile system near its border with Kaliningrad, Russia. On the same day, Russia began jamming and spoofing GPS signals in northern Poland and parts of the Baltic. That interference persists to this day.
The interference in Sofia may be contributing to a prolonged Bulgarian political crisis. Politicians there have been struggling to form a new government since elections in October. Dec. 10 saw the beginning of a new attempt. Interference with GPS can undermine overall confidence in government systems and institutions — another of Putin’s goals for neighbors with whom he is displeased.
Another, though less likely, impact may be on Bulgaria’s electrical service. On Dec. 25, 2024, 20,000 households in western Bulgaria (Sofia is in the far west) lost electrical power and the outage continued for days. Many grid operators use GPS timing to help manage their systems. While press reports put the outages down to heavy snow and fallen trees, increased difficulty managing the grid might also be a factor.
Bulgaria’s GPS interference appears to be coming from somewhere in Sofia, not from Russian territory, as is the case in the Baltic. Yet Russia may still be involved, at least in a supporting role.
Well, it’s January 2025 and it’s almost here — that is, the release of the beta version of the new, modernized National Spatial Reference System (NSRS) – NATRF2022, PATRF2022, CATRF2022, MATRF2022 and NAPGD2022.
This newsletter will highlight some activities associated with the new NSRS. That said, this is short notice, but I would like to highlight that there is a webinar and workshop that will address the new NSRS scheduled for Jan. 9, 2025 — TRB workshop, “Navigating the Modernized National Spatial Reference System: A Geospatial Odyssey” and NGS webinar “Updates to Products and Models within the North American-Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022.” I will provide more details on this later in the newsletter.
The modernization of the NSRS is scheduled to occur in 2025 or 2026. NGS intends to release associated tools and services within five years of the modernization. The following details from the Federal Register outline the process for the rollout of the modernized NSRS:
NGS plans to roll out components of the modernized NSRS in 2025 or 2026. As each component is released at beta.ngs.noaa.gov, it can be publicly tested with feedback provided to NGS. The testing will continue for at least six months after the final component is released on beta.ngs.noaa.gov.
Once testing is complete and all modernized NSRS components appear to be stable and correct, the Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee (FGCS) will be asked to vote to approve the modernized NSRS (likely in 2026). If FGCS approves the modernized NSRS, NGS will publish an FRN announcing the approval of the modernized NSRS and begin a several-month process of transitioning all modernized NSRS components to the official website at geodesy.noaa.gov. During this transition, the beta website may be wiped of submitted data and no further submissions to the NGS IDB (the repository for the current NSRS) will be allowed.
Excerpt from Federal Register Notice. (Photo: Federal Register website)
What does “Only one major improvement to the current NSRS is expected during this time: ITRF2020 will be integrated in all products and services” mean? I understand that one product that ITRF 2020 will be integrated into is the NOAA CORS Network (NCN). The CORS coordinates and velocities will be updated with ITRF 2020 values. That said, NGS datasheets will still provide coordinates in NAD 83 (2011), epoch 2010.0.
As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, time really is running out and users need to obtain a working knowledge of the new, modernized National Spatial Reference System. For those attending the104th TRB Annual Meeting on Jan. 5-9, 2025, in Washington, D.C., there is a scheduled workshop on the modernized NSRS. The workshop is sponsored by TRB Geospatial Data Acquisition Technologies Committee (AKD70). The workshop, titled “Navigating the Modernized National Spatial Reference System: A Geospatial Odyssey,” will be held on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, from 9:00 am to noon, in room 202B in the Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
Thurs., Jan. 9, 2025 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Room 202B, Convention Center Washington, D.C.
This workshop will cover the following topics:
Why the NSRS is being updated
The key goals of the modernization effort
Timeline, standards and technology considerations
The Geospatial Data Act of 2018 and its impact
There will be a discussion about the replacement of the North American Datum of 1983 and vertical datums and implications for existing workflows
There will also be a discussion about use cases and practical scenarios, how to transition and how to leverage new technology and tools.
For those interested in more information on the TRB AKD70 committee, my August 2024 GPS World Newsletter highlighted activities associated with the Transportation Research Board’s ADK70 Standing Committee on Geospatial Data Acquisition Technologies.
Since the new NSRS will be introduced this year, it is time for users of the NSRS to get familiar with the NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NGS 92 document titled “Classifications, Standards and Specifications for GNSS Geodetic Control Surveys using OPUS Projects” written by Dave Zenk and Dan Gillins, Ph.D., National Geodetic Survey, published on Oct. 23, 2024. This document provides the specifications users must adhere to when submitting GNSS projects to NGS for review and publication.
Photo: NGS website
The section below explains the purpose of the document. There are a few items that I have highlighted in the preface that users should be aware of:
The document replaces NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NGS 58 and NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NGS 59
Users will need to follow these specifications for all projects that will be submitted to NGS using OPUS Projects for review and publication
This publication supplements Standards and Specifications for Geodetic Control Networks issued in September 1984 (Bossler 1984).
This publication replaces NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NGS 58 Guidelines for Establishing GPS-Derived Ellipsoid Heights (Standards: 2 cm and 5 cm), Version 4.3 (Zilkoski et al. 1997) and also replaces NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NGS 59 Guidelines for Establishing GPS-Derived Orthometric Heights (Zilkoski et al. 2008).
This publication provides classification, standards, and specifications for GNSS geodetic control surveys that use Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), which will be submitted to NGS using OPUS Projects for review and publication. These types of surveys were not well-established by the dates of the 1984, 1997, and 2008 publications, nor did OPUS Projects exist. In addition, since 2008 GNSS technology has improved and considerable research has been done into the best practices regarding these surveys and the analyses of achievable results (e.g., Allahyari et al. 2018; El Shouny and Miky 2019; Gillins and Eddy 2015, 2017; Gillins et al. 2019a; Gillins et al. 2019b; Jamieson and Gillins 2018; Park et al. 2018; Schenewerk et al. 2016; Soler and Wang 2016; Wang and Soler 2013; Wang et al. 2017; Weaver et al. 2018). That research supports this publication.
This publication is specifically limited to supporting OPUS Projects (version 5.x), the current North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83), the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) and other current vertical datums that are officially recognized by NGS. Future versions of OPUS Projects and future datums will require revision of this publication.
I highlighted some important sections of the April 2023 webinar in my May 2023 newsletter. Future newsletters will address the specifications in more detail, but I would encourage readers to download the NGS 92 document and the April 13 webinar and slides.
On Dec. 18, 2024, NGS sent an email to individuals on NGS’s listserv informing them that they have made several updates to the NAPGD2022 products and that these updates are now available on the NGS alpha site.
NGS Dec. 18 newsletter. (Photo: NGS website)
To explain the product updates, NGS has scheduled a webinar for Jan. 9, 2025, to discuss the North American-Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022 (NAPGD2022).
As previously stated in my newsletters, users should obtain a working knowledge of the new, modernized National Spatial Reference System. NGS publicly given presentations that have been collected for public viewing can be downloaded here.
I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and a year filled with exciting opportunities.
The European Space Agency (ESA) will host the first FutureNAV Industry Day on Feb. 18, 2025 — at ESTEC, the Netherlands — to address the growing demand for advanced positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technologies. This event aims to bring together European stakeholders in satellite navigation to discuss future developments and foster collaboration within PNT and GNSS sectors.
As the leading system developer and design authority for Galileo and EGNOS, ESA plays a crucial role in Europe’s satellite navigation landscape. The agency launched the FutureNAV program in 2022 to unify efforts in advancing navigation technologies. Two key missions under this initiative are low-Earth orbit (LEO) PNT, which will demonstrate the potential of navigation satellites in LEO and Genesis, which will combine four geodetic techniques in one satellite to improve Earth’s reference frame.
FutureNAV Industry Day seeks to provide attendees with insights into ESA navigation plans and potential opportunities for European industry. It will follow a Request for Information on LEO-PNT industrialization, gathering information on European production capabilities for payload building blocks and satellite platforms.
To complement these upstream initiatives, the Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP) Industry Days will be held at the University of London on March 4-5, 2025, focusing on downstream applications and bringing together industry leaders and innovators.
Click here to register and learn more about the event.
The Overture Maps Foundation has released the general availability of its global transportation dataset. This dataset encompasses 86 million km of roads worldwide and is designed to support various industries, including automotive, logistics, navigation, urban planning and humanitarian response.
The transportation dataset incorporates detailed information from multiple sources:
Aerial imagery for accurate road representations
Clear road routes with recognizable highway signs
Comprehensive rail and ferry route information
Complex traffic rules and restrictions
Building upon OpenStreetMap data, Overture has re-engineered the data structure to create a more stable dataset with a documented schema, the company said.
Data enhancements
Overture has implemented several improvements to the OSM data, including:
Normalization: The dataset adheres to a standard set of attributes, ensuring uniformity across features such as right turns and speed limits. This seeks to facilitate simplified analysis, interpretation and use of the data.
Global Entity Reference System (GERS): Overture has introduced unique identifiers through a linear reference system. This allows users to attach external data, such as accident reports or road construction updates, to specific road segments with precise location information.
According to Overture, the transportation dataset will undergo continuous updates and improvements. Future enhancements will leverage artificial intelligence and other open data sources to maintain and expand the dataset’s accuracy and completeness.
“Seen & Heard” is a monthly feature of GPS World magazine, traveling the world to capture interesting and unusual news stories involving the GNSS/PNT industry.
Researchers at Drexel University have developed a testing method to enhance the robustness of autonomous driving systems. Their approach uses dynamic visual patterns to evaluate object detection capabilities in self-driving cars, focusing on critical objects such as traffic signs. A “Screen Image Transformation Network” (SIT-Net) simulates real-world image capture scenarios affected by environmental factors. By identifying weaknesses in autonomous vehicle perception systems, the researchers aim to improve safety and reliability in future self-driving technologies.
Robo-dog gets an upgrade
Photo: Boston Dynamics / Leica Geosystem
The Leica BLK ARC autonomous laser scanning module has become the first certified reality capture device capable of being fitted to Boston Dynamics’ robotic dog, Spot. The BLK ARC, when mounted on Spot, is designed for fully autonomous and repeatable scan missions. Users can plan scan paths remotely using existing drawings or BIM models, allowing the robot to navigate and capture data with minimal human intervention. Spot features a 360° vertical and 270° horizontal field of view, with a scan range of up to 25m.
USGS aids recovery after Hurricane Helene
Photo: Logan Combs, USGS
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is actively aiding recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene by collecting flood data, repairing damaged stream gages and analyzing new flood records. The agency has deployed its landslide event team to assess and document landslide impacts, conduct aerial surveys and map affected areas. By collaborating with local, state and federal agencies, the USGS is providing critical data and expertise to support disaster response and recovery efforts.
Antarctic Peninsula turns green
Photo: Tom Roland
Satellite imagery revealed that the Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing a dramatic increase in vegetation, with plant coverage expanding from less than 1 km² in 1986 to nearly 12 km² by 2021. This trend has accelerated significantly, coinciding with extreme heat events and record glacier melting linked to climate change. The study, conducted by researchers from the Universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire and the British Antarctic Survey, indicates that warmer temperatures and increased precipitation create favorable conditions for mosses, which dominate the newly vegetated areas.
As we approach the holidays and if I get tired of writing about weighty scientific, technical and policy issues, I might apply for a copywriting position at Hallmark Cards. But for now we begin to think concretely about the coming year. In fact, due to our production timelines, as you are reading this issue we are busy completing the January one. So, what can you expect to see in these pages in 2025?
First, more of the same… excellent content. Our cover stories will continue to bring you case studies from key GNSS application areas based on interviews with equipment manufacturers and end users. Our secondary features will cover bathymetric surveying; GNSS/PNT applications for consumers, science and business; autonomous vehicles; and indoor mapping. Our System of Systems section will continue to keep you informed about developments in GNSS, other PNT, and space exploration around the world. Our guest columnists — including Lisa Dyer of the GPS Innovation Alliance and Dana Goward of the Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation — will continue to bring you their valuable perspectives. Our annual Directions section will continue to provide updates on all four GNSS and the regional constellations.
Launchpad will continue to showcase the latest product releases and Market Watch will continue to bring you a roundup of timely industry news. Our buyers guides will continue to provide a handy reference to who makes what. Our Mapping Marvel, Research Roundup and Seen & Heard sections will continue to bring you beautiful and interesting maps, summaries of scholarly articles, and glimpses of interesting and amusing GNSS/PNT applications around the world, respectively.
Our Authoritative Reference section will feature an article on the GPS budget, an update to “Who Runs GPS?” (see the February 2023 issue), an almanac of GNSS satellites and signals, and a survey of augmentation and corrections services. Our Inside the Box occasional section will explain the workings of different aspects of GNSS/PNT technology.
Following Richard Langley’s fantastic 35-year run with his great Innovation column — if you missed it, see his last one, and a celebration of his work, in the November issue — the February issue will launch a new quarterly technical column and its editor (and, sometimes, author). Many of you will start guessing who this person is and the new column’s name… but my lips are sealed until then.
I will engage our Editorial Advisory Board in more in-depth discussions of technical and policy issues and ask some of its members to write full articles. I will expand our coverage of low-Earth orbit (LEO) PNT and corrections services and introduce new content categories — such as legal issues, the consumer market and book reviews.
I am looking for new authors, including a Washington correspondent, to report on relevant budget negotiations, legislation and policy discussions; a surveyor to report from the field about new equipment, techniques and challenges; a technology writer to cover the growth in LEO PNT constellations and other types of complementary PNT and one to cover developments in the consumer market.
Burro, an agricultural robotics provider, and GEODNET, a blockchain company providing precise GPS positioning solutions, have entered a strategic partnership to integrate GEODNET’s real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS technology into Burro’s autonomous robots.
Burro’s autonomous robots are designed for material transport in various agricultural settings, including nurseries, fields and farms. These robots utilize advanced artificial intelligence, computer vision and lidar technology to perform tasks with high precision. Integrating GEODNET’s RTK GPS technology seeks to significantly improve the robots’ navigation accuracy and operational efficiency, particularly in areas where reliable GPS coverage is crucial.
RTK can provide centimeter-level precision, compared to the 2 m to 4 m accuracy of traditional GPS systems, GEODNET said. The increased precision reduces overlap in field operations, minimizing fuel usage and time required to complete tasks. Precise positioning enables more accurate application of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, reducing waste and improving crop yields.
The partnership between Burro and GEODNET will allow for the provision of RTK corrections and base stations to Burro’s robots. This capability is particularly valuable in regions with limited GPS coverage. The ability to rapidly deploy new base stations offers increased flexibility for users, allowing them to expand their operations quickly and efficiently.
Advanced Navigation has finalized a multi-million dollar deal with Rheinmetall Defense Australia to provide fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG) inertial navigation systems (INS) for integration into Rheinmetall’s Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV), currently deployed by the Australian Army.
This agreement builds upon a previous collaboration in 2021, where Advanced Navigation supplied over 200 FOG INS units for the Boxer CRV as part of the LAND 400 Phase 2 Program.
Arming the Boxer CRV with FOG INS technology
The FOG INS technology developed by Advanced Navigation incorporates sophisticated algorithmic capabilities, resulting in a compact yet powerful navigation solution that outperforms traditional filter-based systems.
The system incorporates Advanced Navigation’s algorithmic technology, enabling the FOG INS to provide navigation data that surpasses outputs based on traditional filter methods while maintaining a compact form factor. The optical gyroscope’s design, free from moving parts, ensures exceptional resilience against shock and vibration-induced errors – a crucial feature for vehicles traversing challenging terrains.
Validated in real-world operations, the FOG INS integrated into the Boxer CRV, an armored 8×8 vehicle, offers enhanced troop safety, security and protection, coupled with high levels of firepower and mobility for sustained operations ranging from peacekeeping to high-intensity combat. The Boxer CRV is equipped with a reconnaissance mission module, including the two-person digital Lance turret, the first crewed medium-caliber turret to be put into service on the Boxer platform.
This partnership between Rheinmetall and Advanced Navigation aligns with the objectives of the Australian Defense Global Supply Chain (GSC) Program, aimed at expanding opportunities for Australian suppliers and boosting export prospects within the global defense industry.
Galileo is Europe’s civil global navigation satellite constellation and a major success of the European Union (EU). It provides the world’s most precise satellite navigation performance. Galileo services began in December 2016 and are currently supplied to more than 3 billion users. They offer several high-performance services worldwide, featuring various levels of accuracy, robustness, authentication and security.
Galileo is a key component of mass-market applications for such areas as transport, agriculture and timing but also for security-critical applications, such as health services, emergency and rescue services and law enforcement. Galileo services continue to expand with many new capabilities that are unique with respect to other GNSS.
The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) continue to collaborate effectively on the many developments, deployments and evolution activities of the Galileo Programme, each according to their respective responsibilities for exploitation and system development, with the European Commission acting as the program manager.
Stable Service Performance
Galileo services continue to deliver excellent performance every month in a safe, secured and seamless manner, managed by EUSPA. The performance parameters of the Galileo services are independently monitored by the Galileo Reference Centre (GRC) and are regularly published on the web portal of the GNSS Service Centre (GSC): gsc-europa.eu.
The performance of the Open Service (OS) remains “Best in Class” among the GNSS providers. Timing users also continue to receive accurate (in the order of 5 ns) access to Galileo System Time, which they can trace to Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) through the corresponding offset parameters transmitted by the satellites.
The Search and Rescue (SAR) service was delivered well beyond the commitment to the users, for both forward and return link services, while the High Accuracy Service (HAS) and the Public Regulated Service (PRS) continue being provided as planned in the corresponding Service Definition Document (SDD).
