NEWSBRIEFS –INDUSTRY

Sep 2009 | Comments Off

INDUSTRY | LBS | GPS | GIS | REMOTE SENSING | GALILEO UPDATE

GSS6300 from Spirent

Spirent Communications plc. launched GSS6300 Multi-GNSS Signal Generator. It provides GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and SBAS test solutions from high-end R&D through integration and production applications. www.spirent.com

From the desk of JAVAD

JAVAD GNSS receivers track satellite signals

JAVAD GNSS receivers successfully tracked all Galileo satellites from Spirent simulator and produced Galileo-only and triple satellite (Gps+Glonass+Galileo) positions. Up to 27 satellites were tracked simultaneously.

GPS SVN 49 and JAVAD GNSS Triumph Technologies

JAVAD GNSS Triumph receivers successfully coped with the anomalies in the recently launched SVN49(PRN1) and demonstrated the advanced multipath reduction capabilities. The same multipath reduction capabilities can remove the multipath effects which are a major source of error in precision positioning.

Highest score in Japanese CORS selection process

Javad GNSS (teamed with TOA, Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems and GNSS Technologies) received the highest technical and system score in the selection process by the Geographical Survey Institute of Japan.

ArcPad Extension for ArcServer

JAVAD ArcPad Extension enhances the spectrum of ArcPads surveying capabilities by adding JAVAD GNSS solutions and provides a full range of functions to control the GNSS receiver and manage the surveying process. The Extension establishes a connection to the receiver via serial, USB, or Bluetooth and is an optimal ESRI-compatible solution where centimetre level accuracies are required. www.javad.com

Navcom SF-3050 GNSS receiver

NavCom Technology released SF-3050 multi-frequency GNSS receiver with Sapphire GNSS OEM board, a fully upgradeable GNSS receiver, allowing the receiver to upgrade from single frequency to multi-frequency through software optioning alone. Offering integrated StarFire™/RTK GNSS capabilities, the SF-3050 and Sapphire feature 66-channel tracking, including multi-constellation support for GPS, GLONASS and Galileo. They also provide performance in GNSS receiver sensitivity and signal tracking as well as patented multi-path mitigation, interference rejection and anti-jamming capabilities. www.NavComTech.com

Archer Longbow GPS handheld

Juniper Systems and Surveylab have launched the Archer Longbow remote positioning GPS handheld. It combines a computer, GPS receiver, 3D compass, digital camera and a laser rangefinder. The product produces a verifiable, geo-tagged digital image of the target. www.archerlongbow.com

GIS-based office and Handheld Asset

Trimble has introduced the Trimble® UtilityCenter® Field Inspector software for handhelds and the Trimble UtilityCenter Maintenance-2 module. In combination with Trimble Mapping and GIS handheld computers with GPS, the software offers electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities of all sizes a scalable and easy to deploy field solution for improving asset maintenance inspection operations. www.trimble.com

Magellan announces advancements in Triton

Magellan announced advancements to its Triton series, including an improved user experience and overall product functionality of all Triton GPS devices and Magellan’s VantagePoint desktop software. The new software is available for free download. www.MagellanGPS.com

Bentley Substation V8i

Bentley Systems released Substation V8i, the intra-operable software product for intelligent electrical and physical substation design that supports all of the key components and requirements of an electric substation. It also intra-operates with Bentley’s portfolio of software offerings, including civil engineering and architectural design. www.bentley.com

BAE provides target locators to US Army

BAE Systems will provide US Army soldiers with handheld laser target locators that will enable them to identify target locations while on foot, in daylight, in night and in fog and smoke too. It consists of a direct-view optic system, a night-vision camera, a laser range finder, a digital compass, and a GPS receiver. It has visibility of 4.2 kms away in daylight and 900 meters in total darkness. www.baesystems.com

Scanpoint Geomatics IGIS

Scanpoint Geomatics has launched Integrated GIS and Image Processing Software (IGIS), developed in partnership with the ISRO. IGIS combines GPS reception, GIS, image processing and real-time information. It is compatible with OGC and ISO vector and raster data formats and SQL database formats. IGIS has been tested by scientists and experts at more than 12 centres of ISRO for over a year before it was formally released. www.scanpointgeomatics.com

Leica CloudWorx for SmartPlant 3D

Leica Geosystems released Leica CloudWorx 1.0 for SmartPlant 3D. It is an addition to the Leica CloudWorx suite of products that enable professionals to use as-built point cloud data directly in their native desktop design and visualisation platform. SmartPlant 3D is Intergraph’s next generation plant design platform. www.leica-geosystems.com

Topcon for Japanese GEONET

Topcon has been selected by the Geographical Survey Institute of Japan to supply GPS reference stations. It will supply 360 GPS receivers as well as new software and database system for the GPS Earth Observation Network System (GEONET) operated by GSI. www.topcon.com

ImStrat and PCI Geomatics team up

ImStrat Corporation and PCI Geomatics have signed a Teaming Agreement, whereby both parties will jointly develop and provide training to their clients around the world. www.pcigeomatics.com

DMCii bags contract

DMCii signed a €3.9 million contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) to acquire satellite imagery of sub- Saharan Africa. The data will constitute an essential part of the European funded Global Monitoring for the Environment and Security (GMES) programme and the contract includes changes to the company’s systems to interface with the ESA image catalogue. www.dmcii.com

MrSID Generation 4 Decode SDK

LizardTech released MrSID Generation 4 Decode SDK complimenting its own LiDAR Compressor. The SDK leverages on the MrSID format that enables users to view and access their LiDAR data much faster than traditional uncompressed formats would have allowed. www.lizardtech.com

SOKKIA introduces new products

SOKKIA Singapore has introduced “GYRO STATIONS” GP1X, GP2X, GP3X and GP5X – all incorporating the GP1 manual gyroscope and SET X total stations. It also introduced the “3D STATION” NET05X, a manualtype total station and the “DIGITAL LEVEL” SDL1X designed to achieve 0.2mm accuracy and productivity in levelling and height measurement applications. www.sokkia.com.sg

Geospatial Organizations endorse IFTN

Nine other geospatial organizations have joined URISA in supporting a call for a national US digital imagery program, the so-called Imagery for the Nation, a National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) initiative to support the development of a sustainable and flexible digital imagery program that meets the needs of local, state, regional, tribal and federal agencies. www.urisa.org

ArcLogistics Navigator new release

Designed specifically for fleet and logistics guidance, ArcLogistics Navigator is a fully functional GPS navigation system. www.esri.com/navigator

AT A GLANCE

Mergers, Acquisitions and Partnerships

►Vodafone and Tele Atlas to offer Location-Based applications.

►C1 Group, Australia, Axis Commerce, Malaysia and Leica Geosystems, Hong Kong becomes Blue Marble partners.

►NAVTEQ and ESRI Chile agreement.

►O2 partners with Telmap

►Xora and Gearworks merge for global LBS coverage.

►GeoEye Inc. and DLT Solutions Inc partnership

►GeoDecisions partnership with Garmin.

►INLINE Corporation and Spot Image signs partnership agreement.

►Intermap Technologies to supply ESI products and AccuTerra Europe contour data to GIOVE.

Q2 2009 Financia l Results

►MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. reported net earnings of $25 million compared to $13 million for last year.

►Garmin Ltd. total revenue down by 27%.

►GeoEye,Inc. 112% increase in revenue.

►EADS Astrium increase in revenue of 30%.

Contracts Awarded

►RMSI and Al-Arfaj Engineering to develop an Environmental Monitoring Information System for the State of Kuwait.

►China Unicom selects GyPSii for social networking service.

►MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. to provide RADARSAT-2 satellite imagery to the ESA worth $4.6 million

►Infoterra GmbH has won a contract worth 2.2 Million Euro for acquisition and provision of TerraSAR-X radar satellite data.

Miscellaneous

►Autodesk 2010 Certification available for Design Professionals.

►Microsoft’s Vexcel Imaging sold 32 UltraCam Systems in 2009.

►GIS security centre by Abu Dhabi Police.

►According to Strategy Analytics worldwide GPS smartphone shipments will grow 34% from 57 million units in 2008 to 77 million units in 2009.

►GIS/Geospatial industry worldwide growth is forecast to slow to 1%, down from 11% in 2008 and a whopping 17.4% in 2007 according to study by Daratech, Inc.

►Gartner Inc. predicts that the number of subscribers using LBS globally will double this year.

►Fugro Aerial Mapping A/S to provide Aerial Imagery and LiDAR services in Scandinavia.