“Advances in technology have allowed the survey community to push the limits of GNSS”

Jesse Huff Vice President of Sales and Marketing, JAVAD GNSS

‘Founded in 2007, JAVAD GNSS today continues with its original vision of innovation and excellence’ – Could you please elaborate on this.

The designs innovations of JAVAD GNSS have paved the way for the GNSS industry for years. JAVAD GNSS Patented and Patent-pending technology have helped shape what the market demands today. Innovation is at the core of JAVAD’s mission to make our customers’ lives easier and more productive through products that deliver these needs. Excellence through quality management through our own manufacturing facility in San Jose California, USA delivers end to end quality control through every aspect of product development and manufacturing.

Dr Javad Ashjaee was one of the pioneers of the GNSS industry. How is his legacy being carried forward at Javad GNSS? How have the company transitioned and repositioned itself?

AVAD GNSS is building off the years of remarkable technology and product innovation Javad Ashjaee pioneered in the survey industry. With 200 patents the company is deploying these innovations focused on market driven products such as the recently launched Complete Survey Solution. This features the TRIUMPH-1M Plus and the TRIUMPH-3NR receivers and the Victor-2 and Victor-4 field computers continue the innovation founded by Dr. Ashjaee.

As part of its continued growth plan the company is expanding its global market presence indicated by the recent opening of its EU office in Vilnius, Lithuania. This will provide increased product and customer support throughout Europe and the EU. In addition, a new Cincinatti U.S. based engineering office opened in May to further strengthen its engineering capabilities on a global scale.

Land Surveying technology has been one of the forte at Javad GNSS. How do you see the growth of the technology over the years?

Advances in technology have allowed the survey community to push the limits of GNSS to new heights. JAVAD has remained at the forefront of this technology push with patented technology such as multi-engine RTK. This has provided the survey community with tools to operate in more challenging environments such as urban canyons, tree coverage and other high multipath environments. This can be further evidenced through our RTPK capabilities, which are patent pending and stand-out in the Survey technology.

How do you see the growth of surveying as a profession. What are the key challenges for a present-day surveyor?

Overall surveyors have evolved from basic measurements to the use of 3D visualizations, the use of Big Data, and the use of unmanned systems to capture datasets in hours that could have taken weeks previously. We see a shortage of qualified surveyors in some markets due to the lack of public knowledge as to where their data originates, which can impact the growth of the industry. Continual learning and keeping up with technology are two important challenges to overcome to increase productivity and business success. Mobile 3D mapping, large 3D terrain models and photo-based data along with the ability to understand and proactively respond to data are other areas that can enable the growth of the profession. Bringing a strategic approach to building a business, including customer engagement, retention and growth while investing in product technology increases productivity and innovation. The education of the end users of the survey deliverables presents a challenge for the profession as each customer has unique requirements.

Tell us something about the OEM business at Javad GNSS. What are key challenges it faces as of today?

For over 20 years JAVAD GNSS Aerospace has provided aerospace and defense companies around the world with GNSS OEM receivers delivering accurate positioning and tracking performance in challenging environments. Our solutions are in the majority of commercial launch vehicles, and we have built long-term growing relationships with existing and new customers in the aerospace market.

One of the key challenges facing aerospace customers is the need to meet their requirements for Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) for demanding applications. We can meet these requirements due to our OEM GNSS solution’s proven history of innovation in OEM boards which are products that combine high integrity, high-performance, delivered in small, lightweight, resilient form factors.

Extreme operating conditions is another challenge that our HDA (High Dynamic Applications) OEM boards address utilizing specialized components, manufacturing processes and a conformal coating that ensures performance and reliability under the most adverse conditions.

How according to you has been the evolution of GNSS as a technology. How do you see its vulnerability and possible mitigation?

Not all GNSS technology is created equally. Positioning has become part of our daily lives. GNSS has evolved to become expected in modern technology. It can be seen as a commodity, which undervalues the importance of professional tools. Smartphones, in-vehicle navigation and location based online searching are built on a longestablished geospatial framework that has been kept and maintained by geospatial professionals for decades. The need to maintain and communicate the value of that framework to mitigate vulnerabilities increases as the general population demands better positioning from their devices.

Usage of commercial UAV technology has been rising at an exponential rate for various surveying and allied applications. What is your view on its massive growth. Does Javad have any plan to get into this segment again?

JAVAD GNSS continues to provide the core positioning technology to the UAV market. Providing this industry with professional level products for developers to leverage remains a core value to JAVAD. Any building or product development begins with a solid framework. GNSS and positioning are as much a critical component of the UAV industry as innovations in composite materials and sensing technologies that rely on a solid base for growth.