Matthew Anseau
As the consumer satellite navigation industry continues to evolve, it is interesting to look at the various business models of the industry players and how these drive their market positioning. At a basic level, we see two types of business models currently in the industry. On one side, there are the map providers; a mixture of global and regional/local players and on the other, data-driven technology firms such as Google (Google Maps) and Microsoft (Bing Maps). Whilst the former have expertise in map development and navigation, the latter tend to be stronger in content acquisition and management.

Paul van der Molen
In the book ‘Congo’ (2010), the author David van Reijbrouck reports about the roundtable conference in Brussels in January 1960. There, the Belgian and Congolese delegation agreed on independence of the Congo already in June of that year. From an institutional side, hardly anything was in place in the -soon ‘former’- colony. Executive staff was panicking: ‘how to get a popular census in place in six months, a number plate administration, a cadastre…’.

The dragon moves. And moves faster. Has already sent into the orbit. The 8th navigational satellite. A transition appears. From ‘one of the players’ to ‘the player’. Will set the tone of the future GNSS, And redefine the dynamics, Among various stakeholders in GNSS. With its own stakes, high.

May 2011: FIG Working Week 2011, 18 – 22 May, Marrakech, Morocco, www.fig.net;
5th GNSS Vulnerabilities and Solutions Conference, 23 – 25 May, Baska, Krk Island, Croatia, http://www.rin.org.uk/;

Trimble’s LaserAce™ 1000 rangefinder
Trimble has introduced the new Trimble® LaserAce™ 1000 rangefinder, an easy-to-use handheld measurement tool combining a laser distance meter, digital inclinometer, sighting scope and Bluetooth® wireless technology. The new rangefinder expands Trimble’s portfolio by seamlessly integrating with its Geographic Information System (GIS) data collection solutions.
www.trimble.com/laserace.

Taiwan releases its first aerial photography drone
A local company has unveiled Taiwan’s first indigenous unmanned vehicle for aerial photography, hoping to break into a market that so far has been monopolized by imported products. The AI Rider, a system based on a six-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle weighing about 1,450 grams, is highly competitive because of its price and after-sales service, including training that is more easily available to domestic customers, said Clark Lin, vice president of Gang Yu Corp.
The remote-controlled aerial photography vehicle is said to be entirely developed in Taiwan and made with domestic components. It can carry a payload, such as a video camera, of up to 400 grams, and can climb to an altitude of 550 meters.

European satnav competition opens for entries
The eighth European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) is now open for innovative ideas in the field of satellite navigation. Deadline for companies, entrepreneurs, research institutes, universities and individuals from all over the world, to submit their ideas is June 30, 2011. One can submit entries online at http://www.galileo-masters.eu. ESA

Philippine president unveils 3-D mapping project
President Benigno Aquino III of Philippines announced that the Government allocated PHP 1 billion for three-dimensional mapping of the entire country. According to Aquino III, it is designed to minimise damage during natural disasters. Aquino made this announcement during the inauguration of the new PHP 243-million Agno River Basin Flood Forecasting and Warning System.

Russia invites Sweden to join GLONASS
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin invited Sweden to increase its cooperation on GLONASS satellite navigation system, during his visit to Stockholm, Sweden. Both countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in the space industry, including their intention to launch Swedish satellites using Russian carrier rockets.

TomTom apologises for giving users’ data to cops
TomTom apologized for supplying driving data collected from customers to police to use in catching speeding motorists. The data, including historical speed, has been sold to local and regional governments in the Netherlands to help police set speed traps. As more smartphones offer GPS navigation service, TomTom has been forced to compensate for declining profit by increasing sales in other areas, including the selling of traffic data, Dutch newspaper AD reported.