With the Navy Navigation Satellite System (NNSS), we …

SatNav Technologies launches SatGuide
SatNav Technologies (P) Ltd., announced the launch of India’s First Navigation System SatGuide™ late last month. It has come into an agreement with Nippon Audiotronix, who will handle the Sales and Marketing of Nippon SatGuide on an exclusive basis in India. Nippon would handle both retail channels as well as the OEM route using their network of over 650 outlets across the country. SatGuide™ will be available with one city default information. Additional city information can be bought at a nominal charge and will be very useful for those who travel across cities regularly. Mr. Amit Prasad, MD & CEO – SatNav Technologies said, “As product principals, we will focus on the technology aspects and in expanding the geography to multiple cities in India.
www. satnavtech.com
www.satguide.in

GPS surveys to resolve Sir Creek dispute
Top scientists from India and Pakistan conducted geologic surveys in the disputed region and a seal of approval is likely soon for a newly demarcated boundary. The decades-old Sir Creek boundary dispute between India and Pakistan is on the verge of a final settlement. Following the ongoing composite dialogue between the two countries and general improvement in relations, both New Delhi and Islamabad have exchanged final documents related to the boundary dispute after detailed surveys were carried out by joint teams in the Rann of Kutch. www.deccanherald.com

“We are committed to meet genuine requirements of …

says Dr G D Gupta, Advisor & Head (Seismology Division), …

SiRF India will focus on new product development, specifi- cally chipsets and software that combine GPS with complementary technologies. It will also extend SiRF’s reach into growing Indian and Asian markets for GPS-enabled systems, providing marketing and customer support throughout the continent.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, finding people and bodies in the rubble was of utmost importance. This task was directed at finding location bearing devices incorporated in commonplace instruments such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and electronic pagers. By polling these devices electronically using a system of triangulation points it was thought that persons and bodies could be found. Polling is simply sending electronic impulses to receivers to ascertain where these devices are located. However, and sadly, such devices have a limited range and may have no effect if buried in more than a meter of rubble. Also, some such devices incorporate global positioning systems (GPS) and these require access to the sky and to the constellation of satellites orbiting the Earth. Even the sniffer dogs gave up this mammoth task.

The past two decades have seen extraordinary growth in the demand for geo-spatial data. This demand has numerous sources and takes many forms; however, the net effect is an ever-increasing thirst for data that is more accurate, has higher density, is produced more rapidly, and is acquired less expensively. Unfortunately, traditional techniques for collecting spatial data, such as conventional surveying techniques, point-wise GPS, or aerial photogrammetry, have difficulties satisfying many of the new data collection requisites. Conventional surveying or point-wise GPS are, for instance, poorly suited for the rapid and inexpensive collection of data over large areas. Traditional aerial photogrammetry, while satisfying these needs, is disadvantaged by the requirement to establish moderately dense and expensive ground control.

Galileo – the European Programme for Global Navigation Services for civil purposes is an initiative led by European Union. We will provide regular updates to our readers on the Galileo programme. Just as South Korea plans to join Galileo, so do some companies from China and Israel
South Korea to join Galileo
Science and Technology Minister Oh Myung approved a plan to join a satellite- based navigation system project led by the European Union, in a bid to reduce its reliance on the United States’ GPS. The 3.4 billion euro Galileo project is expected to rival the GPS navigation system. South Korea will likely pay at least 5 million euros, or about 6.7 billion won, to participate in the project, the ministry said. If all goes as scheduled, a formal agreement will be sealed within this year. Joining the Galileo project is also expected to help South Korea widen its political, economic and scientific ties with the European Union, the ministry said.
http://english.yna.co.kr

The order issued last year to de-restrict the import of GPS and DGPS receiver is a boon to the GPS market in India. However, some of us are unaware of this development despite the fact that the notification was issued in January 2004, and this information is available at the website of Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Government of India.