On 16 January, the second of the two Galileo In-Orbit Validation (IOV) satellites, FM2 (Flight Model 2) also known as GSAT0102, started transmitting navigation signals on the L1/E1 frequency using the E12 ranging code, according to tracking reports from the COoperative Network for GIOVE Observation (CONGO). FM2 was launched together with PFM, the ProtoFlight Model (GSAT0101), on October 21, 2011.

The GIS Research Centre at Feng Chia University in Taiwan developed Taiwan’s first municipal works cloud-based map platform. It will allow city government officials and policy makers to have a clear picture of the city’s major construction projects. The platform, which was commissioned by the Taichung City Government, will integrate the city’s digital map libraries including urban planning and cadastral map libraries, and will allow users to browse records concerning the city’s major construction projects and tenders.

The US Supreme Court ruled that police need a search warrant before tracking a suspect with a GPS device, in a case involving privacy and 21st century technology. The highest US court ruled 9-0 that police had violated the rights of a suspected drug dealer when they placed a GPS, or tracking device, on his vehicle without a warrant and tracked his movements.

Trimble selected Mannai Corp. (software division) as a mapping & GIS business partner in Qatar. Combining positioning, communications and software to equip the mobile workforce, Trimble’s mapping & GIS products improve productivity in a broad range of industries by geo-enabling field workforces with high accuracy, easy-to-use GNSS handhelds and rugged computing devices.

According to a new research report from the analyst firm Berg Insight, global shipments of Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs) declined to about 33 million units in 2011. In mature markets where the installed base of PNDs is already high, the device category is facing increasing competition from smartphones and low-cost in-dash navigation systems.

The US Defense Department intends to reduce planned purchases of commercial satellite imagery in 2013 as part of a broader initiative aimed at reducing US military expenditures by USD 259 billion over the next five years, according to the Pentagon planning document, Defense Budget Priorities and Choices.

CHC has announced the availability of X900 GNSS receiver bringing extremely affordable and reliable GPS+GLONASS real-time centimeter level solution to surveyors without the conventional cost associated with GNSS solutions. The X900 GNSS combines fi eld proven 72 channels GPS+GLONASS technology and state-of-the-art RTK solution for either traditional base + rover confi guration and RTK networks thanks to its fl exible GPRS and UHF communication systems. The X900 is available in various bundled packages to fi t end users need with choice of various data collection software and handheld controllers.

Europe’s Galileo system has passed its latest milestone, transmitting its very fi rst test navigation signal back to Earth. According European Space Agency (ESA), the different Galileo signals are being activated and tested one by one. Soon after the payload power amplifi ers were switched on and ‘outgassed’– warmed up to release vapours that might otherwise interfere with operations – the fi rst test signal was captured at Redu. The test signal was transmitted in the ‘E1’ band, which will be used for Galileo’s Open Service once the system begins initial operations in 2014. The Open Service will be freely available to users all over the world. This signal is particularly important because it shares the ‘L1’ band of the US GPS navigation satellites.

Bhuvan, ISRO’s geoportal and gateway to Indian earth-observation data products and services, announced that now users can select, browse and query the thematic datasets from its website. Users can also use these thematic datasets and integrate them into their systems as OGC web services. At present, Land Use Land Cover (LULC) 50K : 2005-2006, datasets are available on the website. It can be accessed from the link provided at the Bhuvan home page (www.bhuvan.nrsc. gov.in) or accessed directly from http:// bhuvan-noeda.nrsc.gov.in/theme

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

China, UK build geospatial research center
The Sino-British Geospatial Information Research Centre, jointly built by the China Academy of Surveying and Mapping and U.K. University of Nottingham, opened in Beijing on Dec. 13. This research centre will develop geospatial information research to solve …