Industry

Fifth launch brings AireonSM Global Air Traffic Surveillance System

Aireon has announced the fifth successful launch and deployment of its space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance- Broadcast (ADS-B) payloads, hosted by the Iridium® NEXT satellite constellation. When the Aireon payloads from the fifth launch come online, the system will have nearly global coverage with 15-minute or better update intervals. This signifies optimal timing for airlines to begin testing the capabilities of space-based ADS-B. This will assist airlines with meeting the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations that require aircraft be equipped with an aircraft tracking system for those flights not tracked by air traffic control by the end of 2018. With the Aireon service and access to the space-based ADS-B data, airlines can meet this directive set by regulators and safety organizations.

FlightAware and Aireon have worked together to create GlobalBeacon, a first-of-its-kind product. GlobalBeacon combines FlightAware’s data processing platform and web-interface with Aireon’s space-based ADS-B data, for a cost-effective, easy to deploy solution to help meet the ICAO Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System (GADSS) standards. www.aireon.com

Hemisphere GNSS’ Multi- GNSS Vector™ V123 & V133 Smart Antennas

Hemisphere GNSS has announced the new single-frequency, multi-GNSS Vector V123 and V133 all-in-one smart antennas with integrated Atlas L-band designed for professional and commercial marine applications. Powered by Hemisphere’s Crescent® Vector technology, the new V123 and V133 are multi-GNSS compass systems using GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, and QZSS for simultaneous satellite tracking to offer heading, position, heave, pitch, and roll. With support for NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000, and continuing to offer ease of installation, these Vector models continue to offer the exceptional value and performance Hemisphere is known for. The V123 and V133 thrive in Radar/ARPA, AIS, ECDIS, side-scan survey, multi- and singlebeam surveys, dredging, and general navigation applications. www.HGNSS.com

VIAMETRIS chooses the Ellipse-D inertial navigation system by SBG Systems

VIAMETRIS , specialist of SLAM-based mobile scanning systems, completes its product range with a backpackbased scanning system called the “bMS3D-360”. The company continues to rely on SBG Systems’ expertise in inertial navigation by integrating the Ellipse2-D, an inertial navigation system with embedded RTK GNSS receiver.The bMS3D-360 has been designed for the most challenging environments where GNSS is not accessible (indoor) or highly perturbed (urban canyons, forest, etc.). The Ellipse2-D from SBG Systems is a very compact inertial navigation system integrating an L1/L2 GNSS receiver. This industrial-grade INS computes roll, pitch, heading as well as position thanks to the embedded Extended Kalman Filtering.

In real-time, Ellipse2-D orientation data are used to correct the equipment attitude and help the SLAM computed heading. The embedded GNSS receiver provides absolute positioning to the point cloud as well as altitude constraint. www.viametris.com

Raytheon’s GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System

This phase focuses on increasing automation and building controls for both L1C, a civilian GPS signal aimed at increasing international access, and M-code, a military GPS signal with better anti-jam capability.

Once complete, the team will begin integration and testing to keep the program on track for full system delivery in June 2021. GPS OCX is the enhanced ground control segment of a U.S. Air Forceled effort to modernize America’s GPS system. The program is implementing 100 percent of DODI 8500.2 “Defense in Depth” information assurance standards without waivers, giving it the highest level of cybersecurity protections of any DoD space system. For protection against future cyber threats, the system’s open architecture allows it to integrate new capabilities and signals as they become available. www.aerotechnews.com

Userlane raises ¢4 million to accelerate its expansion

The Munich-based startup Userlane just raised €4 million to finance its expansion and to further develop its product. Userlane, which was founded in 2015, offers a navigation system for software that allows users to understand and operate any application without formal training.

GNSS enabled GPS trackers for motorcycles

Rewire Security has announced its GNSS enabled real-time GPS Tracker solutions for motorcycles. DB1-Lite from Rewire Security offers worldwide coverage, geofence zones, GNSS-enabled worldwide improved location accuracy and comes with a compact and durable design. It’s designed to be an optimal GPS tracking solution for motorcycles and cars.

DB1-Lite features the latest GNSS positioning system that combines GPS, GLONASS, A-GPS (assisted GPS) and Galileo satellite systems to deliver up to 1-2 meters accuracy anywhere in the World

RIEGL announces VQ- 880-G and VQ-880-GH

RIEGL has announced two laser scanning systems. The RIEGL VQ- 880-G is a fully integrated airborne laser scanning system for combined hydrographic and topographic surveying.

The system is offered with integrated and factory-calibrated high-end GNSS/IMU system and camera. The design allows flexible adaptation of these components to specific application requirements. Complemented by a RIEGL data recorder, the RIEGL VQ-880-G is a complete LIDAR system to be installed on various platforms in a straightforward way.

The sister type RIEGL VQ-880- GH has been specially designed with reduced height optimized for helicopter integrations.

Both systems carry out laser range measurements for high-resolution surveying of underwater topography with a narrow, visible green laser beam, emitted from a powerful pulsed laser source. Subject to clarity, at this particular wavelength the laser beam penetrates water enabling measurement of submerged targets.

STMicroelectronics launches Multi-Band GNSS Receiver

Assisting safer autonomous driving, STMicroelectronics has introduced the world’s first multi-frequency satellitenavigation receiver chipset suitable for safety-critical automotive applications and high accuracy positioning at the decimeter and centimeter-level for PPP and RTK applications.

By tracking satellites of all GNSS constellations simultaneously on at least two of the frequencies used by each system (instead of one in other products), ST’s automotive-quality Teseo APP (Automotive Precise Positioning) receiver provides high-quality raw GNSS data for PPP (Precise Point Positioning) and RTK (Real Time Kinematic) algorithm, which allows accurate positioning and rapid convergence time worldwide. https://globenewswire.com

Joint effort between SDX and Talen-X Enables GNSS Simulation

SDX has announced a new option that enables radiated emissions testing in anechoic chambers, with support for up to 16 dual-frequency antennas. This is achieved by harnessing the power of multiple graphics processing units (GPUs) simultaneously. This new SDX update brings a host of features carefully designed to improve the setup and operation of advanced GNSS simulations in anechoic chambers. In mid-2017, Talen-X and Skydel engineers began to conceptualize a GNSS simulation system emanating from their BroadSim platform for the purpose of simulating GNSS and jamming signals in an anechoic chamber. Over the next six months, Talen-X and Skydel designed, built, tested and delivered a revolutionary new Anechoic Chamber Simulator capable of simultaneously generating multi- GNSS, jamming and spoofing signals. BroadSim Anechoic can be used to support a wide variety of operational tests.

Fugro’s GNSS rig positioning chosen for Norway’s Statoil

Fugro has won a long-term contract to provide GNSS-based rig positioning services to Statoil Petroleum AS. The contract includes positioning of all the Statoil operated rigs on the Norwegian continental shelf and associated Statoil vessels. Fugro’s specialized satellite positioning systems, utilizing all available navigation satellites (GPS, GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo), will be permanently installed on the Statoil-operated rigs and vessels.

Trimble introduces Tekla 2018 BIM Software Solutions

Tekla Structures 2018, Tekla Structural Designer 2018 and Tekla Tedds 2018 are solutions that provide increased control and improved documentation through constructible Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows for stakeholders in structural steel and concrete, including designers, detailers and fabricators, concrete contractors, general contractors and structural engineers.

Tekla Structures 2018 brings faster 3D modeling processes, more precise detailing, better control over changes and quicker production of drawings with less effort, in addition to workflow-related efficiency gains. The new version also supports point clouds, allowing delivery of coordinated, constructible designs that fit existing structures seamlessly. Tekla Structural Designer 2018 delivers new features and enhancements focused on structural design workflow productivity. For example, the new rigorous non-linear concrete slab design feature automates loading simulation through construction to help save engineering design time.

Tekla Tedds 2018 introduces a variety of new calculations that enable improved productivity for civil and structural engineers. The easy-to-use software offers a quality assured library of code compliant calculations that are visible for easy review and validation.

Lighthouse develops a 4 frequency band input frontend processor for GNSS

Lighthouse Technology and Consulting completed the development of a series of front-end processors “Hibiki” for software receivers, processing up to 4 frequency GNSS signals simultaneously, and will start sales from April 2018.

Japanese Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) broadcast GNSS signals in 4 frequency bands, L1, L2, L5 and L6. Similarly, GPS and Russian GLONASS broadcast in 3 bands, European Galileo and Chinese BeiDou broadcast in 4 bands. However, many conventional front-ends process only two bands at the same time, and could not be used for highly specialized applications such as processing multiple signals with different frequencies at the same time.

Answering to such GNSS technology demands, Lighthouse has completed the development of a series of frontend processors “Hibiki”. Hibiki has an unprecedented capability to process up to 4 frequency bands simultaneously. One of the multiple products will be released within its lineup.

Power Generation Projects in China Leverage Bentley

Wugachong Reservoir Project in Pu’an County of Guizhou Province (Wugachong Water Conservancy and Hydropower Co., Ltd.) is a medium-sized hydroelectric power project, which moved from 2D AutoCAD to 3D BIM using the entire set of Bentley design applications, delivering the initial 3D model in just two months. Bentley GEOPAK helped the team quickly solve a complex issue with the topography of the site, enabling it to develop a zig-zag ramp design that would have been difficult to visualize in 2D. Using ProjectWise, the team collaborated across all engineering disciplines. It also created 3D videos using Bentley LumenRT to explain the zig-zag design to their clients and to promote the organization’s capabilities for other projects.

Hexagon Geospatial Launches Power Portfolio 2018

Hexagon Geospatial has announced the release of its POWER PORTFOLIO 2018. The Power Portfolio helps a wide range of customers Shape Smart Change by providing solutions that harness location data to understand real-world situations, the company said in a statement.

With significant upgrades to ERDAS IMAGINE, GeoMedia, ImageStation, ERDAS APOLLO, GeoCompressor, GeoMedia Smart Client, as well as our WebGIS and Mobile solutions, Power Portfolio 2018 makes it faster and easier to identify, organize, and synthesize location data with your business information. By understanding what was and what is, you can quickly sense, decide, and act as the Earth changes. With additions like machine learning operators and even more access to sensor and UAV data, Producer Suite 2018 makes it easy to access the latest data and view it from more perspectives so you can analyze situations and predict outcomes.

Geneq introduces SXblue Premier GNSS receiver

Geneq has launched the SXblue Premier GNSS receiver, which is available in a submetric version (GNSS) or centimetric version (real-time kinematic, RTK). The new SXblue Premier GNSS receiver is equipped with the Pacific Crest Maxwell 6 Trimble technology with BD910 (GNSS version) and BD930 (RTK version) OEM boards, delivering 220 channels to acquire and track GNSS signals from all constellations in view. It makes effective use of GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS and SBAS signals for outstanding highly precise positioning

Septentrio’s AsteRx-U MARINE receiver

Septentrio has announced an additional version of its AsteRx-U MARINE receiver with support for the Fugro Marinestar service. By incorporating Fugro Marinestar – satellite-based positioning services that make use of GPS, Glonass, Galileo and BeiDou – the AsteRx-U MARINE can deliver sub-decimetre accuracy at any global location. Continuity of operation is guaranteed by correction transmission over nine overlapping beams. To complement the standard satellite broadcast delivery channels, internet delivery is also available using Ntrip (Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol). www.septentrio.com