INDUSTRY

SF-5050 INTEGRATED STARFIRE™/ RTK GNSS RECEIVER by NavCom

NavCom’s SF-5050 integrated StarFire™/ RTK Extend™ Receivers provide 5cmlevel position accuracy, anywhere in the world, anytime. Powered by the new Onyx GNSS Engine, it provides 255 channel tracking, including multi-constellation support for GPS and GLONASS. It also provides patented interference rejection and anti-jamming capabilities. Offering the “freedom to choose,” the SF-5050 is fully upgradeable allowing users to upgrade from an autonomous receiver to a variety of augmentation capabilities with just a software bundle upload. This flexible framework makes the SF-5050 ideal for any application.

Sonardyne technology chosen for new Canadian seabed observatory

A major new seabed observatory that will provide critical information about earthquake and tsunami hazards is to be deployed offshore Vancouver, Canada, using long endurance acoustic sensing technology supplied by Sonardyne International Ltd. The new Northern Cascadia Subduction Zone Observatory (NCSZO) will use a “seafloor GPS” network to monitor long-term movements of the subducting Juan de Fuca plate and overriding North American tectonic plate.

The NCSZO is led by Ocean Networks Canada (ONC)—an initiative of the University of Victoria—and is made possible through cooperation of international partners that include Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) scientists at the Pacific Geoscience Centre and David Chadwell from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. More than 20 Sonardyne Fetch subsea sensor logging nodes, which will be deployed in depths ranging from 400 to 2,500 metres of water depth for seven years or longer at a time, will comprise the backbone of the NCSZO.

Data will be acquired up to two times a year using a technique called GPS-Acoustic method (GPS-A), which uses acoustic positioning techniques, inertial navigation, and GPS data to periodically position the Fetch instruments to centimetre-level accuracy, using a Sonardyne transceiver mounted on an unmanned surface vessel. These measurements will enable the Fetch positions to be related to a corresponding onshore network of geodetic stations operated by NRCan, allowing the subsea plate motion and onshore plate motion to be correlated, which has only recently been made possible. www.sonardyne.com

3D laser scanning mobile-device app wins IF DESIGN Award

Leica Geosystems announced the Leica Cyclone FIELD 360 laser scanning mobile-device app won an iF DESIGN AWARD 2019. Along with userexperience (UX) company Ergosign, Leica Geosystems submitted the app under the category of communication. For 66 years, the iF DESIGN AWARD has been recognised as an arbiter of quality for exceptional design. The Cyclone FIELD 360 app was selected by a 67-member jury, made up of independent experts from all over the world, from among 6,375 entries from 52 countries.

The Cyclone FIELD 360 mobiledevice app is a fundamental element of the Leica RTC360 3D reality capture solution. https://leica-geosystems.com

Trimble TDC150 handheld maximizes productivity for mobile workers

Trimble has announced a new highperformance field computer for its Mapping and GIS portfolio—the Trimble® TDC150 handheld. Designed for GIS data collection, inspection and management activities, the TDC150 provides users a rugged solution that has the flexibility of a handheld, a modern interface with open Android™ operating system, and scalable high-accuracy positioning for professional field workflows.

The TDC150 provides advanced GNSS capabilities in a durable, ergonomic and lightweight form factor. With a built-in GNSS antenna, it is a scalable solution that allows customers to choose their desired accuracy. Easy-to-use and carry in the field, it features a bright 5.3-inch sunlight-readable touch screen and an allday battery for continuous work on the jobsite. www.geospatial.trimble.com

CHC Navigation launches P3 GNSS sensor series

CHC Navigation has announced the release of P2 GNSS sensor series, which the company says provides high-accuracy positioning and heading in a compact, rugged enclosure. It is suitable for a wide variety of applications such as reference station, marine systems, unmanned navigation, industrial automation, robotics and machine control. The P2 GNSS series is designed to significantly reduce system integration efforts by combining numerous connectivity interfaces including RS232, low-latency PPS output, Ethernet, CAN bus protocol and a comprehensive web interface for configuration set-up. www.chcnav.com

Emlid Releases Multi-Band RTK GNSS receiver with centimeter precision

Designed for surveying, mapping and navigation, the new REACH RS2 RTK GNSS receiver from Emlid comes with a mobile app. Reach RS2 gets a fixed solution in just seconds and maintains robust performance even in challenging conditions, according to the manufacturer. Centimeter accuracy can be achieved on distances over 60 kilometers in RTK, and 100 kilometers in PPK mode. The multi-band receiver features GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, and QZSS capability, with L1OF, L2OF, L1C/A, L2C, E1B/C, E5b, B1I and B2I signals.

Septentrio GPS/GNSS helps cars avoid collisions on a smart highway

Septentrio’s high-precision GPS/GNSS technology will be one of the key components in a Smart Highway system, which launched April 8 with a live demonstration in Antwerp, Belgium. A section of a highway will be dedicated as a test environment for technology which prepares Belgium for automated driving and truck platooning. Roadside units along the highway will feature GNSS receivers acting as reference stations, sending out continuous positioning corrections. Onboard GNSS units will use these corrections together with built-in quality indicators to calculate trustworthy, sub-decimeter positioning. They will also provide precise timing for syncing the multitude of sensors onboard these “smart vehicles.”

Smart Highway is a project of the Flemish government coordinated by imec, a worldrenowned research and innovation hub of nano-electronics and digital technology.

Russian company plans to create a federal Internet of things network

A company called GLONASS-TM that is controlled jointly by Igor Rotenberg, Rostekh, and GLONASS has announced plans to create a federal network using Internet of things (IoT) technology. IoT technology establishes remote connections among objects that would typically lack Internet access, enabling them to exchange data and be controlled remotely.

Its construction is scheduled to begin in 2020. By 2024, the network is set to include more than 34,000 base stations that would enable the system’s users to model energy usage and individual behavior in public spaces. https://meduza.io

Singapore Police uses droneequipped surveillance vehicles

Singapore Police have gone high-tech with the launch of drone-equipped surveillance vehicles, smart glasses, miniature humanoid robots and enhanced live firing system. The drones will be deployed for use in pre-planned security events, search missions and situations requiring aerial surveillance.

It has been christened as Sky Aerial Response Command (Sky ARC) and can carry up to three drones. The drones, which can fly to an altitude of a few hundred metres, will feed information and transmit images back to an integrated command and control system. It can also be used in tracking suspects across a large area, such as a forest, as it is equipped with thermal imaging and can detect human presence. Singapore Police are also going to equip its front-line police officers with the use of wearable technology such as smart glasses armed with video feeds for information gathering. The glasses will be able to perform real-time video analytics such as facial recognition.

To enhance its outreach to pre-schoolers and students, Singapore Police will use a miniature humanoid robot named Mini Autonomous School Talk Robot Officer (Mi-ASTRO). This robot is interestingly programmed with customised messages on police information and safety tips for children and is a useful icebreaker between officers and kids. www.msn.com

Hemisphere GNSS announces Multi- GNSS Vector™ V200 GNSS Compass

Hemisphere GNSS, Inc. (Hemisphere) has announced the all-new singlefrequency, multi-GNSS Vector V200 smart antenna with integrated Atlas L-band designed for general marine applications and markets.

Powered by Hemisphere’s Crescent® Vector technology, the V200 is a multi-GNSS compass system that utilizes GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, and QZSS (with future firmware upgrade and activation) for simultaneous satellite tracking to offer heading, position, heave, pitch, and roll output.

With support for NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000, integrating Atlas L-band corrections, and continuing to offer ease of installation, the V200 packages and offers exceptional value and performance. It excels in providing accurate position and heading information to autopilots, chart plotters, and other general marine navigation applications. www.hgnss.com

CHC Navigation Opens U.S. Office

Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology Ltd. (CHC Navigation) announced the establishment of its new North American subsidiary, CHC Navigation USA Corporation (CHC USA) and the opening of the headquarters of its North American operations in Scottsdale, Arizona.