INDUSTRY

Klau Geomatics releases GNSS/ IMU hardware and software integration platform

Klau Geomatics is releasing the 7700C integration platform, a GNSS hardware system designed to integrate with external IMUs and IoT devices.

The KlauPPK hardware/software product has been an industry leader in aerial mapping for over 5 years, with ongoing improvements leading to the release of the 7700C. It is a big step up in technology, offering connectivity to a range of external devices configurable through a useraccessible menu. https://geomatics.com

Swift Navigation’s precise positioning technology

Swift Navigation announced that its precise positioning platform can improve the performance of existing singlefrequency GNSS positioning, found on most production vehicles today, from the standard average of 3 meters to lane-level accuracy without changing existing hardware and antenna.

These findings are demonstrated during the regular test drives the Swift team conducts to confirm the efficacy of its solutions and software updates. The graph depicts the improved positioning accuracy and availability when a single-frequency receiver is used with corrections from the Skylark precise positioning service and the Starling positioning engine. A performance improvement from 2 meters to 0.7 meters for 95% of this mixed-environment drive was achieved on a production vehicle with a low-cost automotive receiver and antenna. www.swiftnav.com

Rail antennas updated for multi-constellation GNSS

Huber+Suhner, a global supplier of optical and electricity connectivity solutions, updated its range of SENCITY Rail antennas to receive signals from all four GNSS: BeiDou, Galileo, GPS and GLONASS.

The SENCITY line of antennas are omnidirectional railway roof-top antenna family for all types of trains. They are designed to meet the special requirements of railway applications including high current and high voltage protection. www.hubersuhner.com/

Trimble and SiriusXM establish alliance

Trimble and Sirius XM Connected Vehicles Services Inc., a subsidiary of Sirius XM Holdings Inc. have announced that Trimble RTX® GNSS corrections are being transmitted through the SiriusXM® satellite radio network. As a result, new cars sold in the contiguous U.S. and Canada equipped with SiriusXM›s Gen8 satellite chipset will be able to receive RTX GNSS corrections enabling highaccuracy positioning—a key component of autonomous on-road applications.

With the simple addition of the Trimble RTX Auto™ software library, any new vehicle that receives SiriusXM broadcasts with a Gen8 satellite chipset can leverage a positioning solution ideal for Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS), Autonomous Driving (AD) and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) applications. www.siriusxmcvs.com

DMI expands Precision Reality™ digital twin platform

DMI, LLC, a digital transformation company, has announced the release of a remote monitoring solution package on their Precision Reality™ digital twin platform, featuring Leica BLK247. This offering expands Precision Reality’s robust ecosystem of hardware and software integrations for IoT, 3D visualization, and analytics.

Hexagon’s “RTK From the Sky”

Research from Hexagon’s Autonomy & Positioning division has resulted in breakthrough innovations in precise point positioning (PPP) that enable nearly instant global centimeterlevel accuracy. These developments pave the way to bring “RTK From the Sky” performance to worldwide users through correction service products and GNSS receivers from Hexagon.

“RTK From the Sky” technology provides the quick accuracy of an RTK solution with the high accessibility and availability of PPP. Users will no longer have geographic or regional infrastructure restrictions – they will be free to operate anywhere around the world with the same premium level of positioning performance. “RTK From the Sky” technology removes the traditional PPP barrier of long convergence times as well as internet and radio communication limitations, delivering instantaneous convergence anywhere in the world. This breakthrough establishes the foundation for assured positioning with no downtime in marine, agriculture, and autonomous applications.

GMV selected for Galileo Second Generation ground segment

The technology multinational GMV is playing a key role in the Galileo Second Generation (shortened to G2G) ground segment. Galileo First Generation (shortened to G1G), running since December 2016, consists of space infrastructure (26 satellites to date) and ground infrastructure. Galileo is now providing 20-cm-precision positioning, navigation and timing services for over 400 million users around the world.

G2G’s main objectives are to phase in new services, improve existing services and boost system robustness and security while also cutting both operating- and maintenance-costs, all with the prime purpose of cementing Galileo’s position as one the future’s top GNSSs.

G2G is divided into several phases. In the first, led by ESA, mission requirements were defined at system level. This was followed by a preparation phase, leading on in turn to the implementation phase. As well as priming several missionrequirement projects, GMV, since 2018, has been heading one of the consortia working on G2G’s complete ground segment during the preparation phase. ESA has recently once more turned to GMV as one of the three main phase-B contractors of the G2G ground segment. www.gmv.com

Orolia’s distress tracking emergency locator transmitter

Orolia has been awarded a single source, multi-year program contract to supply its next-generation Emergency Locator Transmitter, Distress Tracking type (ELTDT) for all Airbus aircraft programs.

The Ultima-DT is the latest solution from Orolia’s ELT line, based on its proven Kannad technology. It was developed in response to recent aviation safety mandates to enhance global aircraft tracking, following the MH370 and AF447 accidents.

As per the ICAO Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety Systems (GADSS) recommendation and European Union mandate, all new aircraft delivered from January 2023 shall be able to autonomously report their location anywhere in the world and determine the end of flight location to help rescue teams rapidly locate the aircraft and recover flight recorders.

Orolia’s Ultima-DT will be installed on a standard basis on all Airbus commercial aircraft programs, including the A220, A320 family, A330 and A350. First units will be delivered to Airbus for final assembly line installation in 2022, ensuring that aircraft delivered from January 2023 meet the autonomous distress tracking requirements. www.orolia.com

TW5382 smart GNSS antenna for high accuracy 5G timing

Tallymatics® Inc. has announced the TW5382 Smart GNSS Antenna for High-Accuracy 5G Timing. It is a multiband, multi-constellation 5G smart GNSS antenna/receiver that provides 5 ns (1-sigma, clear sky view) timing accuracy. It consists of two industryleading components: a Tallysman® GNSS Accutenna® technology antenna and a professional-grade GNSS timing receiver module. https://tallymatics.com

Antzertech unveils its GNSS expansion cards for cm-level positioning

Antzertech, an Internet of Vehicles (IoV) and telematics solution provider based in Taiwan, announces its high precision GNSS expansion card, which can achieve centimeter-level accuracy. The product is designed in mini-PCIe form factor with u-blox ZED F9P/F9R GNSS module, which can be easily integrated with embedded system to make a compact solution. Antzertech’s unique CAN-to ADR technology extends its usage to tunnels and urban canyons where satellite signal is poor or blocked. antzer-tech.com

Sonardyne for pioneering Armada fleet

Sonardyne technology has been selected to support the world’s largest and most environmentally sustainable fleet of ocean-going, multi-role robotic vessels, which is being launched by marine robotics company Ocean Infinity.

Sonardyne systems will provide part of Ocean Infinity’s new Armada fleet with key sensor technologies for underwater platform navigation, tracking, control and communications, as well as ensuring uninterrupted surface navigation, even when GNSS services are degraded or denied. www.sonardyne.com

NovAtel introduces new marinecertified GNSS receiver for nearshore applications

NovAtel recently unveiled their marine-certified GNSS receiver specially designed for nearshore applications: the MarinePak7. The multiconstellation, multi-frequency receiver has been specifically engineered to receive Oceanix Correction Service from NovAtel, providing horizontal accuracy up to three centimeters (95%) in a marine environment.

With SPAN GNSS+INS technology capabilities, the MarinePak7 deeply couples GNSS and inertial measurement units (IMUs) for a 3D understanding of your position. Delivering exceptional positioning, heading, attitude, velocity and heave measurements, the MarinePak7 is optimized to succeed in the demanding marine environment for nearshore applications. An intuitive user interface reduces training and setup time, making it an ideal solution for use in demanding marine applications, including dredging, hydrographic survey, marine construction and nearshore renewable energy operations. novatel.com

Leica Cyclone ENTERPRISE Project Management Hub

Leica Geosystems announces Leica Cyclone ENTERPRISE, a new, usermanaged, enterprise-level reality capture collaboration and project management platform. It enables collaboration and deliverable creation across platforms. The new platform provides a central tool for managing, collaborating and accessing reality capture projects to view, share and analyse rich data via Leica TruView LIVE – a new free web-browser based viewer.

Cyclone ENTERPRISE facilitates reality capture project management; provides access to rich, reality capture data though desktop programs and web browsers; and ensures secure, flexible, self-managed deployment. hexagon.com

eCognition Suite Version 10.0.1

Trimble Geospatial has announced the availability of the latest version of the Trimble® eCognition® Suite. eCognition Suite 10.0.1 is a maintenance release that includes improvements and bug fixes. Most notable are the fixes to supervised classification and deep learning tools:

Ecobot joins Trimble’s GIS Partner Program

Trimble has announced that Ecobot, a software company that provides cloud-based applications to speed environmental regulatory reporting, has joined Trimble’s Mapping & GIS Partner Program. As part of the program, Ecobot has implemented Trimble integration tools to add high-accuracy positioning capabilities within its wetland delineation app. The app, which runs on iOS mobile devices, connects with the Trimble® R1, R2, and R12 GNSS receivers to record precise field data. The combined solution allows Ecobot customers to provide fast, accurate U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) wetland delineations, which establish the location and size of a wetland for government regulatory purposes. www.trimble.com

SBG Systems releases the virtual base station feature in Qinertia

SBG Systems releases the Virtual Base Station feature in its in-house postprocessing software called Qinertia. Geospatial professionals benefit from an optimal centimetric position accuracy in all their projects, even for corridor mapping and in poorly covered RTK areas.

Qinertia is SBG Systems’ in-house GNSS and INS post-processing software. It gives access to offline RTK corrections from more than 7,000 base stations located in 164 countries. Trajectory and orientation are then greatly improved by processing inertial data and raw GNSS observables in forward and backward directions.

Qinertia PPK software now includes a brand new Virtual Base Stations (VBS) functionality. The VBS consists in computing a virtual network around your project in which position accuracy is maximized, homogeneous, and robust like a PPK short baseline is. Surveyors can collect data far from base stations or over large areas, making it ideal for corridor mapping. After the mission, Qinertia chooses the most relevant reference stations, builds a virtual network, and brings your project to the centimetric accuracy with no jump on accuracy nor convergence effects, even in urban areas.

Qinertia has been designed to support all GNSS receivers and third-party IMUs. It automatically adjusts the VBS network to compensate for any base station position inaccuracy and provides full quality control indicators to assess the expected accuracy and reliability. It automatically selects the best positioning technology that applies to your project, whether it is a single base station mode, the Virtual Base Stations mode, or a Precise Point Positioning computation. sbg-systems.com

FalconEye satellite by Airbus launched

The Earth observation satellite FalconEye was successfully launched from the European Spaceport (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana, on December 2nd, by an Arianespace Soyuz rocket. Owned and operated by the United Arab Emirates, it was developed by Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space as co-prime contractors. The FalconEye system will support the needs of the UAE’s Armed Forces. The satellite weighed 1190 kg at launch and will be raised to a helio-synchronous orbit of 611 km. www.thalesgroup.com

Teledyne e2v receives UK Space Agency grant

Teledyne e2v’s Space Imaging team, a part of the Teledyne Imaging Group, has secured funding from the UK Space Agency’s National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) that will demonstrate and help support intelligent image processing platforms. The funding is in response to the 2020/2021 NSIP theme for “Earth Observation to Tackle Climate Change” and will be jointly delivered with Craft Prospect, based in Glasgow.

The NSIP is the UK Space Agency’s programme established to support the development of innovation in the UK’s space sector. In collaboration with Craft Prospect, the RAPID project establishes a new consortium bringing together Teledyne e2v’s world-leading space imaging capabilities with Craft Prospect’s cutting-edge machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. In the discovery phase the consortium will use space-ready hardware to establish the RAPID test and demonstration system. www.teledyne-e2v.com

Restyled Eclipse Cross with TomTom connected navigation

TomTom has announced that its full stack of navigation components – maps, connected navigation, and real-time traffic services – has been chosen by Mitsubishi Motors to power the new Eclipse Cross’ infotainment system. The restyled SUV is the latest Mitsubishi model to be equipped with TomTom’s automotive-grade solution; other models include the Outlander, the ASX/Outlander Sport/RVR, and the Pajero Sport. www.tomtom.com

Digitisation of public buildings to go green

Hyvinkään Lämpövoima, the district heating company owned by the city of Hyvinkää (situated 30 miles north of Helsinki), has engaged AI specialist Nuuka to digitise the city’s public buildings. It has a target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2030.

Nuuka’s cloud-based platform will be used as part of Hyvinkään Lämpövoima’s control room service. The solution will collect and analyse all building automation system data and diagnose all building processes. www.bimplus.co.uk

HERE Technologies achieves AWS Public Safety & Disaster Response competency

HERE, has announced that it has achieved Amazon Web Services (AWS) Public Safety & Disaster Response (PSDR) Competency status. This designation recognizes that HERE delivers proven technology and deep expertise in location-based services to help customers leverage the power of AWS to protect the public and prepare, respond, and recover from natural or man-made emergencies and disasters. here.com