602 series of Nikon total stations
Nikon-Trimble Co. introduced the 602 Series of Nikon® Total Stations, new high-precision mechanical total stations that includes both a prism and prismless (reflectorless) model. It also added a reflectorless model to Nikon 502 Series. The new Nikon products are expected to be available soon through Tripod Data Systems (TDS) in the United States and Trimble
internationally. www.nikon-trimble.com

Personal navigation most profitable LBS in Europe
Berg Insight made the survey among LBS professionals at mobile operators, vendors and consultancies. There were two sets of questions asked to the 200 respondents, one to operators and another set to vendors and consultancies. We asked the operators which LBS applications they already have deployed and got the reply that the most common services today are information services. On second and third place came navigation services and tracking. We also asked the operators which positioning technology they think will be the most important the coming years. The majority, 65 percent, replied a combination of two or more technologies, while 35 percent said A-GPS. It is obvious that satellite positioning is coming up as a preferred technology among operators in Europe.www.lbsinsight.com

$2.4 million for satellite imaging
Mr. Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a five-year, $2.4-million project to provide access to new, high-quality satellite images of Canada and also the improved and standardized satellite images will be available to all Canadians for free over the Internet.
The newer and higher-quality images will be used for mapping, monitoring Canadian wetland areas and managing natural resources, and will support government decision and policy makers in the fields of public safety, health and the environment, as well as our northern and Aboriginal communities. Natural Resources Canada will coordinate and manage the project, ensure the quality of the data and liaise with the contractors, TELUS Corporation and Iunctus Geomatics Corp., who are supplying the satellite images.
www.NRCan.gc.ca

Geospatial industry poised for growth
Information systems alone, based on maps and satellite imagery is set to touch Rs 576 crore by 2010. At present, the market estimates for these services are Rs 12 crore. The optimism is based on the current growth rates of around 200 per cent and the huge potential. Geospatial Today and Spatial India, geospatial publications in association with Antrix Corporation and Survey of India, have brought out the report. According to the highlights of the report, the domestic market estimates for these geospatial services amounted to about Rs 562 crore in the financial year 2005. The market for these services is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.57 per cent per annum and reach Rs 1,824.98 crore by year 2010. The key driver for this increased growth is the expected investments in land information systems (ILIS) in several states of the country. It also provides an optimistic overview in as much as the total market in our country (domestic and exports markets) is expected to record a potential growth from Rs 962 crore in the year 2005 to Rs 2,820.30 crore at a CAGR of 14.5 per cent. India has emerged as a major data conversion centre for geospatial services. In FY 2005, this sector marked Rs 720 crore with an expected growth rate of 20 per cent.
www.blonnet.com

Indonesian military plane to map quake-hit areas
The Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI) have assigned a CN-235 airplane to carry out aerial photography on areas in the Yogyakarta region affected by 27 May 5.9-magnitude earthquake. The activity is aimed at making a detailed map of areas devastated by the quake.
TNI had also sent a Hercules C-130 plane carrying a TNI field medical team and three helicopters to evacuate victims.http://news.xinhuanet.com

Galileo – the European Programme for Global Navigation Services for civil purposes is an initiative led by European Union. We provide regular updates to our readers on the Galileo programme.
Galileo OS SIS ICD now available on-line The information contained in the Galileo Open Service Signal In Space Interface Control Document (SIS ICD) is made available to the public by the Galileo Joint Undertaking (GJU), an undertaking jointly created by the European Commission and the European Space Agency. www.galileoju.com

China to survey the Great Wall
The Great Wall resource investigation has kicked off officially in Hebei Province. It is the first time for China to make precise measurement and accurate survey on the Great Wall with comprehensive investigation and mapping skills, which will be undertaken for several years.
China has launched the nationwide investigation of the Great Wall for twice since the establishment of the new China. In the mid-1950s, China did primary investigation on the age and distribution of the Great Wall with the help of the national cultural relic survey, and the second-time investigation was undertaken in the 1980s.
http://news.xinhuanet.com

Navigate with Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin International Inchas announced the StreetPilot 2820, a premium automotive and motorcycle navigation device for customers, as well as a configurable platform for Garmin’s growing list of OEM partners. The StreetPilot 2820 builds upon the success of the StreetPilot 2700 series, and also incorporates Bluetooth wireless connectivity and a hands-free calling interface.
www.garmin.com

RT-5SW new long-range laser
A new long-range, dual-slope laser ideally suited for large job sites and agricultural land-leveling has been announced by Topcon Positioning Systems. The RT-5SW retains all of the primary benefits of the RT-5S series including five-arc-second accuracy – less than 1/32nd of an inch per 100 feet. It also features an integrated radio remote controller capable of two-way communication up to 1,000 feet. Radio communications between the remote and the base laser allows the operator to verify adjustments right from the cab of a machine. www.topconpositioning.com

US LBS market to grow to 1 million subscribers by 2010
Depending largely on the cellular operators actions, the US LBS business market is forecast to grow to from 582,000 to 1.1 million subscribed devices by the end of 2010, reports In-Stat. Location-enabled enterprise applications constitute a small but important segment of the market for mobile IT applications, the high-tech market research firm says. Applications for this technology include fleet management/dispatch, workforce and sales force management, as well as a variety of public sector location applications.
www.instat.com