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One-inch GNSS accuracy in under a minute, delivering seamless high-precision performance across the U.S. and southern Canada

Trimble has completed expanding its CenterPoint RTX Fast correction service, with coverage now spanning the contiguous U.S. and southern Canada. This expansion is central to Trimble’s vision to transform how and where users can leverage precision and accuracy.

Designed for autonomous applications in both on-road and off-road markets, the coverage and performance of the service enables industry professionals to re-think what is possible when using augmented positioning for improving safety, performance, productivity and operational efficiency.

See full coverage maps here.

The CenterPoint RTX Fast subscription service delivers horizontal positioning accuracy of 1 inch (2 centimeters) or less in under a minute, with the versatility of satellite or cellular delivery. This expanded coverage makes it the largest, high-performance GNSS correction network in the world, according to Trimble.

Base stations not required. The service encompasses more than 5 million square miles across North America and Europe. By using the service, said Trimble, farmers, land surveyors and GIS professionals can untether from the cost and complexities of GNSS base stations.

In addition, Trimble RTX Fast offers a single, continuous correction technology platform for enabling a broad range of safety-critical autonomous applications in markets such as automotive, agriculture and construction.

“This achievement is a major milestone in the continuous evolution of our correction service and autonomy strategy. We are delivering unmatched access to fast, reliable, highly accurate positioning in more areas than ever before,” said Patricia Boothe, senior vice president of Trimble’s Autonomy Sector. “Whether enhancing performance in the autonomy ecosystem or simplifying traditional mapping and surveying workflows, RTX Fast users can gain greater accuracy to improve productivity and operate safely — ultimately transforming the way they work and drive.”

CenterPoint RTX Fast subscriptions for Trimble RTX-compatible GNSS receivers are available through Trimble’s Authorized Business Partners or Trimble’s online store.

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has confirmed that the Xponential trade show will be moving to Oct. 5-8 and will now take place in Dallas.

The show was originally scheduled to take place May 4-7 in Boston. It was then postponed to tentatively take place Aug. 10-12 in Boston. Because AUVSI was unable to secure the original location for the new dates, the trade show has been moved to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.

“While we are disappointed to leave Boston, we are excited to confirm that we will be once again hosting Xponential in Dallas, Texas,” said Brian Wynne, president and CEO of AUVSI. “We anticipate great participation based on the attendance and engagement we experienced there in 2017, and our AUVSI Lone Star Chapter has already extended a warm welcome on behalf of the Texas unmanned systems community.”

According to AUVSI, it based its decision to reschedule to the fall on concerns for the health and safety of the attendees of the trade show because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“For 48 years we have witnessed how innovation and resolve meet challenges head-on to reshape critical missions and business operations for the better,” Wynne said. “Our commitment to supporting the unmanned systems community remains unwavering, so amidst the current global health crisis we, too, must adapt to fulfill that mission.”

AUVSI also will implement a health and safety plan to address social distancing and other measures to help keep participants safe, the association said.

The AUVSI Xponential trade show highlights advancement of businesses and technologies in the unmanned systems industry.

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Read more show updates here.

Tallysman Wireless Inc. has announced an extension of the standard warranty from one to three years for all housed GNSS antennas and radio-frequency accessory products purchased after Jan. 1, 2020.

The warranty comes about as a result of very low observed failure rates over the company’s 10-year history and its ongoing quality initiatives.

Tallysman Wireless is a leader in the GNSS antenna design and manufacturing industry. Tallysman offers a wide range of GNSS antenna elements, which includes accurate, low-profile ceramic patch (Accutenna), lightweight helical, high-efficiency Alfred loop (VeroStar) and precise cross dipole (VeraPhase and VeraChoke) technology antennas. All housed versions of these antennas are covered in the new standard three-year warranty.

Also included in the warranty period is the Tallysman line of radio-frequency accessories that includes low-noise inline amplifiers; compact, low-loss signal splitters; and power-regulated bias tees.

The standard warranty does not cover environmental hazards, such as lightning strikes, and abuse, such as physically damaged housings, ripped connectors and cables, normal corrosion, and wear and tear.

Qinertia, SBG Systems’ PPK software, now supports third-party IMUs and offers a GNSS post-processing license covering all major GNSS receivers

SBG Systems’ INS/GNSS post-processing kinematic (PPK) software called Qinertia now covers all surveyors’ projects by offering a license dedicated to GNSS post-processing. Open to the world, Qinertia supports all major GNSS receivers and is now open to third-party inertial measurement units (IMUs).

Qinertia has been designed to offer a comprehensive suite of post-processing software to geospatial professionals. It accepts all major GNSS manufacturers, and supports proprietary protocols from NovAtel, Septentrio, Trimble and u-blox for a straight-forward workflow.

The full-featured post-processing software offers native support for u-blox F9 real-time kinematic (RTK) receivers, reducing the workflow to a simple “drag and drop” to guarantee data integrity and accuracy.

Qinertia has been designed to help surveyors get the most of their surveys easily with a simple workflow, powerful quality control tools and tightly coupled algorithms. All of this is available to any surveyor with the new support of third-party IMUs or GNSS receivers. Several IMUs and inertial navigation systems (INS) have already been successfully integrated with Qinertia including Northrop Grumman’s LN-200 and LCI-100 and  the Inertial Sense µIMU.

The new Qinertia GNSS license allows surveyors to post-process both static and kinematic GNSS data. In just a few clicks, surveyors can improve their trajectories, access RTK corrections worldwide, or even control a base-station’s precise location using precise point positioning (PPP) static computations.

GIS and Photogrammetry. Whether they fly a UAV or drive a car, professionals can improve their image location accuracy. Qinertia has been designed to help surveyors get their GIS or photogrammetry projects way more precise, by exporting a centimetric position for each picture at the exact shutter event.

A new high-performance compact GPS/GNSS receiver with an on-board IMU sensor, tailored to the needs of UAV applications

Septentrio, a world leader in high-precision GNSS positioning solutions, has announced a new GNSS/INS receiver, AsteRx-i D UAS. This multi-frequency receiver combines reliable centimeter-level positioning with 3D orientation, enabling automated navigation of aerial drones and robots.

GNSS signals received include the American GPS, European Galileo, Russian GLONASS, Chinese BeiDou, Japan’s QZSS and India’s NavIC.

With a high-performance IMU (inertial measurement unit) from Analog Devices integrated directly into the receiver board, AsteRx-i D UAS is compact and lightweight. Aboard the drone, its small form-factor combined with exceptionally low power consumption results in extended battery life and longer flight times.

“With this product we introduce into our inertial-GNSS portfolio an IMU which allows us to reduce the weight and power consumption of our UAS boards while making them easier to integrate. These are all key elements for a successful UAV platform.”

AsteRx-i D UAS is the first commercial product resulting from Septentrio’s collaboration with Analog Devices, delivering robust positioning and attitude (heading, pitch and roll) in demanding industrial environments. Both single-antenna and dual-antenna versions are available.

The single-antenna version provides a lightweight solution optimizing the system SWaP (size, weight and power). The dual-antenna version is designed for machines that need reliable heading directly from the start.

AsteRx-i D UAS comes with Septentrio’s Advanced Interference Mitigation (AIM+) technology. In aerial drones, where many electronics are crammed into a small space, neighboring devices can emit electromagnetic radiation, interfering with GNSS signals. AIM+ offers protection against such interference resulting in faster set-up times and robust continuous operation.

The on-board IMU from Analog Devices is exceptionally robust against mechanical vibrations. This IMU combined with Septentrio’s anti-shock LOCK+ technology makes AsteRx-i D UAS resilient against impact during takeoff and landing.

The AsteRx-i D UAS evaluation kit is now available in Septentrio’s online shop, which offers direct access to the company’s latest GNSS technology. For more information, contact sales@septentrio.com.

Related insight articles: Revolutionizing Precision Ag: drones with high-performance GPS+INS

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Feature image: Septentrio

Next-generation phase noise instrument combines timing technologies in a smaller, higher performance measurement instrument

To help research and manufacturing engineers make precise and accurate measurement of frequency signals, including those generated by atomic clocks and other high-performance frequency reference modules and subsystems, Microchip Technology Inc. has announced the availability of the new 53100A Phase Noise Analyzer, a next-generation phase noise test instrument.

The 53100A Phase Noise Analyzer is designed for engineers and scientists who rely on precise and accurate measurement of frequency signals generated for 5G networks, data centers, commercial and military aircraft systems, space vehicles, communication satellites and metrology applications.

Capable of measuring radio frequency (RF) signals up to 200 MHz, the new test instrument rapidly acquires frequency signals and characterizes the phase noise, jitter, Allan deviation (ADEV) and time deviation (TDEV) quickly and precisely. All attributes of a frequency reference can be completely characterized with a single instrument within minutes.

The 53100A Phase Noise Analyzer enables a variety of configurations by allowing up to three separate devices to be tested simultaneously using a single reference, enabling higher capacity for stability measurements. At 344 x 215 x 91mm (13.5 x 8.5 x 3.6 inches), the phase noise test instrument is small enough for integration into manufacturing automated test equipment (ATE) systems, yet powerful enough for laboratory-grade metrology. Its interface provides backward compatibility with Microchip’s 51xxA test sets’ command and data stream, reducing the need to redesign existing ATE infrastructure.

The 53100A Phase Noise Analyzer provides flexibility by allowing an input reference device to be connected through the front panel at a different nominal frequency than the device under test — allowing a single reference to characterize a variety of oscillator products. Rubidium frequency standards such as Microchip’s 8040C-LN or a quartz oscillator such as Microchip’s 1000C Ovenized Crystal Oscillator (OCXO) could be used as a reference as well as other manufacturers’ precise oscillators.

The 53100A Phase Noise Analyzer is available now. Microchip supports the 53100A Phase Noise Analyzer with technical support services as well as an extended warranty.

Garmin has released data that highlights activity trends throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the company, the week President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency marked a major shift in human activity.

Garmin data pointed to a massive decline in the overall number of steps taken during the second two weeks of March in the U.S. This trend is consistent with the company’s global trend data in China, Italy and other countries where the coronavirus pandemic struck first.

“We’re observing a remarkable shift in the types of activities people are doing, reflecting an unprecedented about-face when it comes to typical springtime exercise and activity,” Garmin said in a blog post.

To paint a clear picture of the initial trends, Garmin engineers and data analysts looked at the percent change in activity levels in the United States for specific sports and exercises and compared the first half of March with the second half of March to determine increases and decreases. The results also are baselined against the same time period in 2019.

Here’s an overview of how activity has changed.

• Skiing and snowboarding: These activities are down 96%. This aligns with resorts closing because of the pandemic.
• Cycling: Virtual cycling activity was up 64% in the second half of the month, a shift that appears even more atypical when comparing it to the same time period last year. March 2019 saw a 20% decline in the activity as cyclists naturally began to take their rides outside to enjoy the warmer weather, Garmin said.
• Indoor/treadmill running: Indoor/treadmill running is down 44%. According to Garmin, this doesn’t mean this activity has come to a halt. Because gyms across the country are closed, a number of treadmills aren’t being used. In fact, virtual running saw a steep increase in the second half of March, and despite gym closures, overall indoor cardio is holding strong over 2019 levels and showing an 18% week-over-week increase from March 16 to March 30. This suggests more people are exercising, and they’re finding ways to do it from home, with and without their own equipment, Garmin said.
• Lap swimming: Lap swimming is down 88%.
• Walking: Walking is up 36% when comparing the front half of March to the back half of March. This surge is double the 18% increase observed over the same time period last year, Garmin reported.
• Yoga: Garmin wearable device data shows an 11% increase in yoga activity, when comparing the front and back halves of the month. This is an increase in 2019 data, as well.
• Golf: Golf has seen a 20% decline in activity for the second half of March. When comparing the same two time periods last year, golfing activity increased by 53%.

The 2020 Trimble Dimensions conference has been canceled because of COVID-19.

According to the company, Trimble Dimensions is the signature event for Trimble’s global user community spanning agriculture, construction, geospatial, transportation, utilities and more. The show highlights technology and how it transforms the way professionals work to achieve success.

“Unfortunately, the overwhelming concerns and ongoing impact of COVID-19 inhibit our ability to deliver a conference that meets the high standards of safety and excellence our attendees expect and deserve,” Trimble said in a press release.

The event was scheduled to take place Nov. 2-4 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Trimble Dimensions is a biennial event.

Fibocom’s 5G modules FG150 and FM150 have completed the first data call and end-to-end data transmission services under China Mobile’s Standalone-Structured 5G network. The download rate exceeds 100 Mbps.

Fibocom is a leading provider of cellular embedded wireless module solutions for the internet of things (IoT).

Fibocom FG150 and FM150 5G modules are the first 5G modules based on the Qualcomm SDX55 platform to offer the data-transmission services under the SA-structured 5G network in China, Fibocom said. Its IoT wireless modules incorporate GNSS receivers that receive GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and Beidou signals.

See a test video here:

“Wireless modules are essential for communication between IoT terminals and the base stations. As the world’s leading IoT wireless module solution provider, we are proud that our 5G modules have achieved another R&D milestone in the industry,” said Tiger Ying, CEO of Fibocom. “The completion of the first data call under SA-Structured 5G network is a significant step towards realization of all the three 5G features (eMBB, uRLLC, mMTC) in IoT industry and helps our customers to accelerate the large-scale deployment of 5G industry applications.”

The test was run on the Fibocom FM150 5G module with China Mobile’s 5G SIM card under the n41 network frequency band in the Shenzhen Mobile 5G Joint Innovation Center.

The Fibocom FM150 5G module has been successfully registered on the 5G SA network and established the PDU session. In the 5G SA communication process, the establishment of the PDU session is a symbolic link for successful dialing.

Fibocom FG150 and FM150 5G modules support both 5G SA and NSA network architectures, providing an integrated multi-network solution that is compatible with the global 5G Sub 6 and millimeter-wave bands. Fibocom 5G modules are compatible with both LTE and WCDMA standards, reducing customers’ investment in the early stages of 5G deployment and helping customers to switch their older product lines to 5G product lines quickly.

Fibocom’s 5G modules have global coverage, accelerating scale deployment of the 5G IoT applications. Applications include: 4K/8K video live broadcast, cloud office (ACPC), drone, robot, AR/VR, 5G virtual dress mirror, 5G cloud game, 5G digital signature, 5G wireless gateway, 5G CPE, 5G SD-WAN, smart grid, telemedicine, connected cars, intelligent transportation system, autonomous driving, smart homes and smart cities.

UAVOS has successfully tested its new two-stage parachute system. The new parachute system provides slow descent of a UAS at high speed. It includes two parachutes — the pilot chute and a main chute used to slow and stabilize the UAS.

The decrease in the load speed on the UAS occurs due to the main chute opening delay function, when the pilot chute opens first. The parachute system is designed for UAS with speeds of up to 280 mph (450 kph) and weight of up to 110 lb (50 kg).

Watch the parachute in action:

The pilot chute allows safe, slow descent of the UAV during the main parachute deployment, as well as to open up the main chute at a minimum altitude.

After landing, the group of the main parachute lines is automatically unfastened to collapse the canopy of the main chute and releases after touchdown to avoid dragging the aircraft along the ground. Unfastening is carried out by the lock of a three-step release:

Stage 1: Opening the pilot chute
Stage 2: Opening the main chute
Stage 3: Release of the group of lines of the main parachute

“In the aircraft safety developments, saving an entire aircraft through a deployable parachute system is a crucial thing,” said Aliaksei Stratsilatau, CEO and lead developer of UAVOS. These trials have generated an amount of data that allows us to quantify the performance of parachute system for future missions. Computer modeling cannot capture all the complexities. Parachutes encounter turbulent and dynamic airflow, which is almost impossible to replicate with computers. The only way to get a handle on all the possibilities is test.”