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The INTERGEO Expo & Conference focuses on innovations for a smarter world. INTERGEO 2022 will take place October 18-20 in Essen, Germany.

Topics including the importance of geoinformation for internal security, monitoring for disaster control and prevention, open data, digital twins alongside their use in construction and housing, mobility, sustainability and climate change, BIM and engineering applications with UAV, laser scanning and monitoring will be discussed during the 2022 event.

Additionally, the outdoor area of Messe Essen will show live demonstrations of the latest UAV applications in surveying, agriculture, construction, security and many more.

According to INTERGEO organizers, 300 international companies are already registered at the Expo, from innovative young start-ups to international key players such as Autodesk, Esri Inc., Hexagon, Trimble, Topcon and many more. The organizers expect around 500 exhibitors by October.

“All the international key players in the industry will be there.There was no doubt about it – they all want to get back to their customers, to visitors, to the live atmosphere and the power of meetings”, says Prof. Dr-Ing. Hansjörg Kutterer, President of the organiser DVW e.V., Association for Geodesy, Geoinformation and Land Management.

For those who are unable to attend the event in Germany, there will be some opportunities to participate in the Expo remotely.

Up close and personal

Digital Twins will receive their big break at the Conference 2022. Their use in building information modeling, smart planning and construction as well as mobility will be the focus of the event. Digital twins will be used to further development of urban data platforms in the context of smart cities and their variety of applications, as well as the use of smart city solutions in terms of innovation and sustainability and a basis for predictions and scenarios in the event of disasters.

The main topics in 2022 are Digital Twins and their value creation, 4D geodata and Geospatial IoT, potentials of remote sensing, BIM 4.0, industrial surveying, measurement systems and robotics, smart cities and mobility in the context of climate change and sustainability, mobile mapping, web services and GeoIT in disaster relief, spatial reference and positioning, earth observation and Galileo.

Hansjörg Kutterer points out the high innovative power of the industry: “We are experiencing high dynamics in segments such as mobility, environment and sustainability, climate protection and urbanization. Geo-IT has positioned itself as a solution provider for these topics. Problem-solving without Geo-IT is unthinkable in these subject areas. Come to Essen on the 18th to 20th of October and visit Intergeo Expo and Conference.”

How to attend

Tickets for INTERGEO are now available. An early-bird registration rate is available until August 31. Tickets can be found at https://www.intergeo.de/en/tickets.

Registration for new exhibitors is open as well. All information, such as application procedures and funding amounts, can be found on the INTERGEO website at www.intergeo.de/en/.

The 6th Unmanned and Autonomous Systems for Utilities & Energy Conference will take place in Atlanta, GA on June 8-9, 2022.

The event aims to provide a platform for UAS professionals to gain insight from industry peers and regulatory bodies on best practices in pilot training, safety in inspections, data management and security, updates on Part 107, new UAS technologies, and other key issues for utilities.

The conference also includes discussions on alternatives to foreign-made drones, BVLOS waivers and use cases, a closer look at LiDAR and AI, and building and refining drone programs to boost efficiency and reliability. Attendees will learn how they can navigate through industry challenges by leveraging emerging technologies and improving existing strategies to boost operational success.

Join the event to learn how you can navigate through industry challenges by leveraging emerging technologies and improving existing strategies to boost operational success.

Those who are unable to attend in person have the option to attend virtually. The Live+ content platform will give you access to all the presentations and is loaded with features to ensure full participation.

AUVSI members are entitled to a discount on full price conference fees (not valid for solution providers).

Learn more about the event at https://www.marcusevans.com/conferences/unmannedsystems.

For registration information, cost and any discounts that may apply please contact:
Ria Kiayia
Digital Media & PR Marketing Executive
riak@marcusevanscy.com

Geoscience Australia is undertaking an assessment of the economic impact of the National Positioning Infrastructure Capability (NPIC) program.

The program provides free and open access to multi-GNSS observation streams from Australia’s network of continuously operating reference stations (CORS).

Users can connect to these data and product streams directly from Geoscience Australia or via a commercial positioning-service provider. The CORS network has been designed to support a national positioning capability that provides better than 5-cm accurate positioning solutions in areas with access to mobile-phone coverage (delivery via the internet).

Geoscience Australia has engaged ACIL Allen to conduct a web-based survey for stakeholders with interest in this program to assist with data gathering for the economic assessment.

The survey takes 15 to 20 minutes to complete. There is an additional optional component for service providers that may take an additional 15 minutes.

It can be completed in stages, if necessary, with a facility to save responses. It will remain open until June 28 (extended from May 25).

Questions can be directed to Alan Smart (project director) at 0404 822 312 or Nanumi Starke (ACIL Allen) at 0466 636 345.

Septentrio has taken a step toward simplifying the integration process of its GNSS receivers that include inertial navigation systems (GNSS/INS). Its new RxLeverArm software tool aids GNSS/INS installation and improves accuracy, with automatic optimization of lever-arm settings.

RxLeverArm is now part of Septentrio’s RxTools software package included with every Septentrio GNSS/INS receiver. This new tool visualizes, validates and automatically calibrates the exact distance between the INS sensor and the antenna, removing the need for accurate distance measurements with complex instruments.

“We are focusing our design around easy, efficient and effective INS installations ensuring short time-to-market and accurate deployment for our customers,” said Danilo Sabbatini, product manager at Septentrio.

“The RxLeverArm tool in combination with the intuitive web user interface, as well as the support material available in our knowledge base, enables customers to start testing within minutes after the physical installation of their receiver,” Sabbatini said.

For lever-arm compensation, users now only need to measure the rough distance between the inertial measurement unit (IMU) and the main GNSS antenna reference points on the vehicle. Data is then logged under open-sky conditions, which allows the RxLeverArm tool to optimize the initial rough distance measurement and prevent common errors such as sign inversion.

The result is simplification of the installation process and better accuracy of the lever-arm measurement.

The commercially available L5-only GNSS solution includes machine-learning algorithms to leverage increased L5 signal-ranging precision in challenging signal conditions.

OneNav has announced performance results from field testing its latest pureL5 customer evaluation system (CES) software in both open-sky and challenging signal environments.

The patent-pending oneNav GNSS system, including a custom array processor and a library of machine-learning algorithms, demonstrated consistent sub-meter accuracy and rapid time-to-first-fix (<2 sec) in open-sky testing.

In very challenging urban and deep urban canyon environments, the pureL5 CES field-test equipment outperformed the commercial precision L1 GNSS unit against which it was compared, demonstrating tracking of satellite signals as weak as –160 dBm.

The oneNav system was able to acquire directly and track L5 signals in all environments with no L1 receiver present, greatly simplifying the RF front end and antenna subsystem and making the pureL5 solution suitable for space- and power-constrained mobile and internet of things (IoT) devices requiring reliable high performance.

Results of a representative urban drive test route are shown below (the map describes the route driven). During this test, the CES and the commercial precision L1 receiver were both connected to a common antenna, fixes were taken once/second, and the results were compared to a common ground truth position. On average, the oneNav system demonstrated a 55% improvement in accuracy over the precision.

OneNav’s family of  algorithms improves pureL5 system performance by predicting whether the received signal is line of sight (LOS) and correcting non-line-of-sight (NLOS) signals to increase the number of measurements available for accurate positioning.

The pureL5 algorithms characterize signal and multipath environments. Accordingly, algorithms developed in one deep urban area can be used to mitigate multipath in areas geographically different, but that present similar multipath signatures. This obviates the need for field-test teams to collect data in thousands of urban areas around the globe.

Microchip Technology has launched its Precise Time Scale System (PTSS), which is not dependent on GNSS.

The PTSS is designed to give nations, institutions, critical infrastructure operators and scientific labs control over the time source for their critical infrastructure systems. It provides a high-quality back-up or alternative to GNSS as a source of time, which can be distributed through eLoran, IEEE 1588 over fiber, two-way time transfer, and other methods.

Core products integrated into the PTSS:

• SyncSystem 4380A Time Scale Edition generates an autonomous time scale derived from combining sever­al highly accurate independent clocks with a multi-channel instrument for measuring and comparing clock performance.
• Time Scale Orchestrator is a software platform providing a unified view with a built-in database that integrates the management, monitoring, alarming and reporting functions of the individual prod­ucts that form the time scale system.
• 5071A Cesium Clock Primary Frequency Standard and MHM 2020 Active Hydrogen Maser are Microchip’s atomic clocks that provide accurate and stable frequencies continuously measured against each other to compute and generate the ensemble time-scale frequency.

The PTSS integrates the new portfolio of time scale products into a turnkey solution, available in a single rack and guaranteed by a complete factory acceptance test (FAT) that exceeds the most stringent requirements.

More than 11,000 people around Europe and the world have turned their smartphones into GNSS monitoring tools by downloading the CAMALIOT app, so far delivering more than 53 billion measurements of meteorology and space weather patterns to researchers, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).

ESA asks CAMALIOT volunteers to leave their smartphones by a window each night with GNSS on. The phones record small variations in satellite signals, gathering data for machine-learning analysis. More than 50 smartphone models with dual-frequency receivers can use the app.

CAMALIOT was developed through ESA’s Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP) with the support of the agency’s Navigation Science Office through its GNSS Science Support Centre. The combination of GNSS data, smartphone access and machine learning in support of science is a priority research line of ESA’s Navigation Science Office.

GNSS signals undergo scintillation as they pass through irregular plasma patches in the ionosphere. This electrically charged upper atmospheric layer is continuously changing, influenced by solar activity, geomagnetic conditions and the local time of day. Dual-frequency GNSS receivers can compensate for this effect by comparing their two frequencies.

As these signals head to Earth, they are also modified by the amount of water vapor in the lower atmosphere, helping to forecast rainfall in particular.

“Fixed satnav stations already monitor these effects, but these smartphone-based measurements are boosting our coverage hugely. We’re very gratified by all the support we’ve received,” said Vicente Navarro, ESA navigation engineer. ”These results will then undergo a Big Data machine-learning analysis, seeking out previously unseen patterns in both Earth and space weather.”

Formally known as the Application of Machine Learning Technology for GNSS IoT Data Fusion project, CAMALIOT is run by a consortium led by ETH Zurich in collaboration with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.

Leveraging Orolia’s HATI core in combination with Arista MetaWatch, the integration provides sub-nanosecond timestamping with accurate, precise and reliable timing

Orolia has successfully supported the integration of its White Rabbit High Accuracy Timing IP (HATI) core within Arista 7130 network devices.

The collaboration between Orolia and Arista sets a new standard in time synchronization for FPGA-based network devices with the support of native White Rabbit capabilities to achieve sub-nanosecond time synchronization using optical fibers across multiple points in the network.

This integration is factory-supported in combination with the MetaWatch application in the Arista 7130LB platform, enabling distributed traffic capture with high-resolution timestamping, buffering and de-duplication, to provide advanced network monitoring and detailed network analytics. Deep buffering, time-ordered aggregation and de-duplication reduce the load on downstream packet capture and analysis devices.

“One key feature of this important collaboration is the simplification of the overall network architecture by eliminating coaxial cabling and PPS distribution equipment,” said Francisco Girela, White Rabbit application engineer with Orolia. “This integrated solution eases the adoption of White Rabbit, leading to cost savings, reduced footprint and better scalability.”

White Rabbit is an ultra-accurate IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) implementation that achieves sub-nanosecond accuracy over optical fiber links. Designed for use in avionics, telecommunications, space, defense and scientific applications, White Rabbit has become the gold standard for time distribution within electronic trading networks.

Arista’s MetaWatch is a powerful FPGA-based network application designed for Arista’s 7130 platform and combines several components of a traditional network monitoring solution into one device, which simplifies network data capture, monitoring and analytics.

“Moving from analog time synchronization to fiber-based White Rabbit will allow our customers to improve their network analytics while improving the overall synchronization accuracy across a large estate,” said David Snowdon, engineering director, Arista. “The combination of MetaWatch and White Rabbit allows for less than a nanosecond of error on any timestamp taken in a wide-area network — a crucial feature for trading firms optimizing their latency, or for exchanges guaranteeing fairness.”

Orolia’s WR Z16, a reliable and precise time fan-out solution for White Rabbit distribution on 1G Ethernet-based networks, is a standalone device with 16 SFP connectors that provide sub-nanosecond accuracy over the plug-and-play optical fiber links. The HATI core requires an activation license generated by Orolia to be loaded in the reference WR-Z16 device paired with it to be functional.

CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) has launched the i73+ pocket-sized GNSS receiver. The i73+ is a compact, powerful and versatile receiver with an integrated UHF modem that can be used either as a base station or rover. Powered by 624 GNSS channels and the latest iStar technology, the i73+ delivers survey-grade accuracy in all jobsite configurations.

“Building on the legacy of the i73 GNSS receiver, the new i73+ receiver is designed to maintain its proven compact and lightweight concept, but adds the ability to be operated as either an RTK base station or a rover,” said Rachel Wang, product manager, Surveying and Engineering Division, CHCNAV. “To enable this extra feature, we have built in the latest UHF modem technology, allowing the reception and transmission of RTK corrections without sacrificing receiver size and power consumption.”

Integrated Tx/Rx UHF modem extends capacity

The i73+ has a built-in transceiver radio module compatible with major radio protocols, making it a suitable portable built-in UHF base and rover kit with fewer accessories. The i73+ is a highly productive NTRIP rover when used with a handheld controller or tablet and connected to a GNSS RTK network via CHCNAV LandStar field software. 

The integrated, advanced 624-channel GNSS technology takes advantage of GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou, in particular the latest BeiDou 3 signal, and provides robust data quality at all times. The i73+ extends GNSS surveying capabilities while maintaining centimeter-level survey-grade accuracy. 

Built-in IMU technology

With its inertial measurement unit (IMU) compensation ready in 3 seconds, the i73+ delivers 3-cm accuracy at up to 30º pole tilt, increasing point measurement efficiency by 20% and stakeout by 30%. Surveyors are able to extend their working boundary near trees, walls and buildings without the use of a total station or offset measurement tools. 

The i73+ is the lightest and smallest receiver in its class, weighing only 0.73 kg including battery. It is almost 40% lighter than traditional GNSS receivers and easy to carry, use and operate without fatigue. The i73+ is packed with advanced technology, fits in hands and offers high productivity for GNSS surveys.

U.S. cellular carrier AT&T is rolling out location-based routing to automatically transmit wireless 9-1-1 calls to the appropriate call centers.

Traditionally, wireless 9-1-1 calls were routed based on the location of cell towers, which can cover up to a 10-mile radius. This can cause delays in emergency response, especially when a call is made where state, county or city boundaries overlap.

With location-based routing, a device can be located and routed within 50 meters of the device location. Through a new “Locate Before Route” feature from Intrado, AT&T can quickly and more accurately identify where a wireless 9-1-1 call is coming from using device GNSS and hybrid information to route the call to the correct 9-1-1 call center.

The nationwide rollout has started and is available in Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Guam. Additional regions will be rolled out over the next several weeks. The nationwide rollout is scheduled to be completed by the end of June.