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In recent years, the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry has benefited greatly from growing GNSS accuracy, smaller laser scanners, UAVs, and more efficient management, collaboration and visualization software. We asked five companies operating in this space to address three questions:

• What are the key challenges of surveying for the AEC industry today, compared with traditional boundary surveying and other types of surveying?
• Which of your products are particularly relevant for this kind of surveying?
• What was a recent AEC surveying success story?

In the following articles, five companies briefly describe their experience with the AEC industry:

JAVAD GNSS: A surveyor’s perspective by Shawn Billings

Nearmap North America: AEC firms use aerial mapping to share in infrastructure funding by Tony Agresta

Leica Geosystems: The surveyor as a data manager by Richard Ostridge & Shane O’Regan

CHC Navigation: The rise of digital-twin models Francois Martin

ComNav Technology : Surveying in urban conditions by Jania Zhu

Featured Photo: CHCNav

Increasing urbanization is creating pressure to manage housing, utilities and infrastructure holistically. Hence the concept of digital twins. Digital twins enable the integrated operation and maintenance of any geospatial asset to meet the increased demand for efficient and intelligent transportation systems, the green expansion of urban areas and sustainable infrastructure.

Traditional GNSS or optical measurement instruments no longer suffice to capture all the necessary information in a timely manner and with the right levels of detail. Integrating technological advances — GNSS, inertial systems, lidar sensors and 360° spherical imagery — into a single mobile-mapping system has greatly increased the ability to produce complete 3D models with high accuracy and precision. Mobile mapping also directly reduces workload, lowers project costs, simplifies data use, and provides reality-based design.

Mobile mapping surveys have been proven to be four to 10 times faster and three to seven times less expensive than traditional methods, delivering the required results up to three times faster. Integrated, multi-platform mobile-mapping solutions bridge the gap between the real world and the digital world for greater interoperability and accessibility of data in near real-time.

The high-accuracy and cross-platform design of CHC Navigation’s AlphaUni 900 lidar system provides an innovative solution for 3D spatio-temporal data acquisition, which is necessary for the digital transformation of the AEC industry.

Smart Cities

After developing for more than a decade, digital-twin technology is now a complex and comprehensive technical system to support the construction of new smart cities. It is an advanced model for the continuous innovation of urban development and a future form of modernization combining the virtual and real worlds. The creation of digital-twin cities brings to the forefront high-level topographic tools capable of providing comprehensive, multi-dimensional, large-scale, high-resolution data sets.

To illustrate typical digital-city projects, CHC Navigation conducted a proof-of-concept demonstration in the Jinshan District of Shanghai, which covers an area of about 600 square kilometers. This area has rich terrain features and characteristics typical of large modern cities, such as tall buildings, power lines, rivers and vegetation.

Versatile and easy-to-use platforms are essential for the democratization of lidar systems. Capturing 3D data with a single-platform lidar system can leave some areas blank in the point-cloud data. The AlphaUni900 lidar solution, with its multi-platform capability, can easily capture complete data from a UAV, car, backpack or unmanned surface vessel (USV) and provide a sophisticated and comprehensive 3D model. The AlphaUni 900 integrates seamlessly with real buildings, provides exterior and interior mapping, and dramatically changes the way high-precision data is collected.

The derived 3D models can be easily merged and correlated with social or economic spatial data, for example from building-integrated internet of things (IoT) and cloud computing data. As a result, complex operations can be optimized in real time, potential problems can be anticipated, and planned maintenance can be implemented to ensure the sustainability of urbanization projects over their entire lifespan, all in a fully connected model.

Affordable, user-friendly solutions for capturing and processing airborne lidar data and imagery have triggered a strong adoption of UAV technology in the AEC industry. For CHC Navigation, 2021 was marked by the huge success of the AlphaAir 450, a breakthrough in 3D UAV mapping technology. With its ease of use, high accuracy and affordability, the AA450 expands the scope of lidar surveying to non-professional users in geospatial reality-capture applications and to those who have never been able to afford such technology before.

While some tasks for AEC surveying are similar to other types of surveying — such as original ground surveying, creating site control and live monitoring — the biggest differences and challenges arise in data management, timeframes, communication and deliverables.

In AEC surveying, the project timeline is the primary factor driving everything, creating a different kind of pressure on the surveyor. As data experts and problem solvers, surveyors for AEC must quickly adapt to construction progress, as their survey knowledge can be needed on site at any point.

Information transfer challenges also exist — such as clearly communicating data to non-surveyors who perform measurement tasks — along with creating unique deliverables across construction stages. These include 3D terrain models with real-world coordinates for architects; fit-for-purpose computer-aided design and Industry Foundation Class models for machine operators and mechanical, electrical and plumbing installers or off-site fabricators; and progress reports for project owners.

Several AEC firms have opted to create their own inhouse survey teams. This allows greater control over the consistency and clarity in communication and deliverables, because they focus exclusively on surveying for AEC and are therefore familiar with its specific challenges.

The main challenge for the surveyor in AEC is sifting through and processing the data, assessing quality, understanding relevance, producing results and crafting deliverables to meet the clients’ needs.

An integrated total solution is important for AEC surveyors who must decide not only which technology to use, but how to process data from different technologies together. Our products fit within this integrated solution concept.

Leica Geosystems‘ automated total stations, multistations and GNSS blend innovation and traditional technology, such as the Leica GS18 I with tilt and visual positioning, enabling surveyors to measure more, faster.

For mass data collection, the Leica RTC360 3D laser scanner operates at two million points per second and contains visual inertial system (VIS) technology simplifying the registration process. The Leica BLK series combines intelligence and accessibility, including the BLK360 imaging laser scanner, the handheld BLK2GO, and the latest autonomous technology of the BLK2FLY and BLKARC.

Finally, our software connects surveyors to their sensors and data in the field with Leica Captivate and Leica Cyclone Field 360 and to the office with Leica Infinity and Leica Cyclone, extending to existing CAD software with the Leica CloudWorx suite of CAD plug-ins.

Bringing an Aqua Park to Life

One memorable success story was the use of our products for AEC survey tasks during construction of Germany’s biggest aqua park, Rulantica. The survey work was led by Saladin Keller of Keller planen + bauen. The project involved the creation and construction of a Nordic-themed water world featuring 25 attractions, including water slides, a wave pool and a lazy river.

Alongside all the typical surveying for AEC tasks — establishing site control, staking out pipes, and planning and staking the entire traffic infrastructure — Keller had the challenge of measuring and positioning the complex internal geometry. These tasks required skilled surveyors and a variety of survey tools, such as total stations, GNSS rovers, laser scanners and powerful processing software.

Operating within the AEC environment also meant that communication and flexibility were key to the success of the project. Keller needed to provide the right data to different trades and handle urgent maintenance requests requiring surveying skill, such as rebuilding parts and adjusting utilities.

With Congressional approval of $17 billion in infrastructure funding, the largest single allocation ever, the scramble to win contracts is about to get red hot and AEC firms are gearing up. In this very competitive game, top engineering firms are relying on their experience, technology, business acumen and ability to execute.

Advances in aerial mapping play a key role in how AEC firms pursue these contracts. Savvy firms have been using this technology for years. Rather than rely on lower resolution satellite imagery or local drone imagery, they use wide-area-coverage aerial maps to clearly display the detail needed to plan and execute.

Over the past decade, maps made using aerial photogrammetry have played an important role in the AEC space. Using high-performance cameras, fleets of planes capture hundreds of square miles per plane per day, provided that the weather is clear. The imagery is processed and made available to engineering companies within days of capture, allowing them to see very clear imagery.

AEC organizations use different forms of aerial maps to evaluate sites, improve their survey designs, and build and maintain infrastructure (roads, highways, bridges, tunnels, overpasses, rail, airports, housing, commercial building development, water resources, parks, pavement and more). Imagine you’re a state or local government that needs to build a bridge, or a developer who wants to contract with an engineering and construction firm to build affordable housing. Why travel to perform time-consuming site evaluations when you can meet with engineering teams in your office and review hundreds of potential sites instantly using current aerial photos that show change over time?

The engineering teams point out elevation changes, the presence and height of vegetation, neighboring communities, bodies of water, ponding and more. They easily navigate from one location to another as you discuss where the entrance to the community could be, how the road network might be configured, and the proximity to retail, schools and healthcare. Within minutes you measure risk, understand the landscape, make decisions, and begin to estimate the project costs. Your teams collaborate, discuss the pros and cons, measure distances and navigate across the terrain virtually.

Aerial mapping provides a competitive advantage for AEC companies to win their fair share of the infrastructure bill. It also gives governments and developers the confidence they need to make the right decisions. Typically, this involves looking at sites from all angles. The classic form of aerial mapping used by engineers is a top-down perspective. Increasingly, these organizations have used oblique imagery captured at an angled perspective, which shows height.

Artificial Intelligence and Aerial Photography

Starting a few years ago, 3D imagery and digital surface models began to allow engineers to navigate through the imagery and query it based on elevation. More recently, aerial mapping has leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to classify properties and the landscape. Do you need to see nearby construction sites? AI applied to aerial photography can do that automatically. This rich set of data includes attributes such as tree overhang, roof condition, roof material, building footprints, vegetation height, surface material, swimming pools and even solar panels.

The blend of all these imagery types and AI into a single solution makes everything discoverable. Users can search by address, city, location or point of interest. They can visualize the imagery along with lat/long coordinates and quickly switch from top-down views to obliques to 3D. As they learn more about the landscape, they begin to turn on AI attributes, gaining deeper insights.

Sometimes, the analyses go even further. Engineering organizations export the imagery to tools of their choice from such companies as Autodesk, Esri or Bentley Systems, use field-collected ground control points to ensure that it is survey grade, then use it as a base layer for their designs. They even create marketing presentations and video content to help them win the business. Current high-resolution aerial maps have become a cornerstone of how these organizations operate.

This approach provides unique advantages for engineering firms. For example, they can combine geospatial and construction datasets in a common operating environment to reduce complexity, streamline communication, ensure that all stakeholders are up to date, and check their progress toward meeting contractual obligations.

Planners have current, contextual designs and models to make accurate decisions about planning and development activities. They can view asset locations and conditions to facilitate maintenance and upgrades, leverage aerial maps inside other platforms to improve work orders and reduce field visits, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Whether it’s improving highway safety, constructing ferry terminals, improving transportation systems, developing land or building a network of recreational trails, aerial imagery provides engineering and construction companies with a competitive advantage to win new business, improve client satisfaction and meet growth targets. With $17 billion on the line, sophisticated firms are finding a way to secure their fair share of the pie.

Russia’s military could target GPS and communication satellites as part of its war in Ukraine, reports Space News.

The news outlet cites U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Director Christopher Scolese speaking Feb. 23 at the National Security Space Association’s Defense and Intelligence Space Conference.

“I think we’re seeing pretty clearly that Russia is committed to doing what they want to do in Ukraine, and they want to win,” Scolese said. “So I think it’s fair to assume that, to the extent that they can, and to the extent that they feel it won’t extend the conflict out of their control, that they will extend it into space.” 

An attempt to disrupt the United States’ space ability could affect satellites of private operators as well, such as Maxar, which is distributing imagery of the conflict.

By Shawn Billings  
RPLS, Proprietor, Pendulum Surveying and Dealer

The AEC industry relies on surveyors to be a bridge between the existing landscape and the design landscape. Surveyors have been providing virtual reality for centuries, albeit in a mostly analog way, until very recently.

Imagine that a school board needs a new school. It describes the need to an architectural or civil engineering company, which develops a conceptualized plan. Next, it is time to figure out how to adapt this rough concept to the real world. Will the school fit within the boundaries of its district’s property? How will it access public rights-of-way? Can the current roads accommodate the traffic it will bring? How will the school access utilities? How will the building impact existing stormwater drainage? How do various data collected by others (such as geotechnical and wetlands delineation) fit into the site plan?

The data collected by the surveyor inform the designer, usually in the form of a map — historically on paper, but now in digital form. Most designers want the key features extracted rather than a dense point cloud, so it is important for surveyors to be able to understand what those key features are.

AEC surveying differs from boundary surveying in several ways. First, it usually requires consideration of a 3D world, not only two dimensions. Secondly, it will usually involve many thousands of points, not a few tens of points as is usually the case in boundary surveying. Third, AEC surveying will typically involve many more stakeholders. Fourth, the liability in AEC surveying will usually (but not always) be greater because of the significant costs involved.

AEC surveying can be challenging because the timeframes are typically tight, with numerous professionals involved. Surveyors will often have to wait on others one day, only to be rushed the next day once the ball moves into their court. However, the tools available to us today allow us to collect data much more quickly than we ever could before.

Today, I can carry almost everything I need to survey in a compact car—my Javad GNSS real-time kinematic (RTK) system, my robotic total station, my handheld electronic distance measuring device, my laptop computer, my smartphone (which provides internet access), my digital camera, my lidar and my photogrammetric drone, as well as the accessories needed for each device. All these devices have become more portable, more powerful, and less expensive. The gains in efficiency have reduced fieldwork by more than half over the past couple of decades, requiring fewer people and generally providing much better quality data.

Today, it is rare for a surveyor to provide paper deliverables to designers. Almost all prefer digital files, usually vector data in DWG or DGN format along with surfaces in XML format.

Recently, I have worked on several small commercial building projects. The requirements were the same for each. The initial survey includes (among other things):

• a title boundary survey
• the location of existing utilities and structures
• contours at one-foot intervals
• the delineation of the floodplain, if present on the site
• the location of streets and other public access.
• Once the initial survey is complete, I often set control for machine control, which heavy machinery uses to perform grading without requiring stakes. Once grading is complete, I often stake out building locations and sometimes paving.

Challenges have included working with city planners who do not always have the same sense of urgency as the project developers and designers.

Perhaps the greatest lesson I have learned is the importance of being efficient without being in a hurry, which breeds mistakes, such as missing important details or breaching a safety protocol and causing a serious injury.

I also have learned that while technology can increase profits, it is important to reinvest some of them into improving my work product. This way, I enjoy a better return on my investment, but I also enjoy a better deliverable for my clients.

In mid-November, Russia destroyed a retired satellite with a ground-based anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon. This created significant debris, which endangered other assets in low-Earth orbit, including the International Space Station (ISS). Two Russian cosmonauts were serving on the seven-person ISS crew at the time.

Two weeks later, Russia followed up the ASAT demonstration with the boast that they could destroy all 32 Global Positioning System satellites at once, blinding the U.S. and NATO.

Based on the ASAT demonstration and unclassified reports from the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, it is pretty clear that Russia can destroy all, or at least most, GPS satellites in one go.

What is less clear, is whether Russia would really do that.

To find out, Dana A. Goward spoke with George Beebe, who once served as the Central Intelligence Agency’s top analyst for Russia and Eastern Europe. He is now the director of programs at the Center for the National Interest, a center-right think tank.

Dana A. Goward: Russia’s threat to destroy GPS was made shortly after they destroyed an old satellite in space. What do you make of that demonstration, and all the dangerous debris it created?

George Beebe: Well, they were clearly sending a message — several messages, in fact. First, of course, that they have the ability to destroy satellites in space. This is part of a larger narrative they want to tell — that they are a world power which must be reckoned with. And it is no coincidence that this was done while they were amassing troops along Ukraine’s borders.

Another message is that they know the U.S. and Europe are very dependent on space, and we are vulnerable there.

DG: But the space debris will threaten satellites and people in low-Earth orbit for years to come. That seems to be reckless and counter to their own interest.

GB: While others see that as reckless and irresponsible, Russian officials almost certainly see it as an expression of resolve. That was actually another message. They were saying, “We are willing to endanger our own equipment and people.”

Translate that to their concern about keeping Ukraine from joining NATO and otherwise falling into the West’s sphere of influence. It might be, “We are willing to accept the pain in order to keep Ukraine from leaving our orbit.”

Unfortunately, I am not sure most Western leaders picked up on the “We are resolved” message.

DG: Attacking GPS would be a huge, devastating and dangerous move, though. How could things get so bad they would do that?

GB: Russia sincerely believes it is generally threatened by the West, and specifically by NATO.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, they have seen their global influence recede, and Western influence on their borders greatly expand. Some of their neighbors have joined NATO. Others, like Ukraine, have not, but would like to eventually come under the NATO umbrella. For the Kremlin, this is unacceptable. It is akin to what Soviet missiles in Cuba were for the United States.

Over the last decade and a half, Putin has rebuilt the Russian military. He is now looking to draw lines in the sand for the West to not cross.

At the same time, the West feels threatened by Russia. Hitler’s aggression and refusal to be appeased by territorial concessions is standard reading in every Western history class. American and European leaders feel compelled to hold the line and not give into what they see as Putin’s territorial ambitions.

This is a very dangerous situation as both sides see themselves acting defensively and the other acting aggressively.

DG: I guess it is much easier to justify something to yourself and your compatriots if you think you are only acting in self-defense.

GB: Exactly. The problem comes when one side does something in self-defense and, in response, the other side feels compelled to do something as well. This can spawn an escalating tit-for-tat that spirals out of control into a bigger conflict no one wants.

DG: The West is imposing economic sanctions. At least that is harder to interpret as aggressive.

GB: Before World War II, the U.S. imposed severe economic sanctions on Japan in response to its expansionist moves in Asia. The sanctions were so severe that they were crippling and threatened to bring down Japan’s military government. The week before Pearl Harbor, the Japanese delivered a diplomatic note to the United States saying the sanctions amounted to an act of war. So, economic sanctions are not always an absolutely safe route.

DG: Do you think Russia would ever really attack GPS? And how might that go down?

GB: It depends on how backed into a corner they feel. They certainly know that our military and our homeland are very dependent on GPS, and we have no real alternative in place. It doesn’t help that they are much less dependent on GLONASS and have an alternative for when signals from space are not available.

So, they can definitely do more harm to us than we can to them by interfering with navigation satellites.

It would take a lot to goad them into physically attacking GPS satellites. That would be an irreversible step they undoubtedly understand could lead to all-out war.

Far more likely would be a cyber-attack on the systems controlling the GPS constellation. Such an attack could be harder to attribute to them. It could also be reversed if they got what they wanted.

I could also see them jamming GPS and Galileo signals across Europe and the United States as part of an escalated conflict. Russian forces excel at electronic warfare, and the jamming could easily be turned off once they achieved their goals, or if things seemed to be getting out of hand.

A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the February 2022 issue of GPS World magazine.

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OEM

GNSS Receiver

For tracking, telematics

The LENA-R8 GNSS receiver is based on the u-blox M10 platform. The compact module balances cost and performance with a single antenna and primarily targets customer deployments in the Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia, and South America regions. Designed for tracking and telematics, the module series was designed to minimize material costs and data charges. The LENA-R8 supports a broad range of frequency bands with 2G fallback, providing maximum roaming coverage for global tracking applications using a single stock keeping unit (SKU).

U-blox, u-blox.com

Helical Antenna

For UAVs and other applications

The low-profile triple-band HC997EXF embedded helical GNSS antenna features eXtended Filtering (XF). It is designed for precise positioning, covering the GPS/QZSS-L1/L2/L5, GLONASS-G1/G2/G3, Galileo-E1/E5a/E5b, BeiDou-B1/B2/B2a, and NavIC-L5 frequency bands. It also covers regional satellite-based augmentation systems (WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS, GAGAN) and L-band correction services. It is packaged in a light (11 g), compact form factor (60 x 25 mm). Its precision-tuned, high-accuracy helical element provides an excellent axial ratio and operates without a ground plane, making it suitable for lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation and a wide variety of precision applications.

Tallysman Wireless, tallysman.com

A-PNT Card

High precision for defense

The SX-124 ruggedized 3U OpenVPX high-performance positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) card can provide timing and positioning information in a GPS-denied environment through sensor fusion. It is designed for highly integrated systems with a requirement for the U.S. Army’s C5ISR Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) and alignment with the Open Group Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) technical standard. The SX-124 can accept external sources or use its onboard GNSS receivers as reference inputs for timing and positioning data. The positioning data can be fused with internal and external inertial measurement units.

Spectranetix, spectranetix.com

MEMS Accelerometers

Radiation tested for space

The Model 1527 series is a family of miniature, radiation-tested, tactical-grade micro-electromechanical (MEMS) accelerometers. Offered in three full-scale acceleration ranges — ±10 g, ±25 g and ±50 g — the series is designed to support a variety of critical space electronics testing requirements, including those of spacecraft, satellites and CubeSats. Their small bias and scale-factor temperature coefficients, excellent in-run bias stability and zero cross-coupling make the Model 1527 series particularly well-suited for spacecraft electronics testing applications requiring low power consumption (+5 VDC, 6.5 mA), low noise, long-term measurement stability in –55° C to +125° C environments, and performance reliability under intermittent radiation exposures.

Silicon Designs, silicondesigns.com

Automotive Receiver

Guidance for advanced driver assistance systems

The STA8135GA automotive-qualified GNSS receiver is designed to deliver the high-quality position data needed by advanced driving systems. Part of the Teseo V family, the STA8135GA integrates a triple-band positioning measurement engine. It also provides standard multi-band position-velocity-time (PVT) and dead reckoning. The multi-constellation receiver delivers raw information for the host system to run any precise-positioning algorithm, such as PPP/RTK (precise point positioning/real-time kinematic). The receiver can track satellites in the GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS and NAVIC/IRNSS constellations.

STMicroelectronics, st.com

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Surveying & Mapping

Software Upgrade

Improvements support photos, 2.5D data capture

Survey application 1Edit now has increased support for photos and 2.5D data. 1Edit 3.1 allows users to attach feature photos, including automated geotagging, which enables surveyors to visualize assets and fine tune observations. Also included are new validation functions and improved handling for heights (2.5D data), typically useful for detailed asset and land-management surveys. Enhanced styling, including bitmap fills and dashed lines, make it easier to identify and classify different asset types during surveys. Additional control of editable layers and fields provides protection for non-editable data and protects the data quality. Significant improvements to rendering of thematic mapping enhances the speed and fluidity of the intuitive user interface.

1Spatial, 1spatial.com

Mapping Software

Map-making functionality improved

The latest version of Surfer surface mapping software has improved map-making functionality and data exporting capabilities. Surfer is used by more than 100,000 people worldwide, many involved in oil and gas exploration, environmental consulting, mining, engineering and geospatial projects. It provides fast and powerful contouring algorithms, enabling users to model data sets, apply an array of advanced analytics tools, and graphically communicate the results. Frames now have outlines and background fill colors to make them easier to read when placed on top of maps and attribute data can now be exported as numeric data.

Golden Software, goldensoftware.com

RTK/PPP Device

Multi-sensor fusion on a single board

The Multi-Sensor (MS-) RTK/PPP device is a turnkey system easily integrated into surveying applications. The module includes up to three multi-frequency, multi-GNSS (GPS + Galileo + Glonass + BeiDou) receivers, a MEMS IMU, a barometer, a CAN interface for reception of vehicle data (wheel odometry and steering angle), and an LTE module for reception of RTK/PPP corrections. ANavS sensor fusion performs tight coupling of all sensor data with an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). Various interfaces can connect additional sensors (such as camera or lidar) or output position information.

ANavS, anavs.com

Auto Mapping

Increases lane-level accuracy

The HD-MapBox integrates high-precision map data based on high-precision positioning. Fusing data from a GNSS receiver, IMU, ADAS camera, vehicle dynamics and HD maps, the HD-MapBox can achieve a lateral error of less than 8 inches (0.2 meters) and a longitudinal error of less than 6.5 feet (2 meters) with a 95% confidence interval, providing an accurate reference for highway pilots and automated valet parking. Even if both GNSS and lane line detection are not available, the HD-MapBox can still enable vehicles to keep inside the lane for at least a quarter mile (400 meters).

Asensing, asensing.com

Positioning System

Adds location data inside buildings

Esri ArcGIS IPS is an indoor positioning system that adds a blue dot to indoor maps, enabling users to locate their current position inside a building in the same way GPS enables outdoor location indicators. It uses an alternative technology to enable real-time positioning and navigation inside buildings. It also provides live location sharing and tracking, location data capture and analytical insights. ArcGIS IPS is available for users of ArcGIS Indoors, an indoor mapping system for smart building management, and ArcGIS Runtime SDKs, which enable the indoor positioning capability in custom-built apps.

Esri, esri.com

In this issue’s cover, a man with a backpack lidar unit, a GNSS receiver and a tablet computer is surveying in a complex and challenging urban setting. That same lidar unit also can be mounted on a UAV. One of the contributors to this month’s cover story describes the role of aerial photogrammetry in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. Satellite navigation, remote sensing, mapping software, a great variety of platforms, and ever more powerful handheld computers — those are the key ingredients in today’s ecosystem of geospatial technologies. The current generation of surveying equipment has more than halved fieldwork in the past two decades while greatly improving the quality of the data collected.

The AEC industry relies on surveyors to be “a bridge between the existing landscape and the design landscape,” said another contributor to our cover story. Unlike traditional boundary surveying, he explained, surveying for AEC requires consideration of a detailed 3D world. It also involves many more stakeholders and much greater liability.

The tight integration of GNSS, inertial systems, lidar sensors and 360° spherical imagery into mobile mapping systems makes 3D modeling possible and traditional GNSS or optical measurement instruments obsolete. However, while inertial systems are invaluable to bridge brief gaps in the availability and reliability of GNSS signals, they are far from the panacea they are sometimes claimed to be, as Brad Parkinson reminds us in an interview with Dana Goward, also in this issue.

Surveying for AEC requires at least centimeter accuracy. The challenges of surveying in urban settings include urban canyons that occult signals and create multipath, traffic and multiple layers of underground, ground-level and above-ground infrastructure.

Beyond the construction phase, 3D survey data is increasingly used to create digital twins of buildings, which facilitate their operation and maintenance throughout their life cycle and help lower their carbon footprint. Once they have completed an initial survey, surveyors often set control to be used for machine control — the theme of our cover story in next month’s issue.

In this issue we also:

• Inaugurate a “letters to the editor” section to make more room for debate in the GNSS/PNT community on the critical issues it faces.

• Report on a Jet Propulsion Laboratory study of the impact on the ionosphere of the enormous volcanic eruption in Tonga and the beginnings of a GNSS-based early warning system for natural hazards.

• Continue our series of articles on GNSS constellations, with an update from Japan’s QZSS constellation.

• Feature three studies: one on real-time simulator testing using an NMEA data stream, one on the first transmission of L1C/B signals by QZSS, and one on self-driving cars in major metropolitan areas.

All these advances, however, are threatened when GPS is threatened. Earlier in the month, three members of our editorial advisory board comment on the recent threat to GPS satellites by the Russian government.

Matteo Luccio | Editor-in-Chief
mluccio@northcoastmedia.net

Abstracts for the ION GNSS+ 2022 show, “GNSS + Other Sensors in Today’s Marketplace,” are due March 4.

The ION GNSS+ conference will take place September 19-23  at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center in Denver. The show will also include a virtual option.

The 2022 conference will bring together international leaders in GNSS and related positioning, navigation and timing fields to present new research, introduce new technologies, discuss current policy, demonstrate products and exchange ideas.

The two tracks covered during the conference will be commercial and policy tracks and research tracks.

The commercial and policy tracks will include high performance and safety critical applications, status and future trends in GNSS, and mass market and commercial applications. The research tracks will include multisensor and autonomous navigation, algorithms and methods, and advanced GNSS technologies.

Interested parties may submit their abstracts at https://www.ion.org/gnss/call-for-abstracts.cfm.