Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
Topcon Positioning Group has released two unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for mapping — the Sirius Pro and Sirius Basic. Both systems are designed to produce accurate solutions for the automated mapping of a wide range of sites — regardless of terrain — including construction sites, mines and quarries, and for use in land surveying, power line and pipeline inspection as well as precision agriculture field mapping.
By Inside GNSS
The high-precision GNSS industry should expect to see industry consolidation and a scramble for new markets and innovations as prices for high-end chips and modules continue to slide, experts told attendees at a ION GNSS+ panel discussion in Tampa, Florida, last week (September 11, 2014).
The falling prices could strain R&D budgets, they noted, but could also create opportunity as high-end receivers come within reach of emerging industries like self-driving cars, unmanned aerial vehicles, and are even incorporated into consumer products.
By Inside GNSS
In 2005, Alison Brown was the first Sidney Sussex College woman alumna to be named as an honorary Fellow in recognition of her distinguished technical contributions. Pictured here with Keith Glover, now head of engineering at Cambridge University, who taught Brown control systems engineering, and Donald Green, her director of studies while she was an undergraduate.SIDEBAR: Alison Brown’s Compass Points
On display in the Smithsonian’s “Time and Navigation” exhibit in Washington D.C. is the world’s first GPS-enabled cell phone. It was developed in 1995 by NAVSYS Corporation, a Colorado GNSS and inertial R& D company, as part of the push to build a national emergency notification system for mobile users, E911.
By Inside GNSS
Working Papers explore the technical and scientific themes that underpin GNSS programs and applications. This regular column is coordinated by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günter Hein, head of Europe’s Galileo Operations and Evolution.
By Inside GNSS
Scintillation — rapid RF signal frequency and amplitude changes due to signal propagation path changes and phase shifting caused by solar turbulence in the ionosphere — is well known in the GNSS community. However, conclusive scientific studies that cover the whole extent of the question are hard to find. Galileo In-Orbit Validation Experiment (GIOVE) data processing confirmed the effects of scintillation on GNSS receivers, as described in the paper by J. Giraud listed in the Additional Resources section near the end of this article.
By Inside GNSS
The 4th International School on Satellite Navigation is underway in the GLONASS Learning Centre in Moscow, Russia. The school runs through September 24
The event is organized by Roscosmos and JSC Russian Space Systems.
Lectures and hands-on studies cover the history, current status and future of the GNSSes, particularly the use of GLONASS in the Russian economy. It includes two series of lectures and practical exercises of 36 hours each. The first covers satellite navigation and the second the combined use of Earth Remote Sensing and GNSS data.
By Inside GNSS
Harold “Stormy” MartinHarold W. "Stormy" Martin III will be the new director of the National Coordination Office (NCO) for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), the focal point for federal agencies working out GPS policy issues.
Martin was the deputy director of the NCO and an Air Force colonel until this summer when he retired from the military. He will succeed Jan Brecht-Clark, who retired at the end of 2013. His start date as director has not been set.
By Inside GNSS
Orbits of the fifth and sixth Galileo satellites launched together on August 22, 2014, in red, compared to their intended position, in dashed green, and the position of the four IOV satellites launched in 2011 and 2012 in solid green. This view looks down over Earth’s South Pole, helping to illustrate how the two satellites’ orbital inclination relative to the equator is less than was intended ESA illustration.The European Space Agency (ESA) released dramatic illustrations today (September 16, 2014) of the orbital locations of the two errant Galileo spacecraft launched on August 22, the intended orbit, and the locations of four In-Orbit Validation (IOV) satellites.
By Inside GNSS
Two European proposals to allow pseudolites in the protected frequencies used by GPS and Galileo could soon be adopted, creating a potential interference risk to GNSS receivers and hampering efforts to protect satellite navigation spectrum, experts say.
By Inside GNSS
Gen. John Hyten. USAF photoAs the new commander of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Gen. John E. Hyten is responsible for all the service’s space programs including the Global Positioning System.
By Inside GNSS
Spirent Federal Systems has announced that the GSS 9000 RF constellation simulator has been reviewed and granted security approval by the U.S. Air Force GPS Directorate.
The European GNSS Agency (GSA) and Eurocontrol have signed a new cooperation agreement to jointly contribute to the implementation of European Union GNSS policies as they apply to the field of aviation.
By Inside GNSS
The Antiquarium in the Residenz MünchenThe Munich Satellite Navigation Summit will take place at the Residenz Muenchen in Munich, Germany on March 24 – 26, 2015.
The theme for this year’s summit is “Future of PNT – A Glance into the Crystal Ball”.
The technical program includes plenary discussions and updates on the main activities in worldwide satellite navigation systems, including:
By Inside GNSS
