Launchpad: Golfing, augmented reality and flying cameras

OEM

Reference Time Clock

Protects against vulnerabilities

Photo: Microsemi

The TimeSource Enhanced primary reference time clock (TimeSource Enhanced PRTC) is a new system to protect against serious threats associated with GNSS vulnerabilities. It also enables telecommunications and mobile operators to meet the G.8272.1 recommendation from the International Telecommunication Union. The TimeSource Enhanced PRTC “generates time” by producing its own independent time scale aligned with GNSS, while its phase, time and frequency signal outputs remain autonomous, providing a secure infrastructure, reducing dependency on GNSS and enabling network operators to retake control of the timing source used for network synchronization.

Microsemi, www.microsemi.com

Helical GNSS Antenna

Waterproof

Photo: Harxon

Harxon’s next-generation triple-frequency Helix Antenna, HX-CH7603A, has excellent performance and high efficiency in a compact form factor. The new design is capable of GPS L1/L2, GLONASS L1/L2 and BDS B1/B2/B3. Though compact, it provides high peak gain (more than 3.5 dBi) and wide beam width to ensure the signal receiving performance at low elevation angles. HX-CH7603A is equipped with an O-ring and gold-plated SMA (sub-miniature version A) connector that makes the antenna waterproof-grade, reaching IP67 once installed on a mating surface. The antenna is designed for applications requiring minimal integration effort or for retrofitting existing products.

Harxon, www.harxon.com

Golf Assistance

Rangefinder wearables use u-blox inside

Photo: U-Blox

U‑blox components are at the core of two new GNSS golf products. The golf rangefinder wearables were launched by Voice Caddie, an international brand of rangefinders and trackers based in South Korea. The T3 Hybrid Golf GPS Watch uses the compact u‑blox UBX‑G7020‑KT professional‑grade GNSS chip, which links with GPS/QZSS or GLONASS satellite systems. The B1 GPS Band uses the u‑blox UBX‑M8030‑KT professional‑grade GNSS chip, which provides navigation sensitivity and low current consumption. It is compatible with GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou satellite systems. The u‑blox GNSS technology enables the T3 Watch and the B1 Band to automatically detect golf courses and holes, and shows the wearer the driving distance and remaining distance to the hole as well as the distance to the front, middle and back of the green. The T3 Watch also measures short distances.

Voice Caddie, www.voicecaddie.com; u-blox, www.u-blox.com

PTP Grandmaster

Built-in GNSS receiver and clock

Photo: Oscilloquartz

The OSA 5420 series is a family of cost-effective, mid-scale synchronization distribution and assurance devices. Following a toolbox approach, the OSA 5420 series can be used in a variety of network synchronization applications, including IEEE 1588v2 grandmaster, boundary clock, slave clock and assisted partial timing support (APTS). The built-in GNSS receiver and primary reference time clock (PRTC) capability, together with the redundant power supply option, provide reliable synchronization delivery.

Oscilloquartz, www.oscilloquartz.com

NAVWAR Simulation

with GPS directorate security approval to process Y-code

Photo: Talen

BroadSim is a software-defined GNSS simulator that enables users to model true and spoofed signals, with navigation warfare (NAVWAR) testing in mind. BroadSim supports high dynamics, advanced jamming, spoofing and encrypted military codes. Powered by Skydel’s SDX 1000-Hz software simulator engine, BroadSim can simulate multiple constellations including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. The hardware includes a generator and controller with two radios, an OctoClock-G with GPS-disciplined oscillator, four channels and a UBX-160 RF daughterboard.

Talen-X, talen-x.com; Skydel, skydelsolutions.com

UAV

Smart Drone with Dual-Screen Controller

Photo: XDynamics

Controller inspired by smartphones and tablets

The Evolve drone has a dual-screen remote controller, empowering users with industry-grade features and functionality.The remote controller is a smart pilot system (SPS) that combines all required functions for amateur and professional users’ flying and filming needs under a single interface. Functioning as a 7-inch viewfinder and a 5-inch multi-touch control panel, the foldable dual-screen has minimal buttons and sticks, providing an intuitive experience. Both screens are luminously visible and operable in direct sunlight. The controller features a 64-bit quad-core CPU, a dedicated GPU, 4GB DDR3 RAM and Android OS inside. It comes with a GPS module, inertial measurement unit sensors, Micro-SD card slot, USB port and micro HDMI-out port, allowing comprehensive extendibility such as additional storage, FPV goggles and VR headsets.

XDynamics, www.xdynamics.com

Survey-Grade UAS

Also comes in solar-powered version for extended flight time

Photo: C-ASTRAL Aerospace

The Bramor ppX long-endurance small UAS has an all-composite blended-wing body system capable of flying for 3.5 hours. Also available is the variant Bramor ppX-LRS (long-range solar) version, developed in conjunction with Sunnyvale, California, thin-film solar-cell company Alta Devices. The ppX-LRS can fly up to 5.5 hours. Both versions can carry an array of advanced sensors for remote sensing, aero photogrammetry, surveying and agricultural mapping as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The new ppX is complemented with a C3P (command, control, communications and planning) software package for mission planning and flight control, enabling situational awareness and intuitive systems control. It also has an online fleet management and maintenance support system that will enable current users and operators to share technical data and mission profile and performance parameters advice. Sensors available range from visible light to multispectral, hyperspectral and advanced gas laser sensors capable of detecting 0.05 ppm of methane gas in the air above the areas of interest where leaks could develop.

C-ASTRAL Aerospace, www.c-astral.com

AR Glasses

Three companies join to improve the augmented reality experience

Photo: HiScene

HiScene, Inuitive and Heptagon have teamed up on HiScene’s next generation of augmented reality (AR) glasses. HiAR Glasses incorporate Inuitive’s NU3000 computer vision processor and Heptagon’s advanced illumination. The companies worked together to develop a complete solution for advanced 3D depth sensing and AR/VR applications that delivers excellent performance even in changing light conditions and outdoors. The glasses’ AR operating system provides stereoscopic interactivity, 3D gesture perception, intelligent speech recognition, natural image recognition and inertial measurement unit (IMU) displayed with an improved 3D graphical user interface.

HiScene, www.hiscene.com

Flying Camera System

Professional image processing embedded in air frame

Photo: DJI

The Inspire 2 improves on the Inspire 1 with a new image-processing system embedded into the airframe, the CineCore 2.0. It records up to 5.2K in CinemaDNG RAW, Apple ProRes and other formats. It flies from 0 to 50 mph (80 kph) in 5 seconds, reaches 58 mph (94 kph) and has a maximum descent speed of 9 m/s. A dual-battery system prolongs the flight time to 27 minutes (with an X4S), while self-heating technology allows it to fly in low temperatures. DJI’s Flight Autonomy provides two directions of obstacle avoidance and sensor redundancy. Increased intelligence adds multiple intelligent flight modes, including Spotlight Pro, giving single pilots the ability to create complex, dramatic shots. An upgraded video-transmission system is capable of dual-signal frequency and dual-channel, streaming video from an onboard first-person-view camera and the main camera simultaneously, for better pilot and camera operator collaboration.

DJI, dji.com

SURVEY & MAPPING

Bluetooth Receiver

GNSS receiver, datalogger also has barometric sensor

Photo: Bad Elf

The Bad Elf GNSS Surveyor delivers ~1-meter positioning out of the box to the iPad or Android device for use in GIS, mapping, agriculture and survey activities. The GNSS Surveyor can record raw data and produce a RINEX file through the Bad Elf application for post-processing. It also supports differential GPS (DGPS) using RTCM 2.3 correction messages. Surveyors can obtain altitude from GPS or from the built-in barometer, which can be calibrated to a known altitude or pressure.

Bad Elf, bad-elf.com

Professional App

Annual subscription includes professional use rights

Photo: Avenza

Avenza Maps, Avenza Systems’ mobile mapping app for Android, iOS and Windows, now comes in a Pro version. Avenza Maps Pro is the most powerful version to date of the application. Features of the Pro annual subscription include commercial, government and other professional use rights not available with other versions allowing an unlimited number of maps to be imported as well as Shapefile import and export, data collection and management, and enhanced support. The subscription also allows for enterprise-level management of the Avenza Maps app across mobile devices for organizations, using a new subscription management system.

Avenza Systems, www.avenza.com

Laser Scanners

Photo: App Urban Trimble

3D data processing in all conditions

The TX6 and improved TX8 high-performance 3D laser scanners offer an integrated high-dynamic range camera and Wi-Fi remote control. The high-speed 3D laser scanners combine microsecond time-of-flight distance measurement with advanced onboard signal and 3D data processing, designed to provide range and accuracy in all conditions. The TX6 is a medium-range 3D scanner, while the TX8 is for geospatial professionals that require enhanced versatility and longer ranges to effectively support a variety of applications in urban environments, civil infrastructures and challenging terrains.

Trimble, trimble.com

Water Navigation

GPS guidance for mariners

Photo: AquaMap

Aqua Map is an iOS and Android app for GPS marine navigation, aimed at boaters and fishermen. The app integrates official nautical charts for many areas in the world, including the NOAA, CHS (Canadian Hydrographic Service), British Admiralty and Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie as well as S-57 and raster cartography. The app provides users with a clear chart using the full power of the Retina display, intuitive realistic symbols and colors. No experience in water navigation is needed. Most of the functions are accessible with simple gestures on the map, and all are clearly described in the Aqua Map Tutorial and Help.

Aqua Map, www.globalaquamaps.com

Airborne Lidar Scanner

With high-performance update

Photo: Teledyne Optech

Galaxy is an airborne laser terrain mapper designed for projects from wide-area mapping to corridor surveys. A universal sensor, it collects ultra-dense data with precision and accuracy. When coupled with Optech’s SwathTRAK and PulseTRAK technologies, collection efficiencies exceeding 70 percent are possible, relative to the traditional fixed field of view dual-beam sensors. The Galaxy can be installed in a tactical UAV, integrated in a helicopter pod for powerline surveying, or gyro-stabilized with an orthometric camera for wide-area mapping. SwathTRAK dynamically modifies the scan field of view during collection to maintain fixed swath widths and even point distribution, even in variable terrain. PulseTRAK enables a continuous operating envelope, solving the multi-pulse challenge of data coverage gaps and density variation in the multi-pulse transition/blind zones. This gives surveyors the ability to use high laserpulse rates and generate high point density in variable terrain, without the need for complex flight planning.

Teledyne Optech, www.teledyneoptech.com

Photogrammetry Software

Supports processing in the cloud

Photo: SimActive

Correlator3D software is a patented end-to-end photogrammetry solution for the generation of high-quality geospatial data from satellite and aerial imagery, including UAVs. Correlator3D performs aerial triangulation and produces dense digital surface models, digital terrain models, point clouds, orthomosaics and vectorized 3D features. Powered by GPU technology and multi-core CPUs, Correlator3D’s processing power supports rapid production of large datasets. Benefits include quick processing of thousands of images through GPU powered and multi-core CPU computing; highly automated processes with intuitive manual editing tools for customer-specific requirements; and modular design that offers clients flexibility with respect to budget and easily integrates into a production workflow.

SimActive, www.simactive.com

TRANSPORTATION

Auto Navigation

Receiver designed for car navigation platforms, devices

Photo: Furuno

The GV-86 receiver is used by many automotive customers requiring high quality and reliability. Because of its dead-reckoning function, GV-86 achieves high-accuracy performances in deep urban canyons where the accuracy of GNSS-only positions could be reduced. The GV-86 receiver is being installed in car navigation systems designed for major automotive companies, such as Skypine in China and Clarion in Japan. The GV-86 achieves superior performance with fast time to first fix and highly improved noise tolerance. The software can be upgraded to support concurrent multi-GNSS reception with GPS, Galileo, QZSS and SBAS.

Furuno, www.furuno.com

Shipping Pallet

Nikken Lease uses u-blox positioning for trackable pallet

Photo: u-blox

Transeeker is a pallet equipped with u-blox’s cellular and positioning technologies for accurate tracking: u-blox cellular UMTS/HSPA(+) module LISA-U200-62S and u-blox 7 standalone GNSS module, EVA-7M. Made of plastic, the pallets are reusable, making them a good ecological alternative to their wooden counterpart. Embedded in Transeeker, the LISA-U200-62S of the LISA-U2 series is equipped with CellLocate, u-blox’s proprietary hybrid positioning technology enabling stand-alone location estimation based on surrounding GSM/UMTS cell information in conjunction with GPS positioning data.
Nikken Lease, www.nklogi.com;

u-blox, www.u-blox.com