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Home 2023 April 5

Daily Archives: 04/05/2023

Geospatial Technology & Sustainabilty

By
Sanjay Singh
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Geospatial Technology & Sustainabilty

Space and geospatial information applications have played an important role in handling COVID-19 pandemic in the past, both with respect to its epidemiology and its socio-economic impacts. The results have been achieved in tandem with other innovations, such as big data and artificial intelligence.

Many countries leveraged digital innovations in multiple ways to provide crucial insights to national and regional decision making, and to engage citizens in managing and responding to the pandemic.

The affected countries launched their own national or subnational dashboards to leverage geospatial data and applications to provide updated, on demand statistics for their citizens. Such online data-sharing tools were vital in providing citizens with up to date information on pandemic at the national level.

In addition to these online dashboards, countries also used artificial intelligence (AI) and big data tools and created several monitoring and health apps. Such applications continued to be developed throughout the pandemic and gave affected countries the critical tools for monitoring cases and administering vaccines.

Use of apps during COVID-19

One such app was the Aarogyasetu app developed by the government of India. It uses contact tracing to record details of all the people you may have come in contact with, as one goes about normal activities. Till now it has total download of 21,82,00,000.

Aarogyasetu has transformed into National Health App, brining a whole plethora of digital health services powered by Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). One can leverage the app for interaction with participating healthcare providers, and allows you to receive your digital lab reports, prescriptions, and diagnosis seamlessly from verified healthcare professionals and health service providers.

It also helps you to schedule online doctor appointments powered by eSanjeevani OPD Application. One can schedule doctor appointments and consult with doctor from the comfort of your home.

Aarogyasetu helps to schedule/ reschedule/cancel appointments for COVID-19 vaccination. Using Aarogyasetu one can download the vaccination certificate or can request for changes in certificate as well. Your certificate will be readily available once synced.

Maximum countries in South-East Asia maintained data visualization platforms and applications to report COVID-19 cases and the vaccination status of their citizens over the course of the pandemic. Thailand created the COVID-19 iMap Dashboard, which was used to monitor cases within each province.

Such data innovations from South-East Asia are examples of the rapid digitalization that countries adopted to respond to the dynamic requirements of the pandemic, and help policymakers make informed decisions on response and management. This was achieved by making geospatial data accessible and actionable at all levels.

Tracing history of data usage

Using data for sustainability is not new to the world. According to Vipul Singh, Professor of Environmental History, University of Delhi, “The study of trade winds, monsoons, and cyclones piqued the curiosity of many explorers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. However, they were still apprehensive about the unexpected weather shift in the midst of the ocean. The tropical cyclones that unexpectedly erupted in the Indian Ocean sank many their ships. Its strength and devastation compelled trading businesses in Europe to create meteorological models. An amateur meteorological observations and records gave birth to a more methodical examination of cyclones in the Indian Ocean in the nineteenth century.”

Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand have begun to strengthen their capacity to capture the socio-economic benefits of space applications through institutional and policy developments and reforms. While technological developments figure prominently in these efforts, they all have remarkable and strong user orientation to support development objectives.

Recognizing that progress varies across countries, the latest UN report on sustainability says, “Given the current pace of progress by countries in the subregion, South-East Asia is not on track to achieve any of the 17 goals set by the UN by 2030.”

Using geospatial data for informed decisions

Space applications and geospatial information are critical part of the tools needed by decision makers and policymakers to develop and execute evidence-based policies and make decisions to address the multidimensional challenges that are undermining progress in achieving the goals.The recent policy and strategic level reforms in South-East Asia demonstrate the importance that countries have accorded to strengthening of capacities to capture the socio-economic benefits of space science, technology, and its applications for achieving developmental objectives.

Prof. P K Joshi, Chairperson Special Center for Disaster Research (SCDR) and Professor School of Environmental Sciences (SES), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi said, “By mapping and analyzing data on parameters such as population density, land cover, and natural resources, geospatial technology can provide insights into the potential impacts of development projects on environment, economy, and society.”

SDG goals by UN

High human and economic losses due to disasters and how space applications can help accelerate progress. Geospatial and satellite data can be very useful in disaster preparedness, risk reduction and emergency response, reducing both economic and social losses.This was done very effectively to achieve the results in Vietnam.

No poverty: High human and economic losses due to disasters. In addition, geospatial data can supplement census data to map spatial distribution of poverty and guide development and targeting of poverty programmes. This was done very effectively to achieve the results in Indonesia and Thailand.

Sustainable cities and communities: Accidental deaths on roads and loss of lives and property from disasters can be minimized by the application of satellite-based data in conjunction with data from road emergency stations to map road traffic accident hotspots, observe traffic conditions and analyze driving behaviour. This was done very effectively to achieve the results in Singapore and Cambodia.

Geospatial 3D data models and applications can also combine cross-sectorial data to model and predict different scenarios, from road traffic management to disaster modelling within urban environments. This was done very effectively to achieve the results in Singapore.

Responsible consumption and production: Regression in improving efficiency in use of natural resources.

Geospatial technology can help to optimize resource allocation and improve the efficiency of public services. One key aspect of sustainable development is the efficient use of resources. For example, by analyzing patterns of traffic flow and population density, planners can determine the most effective locations for public transportation routes and facilities.

Similarly, by mapping the distribution of natural resources, policymakers can make more informed decisions about how to allocate resources such as water and energy.

“The technology can help by providing accurate and up to date information on the distribution and availability of resources such as water, minerals, and timber. This information can help decision makers allocate resources in a more sustainable manner and identify areas where conservation efforts are needed,” said Prof. P K Joshi.

Location data & electric vehicles

The Association for Geographic Information (AGI), a UK body working in the geospatial sector, has recently supported a government report on how location data can drive the rollout of electric vehicle infrastructure.

The report says, “Charge points must be rolled out where they are needed. Location data is key to building the right infrastructure at the right places, giving confidence to current and future EV owners that they can efficiently reach their destination.”

The report identifies how location data can help model future demand, select suitable sites, create a seamless consumer experience, and track rollout. This application of geospatial technology is being used very effectively in India’s move towards geospatial technology.

This technology also plays an important role in marine spatial planning and thus supporting sustainability. Common marine spatial planning challenges include lack of data on the marine environment, high mobility of both animals and humans, and plan implementation challenges including lack of enforcement and compliance with regulations along with monitoring deficiencies. These can be potentially addressed using geospatial technologies such as remote sensing, GPS and GIS.

For aqua farming database collection and the real-time monitoring of different working functions of aqua farming, it’s essential to enhance and digitalize aqua farming.

Data collection and real time monitoring are done using technologies, which are useful for the conservation and advancement of traditional aquatic farming, particularly in hilly areas with sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Geo-tagging and geo-mapping of the aqua resources will play an important role in monitoring the species in the aquatic environment and can track the real time health status, movement, and location, and monitor the foraging behaviors, of aquatic species.

This is again an area in which not much has been done and there is a lot of scope of using marine resources for human sustainability.

Digital map created of UK’s underground pipes and cables

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News Desk
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Digital map created of UK’s underground pipes and cables

The Geospatial Commission, part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), has launched a new digital map that will revolutionise the way we install, maintain, operate and repair the pipes and cables buried beneath our feet – the government’s National Underground Asset Register (NUAR).

DSIT Minister, Viscount Camrose, visited industry representatives and asset owners in Newcastle for the launch to discuss the current challenges that they face and the opportunities that NUAR provides.

This first phase of NUAR contains data from the public and private sector organisations who own pipes and cables in North East England, Wales and London. This includes all of the major energy and water providers, such as Northumbrian Water, Wales and West Utilities, Southern Electric Power Distribution and National Grid, as well as smaller providers of these services, telecommunications companies, transport organisations and local authorities.

Viscount Camrose, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said: “The government’s National Underground Asset Register will transform how the UK manages its buried infrastructure. This first step towards UK-wide access, starting in North East England, Wales and London, has been achieved through strong collaboration between government and industry and the ingenuity of the programme team in the Geospatial Commission.

NUAR is a tangible example of how this government is driving innovation to improve public services and grow the economy – priorities of both the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and the Prime Minister. It will help us expedite projects like new roads, new houses, and broadband roll-out.”

This first phase, also known as the ‘minimum viable product’ (MVP), is available to eligible organisations in the three areas. It is intended to complement current business practices initially and will allow users to both plan for future adoption and provide valuable feedback to enhance the service further.

Dr Steve Unger, Independent Commissioner, Geospatial Commission, said: “This first release of NUAR is a major milestone in a programme that will benefit everyone. By
using the power of location data to plan and deliver street works more effectively, it will improve the efficiency with which we supply essential services and it will minimise the disruption experienced by other road users. Many different asset types are buried beneath our feet, owned by many different organisations, large and small. We are delighted by the number of asset owners that have recognized the value of working with us, to make the data that they hold more accessible.

And this release is just the start! Whilst it contains data from over 70 organisations, we have already received data from over 100 more, and we are working with many more than that to progress their involvement in the programme. I urge any asset owner that is not yet engaging with us to do so as soon as possible, to start benefiting from the service and ensure it best meets their needs.”

Once fully operational across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, NUAR will help improve efficiencies in construction and development, reduce disruption to the public and businesses (from extended road closures and congestion), improve workers’ safety and is envisaged to deliver at least £350 million economic growth per year.

Simon Hamlyn, CEO, Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors, said: “NUAR will certainly improve public welfare and society in general and is without doubt, definitely the right thing to be doing, now and for future generations.”

Colin Sawkins, Assurance and Enabling Specialist, Cadent Gas Limited, said: “The ability to be able to virtually search for all available assets prior to excavating for a gas or
water leak or other similar urgent works puts the operatives in a far superior position to aid in their avoidance of damaging underground assets.”

Bob Wood, Technical Systems Manager, Darlington Borough Council, said: “Engineers preparing schemes will have instant access to asset owners’ records and will be able to produce a single plan, rather than compiling it from a variety of sources. As an asset owner we will no longer have to answer individual requests for plans. Our records will be in NUAR and obtainable directly from there.”

Thomas Davies, Senior Civil Engineer, Powys County Council said: “This is a hugely positive step into utility information and will speed up how we access information.”

New York UAS Test Site Receives Civil Flight Authority

By
News Desk
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New York UAS Test Site Receives Civil Flight Authority

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted the New York Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site at Griffiss International Airport new civil authority to advance the research, development, and commercialization of UAS (drone) operations.

The test site can now operate drones weighing under 300 pounds throughout New York’s 50-mile drone corridor and be compensated for operations. The New York UAS Test Site is one of seven FAA-designated test sites in the country and the FAA found that New York has the necessary infrastructure in place to support safe UAS operations under civil authority.

“This new FAA designation removes some previous restrictions making it easier to test larger drones,” Anthony J. Picente, Oneida Country Executive said. “Our test site is already the global leader for UAS research and development, and now, we will be able to test more advanced operations and be financially compensated for it. This is great news for Oneida County, our partners at the Test Site and for the businesses and agencies who use our facility to advance the industry.”

The test site has been operating under a different authority called public aircraft operations (PAO) for the last decade for research and development and other core governmental functions. The new civil authority (Waiver 44803c) “Charlie Waiver” covers New York’s 50-mile beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) UAS corridor connecting Griffiss and Syracuse Hancock International airports, opening the door for scalable, commercial operations.

“NUAIR is focused on unlocking the drone economy for the state of New York,” said NUAIR CEO Ken Stewart. “This new civil authority will help draw more clients to the Test Site who are focused on commercial outcomes, and we look forward to helping them scale their operations.”

New York’s 50-mile UAS Corridor covers class G, E, D, and C airspace and is integrated with the air traffic control towers of both Griffiss and Syracuse Hancock International Airports, safely allowing both crewed and uncrewed aircraft to share airspace. The corridor draws global companies to the region to develop their UAS and advanced air mobility (AAM) operations.

“Commercial drones have so many societal benefits – from enhancing national security, to promoting efficiencies in the broader marketplace,” said Lisa Ellman, partner at Hogan Lovells LLP and Executive Director of the Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA). “Issuance of this new authority to the New York UAS Test Site not only bodes well for New York, but also helps accelerate the UAS and AAM industries as a whole.”

Teledyne FLIR Debuts G-Series Optical Gas Imaging Cameras

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News Desk
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Teledyne FLIR Debuts G-Series Optical Gas Imaging Cameras

Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, debuted the new G-Series, a family of high-tech, cooled-core optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras that can help leak detection and repair (LDAR) professionals seamlessly locate and document harmful gas emissions.

The G-Series is designed to empower everyday users in the oil and gas, manufacturing, steel, and utility industries to spend more time prioritizing leak repairs, and less time documenting them while gaining better insight into the severity of the emission.

The G-Series features seven camera models. All models are available with wireless connectivity to allow operators to automatically upload and store saved images and videos to FLIR Ignite cloud software while in the field.

G-Series cameras provide easy compatibility with third-party analysis software, enabling operators to wirelessly share captured content with colleagues across the world for review, providing further analysis and processing. Quick-swap interchangeable lenses give users the flexibility to inspect from multiple distances.

Teledyne FLIR engineered the FLIR G620, Gx320, and Gx620 models to detect and accurately quantify hydrocarbon, fugitive gas, and other volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions in the oil and gas industry.

With quantification now integrated inside the camera, there is no need to carry a second companion device while inspecting. Teledyne FLIR also added ATEX ratings, OOOOa sensitivity compliance, and an ergonomic rotatable touchscreen to ensure that professionals can get the job done safer and more efficiently.

The G306 and G343 models give utility inspectors superior image quality and advanced features to detect sulfur hexafluoride and carbon dioxide, respectively, to help maintain electrical equipment. The G346 and G304 provide an effective method to detect carbon monoxide or refrigerant leaks and potential issues that will improve safety and productivity within the plant environment.

“For the first time, the Teledyne FLIR G-Series provides unmatched user ergonomics with quantification in camera for the hydrocarbon models, adding seamless emissions measurement into the everyday leak detection and repair process,” said Craig O’Neill, Global OGI Business Development Director, Teledyne FLIR. “These new models represent a breakthrough in OGI with advanced features, updated wireless communication protocols, and a rotatable touchscreen LCD to maximize user efficiency in the field.”

Planet Joins Ursa Space’s Virtual Constellation and Partner Network

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News Desk
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Planet Joins Ursa Space’s Virtual Constellation and Partner Network
Ursa Space Systems

Ursa Space Systems, a global satellite intelligence infrastructure provider, has announced that Planet Labs PBC, a provider of daily data and insights about Earth, will join its Virtual Constellation and Partner Network.

The addition of Planet provides Ursa Space customers with access to daily satellite data that unlocks solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing the government and commercial sectors. The wide-ranging use cases can be found across multiple industries, including agriculture, defense & intelligence, emergency response, energy & infrastructure and forestry, among others.

Planet’s high-frequency, global coverage ensures continuous monitoring of the areas that matter most whether broad areas or focused locations. Planet has hundreds of SuperDove satellites providing 3.7 meter resolution imagery, which image hundreds of millions of square kilometers daily, along with approximately 20 high resolution satellites in orbit, equipped with 50 centimeter resolution, offering multiple revisits per day.

“It’s a pleasure to welcome Planet as a data partner of ours,” said Adam Maher, CEO and founder, Ursa Space. “The problems that can be solved with Planet data are impressive. Their constellation offers a full view of what’s happening on the ground, with a revisit rate that expands the universe of solutions into the real world where people need answers around the clock. We’re also excited for Planet’s upcoming launches which will add even more possibilities for our customers in the near future.”

“Through this collaborative partnership, Ursa has revealed critical, hard-to-access information about the energy industry,” said Mark Jeffrey, Partner Business Manager at Planet. “The ingestion of Planet’s satellite data to understand the future of the energy industry is esteemed and speaks to the value of how it could influence the future of the energy industry.”

TWiG Technologies Acquires Ruettiger, Tonelli & Associates

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News Desk
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TWiG Technologies Acquires Ruettiger, Tonelli & Associates
TWiG Founder, and President of The Will Group, Joshua Davis stated, “Our combined commitment is to deliver innovative and sustainable project solutions safely, on time, and within budget. Our ability to leverage The Will Group’s back-office support service model has allowed us to complete this strategic acquisition that we believe will be the first of many for TWiG. Simply put: ‘We’re coming together, to offer our clients more’. This is an important day for our organization and one that ensure

TWiG Technologies has completed its acquisition of Ruettiger, Tonelli and Associates. The acquisition will enable TWiG Technologies to bolster its existing infrastructure smart data collection services with RTA’s integrated engineering, design, and geographic information technology services.

This strategic merger expands TWiG’s engineering, GIS mapping, surveying, and utility locate services and increases its ability to provide turnkey solutions to its strategic partners. With the RTA staff, TWiG can now leverage its roadway, utility, and municipal partnerships at scale, and increase its service offerings.

“By merging with TWiG Technologies, we are leveraging technology to transform geospatial information into assets. Together, we understand the relationships and resources needed to deliver complex transportation, site development, and infrastructure solutions” stated John Zediker, Chief Operating Officer, RTA.

As an engineering services provider, TWiG will now provide ‘Ground Truth on Every Asset’ through technology, experienced field technicians, and a staff of professional engineers, land engineers, surveyors, GIS specialists, and certified planners.

TWiG will continue to serve both existing and new public, private and utility markets, while providing clients with effective and efficient project designs and solutions that focus on each client’s strategic business objectives.

TWiG Founder, and President of The Will Group, Joshua Davis stated, “Our combined commitment is to deliver innovative and sustainable project solutions safely, on time, and within budget. Our ability to leverage The Will Group’s back-office support service model has allowed us to complete this strategic acquisition that we believe will be the first of many for TWiG.”

Beyond Gravity Computer Controls Europe’s Jupiter Spacecraft

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News Desk
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Beyond Gravity Computer Controls Europe’s Jupiter Spacecraft

The European Juice spacecraft (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) will study the largest planet in our Solar System, Jupiter. Juice will launch on April 13 aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou.

The European Space Agency (ESA) mission will investigate Jupiter and three of its largest moons. It will look for water under the ice crust of these moons, which would indicate life-compliant conditions. Beyond Gravity, a leading space supplier, delivered various key products for this mission.

“Juice is humankind’s next ambitious mission to the outer Solar System. As a key supplier, we have delivered a wide range of electronic, thermal and mechanical products that make Juice’s exploration of the fascinating planet Jupiter and its moons possible”, says André Wall, CEO Beyond Gravity. The prime contractor of the Juice spacecraft on behalf of ESA is Airbus Defence and Space.

Computer from Beyond Gravity controls Juice spacecraft

Beyond Gravity delivered the data handling subsystem of the Juice spacecraft, which controls the satellite platform (satellite bus) and collects operational data. The subsystem includes the computer, the remote interface unit, and a mass memory.

“Our high-performance onboard computer manages the spacecraft position and orbit, ensures that the spacecraft stays healthy, and communicates with the Earth,” explains Anders Linder, EVP Division Satellites at Beyond Gravity. “Yet another ESA mission trusts in our onboard computers, confirming our leading position in this field.” During operation, Juice generates a large amount of data. The mass memory of the spacecraft, developed by DSI Aerospace Technologies, provides storage for the payload and spacecraft telemetry data on-board before transmission to Earth.

The remote interface unit from Beyond Gravity is a key component of the data handling subsystem. For instance, it provides a physical interface to Juice’s state-of-art propulsion system, as well as to the system responsible for the spacecraft’s orientation.

Elaborate thermal insulation protects

A new type of thermal insulation will keep the internal temperature of the Juice spacecraft stable. The thermal insulation from Beyond Gravity consists of several layers of ultra-thin special plastic films. They are separated by sophisticated nettings that achieve highly efficient insulation in the vacuum of space compared to a brick wall of several meters in thickness on Earth.

“Our thermal insulation protects Juice from temperatures ranging from plus 250 degrees Celsius during Venus flyby and minus 230 degrees Celsius at Jupiter,” says Anders Linder. The spacecraft weighs about six tons (including fuel). The total mass of the thermal insulation alone is 100 kilograms.

In total, more than 500 individual parts of the thermal insulation were installed on the spacecraft, ranging from the simple aluminized polyester film inside the satellite to external multilayer insulation consisting of more than 20 layers of coated high-temperature capable polyimide film.

Highly radiation and heat-resistant antenna

One of the antennas that Juice will use to navigate around Jupiter and communicate back and forth with Earth was built by Beyond Gravity. “The biggest technical challenges for this antenna are the high levels of radiation around Jupiter and the extreme heat at Venus and extreme cold at Jupiter,” explains Anders Linder. “Also, the enormous distance is challenging. Our antenna will send data hundreds of millions of kilometers down to Earth.”

Structural Elements for Juice

Beyond Gravity also delivered a number of structural elements for the Juice satellite. These include more than 30 sandwich panels made of aluminium or carbon fibre as well as different types of carbon fibre struts.

For some of the aluminium sandwich panels Beyond Gravity provided a special feature: The panels are covered with lead foils. The foils are needed to shield the equipment mounted to the inside of some areas of the spacecraft from the harsh radiative environment. The struts are used to support e.g. Juice’s solar arrays, pressure tanks or communication antennas.

Bye, bye Ariane 5: Last science flight

The Juice satellite will be launched into space on board an Ariane 5 rocket from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, South America. After more than 25 years of service, this will be the second to last flight of this European launcher rocket, which will be replaced in the future by its successor model Ariane 6. In more than 100 flights Ariane 5 exclusively relied on Beyond Gravity’s payload fairing, computer, antenna and separation system.

“We are proud to contribute to one of the most reliable launchers in the world since the very first day,” says Paul Horstink, EVP Division Launchers at Beyond Gravity. The company’s fairing protects the satellite during launch and journey into space.

Once in space the Juice spacecraft is placed in orbit with the help of a separation system from Beyond Gravity. After an eight-year journey in space, the probe will arrive at Jupiter in 2031 and help provide humankind with more answers to the mysteries of the universe.

SAM Companies acquires Carolina Surveying Services

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News Desk
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SAM Companies acquires Carolina Surveying Services

SAM Companies, the provider of professional geospatial and inspection solutions to customers across the utility, transportation, and broader infrastructure industries, announced that it has acquired Carolina Surveying Services, (CSS), a professional geomatics solutions company.

Headquartered in Lexington, South Carolina, in the Columbia metropolitan area, CSS has strong client relationships with national and regional architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms, commercial and residential developers, and municipal and government agencies. SAM’s acquisition of CSS further strengthens their presence and strategic initiatives in the Carolinas and Southeastern markets.

As part of the acquisition, the entire CSS team, including President Dennis Johns, will join SAM. Johns will continue to focus on business development and operations, supporting SAM’s strategic growth plans.

FARO releases Hybrid Reality Capture™

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News Desk
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FARO releases Hybrid Reality Capture™
Point Cloud with Flash Technology Scan

FARO Technologies, a provider of 4D digital reality solutions, announced the release of Hybrid Reality Capture™, powered by Flash Technology, a solution that delivers faster scanning for large-volume projects in architecture, engineering, construction, and public safety applications.

Accessed through FARO’s advanced workflows, Hybrid Reality Capture is the newest scan mode for Focus Premium Laser Scanner users. It combines the accuracy of a static 3D laser scanner with the speed of a panoramic camera. The unique combination of fast scans with colorized 360° images enables users to complete up to two weeks of on-site work in one week. Improving scanning speed by 100% means customers can complete projects faster without increasing costs.

Flash Technology will enable more frequent, faster data capture, requiring only 30 seconds per scan. With proprietary smart upscaling algorithms, the output includes all collected points, with images that look crisper than the same resolution scans with traditional methods.

Intelinair to acquire Aker Technologies

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News Desk
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Intelinair to acquire Aker Technologies

Intelinair has announced its acquisition of Aker Technologies, a digital agriculture company based in Effingham, Ill. The acquisition of Aker Technologies allows Intelinair to continue to expand in the ag market with additional drone-based digital agronomy tools and complements Intelinair’s portfolio of providing high-resolution imagery and data analytics to manage every field all season long.

“The acquisition of Aker will build on our technology, product offerings, and operational capacity in drones,” said Tim Hassinger, CEO and President of Intelinair. “Specifically, the acquisition brings capabilities that will enhance our AGMRI® offering to existing customers in this growing season and help us expand our footprint going forward.”

In November 2022, Intelinair and Aker Technologies announced a multi-year distribution agreement to deliver enhanced crop health imagery and analytics to farmers and retailers all season long.

 

Reorienting Geo Strategy in Challenging Times

By
Dmytro Makarenko
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Reorienting Geo Strategy in Challenging Times
Dmytro Makarenko

From a land management body, the National Mapping and Cadastral Agency of Ukraine, StateGeoCadastre, has become a service institution. While facing the brunt of war, we are digitalizing services and re-aligning geospatial data strategies. Although, we embarked on digital transformation before the war.

New challenges

The StateGeoCadastre faces four major challenges – war, budget constraints, climate change, and updating maps of a vast geographical area within a very short timeline. Currently, most state topographic maps of all scales are catastrophically outdated. The existing 1:10 000-scale topographic maps are more than a decade old.

The misbalance of ecology is another grey area. Most military operations took place in the area with the highest fertile soils. The explosions have contaminated vast agricultural land, and there’s a significant impact on wildlife as well.

The geopolitical situation has also compelled us to think about the open data policy, particularly geospatial data sharing. The open data can be used against national interests. Pre-war, we were supporting the approach of free data sharing between the users. The new challenge will probably be how to rethink the current policy and introduce the new one.

There’s a constant threat that the data can be physically destroyed. The onus is on us to ensure proper data security.

There’s a constant threat that the data can be physically destroyed. The onus is on us to ensure proper data security. We are working with cloud providers and arranging the backup of critical systems.

Integrated approach

I think we should avoid duplicating the efforts in terms of recovery and rebuilding the infrastructure. We will have a lot of work on the territories which have suffered. Integration and cooperation between the various data holders will be the key to the country’s reconstruction and recovery.

We have prepared the legal base for the NSDI and geospatial data by referring to various business models applicable in European countries. In particular, we analyzed the
Norwegian, German, and Polish models.

A current example of our efforts is the implementation of a joint project with the Mapping Service of the Kingdom of Norway, ‘Maps for Good Land Governance in Ukraine.’ The results of these cartographic works are being used by the authorities already and will be publicly available during the post-war reconstruction and included in the national geospatial data infrastructure.

It is important to mention about our partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which aims to secure NSDI operation and will contribute towards economic development of Ukraine. Our joint project results will also ensure uninterrupted operation and safety of data and critical systems such as State Land Cadastre.

Monitoring explosive contamination, demining, and, most importantly, reclamation of damaged agricultural land and ensuring food security is another top priority. A comprehensive monitoring system is a must. We have already made a small assessment of the potential of such contamination with the help of satellite imagery, AI, data analytics, etc.

Now onwards, huge attention will be given to the security of data infrastructure, and complete digitalization of processes. There may be some inconvenience, but society must understand these are necessary steps we need to take.

ALSO READ: Global Trends and the Future of Sustainability

(Dmytro Makarenko is Deputy Chairman at StateGeoCadastre, Ukraine. The views expressed in the article are the personal opinions of the author.)

Drones Navigation Solutions for Defense and Paramilitary Markets

By
Nibedita Mohanta
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Drones Navigation Solutions for Defense and Paramilitary Markets

Demand for drone technology has grown by leaps and bounds, be it for commercial use or military use. The Russian-Ukraine war has revealed the growing dependency of drones in warzones.

On the other hand, the developing countries are fast milking revenues from drone service market, through services like drone repair, drone training courses, package delivery by drones, drone advertising and marketing, drones for aerial photography, remote sensing, inspections and surveys.

Drone technology rely heavily on positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) for their services, making them vulnerable to jamming and spoofing. Once maneuvered, they can pose security threats and cause huge havoc on the defenseless places like border areas, war torn areas, and crashing on a critical facility or populated area.

Apart from that data theft is another area of concern for government institutions. Certain elements in society are always on the lookout for such opportunities, thus making them jam-proof is of utmost importance.

According to the ReportLinker, the global delivery drone services market grew from $3.49 billion in 2022 to $5.36 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 53.5%. The delivery drone services market is expected to grow to $28.9 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 52.4%.Drone navigation

In 2022, Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the delivery drone service market followed by Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America and Middle East and Africa.

“As drone jamming and spoofing are becoming daily events, militaries and global aviation regulatory agencies are toughening their requirements on navigational robustness,” states David Harel, CEO, Asio Technologies.

Asio Technologies is one of the leading developer and manufacturer of geospatial position systems encompassing navigation, positioning, mission planning, and mission management, for the defense and paramilitary markets.

Resilient PNT in drone operations

Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) is undoubtedly a critical element of tactical drone operations, as it gives the drone the data it needs to navigate and function properly. Without correct PNT data, the drone might be unable to use its real location, which, in turn, could cause problems with navigation, timing, and general performance and even lead to crashing.

Harel points out numerous ways to increase the resilience of PNT systems:

1. Utilizing various GNSS sources: E.g., a drone can be made more resistant to specific PNT failures or outages by utilizing different GNSS sources, such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou.

2. Using other/additional sensors: Drones might include extra sensors, including inertial navigation systems (INS) or barometric altimeters, to offer extra PNT data and boost the system’s overall robustness. Nevertheless, accuracy may drift over time due to the nature of those solutions.

3. Drones may add Optical – GEO Referencing navigation capabilities that do not drift and provide a robust alternative to GNSS navigation.

4. Incorporating redundant systems may ensure that a backup system can be used in the event of a system failure.

5. Including protection measures: To protect the GNSS signals from malicious or unintentional interference, techniques like encryption and jammer protection might be included. Nevertheless, those measures are effective to some degree and might always be interfered if the other side makes enough effort.

Harel says, “It’s vital to remember that the precise method for boosting PNT resilience will depend on the demands and limitations (for example, its load capabilities) unique to the drone system and any potential dangers and threats.”

Advent of VPS and other technologies

The recent development of VPS and other navigation technologies is transforming the world of drone positioning services, driven by factors such as limitations of GPS, increasing demand for precise positioning, and advancements in related technologies.

Those are required by both the military as well as civil requirements. However, GPS is still likely to remain an important component of PNT systems for the foreseeable future as it is cost-affordable for various civil applications.

For military usage, GNSS systems are likely to be augmented with redundant position capabilities to secure mission success. Over the years, numerous advances in PNT innovation have been made, including improvements in GPS technology, the development of new GNSS constellations, and the introduction of complementary positioning technologies like VPS, Optical Flow, INS, and SLAM.

Drawbacks/ operational constraints of GPS

“The restriction can be divided mainly into two factors:  Man-made factors and natural ones,” adds Harel.

The main Man-made factors are Jamming and spoofing, which can compromise the drone operation, kidnap it, or even crash it. Since jammers can be found on the internet for less than 100 USD, it is pretty affordable and available.

Natural restrictions are disruptions caused by different environment-related conditions. For example, in urban canyons and densely populated or metropolitan regions, GPS signals may influence its accuracy and availability due to reflection and scattering, in which GPS scatter by buildings and other structures, leading to phase and amplitude distortions as well as multipath interference.

The workaround to overcome this problem is mainly to incorporate redundant navigation capabilities, particularly reliable Optical – Geo Referencing capabilities that do not rely on external signal and do not drift over time.

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