Eric D. Colburn, PLS

Professional Land Surveyor News

Professional Land Surveyor News Trimble Unveils State-of-the-Art Mobile Spatial Imaging System

The Trimble MX8 System Combines Leading Imaging and Laser Scanning Capabilities in
an Integrated System for Mobile Mapping

SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 13, 2010 —Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) introduced today the Trimble® MX8 Mobile Spatial Imaging System, an advanced mobile data capture system that combines imaging and laser scanning capabilities to measure objects in 3D to produce 3D, 4D and 5D data sets for spatial imaging projects. The new Trimble MX8 Mobile Spatial Imaging System expands the scope of services that surveyors, engineers, mapping and geospatial professionals can offer to enhance their business. The system is ideal for as-built modeling, inventory, inspection, encroachment analysis, and asset management for roadways, bridges, railways, utilities, and other infrastructure.

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Professional Land Surveyor News

Professional Land Surveyor News: NOAA Releases Real-Time RTK Guidelines

This is a press release published by NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey (NGS) with important information for professional land surveyors who are using Real-Time GNSS positioning.

NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey (NGS) recently announced the approval and release of a document titled “National Geodetic Survey User Guidelines for Single Base Real-Time GNSS Positioning.” The guidelines provide definitive criteria to achieve various specific tiers of precision, with high confidence, using global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). Due to the plethora of variables associated with Real-Time GNSS positioning (RT), a consistent Read the rest of this entry →

Professional Land Surveyor News

Professional Land Surveyor News: USAF Begins Test  Satellite GPS IIF Transmission of L5 Signal

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, El Segundo, Calif. – Officials from the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Global Positioning Systems Wing announced that the first GPS IIF satellite, launched May 27, 2010, has begun test transmissions of the new Safety-of-Life (L5) navigation signal.

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Professional Land Surveyor News

Professional Land Surveyor News: Carlson Software & Transtronic AB Reach Mutual Development & Distribution Agreement for 3D GNSS Drilling Solutions

Here’s an interesting press release that I originally found interesting, but thought at the time that it was  not overly relevant to professional land surveyors. Since then, however, with the catastrophic BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, fire, and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico this may now be very topical and newsworthy.

I don’t know if the 3D GNSS drilling solutions detailed below are even applicable to the type of deep water drilling being used to drill the two relief wells adjacent to the former location of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig? If anyone knows, please give us an update below in this posts comments section. Either way, the technology detailed below, and I’m sure the technology being used to drill the two BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig relief wells, is very impressive and shows again how integrated GPS is becoming in all aspects of our lives and businesses. I think this also another example of how machine control is changing our industry and is here to stay.

MAYSVILLE, Ky., U.S.A., & KÖPING, Sweden – Carlson Software Inc. and Transtronic AB recently reached an agreement for international distribution of Carlson’s Drill Grade 4.0 software with Transtronic’s hardware and sensor technology.

Working together, Carlson’s Drill Grade software and Transtronic AB hardware, which includes sensors for length, angle and azimuth measurement, provide a complete 3D Drill solution for all types of drill rigs for OEM considerations or retrofit.

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Professional Land Surveyor News

Professional Land Surveyor News: Air Force Upgrades GPS Constellation

SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — The 2nd and 19th Space Operations Squadron will soon take control of the Air Force’s newest GPS satellite following its tentative launch into orbit May 27 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

The GPS IIF SV-1 satellite represents a substantial upgrade for the GPS constellation. Thanks to improvements with the cesium-based atomic clocks used for timing, the IIF is expected to provide more accurate navigation signals than those of its predecessors.

The new IIF satellite will also broadcast two new signals: a jam resistant military code signal and a third civil signal known as the L5.

This latest addition is part of an ongoing modernization effort for the GPS constellation by the Air Force.

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Professional Land Surveyor News

Monitor Movement in Real Time with New Trimble 4D Control Software

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 26, 2010 — Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB) introduced today a new version of its Trimble® 4D Control software, the core of Trimble monitoring solutions, that combines Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and optical technologies for real-time deformation monitoring applications. The software is ideal for monitoring dams, bridges, buildings, pipeline support piers, large-scale construction and excavation sites, underground and open pit mines, landslides, tunnels, and other structures.

“With heightened safety concerns about aging infrastructure, deformation monitoring is a growing market,” said Chris Gibson, vice president for Trimble’s Surveying Division. “The new software allows users to leverage the optimal combination of sensor technologies to control, manage and analyze deformation measurements for a wide variety of engineering projects and alert project staff of potentially unsafe conditions requiring action.”

Trimble 4D Control software is a comprehensive solution for both real-time and postprocessed monitoring. The fully scalable and versatile approach of the system makes it easy for surveying organizations to get started in monitoring. By leveraging surveying instruments and tools they already have, Trimble enables surveyors to customize a monitoring solution to meet the needs of even the most demanding applications.

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Professional Land Surveyor News

Yesterday, January 18, 2009, Reuters India reported from Beijing, China that over the past weekend China launched the third BeiDou (Big Dipper) or Compass satellite in an effort to build its own global satellite positioning (GPS) system. This latest satellite is part of  a proposed constellation of 35 Chinese GPS satellites to be in orbit by the year 2020.

China is competing in space with the United States and Russia, and in addition to these BeiDou or COMPASS satellites also has plans to land on the Moon in 2012. While this instills a great deal of national pride within China, and is increasing the prominence of China in the space arena, this initiative and the overall China space program has alarmed some western counterparts. Within the region, rival India, in response to China’s space ambitions, is now working to increase India’s space program.

As reported, the China BeiDou or COMPASS GPS network will provide the following services:

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Trimble Announces Updated Suite of Mapping and GIS Software
with New Postprocessing Engine

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Dec. 7, 2009 — Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced today significant updates to its entire portfolio of Mapping & GIS field and office software products. These enhancements focus on improved Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) accuracy for data collection under a variety of conditions that deliver additional benefits to users of Trimble Mapping & GIS solutions. With the introduction of a new postprocessing engine, Trimble has further enhanced its powerful set of GNSS postprocessing tools, improving accuracy and consistency of data collected from all Trimble Mapping & GIS equipment, even in multipath and canopy environments. A key addition to the set of tools is Trimble® DeltaPhase™ technology, a revolutionary new technique for improving the accuracy of GNSS code measurements.

With Trimble DeltaPhase technology, results from receivers such as the GeoXT™ handheld and GPS Pathfinder® ProXT™ show 50 centimeter accuracy in good environments and improved yield under canopy and in multipath prone areas. Results are also significantly improved for the Juno™ series handhelds with postprocessed accuracy now in the 1 to 3 meter range.

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China Compass (Beidou) Constellation Planned by End of 2010. Source: InsideGNSS.com

Here’s an article I found China Daily about the Chinese Compass, or Beidou (Big Dipper) Global Navigation Satellite System which is expected to challenge our U.S. developed GPS, the EU’s GPS and Russia’s GPS.

This Compass GPS is planning on providing regional service to China with 12 satellites in 2011. By the year 2020 China plans to employ a total of 35 satellites in this Compass navigation satellite system.

Also reported is that all four Global Navigation Satellite Systems are negotiating compatibility amongst their civilian-use technologies.

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