Succeeding O’Connor as president and CEO is Ivan Di Federico, who currently serves as executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Topcon Positioning Systems. After two decades with the company, Di Federico will assume his new role on September 1, 2024.

“It has been a true privilege to lead Topcon Positioning Systems for the past three decades and witness the incredible growth and evolution of the company,” said Ray O’Connor. “I am immensely proud of what our team has accomplished, and confident that Ivan is the right leader to take the company into the future. His deep technical expertise, strategic vision, and proven track record of driving innovation make him the ideal choice to lead the company through its next chapter of growth and success.”

Under O’Connor’s leadership, Topcon Positioning Systems has experienced dramatic organic growth and expansion into new markets and product lines. During his tenure, he was responsible for numerous key acquisitions, as well as the expansion into GNSS, radios, machine automation, and global positioning software and workflow solutions for the construction and precision agriculture industries.

“Ray has made significant contributions to the global positioning industry through his many patents, inspired by his product vision and application experience — I am honored to succeed him as president and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems,” said Ivan Di Federico. “Ray has built an exceptional company and a talented team, and I look forward to building upon this strong foundation to drive continued innovation and growth. As we navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving market landscape, I am confident that our strategic focus, operational excellence, and world-class solutions will position the company for continued success.”

In addition to the leadership transition, Topcon also announced that Philip Thach will be promoted to executive vice president (EVP) chief operating officer, and EVP chief financial officer, effective September 1, 2024. Thach joined Topcon in 2018 as CFO and has been instrumental in developing financial controls, strategic planning, and operational efficiencies.

The announcement of these executive leadership changes reflects Topcon’s commitment to a thoughtful and well-planned succession process that will ensure a smooth transition and continued momentum for the company, while maintaining its customer-centric culture and values. With a strong leadership team in place, Topcon is poised to build on its history of innovation and market leadership.

For more information on Topcon Positioning Systems, visit topconpositioning.com.

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The PULSAR™ X5 signal verification process is currently underway and expected to pass certification during the summer of 2024. Spirent is now accepting orders for SimXona with production signals capability.

Xona is developing PULSAR™, a high-performance positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) service built on a backbone of low Earth orbit (LEO) small satellites. Xona’s patented high-powered smallsat signals improves PNT resilience and accuracy by augmenting global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), such as GPS, while operating with an independent navigation and timing system architecture. Xona recently completed its series A fundraise and is fully funded to launch its production class satellite, the In-Orbit Validation mission, in 2025.

Spirent is a provider of PNT test solutions and recently launched a sixth-generation simulation system, PNT X. Designed for navigation warfare (NAVWAR) testing, PNT X is an all-in-one solution with native implementation of SimXona. View a replay of a recent Inside GNSS webinar featuring Spirent and Xona.

“We’re excited to certify Spirent’s SimXona offering and enable the PNT community with highly trusted test solutions. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Spirent to advance LEO PNT solutions for end users,” said Bryan Chan, VP of Strategy at Xona Space Systems.

“At Spirent, we are committed to fostering innovation in the PNT sector by providing cutting-edge and high-performance test solutions to the market,” stated Jan Ackermann, Director of Product Management at Spirent Communications. “SimXona, and the diligence applied by both teams during the certification process, embodies this commitment.”

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The merger aims to blend the complementary product portfolios and services of VIAVI and Spirent, promising to offer a broad spectrum of solutions across various markets and applications. This collaboration is anticipated to cater to the needs of high-growth sectors such as cloud service providers, enterprise/IT networks, and emerging 5G and 6G technologies, alongside positioning, navigation, and timing verticals.

One of the key drivers behind the acquisition is the potential for accelerated technology development and product innovation, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, security, cloud-native architecture, and automation. VIAVI believes that leveraging the joint engineering, research, and development expertise of both companies will not only foster innovation but also enhance operational efficiency and generate substantial cost synergies.

The partnership is expected to yield annual run-rate cost synergies of up to $75 million within two years post-acquisition. Moreover, the combined entity will benefit from additional financial and operational resources, reinforcing its leadership in research and development while introducing innovative products to new verticals to address customers’ complex challenges.

This acquisition represents a strategic alignment of VIAVI and Spirent’s visions, setting the stage for the creation of a leading global provider of test, assurance, and security solutions. As the companies merge their strengths, the focus will be on delivering high-performance, integrated solutions that ensure reliability, efficiency, and security across critical network infrastructures and digital ecosystems.

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The funding round was led by North Island Ventures, with participation from Modular Capital, Road Capital, Tangent, Reverie, and select angels, according to a news release. They join existing GEODNET backers Borderless, IoTeX and JDI Ventures.

What makes GEODNET different? It’s a community-based Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN). Anybody can contribute to the network by installing and operating a reference station known as a satellite miner. Satellite miners deliver precise RTK correction data to devices equipped with GNSS receivers within a range of about 20 to 40 kilometers. By building and participating in the network, satellite mining operators earn GEOD tokens.

GEODNET now has more than 4,000 registered reference stations in more than 2,500 cities across 120+ countries. The focus is on “improving GPS at scale,” GEODNET Project Creator Mike Horton said.

“GEODNET has already bootstrapped a huge network of satellite miners and is well on its way to becoming the world’s largest and most reliable RTK network,” North Island Ventures Managing Partner Travis Scher said, according to the release. “We believe that this DePIN project and others like it have the potential to demonstrate the true value proposition of blockchain, and we’re thrilled to be a part of the journey.”

Devices connected to GEODNET’s global RTK network can achieve instant accuracy within 1 to 2 centimeters. The goal is to provide the world’s most robust precision navigation system to a variety of industries, including self-driving cars, agriculture and consumer robots. Already, many IoT and autonomous applications have shifted to RTK in lieu of standard GPS positioning.

“GEODNET is disrupting the global RTK network and is one of the few DePIN projects to successfully ramp both supply (4k+ base stations) and demand side ($500k+ ARR),” said Vincent Jow, managing partner of Modular Capital, according to the release. “GEODNET tackles a $200B end market, which includes both existing industrial applications with clear revenue pools, and unlocks emerging use cases across autonomous vehicles, consumer and augmented/virtual reality.”

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Manufacturers of tactical-grade Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) require highly stable and robust inertial sensors to meet the accuracy requirements of dynamic applications operating in constrained environments with high vibration and temperature variations.

“Digital Tactical Grade MEMS Inertial Sensors for Precision Motion Control, Positioning, and Navigation,” a recent webinar hosted by Inside GNSS, Inside Unmanned Systems and Tronics Microsystems, a TDK Group Company, addressed technical solutions for these types of use cases.

A Key Player in Inertial Sensor Technology

Vincent Gaff, Director of Sales & Marketing for Tronics Microsystems, kicked off the webinar. The industry veteran presented an overview of the company’s corporate history and introduced its extensive range of inertial sensors. Operating under the umbrella of TDK Corporation, a global electronics giant, Gaff highlighted the company’s significant contributions to the TDK portfolio. He showcased components like tactical-grade closed-loop accelerometers and gyros known for precision performance.

From Design to Performance Metrics

Pierre Gazull, Product Marketing Manager for Tronics Microsystems, shifted the focus to applications requiring tactical-grade inertial sensors. These applications span diverse industries, including electric vehicles (EVs), railway systems, aircraft, marine and subsea applications, and the oil and gas sector. Gazull emphasized the critical challenges of precision and stability in harsh conditions, high dynamics, and extended operational lifetime.

Key considerations for IMU and INS selection were outlined, including low drifting time, stability during outages, and thermal cycling strategies. Gazull also stressed the importance of sensors qualified with vibration and shock profiles representative of the end application.

Gazull discussed the role of sensors in addressing challenges related to high dynamics, low latency and system reliability. Additionally, he underscored the trend in the industry to reduce size, weight and power consumption (SWaP), especially for battery-operated systems like drones and drilling systems in the oil and gas industry.

Tronics Microsystems CTO Dr. Antoine Filipe provided a technical focus on the platform used for inertial sensors and delved into the design details of accelerometers and gyroscopes. He highlighted the closed-loop architecture’s benefits, which achieves significantly better non-linearity compared to open-loop accelerometers.

Performance metrics, including bias instability and angular random walk, were presented for both accelerometers and gyroscopes, showcasing impressive results. Filipe detailed the Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) used for MEMS readout and conversion, highlighting its fully hard-coded components and certification processes. The ASIC includes temperature compensation and produces a 24-bit digital output with SPI communication. Filipe concluded with details about temperature compensation, qualification, and the robustness of the sensor architecture, resulting in a high Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) exceeding 1 million hours.

Decade-Long Collaboration

Raphaël Lattion, Engineering Director for Parker Aerospace, provided an overview of the strong collaboration between the company and Tronics. Parker is an integrator of sensing solutions for aerospace, railway and military applications, with a specialization in harsh environment applications and expertise in safety applications.

The strong alliance is driven by the alignment of Tronics’ MEMS technology with Parker’s technology roadmap. This collaboration has led to two custom MEMS, as well as a MEMS error meter. The collaboration also extends to gyrometers, with Parker Aerospace presenting two performance levels.

Product Portfolio Deep-Dive

In the product portfolio and roadmap segment, Gazull showcased Tronics’ extensive accelerometer lineup. The AXO315 features extended temperature range for precision navigation, tailored for aerospace and oil and gas applications. The AXO305’s navigation, positioning and motion control enables land and marine navigation, and the precision focused AXO301’s acceleration and inclination measurement support railway and industrial applications.

The GYPRO 4300, launched in October 2023, took the spotlight for precise navigation, motion control, and attitude determination. Forthcoming will be the GYPRO 4050, optimized for attitude determination and north-seeking in drilling and survey instruments. Also discussed in the presentation, the Tronics AXO & GYPRO plug and play kit with Arduino platform features a user-friendly GUI based on Tronics’ proprietary software. This enables USB and RS422 outputs and can be directly implemented on testing equipment like rate tables and climatic chambers.

Commitment to Innovation

Looking ahead, Tronics plans to expand its product offerings with application-specific derivatives, addressing varied input ranges, bandwidths and environmental conditions. Gazull emphasized the availability of evaluation boards, providing an efficient means for experts to swiftly assess sensor performance.

To view the presenters’ full remarks, slides and Q&A with attendees, the recording of “Digital Tactical Grade MEMS Inertial Sensors for Precision Motion Control, Positioning, and Navigation” is available for replay online at: attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3982691035129805152.

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This compact, lightweight GNSS receiver is designed for centimeter-level, real-time kinematic (RTK) accuracy for professionals engaged in a wide range of applications in the surveying, construction, engineering, forestry, and mining industries, according to a news release. It joins a portfolio of fuller-featured high accuracy receivers, including the HiPer HR and VR.

The HiPer CR provides multi-constellation tracking, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS. It can be used in various configurations, including as a network RTK rover, in base and rover setups, and integrated hybrid use with a robotic total station.

“When used as a network rover with Topnet Live—the company’s global GNSS correction service—the HiPer CR will have access to high-quality data corrections to enable increased efficiency and productivity,” said Ray Kerwin, director, global product planning.

He continued: “Users can also select to use the receiver as part of a Hybrid Positioning system, which means they can use a robotic total station for prism measurements or can switch to GNSS measurement with the HiPer CR for obstructed areas like warehouses, trailers or buildings. With Hybrid Positioning, users have the versatility to switch between these modes quickly and efficiently, whatever the job site circumstances demand.”

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The topic of signal spoofing is set to dominate discussions across the PNT and GNSS field. 

This January, global aviation industry leaders will convene for a meeting hosted by The International Air Transport Association (IATA), bringing together aircraft manufacturers and regulators to address the escalating threat of GNSS spoofing—a concern deemed a “growing issue” by IATA’s SVP of Operations, Safety & Security, Nick Careen. 

Since September of last year, a surge in spoofing incidents has been driven by electronic warfare in the combat zones surrounding Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Signal interferences for commercial airlines have quadrupled in the last two years, resulting in unplanned landings and elevated risk of an international crisis. 

In spring, additional spotlight awaits the topic when the European Commission will  launch two new Galileo navigation satellites aboard SpaceX rockets, with two more planned for summer or fall. The EU’s Galileo is poised to become the first GNSS constellation to upgrade its defense against spoofing by integrating an end-to-end system to verify signal authenticity.

Spoofing first gained major headlines in 2013 when University of Texas assistant professor Todd Humphreys and his students successfully spoofed an $80 million superyacht. The issue resurfaced in 2019 when an Israeli firm experimentally spoofed a  Tesla Model 3.

The topic is now also treading more frequently into mainstream news reporting as ordinary citizens are experiencing rippling effects, such as when erroneous data was transmitted through Waze—a turn-by-turn GNSS navigation app—informing Israeli drivers they were approaching the Gaza strip amid the ongoing regional conflict.

However, this also signifies a turning point for other critical industries reliant on GNSS. What is being first experienced by the aviation sector and users of navigation applications will inevitably proliferate further outside of the battlefield.

With the increasing sophistication of electronic and cyber warfare, coupled with the dramatic reduction in the cost and complexity required to conduct spoofing, it is no longer a possibility but rather a certainty that critical industries will face disruption.

Given that numerous critical industries and modern infrastructure depend upon GNSS—everything from shipping ports to the financial sector and emergency response—it is our shared responsibility to expand dialogue beyond the current industry scope and offer viable solutions. 

Thankfully, technology to combat this evolving threat is available. Critical industries can be equipped with the necessary means of protection to fortify against spoofing. There are several layers of protection that can be put in place to address this threat. 

At a minimum, industries should look to integrate a multi-GNSS approach, coupled with advanced receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) and fault detection and exclusion (FDE) techniques to enhance positioning integrity. 

Moreover, the incorporation of newer Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) featuring advanced integrity monitoring for spoofing detection and mitigation is crucial. In particular, INS using artificial neural networks (ANN) provide significant improvements to spoofing detection and Assured PNT (A-PNT) backup compared to older systems that use traditional Kalman filtering.

It is imperative for the private sector to take the lead in minimizing the impact of GNSS spoofing by swiftly assessing and deploying systems that can keep pace with this growing concern. 

Simultaneously, regulatory bodies must collaborate with the private sector to establish frameworks that facilitate rapid technological integration. Accelerating certification processes, without compromising safety standards, will ensure equipment remains at the forefront of defense against the ever-evolving threat landscape. 

As we navigate the complexities of an interconnected world, where technology is both a boon and a potential liability, our collective vigilance and proactive measures will determine our ability to secure critical industries against the looming threat of spoofing.

Xavier Orr is the CEO and co-founder of Advanced Navigation, an AI-based robotics and navigation technology company. Orr earned his mechatronic engineering and computer science degrees from the University of Western Australia where he developed a neural network AI approach to inertial navigation.

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BlueSpace.ai introduced its A-PNT solution to address the challenges posed by weak GPS signals, susceptible to jamming, spoofing, and unintentional blockages in various environments.

BlueSpace Positioning Solution (BPS) aims to support a cross-track error or drift error of less than 0.3%, surpassing the industry standard of approximately 1% error over distance traveled. BPS also aims to maintain high performance while utilizing cost-effective industrial-grade Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), leading to improvements in Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C).

BPS operates with a reduced frequency, pinging only once a minute while traveling at speeds of approximately 40-50 mph. This selective approach enables BPS to accept or reject degraded GPS measurements without disrupting operations, ensuring sustained accuracy over longer distances.

The edge AI solution powering BPS eliminates geofence limitations and removes dependencies on prior training data and ultra HD mapping.

Christine Moon, Co-Founder & President at BlueSpace.ai, commented on the market response, stating, “The market is responding enthusiastically to AI-powered solutions that boost reliability and productivity. BlueSpace Positioning Solution edge AI solution can offer more capabilities with fewer infrastructure requirements.”

BlueSpace.ai has engaged in various defense and commercial applications, including applications in challenging underground mining environments, truck and bus automation, and off-road autonomy.

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Ordnance Survey (OS net) base stations have been integrated into the Polaris Network, according to a news release, providing advanced positioning capabilities to this new coverage area. Polaris is an RTK corrections network that enables centimeter-level accuracy and also covers the United States, EU, Australia and Canada. Existing Polaris customers can use the UK integration immediately at no additional cost.

Point One’s integrated location platform is complemented by FusionEngine software, which further integrates inertial measurement, wheel odometry and other sensors to achieve the level of precision required—even when there are no satellite signals.

The localization service features a robust GraphQL-based API that makes it easy to integrate Polaris RTK into developer-built applications. By early next year, Point One will be able to support State Space Representation (SSR) corrections delivered by L-band, even without cellular networks or in bandwidth constrained applications.

“Point One Navigation wants precise location to be available everywhere,” Point One CEO and co-founder Aaron Nathan said, according to the release. “We are committed to bringing our Polaris RTK network to new markets and sectors, to enable existing and new applications that demand the most accurate, reliable and current location data possible. The expansion to the UK is another significant step in realizing this goal.”

Point One also recently introduced Atlas, an affordable inertial navigation system (INS) that offers high accuracy for autonomous vehicles, mapping and other applications. Atlas, designed for deployment in large fleets, provides ground-truth level accuracy in real time, simplifying engineering workflows, reducing costs and enhancing operational efficiency.

“We envision a future where businesses, researchers and automotive companies can harness the power of centimeter-level, real-time accuracy without the complexities and cost associated with post-processing,” Nathan said.

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