IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS Editor-In-Chief

Precise point positioning with quad-constellations: GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS and Galileo

An inventive method provides for control of a seismic survey spread while conducting a seismic survey, the spread having a vessel, a plurality of spread control elements, a plurality of navigation nodes, and a plurality of sources and receivers. The method includes the step of collecting input data, including navigation data for the navigation nodes, operating states from sensors associated with the spread control elements, environmental data for the survey, and survey design data. The positions of the sources and receivers are estimated using the navigation data, the operating states, and the environmental data. Optimum tracks for the sources and receivers are determined using the position estimates and a portion of the input data that includes at least the survey design data. Drive commands are calculated for at least two of the spread control elements using the determined optimum tracks. The inventive method is complemented by an inventive system.

Marine seismic survey method and system

Change detection and deformation monitoring is an active area of research within the field of engineering surveying and other overlapping areas such as structural and civil engineering. This paper reviews the application of terrestrial laser scanning in the monitoring of structures and discusses registration and georeferencing of scan data. Past terrestrial laser scanning research work has shown trends in addressing issues such as accurate registration and georeferencing of scans, error modelling, point cloud processing techniques for deformation analysis, scanner calibration and detection of millimetre deformations. However, several issues are still open to investigation such as robust methods of point cloud processing for detecting change and deformation, incorporation of measurement geometry in deformation measurements, design of data acquisition and quality assessment for precise measurements and modelling the environmental effects on the performance of laser scanning. A three-stage process model for ...

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A review of the use of terrestrial laser scanning application for change detection and deformation monitoring of structures

Current access infrastructures are characterized by heterogeneity, low latency, high throughput, and high computational capability, enabling massive concurrent connections and various services. Unfortunately, this design does not pay significant attention to mobile services in underserved areas. In this context, the use of aerial radio access networks (ARANs) is a promising strategy to complement existing terrestrial communication systems. Involving airborne components such as unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, and satellites, ARANs can quickly establish a flexible access infrastructure on demand. ARANs are expected to support the development of seamless mobile communication systems toward a comprehensive sixth-generation (6G) global access infrastructure. This paper provides an overview of recent studies regarding ARANs in the literature. First, we investigate related work to identify areas for further exploration in terms of recent knowledge advancements and analyses. Second, we define the scope and methodology of this study. Then, we describe ARAN architecture and its fundamental features for the development of 6G networks. In particular, we analyze the system model from several perspectives, including transmission propagation, energy consumption, communication latency, and network mobility. Furthermore, we introduce technologies that enable the success of ARAN implementations in terms of energy replenishment, operational management, and data delivery. Subsequently, we discuss application scenarios envisioned for these technologies. Finally, we highlight ongoing research efforts and trends toward 6G ARANs.

Survey on Aerial Radio Access Networks: Toward a Comprehensive 6G Access Infrastructure

PNT stands for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing. Space-based PNT refers to the capabilities enabled by GNSS, and enhanced by Ground and Space-based Augmentation Systems (GBAS and SBAS), which provide position, velocity, and timing information to an unlimited number of users around the world, allowing every user to operate in the same reference system and timing standard. Such information has become increasingly critical to the security, safety, prosperity, and overall qualityof-life of many citizens. As a result, space-based PNT is now widely recognized as an essential element of the global information infrastructure. This paper discusses the importance of the availability and continuity of PNT information, whose application, scope and significance have exploded in the past 10–15 years. A paradigm shift in the navigation solution has been observed in recent years. It has been manifested by an evolution from traditional single sensor-based solutions, to multiple sensor-based solutions and ultimately to collaborative navigation and layered sensing, using non-traditional sensors and techniques – so called signals of opportunity. A joint working group under the auspices of the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) and the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), entitled ‘Ubiquitous Positioning Systems’ investigated the use of Collaborative Positioning (CP) through several field trials over the past four years. In this paper, the concept of CP is discussed in detail and selected results of these experiments are presented. It is demonstrated here, that CP is a viable solution if a ‘network’ or ‘neighbourhood’ of users is to be positioned / navigated together, as it increases the accuracy, integrity, availability, and continuity of the PNT information for all users.

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Collaborative Navigation as a Solution for PNT Applications in GNSS Challenged Environments - Report on Field Trials of a Joint FIG / IAG Working Group

Abstract. This paper examines the potential of microwave radar interferometry for monitoring the dynamic behaviour of large civil engineering works. It provides an overview of the method, its principles of operation with particular emphasis given on the IBIS-S system. Two areas of application are considered and the results of the analyses are presented and discussed. The first experimental study involves the monitoring of the dynamic response of a tall power plant chimney due to wind load. The second example examines the dynamic behaviour of a long cable-stayed bridge. In this case, the focus is placed on the effects that individual traffic events impose on the vibration response of the main span of the bridge deck and the bridge pylons. Analysis of the results provides detailed displacement time-histories and the dominant frequencies observed at the top of the chimney and along the bridge deck and the top of the towers. Also, cross-comparisons and discussions with the results obtained at the same structures using different sensor configurations are provided.

Ambient vibration monitoring of slender structures by microwave interferometer remote sensing

In this paper, a multi-sensor data acquisition system and a method for extracting the track axis geometry of railways are introduced. The rail track surveying system employs GPS and a tracking total station for absolute referencing, aided by a biaxial inclinometer for reducing the data into a common datum in canted sections and a digital odometer for linear referencing. Track axis extraction depends on rail track positional data, whereas its geometric modelling is performed on the basis of design elements using the bearing diagram and the Generalised Least Squares (GLS) method on the horizontal and vertical track layout. In addition, a supplementary algorithm for computing the rail curvature is presented. Extended test runs were conducted to validate the feasibility of the system and the method. The test results show that a directional uncertainty of better than 0.01° in tangent sections and deviations between the actual and computed track radii of better than 1% in curved sections are achievable.

Determining Rail Track Axis Geometry Using Satellite and Terrestrial Geodetic Data

Evaluation of the optimal design “cosinor model” for enhancing the potential of robotic theodolite kinematic observations

Recent improvements in the field of wireless technologies has led to an increase of available tools for Location Based Services (LBS). Modern indoor LBS applications continually raise the bar of requirements for the employed positioning technology and Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) ranging has become relevant by providing adequate performance. UWB employs modulated impulse signals for achieving ranging accuracies in the order of cm offering increased capabilities compared to other Radio-Frequency ranging methods. In order for the UWB systems to function reliably in complex indoor environments, error mitigation techniques are employed based on ranging error modelling methods. In this study, a commercial UWB system (Time Domain®) is employed for the development of error calibration models based on data collected in an indoor office environment. Three calibration methods are examined both for static and kinematic test scenarios. An overall improvement of 32%-86% is demonstrated for the static UWB ranges data while a 74% improvement on kinematic data results in a mean trajectory accuracy of 9 cm.

Vassilis Gikas

Papers

Collaborative Navigation as a Solution for PNT Applications in GNSS Challenged Environments - Report on Field Trials of a Joint FIG / IAG Working Group

Ambient vibration monitoring of slender structures by microwave interferometer remote sensing

Determining Rail Track Axis Geometry Using Satellite and Terrestrial Geodetic Data

Evaluation of the optimal design “cosinor model” for enhancing the potential of robotic theodolite kinematic observations

Evaluation of Range Error Calibration Models for Indoor UWB Positioning Applications