Launchpad: Delivery drones, scanners, lidar and more - GPS World
Launchpad: Delivery drones, scanners, lidar and more - GPS World

Volatus Aerospace has integrated the Trimble PX-1 RTX solution into its commercial delivery drone service to achieve accurate and robust positioning and heading. The Trimble module provides Volatus” clients with a turnkey solution for highly accurate aerial data acquisition and fully remote drone operations in real-world missions, including beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). The PX-1 RTX uses Trimble’s CenterPoint RTX corrections along with compact, high-performance GNSS-inertial hardware to deliver real-time, centimeter-level positioning and highly precise inertial-derived true heading measurements. This technology reduces operational risks associated with poor sensor performance or magnetic interference by providing enhanced positioning redundancy.

The ERE95 Mini by CopterPIX operational platform is fully capable of GNSS-denied missions and integrates a long-range, anti-jamming communication system supporting distances of more than 20 km. It has an endurance of 2 hours and can carry up to 5 kg of payload for up to 1 hour. It also has integrated daylight and thermal imaging for advanced surveillance. With a fully foldable frame, the platform collapses into a backpack-sized kit, making it suitable for rapid mobility and field operations. Its modular ?puzzle” architecture allows quick adaptation of SDR modules, optical payloads, and navigation solutions, enabling mission-specific configurations. To support rapid field deployment, the ERE95 Mini features a mechanical and electrical quick-connect interface, allowing operators to switch payloads in seconds and maintain continuous operational readiness across all missions.

AeroVironment has integrated its visual navigation system (VNS) kit with the Puma Long Endurance (LE) small unmanned aircraft system, delivering GNSS-denied navigation capability. The VNS kit uses advanced computer vision and onboard processing to deliver precise, GNSS-independent navigation. Using a suite of downward-facing sensors, cameras and onboard computing, the VNS kit performs visual inertial odometry to capture and analyze terrain imagery, estimating true aircraft position in real time. The system fuses continuous visual data from the cameras with motion inputs from onboard inertial sensors to calculate precise position, velocity and orientation — allowing the aircraft to know where it is and where it is going when GNSS is not available. It automatically transitions between GNSS-enabled and GNSS-denied modes with zero pilot input, ensuring uninterrupted mission continuity in contested environments.

The Portable 360 Radar is a rugged, easily transportable radar kit that delivers reliable close-airspace awareness with panoramic coverage for rapid-response counter-drone operations, from safeguarding stadiums and large public gatherings to border security and battlespaces. The MatrixSpace platform unifies threat awareness across multiple networked Portable 360 Radar systems and other sensors, without compromising local operation. By combining AI edge processing with MatrixSpace AiCloud Enterprise software, central command centers get an enhanced common operating picture and deep airspace activity analytics to assure public safety.

The SatLab SL8 Laser RTK GNSS receiver combines dual cameras, GNSS, an IMU and visible laser technology to make surveying faster and easier. With non-contact measurement, image-assisted targeting, CAD live-view stakeout, and a built-in LoRa radio. It ensures smooth, reliable work even in complex or GNSS-limited environments. The SL8 achieves 2 cm accuracy within 10 meters and enables efficient data collection across bridges, tunnels, riverbanks, and other sites where traditional GNSS methods are restricted. It features image-assisted targeting through SatSurv software, displaying laser points directly on real-time images for quick and precise aiming. Its automotive-grade IMU requires no manual calibration or initialization and enhances measurement accuracy by up to 40% in GNSS-challenged areas. A built-in multi-protocol LoRa transceiver provides stable transmission beyond 15 km and compatibility with multiple RTK brands. The integrated CAD and visual stakeout functions combine live imagery with CAD data, allowing users to visualize target points on site and increase layout efficiency by up to 50%.

A complete precision mapping solution for the utility and critical infrastructure industries worldwide is the goal of a partnership between ProStar Holdings and Tersus GNSS. The partnership will integrate Tersus’s survey-grade GNSS receivers with ProStar’s PointMan Underground Utility Mapping Software, providing an affordable, field-ready solution. The partnership will use ProStar’s LinQD open API integration platform, which is designed to enable seamless interoperability between emerging technologies and legacy systems, creating a robust global ecosystem for geospatial intelligence, uniting equipment manufacturers and service providers under the initiative.