Airbus Takes $1 Billion Space Program Charge
Company cites poor cost and schedule performance in telecom, navigation and observation segments
Airbus said this week it would take a charge of nearly $1 billion because of issues with space programs, namely in its telecommunication, navigation and observation segments. As a result, the company has revised its guidance for 2024 and will reduce commercial aircraft deliveries.
The charge, approximately 900 million euros, or $965 million, will be recorded in the second quarter for its Space Systems business. The company said that the charge came after it reviewed all of its programs to identify commercial and technical challenges.
The company did not specifically target what space program was the reason for the charge, but indicated many problem areas were in communication and navigation satellite areas. Full production on six Galileo Second Generation, or G2, satellites started in December at the Airbus site in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
China Moves Ahead With Megaconstellation
In other satellite news, China plans to launch the first 18 satellites of its G60 Starlink megaconstellation of more than 12,000. The launch, set for Aug. 5, will be aboard a Long March 6A rocket.
Industry observers have noted the emergence of China in not only communication satellites, but those that will have location capabilities. Chinese carmaker Geely has plans for a 240-satellite constellation called the Geely Future Mobility Constellation.
The first phase of 72 satellites will be launched into low Earth orbit next year. The constellation will support Geely's autonomous driving project—and logistical, mapping, drone navigation and other applications.
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We’re Taking a Break…We’ll Be Back July 11
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Verizon Business Partners With Monarch Tractor
Verizon Business VZ 0.00%↑ and Livermore, Calif.-based Monarch Tractor, which offers the MK-V electric smart tractor, have partnered to support sustainable farming practices via autonomous tractors connected through Verizon’s network.
The companies say that by using Verizon’s technology, Monarch’s autonomous tractors will be able to be connected in remote agriculture areas. In addition to a wireless network performance tool, Monarch will use Verizon’s GPS location services, the company said.
The MK-V autonomous tractor uses the Wingspan Ag Intelligence (WingspanAI) platform, which provides automated operations planning, remote fleet management, tractor performance reports, maintenance diagnostics and other features, the company said. Verizon’s technology integrated into the MK-V enables the execution of autonomous operations via the WingspanAI app and deeper visibility into MK-V operations through live video feeds and real-time alerts, the company said.
“The premise of Monarch Tractor has been centered around delivering farm machinery that drives farmer profitability and planet sustainability at scale,” said Praveen Penmetsa, CEO and co-founder of Monarch Tractor, in a statement. “Leveraging Verizon’s connectivity solutions has been integral to making the MK-V tractor’s smart, sustainable technology accessible to customers in remote farming communities.”
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Company Addressing Solar GNSS Signal Disruption
The recent buzz around solar storms—and issues surrounding GNSS signal disruption—have prompted the industry to seek solutions for mitigation. Due to Solar Cycle 25, the world is experiencing higher-than-usual solar activity on Earth, which will peak through the remainder of 2024 and into 2025.
Location Business News recently interviewed Stuart Riley, Trimble’s TRMB 0.00%↑ vice president of technology, to discuss how solar storms could potentially devastate the U.S. power grid and communications systems—and cause a major impact on the integrity of GNSS worldwide.
LBN: These recent Northern Lights viewings also showed potential GPS interference. What kind of interference could happen?
Riley: “Increased solar activity can impact the ionosphere, and we see several effects. During severe activity, we may observe rapid fades in the signal. This can lead to reduced tracking signal strength and ultimately lead to short losses of lock (the ability to track satellites). We can also experience additional noise on the carrier measurement, which can impact the quality of the RTK solution. Overall, the delay through the ionosphere is greater around the solar max, so GNSS receivers that use models for ionospheric correction may experience more errors depending on the quality of the models. We may also observe increased decorrelation of ionosphere between base and rover for RTK or differential systems.
“More generally, severe storms can damage satellites, like we see here. A Starlink launch a few years ago was distributed as a solar storm increased solar drag resulting in the loss of 40 satellites. On the surface of the earth, severe storms can have an impact on the power grid. For example, the 1989 storm impacted Canada's power grid. The varying magnetic field caused by the solar storm interacts with the long wires and transforms of power systems:
“The solar storm with the most impact on the earth in recorded history was the Carrington event in 1859. Relative to this storm, the recent May storm was relatively mild - from NOAA's space weather prediction site.”
(To read the rest of the article, go to Location Business News).
Other Location News
News tip? Send them to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com. Go to www.locationbusinessnews.com for more news and an archive of stories. Location Business News is looking for your company’s product use cases to feature in each issue. Send us five paragraphs and an image/photo for consideration. Include a contact name, phone, email and web address.
Top News:
✈ GPS Jamming Now Seems To Be Impacting Transatlantic Flights. “According to air traffic control data cited on June 19 by an open-source intelligence analyst on X and the Resilient Timing and Navigation Foundation (RNTF), a flight from Madrid to Toronto was unable to ascend because a flight at a higher altitude had been affected by GPS jamming.”
🤷♂️ No End in Sight for 5G Spectrum Squabbling. “But there are still other sources of spectrum. For example, NextNav NN 0.00%↑ is seeking federal approvals to release spectrum between 902MHz and 928MHz for 5G operations.:
💰 TomTom Completes €50 Million Share Buyback Program. “As part of the share buyback program, the company repurchased a total of 7,824,821 shares.”
📱 Uber Partners With Cambridge Mobile Telematics to Launch Advantage Mode for Drivers. Uber is working with Cambridge Mobile Telematics to enhance driver safety and performance. CMT uses a driver’s phone sensor data to generate insights and a score based on their driving.
💲 Volkswagen's $5 Billion Investment in Rivian Boosts EV Maker's Shares.
🛰 GOES-U Mission Ready for Launch Following Successful Review. “The GOES-U mission is the latest in the GOES-R series of advanced weather satellites, built by Lockheed Martin LMT 0.00%↑ and managed by NOAA.”
👍 SandboxAQ Launches Navigation System to Counter GPS Spoofing, Jamming. “AQNav uses AI algorithms, quantum sensors and the Earth’s crustal magnetic field to provide real-time navigation in situations where GPS signals are down or deterred.”
🚚 Schmitz Cargobull Buys Spanish Telematics Firm. “AGS is said to be represented in most of the 50 largest companies for the transport of temperature-controlled goods in Spain”
✔ Brittany Mahomes, Tom Davis Partner with PetSafe to Launch Guardian GPS + Tracking Dog Fence.
Maps:
🤔 Google Maps Researcher Explains Why a Highly Requested Feature Doesn't Make Sense. “Integrating [scenic routes] in Google Maps changes how the system works, as the application would also have to consider other factors that define a scenic route, including architecture, streets, and trees. With this approach, Google Maps would become biased.”
📌 MapmyIndia Launches AI-Driven Data Analytics Firm. “A green mobility company used ClarityX’s insights to identify prime locations for charging stations, optimising urban hotspots and highway sites. Similarly, a financial services client identified optimal ATM locations using ClarityX’s micro-market models.”
🗺 Getting More Out of Maps: Goetz Weber's Unusual Journey in Software Application Strategy. TomTom’s Goetz Weber: “The mapping business is becoming high velocity, high complexity and highly semantic. It’s very specialized. If you look at the reality of the business, there are only a few players in the world that can build this incredibly complex mapping object.” TomTom is also partnering with the American Digital Cartography. “ADCi and TomTom will cooperate on continuing the launch of APIs using accurate maps and traffic data.” TomTom and 3 Screen Solutions (3SS), have partnered. 3SS now operates within TomTom’s advanced digital cockpit solution.
👉 iOS 18 Is About To Make Apple Maps Better Than Ever. “Apple Maps has finally gotten a fundamental but heavily requested and long-awaited feature—the ability to ‘Search Here’ on Apple Maps. The new button comes with the rollout of iOS 18, but it now allows you to search for a specific location on the map when it isn’t in your current location.” More Apple Maps news:
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Connected and Autonomous Vehicles:
😮 BMW Is the First Car Manufacturer To Receive Approval for the Combination of Level 2 and Level 3. “BMW is the first carmaker in the world to receive approval for a combination of a Level 2 driving assistance system (the BMW Highway Assistant) and a Level 3 system in the form of the BMW Personal Pilot L3 in the same vehicle.”
👍 California Approves Waymo's Expansion Beyond San Francisco. “The California Public Utilities Commission has upheld its March decision to approve Waymo's expansion from San Francisco to San Mateo County and Los Angeles over protests from local officials.”
🚘 Ford Will Expand Self-Driving Test Car Fleet to 30. “Ford F 0.00%↑ said it will add 20 hybrid Ford Fusion sedans to its existing 10-vehicle self-driving car fleet, and test them on roads in California, Arizona and Michigan.”
🙂 New OEM Connected Vehicle Data Adds More Granularity & Insights to INRIX Data Lake. “This is the latest of four new data source agreements for INRIX in the last year, including data from connected vehicles, mobile devices, and shared mobility. INRIX also released its 2023 Global Traffic Scorecard that identified and ranked congestion and mobility trends in more than 900 cities, across 37 countries.”
🤨 CEO Says Ford Is 'Getting Close' to Level 3 Autonomous Driving That Enables 'Hands and Eyes Off'. “Ford CEO Jim Farley discussed the American automaker’s progress in autonomous driving, stating that it has achieved Level 3. However, it’ll still be a while before Ford customers get to test it out.”
🚌 Level-4 Self-Driving Bus To Start on Public Road. “Boldly will operate buses that can carry up to 10 passengers on an 800-meter stretch of road near Haneda Airport.”
Fleet and Asset Tracking:
🚚 Continental and Telematics Provider Samsara to Partner for Data-Driven Fleet Solutions. “Continental will be partnering with Samsara IOT 0.00%↑ to deliver comprehensive, data-driven fleet management solutions with a focus on truck trailers.” Samsara also rolled out an asset tracking tag:
🚍 Dulces de la Rosa Selects Tive to Protect & Secure Temperature-Sensitive Shipments. “Dulces de la Rosa initially selected Tive for their advanced Solo 5G trackers, which utilize GPS, WiFi, and cell tower triangulation.”
🌍 Bobcat Launches New Machine IQ Telematics Enhancements with Remote Engine Disable/Enable. “The new Remote Engine Disable/Enable feature allows customer users in North America and Europe to remotely enable or disable their machine’s engine through the owner portal or Machine IQ app.”
✔ CalAmp Announces General Availability of HMU3640LB Industrial Gateway.
Location Industry Briefs
Send your news releases to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com. Go to www.locationbusinessnews.com for more news and an archive of stories.
GEODNET Foundation Announces New Customers in Automotive, Drones, IoT, Farming and Surveying
The GEODNET Foundation, which offers the GEODNET RTK network, has announced OEM and distribution agreements with AllyNav, Bad Elf, bynav, Sensori Robotics, and Unmanned Life. The GEODNET ecosystem is growing at an average of 100 to 200 GNSS references stations per week during the first half of 2024, the company said.
GEODNET said that devices connected to its global RTK network can achieve instant accuracy within 1-2 centimeters. Many IoT and autonomous applications, such as drones, smart mowers, and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), have already shifted to RTK in lieu of standard GPS positioning, the company said.
Contact: GOEDNET, info@geodnet.com, www.geodnet.com.
HERE Technologies Launches Fleet Optimization Package
HERE Technologies has launched its Fleet Optimization software package, designed to enhance the efficiency and scalability of fleet management operations, the company said. It offers the location-based capabilities to improve delivery times and decrease operational costs through HERE-built artificial intelligence (AI), the company said.
Other features include HERE Tour Planning that considers real-time and historical traffic, alongside vehicle and road restrictions; Routing to create navigation solutions customized to truck, light commercial vehicle and two-wheeler routing profiles; Geocoding and Search; and Map Rendering, which delivers map data, in raster and vector formats, the company said.
Contact: Sebastian Kurme, HERE Technologies, 49 173 515 3549,
sebastian.kurme@here.com, www.here.com/platform/fleet-optimization.
Taoglas Launches GNSS Patch Antenna
Taoglas has launched a GNSS L1/L5 ultra-low-profile "patch-in-a-patch" antenna. The HP5354.A offers dual-band stacked patch performance in a standard 35 x 35 x 4mm form factor, the company said.
The HP5354.A is a drop-in replacement for single-band surface mount patches, improving the IoT device’s positioning accuracy from 3 meters to 1.5 meters without compromising the dual-band L1/L5 performance, the company said. Applications for the antenna include asset tracking, smart agriculture, industrial tracking, commercial drones, and autonomous vehicles.
Contact: Lizzy Brown, Taoglas, mediarelations@taoglas.com, www.taoglas.com.
Swift Navigation Partners With Calian Group
Swift Navigation has partnered with Calian Group to integrate Calian’s GNSS hardware with Swift’s Skylark Precise Positioning Service. By combining the antenna, receiver, and positioning engine into a single enclosure, Calian significantly simplifies the GNSS part of the hardware architecture, the company said.
Calian’s smart antennas are available in a ceramic patch design, based on its patented Tallysman Accutenna technology. When paired with Skylark’s GNSS corrections, Calian’s Smart Antennas offer centimeter-level accuracy, the company said.
Contact: Swift Navigation, www.swiftnav.com/skylark.
Point One Navigation’s New Tags for Device and System Developers
San Francisco-based Point One Navigation has launched new features for its precise positioning Polaris network. These include a tagging system that allows customers to work with P1’s API as if it were one of their own native applications, the company said.
Customers can attach their own data to P1’s devices. The tagging features enables them to query things in Point One’s system with their native IDs, model numbers, regions and others the company said.
Contact: Mark Shapiro, for Point One Navigation, (619) 249-7742,
mshapiro@pointonenav.com, https://pointonenav.com/news/tags-release.
Behnke Equips Entire Fleet with Road Ready Advanced Telematics
Behnke has recently partnered with Road Ready, the advanced telematics and digital fleet management solutions provider from Clarience Technologies, to equip its fleet with tracking solutions. Behnke, with several hundred trailers and plans to expand in the next two years, will have Road Ready-equipped telematics in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. The company expects to leverage Road Ready’s capabilities to optimize routes, better utilize trailer capacity, and improve overall fleet performance, the company said.
Contact: Shannon Roach, Clarience Technologies, (248) 974-9253, sroach@clariencetechnologies.com, www.roadready.com.
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Urgently Rolls Out Yield-Based Pricing
Urgently ULY 0.00%↑ has launched yield-based pricing across its Service Provider Network. This AI-driven dynamic pricing technology makes it possible to predict and optimize job prices for roadside assistance services, the company said. Real-time yield-based pricing allows Urgently to better manage surges in roadside assistance demand, similar to surge pricing used by ride-hail services, to enable partners to build roadside assistance programs.
Contact: Urgently, media@geturgently.com, www.geturgently.com.
AiRISTA Introduces RTLS Platform
AiRISTA launched its sofia 7.2 next-generation real-time location services (RTLS) platform. Sofia 7.2 also provides support for new RTLS devices, the company said.
AiRISTA will introduce BLE-only tags, some even intended to be disposable. The new product offers customizable asset characterizations/freeform text for asset descriptions and statuses, the company said.
Contact: AiRISTA, salesinfo@airista.com, www.airista.com.
iQIYI Launches VR Location-Based Entertainment in China
Chinese online entertainment service iQIYI plans to launch VR location-based experiences across major Chinese cities this summer, with global expansion to follow. iQIYI’s Luoyang VR Project, which debuted in Shanghai last year, will launch in Shenzhen this summer.
Contact: iQIYI, press@qiyi.com.
People
Nicola Palmer has been named to NextNav’s NN 0.00%↑ board of directors. Palmer’s experience includes CTO, chief engineering officer and head of wireless networks at Verizon VZ 0.00%↑.
John Cappella has been appointed executive vice president and COO at Porsche Cars North America.
Continental AG appointed Olaf Schick, 52, as the company’s new CFO.
Airspace Link president and CEO Michael Healander was named a winner of the 2024 Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year awards for Michigan and northwest Ohio.
Mark Fitzgerald has been named director, IoT and embedded technologies at VDC Research.
Pete Costello has been named business development manager at Information Logistics.
Jobs
Segment Manager, Industrial (Remote in USA). u-blox.
Supply Chain Manager. Taoglas.
Careers. Swift Navigation.
Algorithm Engineer. Dynamic Map Platform North America.
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