SAIC Awarded $390 Million Task Order to Modernize GPS
Company to enhance GPS' capabilities and improve resilience
Science Applications International Corp. [SAIC] was awarded a $390 million task order by the General Services Administration, on behalf of the U.S. Space Force, to help modernize the GPS program. As part of the task order, the company said it will enhance capabilities and improve GPS’ resilience.
SAIC will support the Space Systems Command’s GPS programs of record, as well as its Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) programs, which include space vehicles, ground infrastructure and all satellite navigation military user equipment, the company said. The task order also calls for SAIC to support future PNT planning, which includes transitioning to newer GPS systems.
Provisions of the task order indicate it’s an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract—to include a base period of 10 months followed by six, one-year option periods and a final six-month option period, the company said.
In support of PNT programs, SAIC will develop operational and other requirements and provide planning and architecture development. In addition, the company will establish system and digital engineering processes and innovations
Mapping Platform NextBillion.ai Raises $21 Million
Location and geospatial company NextBillion.ai has raised $21 million in a Series B funding round led by global investment firm Mirae Asset Capital. Other investors include Lightspeed Venture Partners, Microsoft's Venture Fund M12 and Alpha Wave Global.
NextBillion.ai, founded two years ago by Gaurav Bubna, Shaolin Zheng and Ajay Bulusu, launched such mapping APIs as Directions and Distance Matrix, Snap to Road, Search and Geocoding, and MapTiles. The company claims to have registered a 10 times in customer base and 5 times revenue growth.
“[When we started out] all we had was a pitch deck that illustrated the big problem with maps we were trying to solve. We were trying to disrupt an established industry that was dominated by giants who had decades-long head starts,” said Bulusu, in a company blog. “Currently, we support customers across 20 countries and have helped enterprises manage billions of API calls with low latency. We have disrupted the mapping world with our decentralized and software-first approach.”
The company also announced strategic partnerships with technology platforms Locus, Otonomo, Locale.ai, Dista.ai and RouteQ. Competitors include Google Maps and Mapbox.
Bulusu said that the company plans to use the new funding to expand its product portfolio, build map tools, invest deeper into R&D activities and diversify a partner ecosystem.
Seiler to Step Down as U-blox CEO
After more than 20 years at the helm of Thalwil, Switzerland-based u-blox [UBXN], Thomas Seiler will step down as CEO on Dec. 31, 2022. Seiler’s successor, Stephan Zizala, will join u-blox on Oct. 1, 2022.
Zizala, who joins u-blox from Infineon Technologies AG, managed the company’s industrial and multimarket microcontroller products as well as its “Automotive High Power” business unit.
Seiler, who helped expand u-blox to 32 countries and 1,300 employees during his tenure, will remain on the company’s board of directors and chair a new strategy committee.
ServiceNow Re-Platforms Mapwize Indoor Mapping Technology
To serve industries that are challenged by a shift to permanent hybrid work, ServiceNow [NOW] has announced that it has re-platformed Mapwize indoor mapping technology into the Now Platform.
As part of the transformation, ServiceNow Indoor Mapping uses Workplace Indoor Mapping, an app available in the company’s Workplace Service Delivery solution for desk hoteling and wayfinding, the company said.
ServiceNow last year closed the acquisition of France-based Mapwize. “When I joined the ServiceNow team less than a year ago, I was excited about the potential to help global organizations navigate hybrid work environments,” says Mederic Morel, director of product management at ServiceNow and former CEO and co-founder of Mapwize, in a statement.
Workplace Indoor Mapping also offers multi-building wayfinding, which makes it easy and efficient for employees to go from building to building, the company said.
“But wayfinding technology is only effective when floor plans are accurately captured and kept up to date,” said Kevin Nanney, ServiceNow’s Workplace Service Delivery vice president and GM, in a statement.
ServiceNow quoted IDC estimates that, globally, 20 percent of organizations with 500 or more employees have either already invested in wayfinding technology or are planning to do so.
Other Indoor Mapping Studio features include the ability to create, edit and deploy maps; identify points of interest (restaurants, train stations, government buildings); customize map design; and automate the map creation process.
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💰 Broadcom Linked With $50 Billion Vmware Move. “Broadcom reportedly commenced talks to buy software group VMware in a deal which could be worth more than $50 billion, as the U.S. chipmaker continues efforts to transform itself into a diversified technology company.”
😲 Hyundai Plans $5 Billion Investment in U.S. On Mobility Technology Such as Autonomous Driving and Robotics. “The automaker is also pushing into driverless technology through Motional, a venture formed with U.S.-based mobile technology company Aptive.”
👍 Skyline to Provide USAF GPS-Independent Localization Capability. “Skyline Nav AI has been awarded a $750,000 contract to provide GPS-independent localization capability to the U.S. Air Force.”
🚲 Over 5 Million Shared Bikes Using Beidou-based Chips in China. “They belong to three major Chinese operators－Meituan, Hellobike and Didi Qingju－and are deployed in more than 450 cities on the mainland.”
🚜 John Deere Acquires Autonomous Technology Start-up. “Deere appears to be using a vision-only approach to autonomy, rather than Lidar, which, according to John Deere, doesn’t perform too well in dust.”
😧 Google Maps Workers in Washington Say They Can't Afford the Trip Back to the Office. “The issue affects more than 200 workers who are employed by outsourcing firm Cognizant Technology Solutions.”
👏 Why GPS Should Embrace Privatization To Avoid Obsolescence. Chris DeMay, COO of TrustPoint, says he can “build a full constellation for the price of just a single GPS III.”
😮 Google Maps Is Now the Worst Navigation App, Users Claim in a Flood of One-Star Reviews. “More and more Android users ended up struggling with all kinds of problems in Google Maps, including broken navigation, GPS connection issues, audible guidance not working, and freezes occurring all of a sudden when the app is minimized.”
🚗 Intelematics Partners With Aeris. “The partnership will enable Intelematics to bring Aeris’ connected vehicle platform, the Aeris Mobility Suite (AMS), to local vehicle manufacturers and distributors in Australia and New Zealand.”
🚘 Where the Billions Spent on Autonomous Vehicles by U.S. And Chinese Giants Is Heading. “In one word, it’s complexity,” said James Peng, CEO and co-founder of Pony.ai. “Every time there is a technical breakthrough, there are challenges. We have the AI, the fast computer chips, the sensors. It’s all solvable by fitting all the pieces together smoothly. 99.9 percent is not good enough to perfect the technology.”
🤞 FCC Should Move Forward with Plan to Use Auction Proceeds to Fund NG911. “I can tell you that the evolution of 911 has been epically slow and technological advancements of all kinds have outpaced our legacy 911 calling systems.”
😐 Ford Trials Geofencing Tech That Could Automatically Reduce Vehicle Speed. “Together with colleagues in Aachen, the Palo Alto engineers developed technology that connects the vehicle to the geofencing system for GPS tracking and data exchange.”
🙂 Google Maps Rival Gets Accessibility Navigation Feature, Surprisingly Useful for Everyone. “Navigation specialist TomTom [TOM2] has updated its AmiGO navigation app with support for accessibility features specifically aimed at people who are hard of hearing.”
✔ MapmyIndia Achieves 31% Revenue Jump.
Location Industry Briefs
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OneNav Announces Competitive pureL5 Field Test Performance
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based oneNav has announced results from field testing of its latest pureL5 Customer Evaluation System software in open sky and signal environments. The oneNav GNSS system, which includes a custom array processor and a library of machine learning algorithms, demonstrated sub-meter accuracy and rapid TTFF in open sky testing.
In challenging urban and deep urban canyon environments, the pureL5 CES field test equipment outperformed a competing commercial precision L1 GNSS unit, the company said. The oneNav system was able to acquire directly and track L5 signals in all environments with no L1 receiver present, the company said.
Contact: oneNav, www.onenav.ai.
NextNav Integrates Pinnacle Network With Vizsafe’s Geoaware Platform
NextNav [NN] has partnered with Vizsafe, a provider of health, safety and security solutions, to add vertical location services to its Geoaware platform. By integrating NextNav’s Pinnacle Network, Vizsafe, is able to provide its public safety and emergency service clients a more clear picture of the z-axis location of its workforce, visitors, and resources, even across multi-story buildings, the company said.
Vizsafe offers the Geoaware platform to power smart facilities, venues and cities with AI driven mobile apps, communications, incident and visitor management, the company said.
Contact: Mahmood Abu-Rubieh, for NextNav, nextnav@launchsquad.com, https://nextnav.com.
Geotab Integrated Solution Available for Government Agencies
Geotab has announced that its Geotab Integrated Solution for General Motors [GM] is now available for government agencies in the United States. The integrated OEM provides connectivity through OnStar-equipped vehicles, without the need for additional hardware installation, the company said.
Fleet managers will have access to their compatible Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicle data within the MyGeotab platform via an embedded OnStar module.
Contact: Taylor Barker, Geotab, pr@geotab.com, www.geotab.com.
New U-blox LTE Cat 4 Works With AssistNow A-GNSS and CellLocate
U-blox’s new LTE Cat 4 module, LARA-L6, is the world’s smallest module in its class with full LTE band support and 2G/3G fallback, the company said. LARA-L6 supports the company’s AssistNow A-GNSS and CellLocate services.
The module, designed size-constrained applications, is tailored for alarm panels, surveillance cameras, after-market telematics, routers and gateways.
The module, designed size-constrained applications, is tailored for alarm panels, surveillance cameras, after-market telematics, routers and gateways.
Contact: Natacha Seitz, u-blox, 41 76 436 0788, natacha.seitz@u-blox.com, www.u-blox.com.
Edgecore Launches Smart Indoor Location Solution
Edgecore Networks has launched the Smart Indoor Location Solution, a Wi-Fi-based indoor location application that builds on existing Wi-Fi network infrastructure. The product uses any portable device with Wi-Fi features, such as a mobile phone, as a sensor, the company said.
With Edgecore’s ecCLOUD add-on services, the solution is able to provide multiple functions to meet the indoor management needs of various application scenarios, the company said. Combined with Edgecore’s data labeling and analysis system, and a real-time dashboard, managers can track and monitor objects, taking immediate actions in response to events, the company said.
Contact: Tony Stramandinoli, Edgecore, tony_stramandinoli@edge-core.com, (949) 290-7421, wifi.edge-core.com.
Ultrack Systems Completes M-Loan Acquisition
Ultrack Systems [MJLB] has acquired the California trucking company M-Loan Inc. The M-Loan acquisition expands Ultrack's footprint into U.S. locations to ensure it is a “North American” company—and not just a “Canadian” company, Ultrack said. "My intention is to make this the first of many successful North American acquisitions for Ultrack. I remain convinced that acquiring multiple North American trucking companies that are in line with Ultrack's mission,” said Ultrack CEO Michael Marsbergen, in a statement.
Contact: Ultrack Systems, http://ultrack.ca.
Topcon and Atmos Partner for GNSS Boards
Topcon Positioning Group will supply GNSS boards for the Atmos Marlyn Cobalt drone. The Atmos Marlyn Cobalt is a VTOL fixed-wing mapping drone that allows users to collect accurate geospatial information, the company said.
The use of Topnet Live, a GNSS real-time correction service, allows users high-accuracy positioning and survey-grade results, the company said. Topcon’s B111A GNSS receiver board provides the drone sub-meter DGPS to sub-centimeter RTK positioning, the company said.
Contact: Topcon Positioning Group, www.topconpositioning.com.
Spire Global Launches Five Satellites on SpaceX Transporter-5 Mission
At our deadline, Spire Global [SPIR] had five satellites on the SpaceX Transporter-5 Mission launched May 25 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
As part of the launch, two replenishment satellites will support Spire’s data solutions business, which encompasses the tracking of maritime, aviation, and weather activity from space, the company said. These satellites are equipped with GNSS sensors to collect radio occultation and other weather product data.
Contact: Kristina Spychalski, Spire, Kristina.Spychalski@spire.com, www.spire.com.
Link Labs Gets Stevie Award for Airfinder Onsite
Link Labs has announced that its AirFinder OnSite platform has won a Bronze Stevie Award in the Emerging Technology category in the 20th Annual American Business Awards. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning "crowned," this year's award program received more than 3,700 nominations, the company said. AirFinder OnSite, with Bluetooth-based location technology, is tailored to IoT asset tracking in warehouses and other large-scale sites, the company said.
Contact: Jodie Booras, for Link Labs, (619)564-9306, jodieb@gabrielmarketing.com, www.link-labs.com/airfinder-onsite.
People
Aeris Communications’ Syed Zaeem Hosain, founder and CTO, was named a top industry contributor in Onalytica's Who's Who in IoT.
CalAmp [CAMP] has named Brennen Carson as its chief revenue officer (CRO). Carson served as senior vice president of sales for driver-performance company Idelic, and vice president of sales, North America, for Fleetmatics.
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