|
Bred Koziey, Sales Director of Applanix Corporation shares his views on Positioning and Navigational technologies and the overall GPS industry in an exclusive interview with GIS Development.
Applanix is one of the industry
leaders in the development and
manufacture of integrated inertial/GPS
technology. What is the USP that gives
Applanix an edge over others?
Applanix is actually the industry leader in
the development and manufacture of
integrated inertial/GPS systems. Having
first pioneered the technology for commercial
applications during the early
1990s, our systems have evolved to
become the industry standards.
At Applanix, investment in innovation
and product improvement is a high priority.
In addition to our core Position and
Orientation System (POS) business,
Applanix has leveraged its expertise in
inertial/GPS technology to bring innovative
solutions such as the Digital Sensor
System (DSS) to the marketplace.
There are a number of unique selling
points which set our systems apart from
others in the industry, such as excellent
customer support and an understanding
of customer needs. We have an enormous
resource in geomatics industry; we have
technical expertise, with photogrammetrists,
surveyors, engineers and aerospace
and defense industry experts. We
possess in-depth understanding of inertial/
GPS technology and its specific
applications, our products offer a superior
range of features and a complete
range of models to suit various accuracy
levels and customer requirements. Our
solutions are field-proven, turnkey, and
are easily integrated with our customers'
workflow. As a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Trimble, we also have access to the latest
in GPS systems development. The
product upgrade paths we offer our customers
enable them to keep up-to-date
with the most recent technological
improvements. This allows customers to
apply the latest technology to their projects
and applications and ensures that
they get the most from their investment.
How do you see the future of positioning
and navigational technologies in
terms of growth of applications, technology
and user market? Where will the
GPS industry head in coming years?
The technology is continually improving
with new applications being introduced
all the time. There is a constant need for
geospatial data but the trend towards
"immediacy" means that data is now
time-dependent. Current information is a
key component in many applications
today. Time is an important factor; people
want latest information now. The ongoing
developments in inertial/GPS technology
is geared towards addressing this
issue.
How would you react to Galileo as an
alternative to the US GPS? Do you foresee
the emergence of more such service
providres and new users’ base?
I don't think the geospatial industry views
Galileo as an alternative to the current
GPS system. Rather it is seen as a service
that can be utilized in addition to GPS,
in the same way what GLONASS is used.
With an additional 30 satellites available,
the compatibility and interoperability of
both systems will enable users worldwide
to gain increased accuracy and efficiency.
There are several countries currently
looking at the feasibility of initiating
their own satellite systems, such as India
with the, Geostationary Earth Orbit
Augmented Navigation program
(GAGAN) and Japan with the Quazi
Zenith Satellite System (QZSS). Even
though Galileo is a European initiative, it
has gained a lot of interest from countries
outside the European Union.
With positioning technology's continued
expansion into diverse industries, as
mineral exploration, transportation
administration, and agricultural production
management, the role of satellite
positioning is gaining wider acceptance
and is becoming an important
component in the world of information
technology.
How would you like to profile Asia as
a market on locational technologies in
comparison to North America and
Europe, in terms of acceptance and
maturity of usage?
The Asian region is a rapidly growing
market in all segments of the economy.
China in particular has seen enormous
change in the past two years with expansion
in urban, sub-urban, and rural development.
To keep pace with planned
growth, there is a need to apply the most
up-to-date technology to meet the
demand. Our position and orientation
systems are part of the solution and have
been readily accepted in China and other
parts of the Asian market, particularly in
the core surveying and geosciences sectors.
We have seen a lot of activity in the
geospatial marketplace because of the
dependence on location-based technologies
such as GPS, which is a key component
in urban planning and development.
Japan already has an established geospatial
community. Since the early 1990s it
has actively encouraged the private sector
to expand its GIS capabilities with the
result that it now has world’s leading airborne
and land-based geomatics industry.
Our POS have been particularly effective
in some of the more rugged regions
of SE Asia, where the terrain can present
accessibility problems for personnel on
the ground and where GPS reception is
hindered by thick forests and dense tree
canopies. With infrastructure expansion
in many areas faced with these types of
conditions, the ability to generate directly
georeferenced imagery for mapping purposes
without the need for a traditional
ground control network and aerial triangulation
is a tremendous advantage.
What are your plans for Asia and the
Middle East market in terms of marketing
and product customization?
The Applanix market is worldwide and as
such we see the potential for market penetration
from a global perspective.
Consequently, we tailor our approach to
suit the particular region we are targeting.
Applanix has been successfully doing
business in Asia for several years now with
an established policy of local resource
integration. A local interface is extremely
important for a better understanding of
the business environment and the necessary
protocols required for the introduction
of our technology. Our close cooperation
with organizations such as
Antaragrafik Systems Sdn, Bhd, has led
to successful implementation of our airborne
technology with JUPEM in
Malaysia, and has ultimately enhanced its
topographic mapping programs. In
China, for example, Applanix and our
local partner, CASW Instruments Ltd.
have pioneered the introduction of inertial/
GPS technology for direct georeferencing
of aerial photography. Our POS
AV system is now in use at several leading
organizations. We recognize the advantages
of local involvement and anticipate
the future will include local technical support
and sales centers in the Asia region.
Would you like to mention some of
the key latest technical updates of
Applanix or Trimble?
As an organization at the cutting-edge of
inertial/GPS technological development,
we are committed to producing application-
focused technology that is practical
and delivers exceptional value to our customers.
We have recently incorporated
MEMS(Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems)
technology into our line of POS
products. These are the latest state-ofthe-
art, micromachined quartz components
that are compact, durable and
designed for use in a high-vibration environment.
Earlier this year we also
launched a new product aimed at marine
market - the WaveMaster, designed to
supplement the marine systems for small
boat operations utilizing multibeam
sonar systems.
Please tell us a little about the
Applanix DSS Digital Sensor System and
the Image View 3.0.
Current global events involving natural
disasters have focussed the attention of
decision makers on the need for a complete
rapid response mapping system to
produce usable geospatial data. Airborne
Rapid Imaging for Emergency Support
(ARIES) is one such system that is
presently under development in the
United States. Applanix has been involved
with the test project through the utilization
of our Digital Sensor System (DSS).
The DSS is a cost-effective mappingquality
alternative to large-format digital
cameras. It features a precision and
directly georeferenced medium format
digital camera, advanced position and orientation
technology (inertial/GPS)
designed for airborne vehicles, and custom
built optics within a small, rugged,
and easy to install package. It's a compact
and complete solution that provides any
team looking for greater productivity
with an extremely strong competitive
advantage. Shipped "ready-to-fly" the
DSS can be deployed on an aircraft in less
than an hour.
It's already a proven workhorse, having
been placed into service for NOAA and
other organizations urgently collecting
data immediately following the Hurricane
Katrina disaster. Quick response times
provided by the DSS’ embedded direct
georeferencing capability allowed decision
makers to receive superior quality images
and act quickly without having to waste
processing time or place people in danger
collecting control points on the ground
(what little there was).
|
