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Surveying & Engineering

Advanced GNSS and optical solutions to make your surveying

and engineering projects more productive.

Surveying & Engineering

MACHINE CONTROL & CONSTRUCTION

High-productivity GNSS sensors and solutions.

MACHINE CONTROL & CONSTRUCTION

MAPPING & GEOSPATIAL

Mobile mapping solution for 3D mass data acquisition.

MAPPING & GEOSPATIAL

Marine Construction

High-performance USVs, GNSS sensors and echosounders

for marine survey and construction professionals.

Marine Construction

News & Events

AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2021 in Atlanta

CHCNAV to exhibit at the world's largest event for unmanned and autonomous systems. Shanghai, China - CHC Navigation (CHCNAV), a global high-precision navigation company in autonomous drone and geomatics technologies, will participate in AUVSI's XPONENTIAL 2021 exhibition on August 16-19, 2021, in Atlanta, USA. This event is the only place where unmanned systems leaders and end-users from all industries share use cases, discover new technologies, build partnerships, and solve real-world problems. Figure 1. BB4 UAV -Unmanned Air Vehicle for airborne surveys from CHCNAV; to be presented at the exhibition CHCNAV will have a booth in the XPO hall (booth #2859). Attendees will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with CHCNAV's experts and learn more about CHCNAV's latest technologies and innovative products across the entire spectrum of unmanned applications, from land, marine and airborne drones to LiDAR and integrated GNSS+INS sensors. CHCNAV's latest AA450 airborne LiDAR, BB4 UAV, and Apache4 USV marine UAV will be showcased at this exhibition. Figure 2. Navigation from entrance #1 to the CHCNAV’s booth #2859 Access the map of AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2021: https://www.xponential.org/xponential2021/public/eventmap.aspx?shmode=E Learn more about AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2021: https://www.xponential.org/ _____ About CHC Navigation CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) creates innovative GNSS navigation and positioning solutions to make customers' work more efficient. CHCNAV products and solutions cover multiple industries such as geospatial, construction, agriculture and marine. With a presence across the globe, distributors in more than 100 countries and more than 1,300 employees, today CHC Navigation is recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in geomatics technologies. For more information about CHC Navigation [Huace:300627.SZ], please visit: https://www.chcnav.com/about-us/overview //

2021-07-20

2021-08-16 2021-08-19 USA, Altanta AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2021 in Atlanta

Meet us at the FIG e-Working Week 2021

FIG Community with over 250.000 members from 120 countries, including CHCNAV, will be at FIG e-working week online in 2021

We are pleased to invite you to join us at FIG e-Working Week 2021, June 20-25, the virtual conference of surveyors and geomatics experts from around the world. As an online conference, it will be accessible to visitors from all over the world and allow the 250,000 members from 120 countries of the FIG Community to join the event. Our CHCNAV representatives will be there to share meaningful insights into surveying technologies to improve your daily operations, from GNSS receivers and GNSS RTK networks to the latest LiDAR solutions for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The theme of FIG e-Working Week 2021 will be: "Smart surveyors for land and water management." In addition, it will also focus on the challenges surveyors face in an unstable, uncertain and unpredictable world and the technologies, methods and procedures they use to cope with these new developments. Learn more about FIG Working Week 2021: https://www.fig.net/fig2021/

2021-05-19

2021-06-20 2021-06-25 e-Working Online Meet us at the FIG e-Working Week 2021

Join us online at the XPONENTIAL in May, 2021

XPONENTIAL 2021 offers fresh insight across the full spectrum of unmanned innovation, from AI, to sensors, to cybersecurity.

We invite you to attend the online XPONENTIAL exhibition that will be held on interactive, dynamic, and user-friendly virtual platform on May 4-6, 2021.You will be able to get an immersive virtual experience from your own home or office attending breakout sessions, keynote speeches, benefit from networking opportunities and discover more about CHCNAV's latest technologies and innovative products across the entire spectrum of unmanned applications, from land, marine and airborne drones to LiDAR sensors and integrated GNSS+INS sensors. - Learn more about Xponential: https://www.xponential.org/xponential2021/ - Register and visit our online booth: https://xponential.auvsi.showcare.io/exhibitors1/chcnav We look forward to meeting and connecting with you at the virtual show!

2021-04-26

2021-05-04 2021-05-06 Atlanta, United States Join us online at the XPONENTIAL in May, 2021

CGI-610 GNSS INS in the seaport automation project of Thailand

BACKGROUND OF THE AUTONOMOUS DRIVING Autonomous driving has become a popular topic in recent years, whether for self-driving passenger cars, cabs, or industrial vehicles. To accomplish the task of autonomous driving, a vehicle needs to have the following information: where it is (positioning), where it is going (planning), how to get there (navigation planning), how to avoid collisions (perception), and how to follow relevant protocols (understanding modeling). Positioning is the primary problem that needs to be solved, and it is acknowledged that integrated GNSS/INS navigation and positioning is an essential technology to address this application. The CGI GNSS/INS (inertial navigation system) sensor tightly integrates high accuracy positioning GNSS module and an industrial-grade inertial motion unit (IMU) that are designed to meet the requirements of the autonomous driving industry. _____ SELF DRIVING STANDARDS Autonomous driving technology is divided into 6 levels in the SAE standard, from L0 to L5. There should be no manual intervention during the driving process for L4 and L5 autonomous vehicles. In the field of passenger cars, due to the difficulties of establishing laws and regulations covering the notion of risks and responsibilities, L4 and L5 autonomous driving technology is still far from mass production. However, in several special commercial vehicle applications, such as port and fleet logistics, L4 autonomous driving projects are gradually implemented. Among CHC Navigation's customers, Westwell, to which we shall refer in the next paragraph, has already completed the commercial operation of L4 autonomous driving in a harbor. Figure 1. Westwell’s autonomous Q-Truck at the Thai port _____ THE CASE OF STRADDLE TRUCKS Founded in 2016, Westwell aims at the commercial roll-out of AI chip-based solutions, at the smart port business, and subsequently enters the autonomous driving segment in industrial applications. Westwell is one of the early integrators of the CGI-610 GNSS/INS, the first navigation sensor featuring GNSS and INS tight coupling algorithms developed by CHC Navigation. The cooperation between the two parties started in 2019 and contributed to a process of continuous improvement of CHCNAV GNSS navigation and inertial systems, considering all the operational constraints encountered in a port environment. On September 13, 2019, Westwell announced the release of a driverless electric truck, the Q-Truck. The Q-Truck is designed as a cab-less truck that can be used in multiple scenarios such as ports, logistics parks, and mines. It is equipped with CGI-610, the high-precision integrated GNSS/INS navigation receiver that can achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy. In 2020, 6 Q-Trucks were put into service in the port in Thailand operating at full capacity, loading and unloading containers. Figure 2. Q-Truck fleet at the Thai port _____ ADOPTING HYBRID SOLUTIONS Compared to the combined GNSS/INS navigation and positioning solution, the use of traditional solutions (magnetic guidance nails or base station guidance program) in Automated Guided Vehicles (AVG) and straddle trucks leads to challenges such as the use of external devices, the high cost of port transformation, relatively low operational efficiency and deployment difficulties. Similarly, GNSS positioning solutions also have shortcomings in such complex and obstructed environments as ports. The availability of a single RTK GNSS-based positioning is sometimes affected for a period that can be quite long. The accuracy of GNSS/INS positioning then becomes inadequate to ensure the integrity of autonomous navigation systems. The efficient resolution of such constraints requires the additional use of vision and LiDAR technologies to perform multi-sources fusion positioning. Figure 3. Moving containers from the vessel to the yard with the help of autonomous Q-Trucks _____ CONCLUSION CHCNAV’s CGI-610 GNSS/INS sensor was successfully integrated by Westwell into its driverless Q-Truck. The CGI-610 GNSS/INS sensor is a dual-antenna GNSS receiver, tightly coupled to an inertial module, that provides reliable and accurate navigation and positioning solutions for demanding terrestrial, marine, or aerial applications. Figure 4.CGI-610 GNSS/INS Sensor integrated into the Q-Trucks Today, Westwell has achieved commercial operation of automated straddle truck driving in ports. The Q-Truck is designed as a cab-less truck and could be used in multiple scenarios, such as ports, logistics parks, and mines. The challenge of prolonged GNSS positioning outages in obstructed areas and ensuring the integrity of the truck's position leads to the need to add vision and LiDAR sensors to provide multi-source fusion positioning. CHC Navigation has initiated a research and development program to bring out new high accuracy solutions to fill the gap in GNSS use in seaports. ___ Know more about CGI-610 GNSS/INS sensor Send an inquiry for CGI-610 GNSS/INS sensor Media contact: marketing@chcnav.com

2021-07-27

AlphaUni LiDAR : 3D Smart Cities

3D Models for the Digital Twins Projects Since its emergence more than a decade ago, digital twin technology has developed into a complex and comprehensive technical system that supports the construction of new smart cities. It is also an advanced model for the continuous innovation of smart urban development and a future form of modernization of the combined "virtual and real" world. The creation of the digital twin city leverages high-level topographic tools capable of providing comprehensive, multi-dimensional, large-scale, high-resolution data sets. As a virtual model, a digital city provides layered data about buildings, urban infrastructure, utilities, businesses, and the movement of people and vehicles. By providing this information, digital twins enable smart city development and modernization. Traditional methods of collecting and representing 2D spatial data, such as maps and images, are no longer sufficient, and a complete upgrade of traditional survey tools is required to move to 3D modeling. Derived 3D models indeed have a great capacity to be merged and correlated with social or economic spatial data from IoT and Big Data. Today, a very strong demand exists for integrated solutions, allowing the capture of comprehensive 3D geospatial data, with high accuracy and in a short time frame. Figure 1. City inspection project, data captured by AlphaUni. ____ Capturing 3D Point Cloud in Cities To illustrate a typical digital city project, CHC Navigation conducted a proof-of-concept demonstration in the Jinshan District of Shanghai, China. The total area of Jinshan District is about 600 km2. This area has rich terrain characteristics and features typical of large modern cities, such as high-rise buildings, power lines, rivers and vegetation. Capturing 3D geospatial data from a single platform Lidar system can leave some areas blank in the point cloud data. The AlphaUni 900 Lidar solution, with its multi-platform capability, can easily capture complete data from a drone, car, backpack or boat, and can produce a sophisticated 3D image. The AlphaUni 900 Lidar system seamlessly integrates real buildings, provides outdoor mapping, and dramatically changes the way high-precision 3D data is collected. ____ How to Solve the Challenges of 3D Laser Scanning in an Urban Environment? #1. Using terrestrial LiDAR with a versatle mobile platform The Alpha3D provides geospatial professionals with a high-performance, vehicle-independent mobile mapping solution for capturing 3D mass data in ever-changing urban environments. Whatever the application, the Alpha3D mobile mapping system dramatically increases the return on investment by getting the work done faster and more accurately. The Alpha3D combines an accurate, long-range, ultra-high-speed laser scanner, a high-resolution HDR panoramic camera, an advanced GNSS receiver, and a high-accuracy IMU, all in a lightweight, compact yet rugged design. All these features make the Alpha3D one of the most innovative mobile mapping systems on the market today. Figure 2. Alpha 3D with Alpha Uni 900 installed on the car for the city inspection. The AlphaUni 900 is a high-end, multi-platform LiDAR systems that has been designed and enhanced by CHCNAV with many years of experience in 3D data acquisition. The AlphaUni 900 is a fully integrated system with high precision, long range laser scanners featuring Riegl's unique Waveform-Lidar technology and high accuracy inertial navigation system, ready for survey missions requiring the highest quality data in the air and on the ground. Its unique design allows it to be mounted on a backpack for narrow street scanning. Figure 3. AlphaUni 900 on backpack for the narrow street survey. Figure 4. Point cloud from Alpha Uni backpack set-up #2. Expand the 3D Scanning with an airborne platform to acquire data in hard-to-reach areas The limitation of capturing data with a single-platform LiDAR system may leave some areas blank in the point-cloud data. Mounted on an airborne drone, the AlphaUni 900 can capture complete data from an aerial perspective. The BB4 UAV is a high-end unmanned aircraft platform resulting from an alliance between two industry leaders in their respective segments. Its scientific design and highly integrated production technology comes from CHCNAV - a global manufacturer of efficient geospatial measurement technologies - and its fully automated flight control system from DJI, the pioneer in commercial drone manufacturing. Figure 5. BB4 UAV platform combined with Alpha Uni 900. Figure 6. BB4 UAV platform with Alpha Uni 900 can fly for over 40 minutes. Figure 7. Aerial platform scanning data captured by AlphaUni. #3. Finalize the 3D modeling by combining the overwater riverbank scan and the underwater bathymetric data The APACHE 6 USV is an integrated innovative solution able to combine a high-resolution 3D bathymetric surveys and simulteanously acquire scanning data of the riverbank. Equipped with a Norbit multibeam echosounder and the AlphaUni 900, the APACHE6 scans a city's rivers, canals and harbors in a single pass, providing high data consistency and considerable time savings. Powered by a high-performance dual-propeller system providing a stable automatic cruise speed of up to 2.5 m/s, the APACHE6 USV improves work efficiency and produces high-resolution data to consistently meet the requirements of the most demanding 3D city model projects. Figure 8. Apache6 USV combined with AlphaUni. Figure 9. Apache6 USV point cloud from the water channel. ____ Multi-platform 3D LiDAR Survey Accuracy Final data accuracy after point cloud data integration from multiple platforms: No. Surveying Platform Integrated 3D point cloud absolute accuracy (RMS) 1 - UAV/Drone 30 mm 2 - Car 25 mm 3 - Boat 70 mm 4 - Backpack 50 mm All data can be published together on an internet cloud service using the CHCNAV Orbit publisher. ____ Conclusion During the project, the CHCNAV AlphaUni 900 seamlessly integrated city buildings into the datasets and provided sophisticated 3D images and point clouds from aerial, terrestrial and water environments. The extensive coverage of the derived 3D models has a high capacity to be merged and correlated with social, economic and infrastructure spatial data. CHCNAV's AlphaUni 900's high accuracy capability and cross-platform design successfully provide an innovative solution to the 3D geospatial data acquisition problems required for smart city development. The AlphaUni 900 LiDAR system innovates the way we do mapping. Whatever the application, CHCNAV’s solutions for mobile mapping can significantly increase your return-on-investment by completing work quicker and more accurately. ___ SEND AN INQUIRY Send an inquiry for AlphaUni 900 Discover more about AlphaUni 900 Media contact: marketing@chcnav.com

2021-07-09

AlphaAir 450 Application Case

Power lines inspection with LiDAR With the rapid development of civil construction and the increase in demand for electricity in recent years, the market segment of power line construction has grown considerably. At the same time, the efficient management of these large-scale power line networks and the guarantee of reliable power transmission are becoming increasingly important to ensure economic sustainability. A one-time power outage not only results in losses for power grid companies, but can also have serious repercussions for end users and society as a whole. With the increasing mileage of high-voltage transmission lines, traditional observation and monitoring methods are no longer sufficient to meet maintenance requirements. Therefore, more automated and smarter inspection methods are needed, from which the use of airborne LiDAR sensors provides a suitable solution. Challenges related to power grid maintenance As the scale of the power grid has expanded rapidly in recent years, the number of long-distance transmission lines has also steadily increased. An growing proportion of these lines are located in mountainous areas. To perform daily power line maintenance, asset inventory and power incident resolution, continuous monitoring is required. Currently, most daily inspections are performed by electrical engineers using ground-based observation methods or photogrammetry. Figure 1: Traditional power line patrol work. High workloads - The rapid increase in power line mileage results in a high workload. Traditional ground-based inspection methods cannot keep up with operational requirements. High labor costs - Ground-based observations are associated with low speed, high cost, poor accuracy and high labor intensity. High standards - The day-to-day demand for higher quality observations has increased dramatically in recent years. Helicopter Use - Long preparation time, high costs, high risk. It does not support daily routine inspections. LiDAR drones optimize digitization of power line corridors The development level reached by LiDAR technology allows it to be used in power line monitoring applications. Based on the captured aerial point cloud data and appropriate software processing, the power line is easily extracted and generated as a 3D digital model. In addition, the LiDAR solution also offers rapid optimization and asset inventory capabilities required by the high scalability of the power line. LiDAR sensors support multiple echoes to capture the coordinates of the power line, electrical facilities, vegetation and ground objects in a single scan to significantly improve the inspection efficiency. Figure 2. The AlphaAir 450 weighs 1kg, which is perfectly suited to the drones' payload requirements. Some of the key benefits include: A final acceptance inspection of a new power network project and raw file creation. This includes power line channels (trees and buildings), intersections (power lines, highways, railways), electrical installations (safety distances, gradients), ground wire sag and internal. Simplification in calculating the safety distance between the power line and vegetation or new constructions. Support for rough estimation of the vegetation growth pattern, the deformation of the line under high temperatures and the measurement of the interval between the points of intersection. Site layout of the electrical facilities prior to the construction phase and design of the components' size. Airborne LiDAR survey typical workflow Mission Planing A well-designed mission plan is a key factor in the success of a LiDAR UAV survey. Drone pilots must consider multiple factors such as local topography, flight time, project area, takeoff site, etc. Data Capture The AA450 handles both manual and automatic control procedures to start scanning during flight, and simultaneously captures point cloud data and high-resolution images. Figures 3. Power line Lidar imagery, captured by the AlphaAir 450. Data Processing CoProcess is a software solution that contains a sophisticated Powerlines module for post-processing of inspection data. It enables rapid extraction of high-precision 3D information from point cloud data, including terrain relief, electrical installations, surrounding environment, etc. CoProcess provides a more scientific and efficient workflow for power system planning, daily maintenance and incident investigation. Its 3D view management module has multiple view types to display 3D point cloud data in an intuitive way. The point cloud measurement module makes the measurement of lengths, areas, thicknesses, densities, angles, etc. quick and easy. The powerful ground filter and classification function classify the point cloud data into ground points, power line points and surrounding object points. This function ensures automatic data processing and saves a lot of time. CoProcess supports automatic DEM and DSM extraction from classified point cloud data, as well as manual and semi-automatic powerline extraction, which allows the extraction of powerline data from a large number of points. After extraction, it can perform additional automated detection and export the vectorized result. It can also output an obstacle detection analysis report, a vegetation growth forecast and a completion acceptance report. Data automatic control against the defined parameters generates alerts and statistical graphs for analysis if requirements are not met. Figures 4. Power line Lidar imagery, captured by the AlphaAir 450. AlphaAir 450 improves mapping efficiency The AlphaAir 450 features an integrated LiDAR and camera enabling rapid extraction of information from point cloud data and acquisition of high-resolution images. Advanced powerline analysis software supports custom reports and data content. The AlphaAir 450 can be mounted on several types of drones - CHCNAV BB4, fixed-wing UAVs, DJI M300 - allowing for extended flight time and high stability to perfectly meet the needs of power infrastructure maintenance crews. For power line mapping and digitization, the CHCNAV AA450 and DJI M300 are very effective allies. ___ SEND AN INQUIRY Send an inquiry for AA450 Discover more about AA450 Media contact: marketing@chcnav.com

2021-06-30

Using GNSS receiver and LandStar7 for land allocation in Thailand

Content of the project The i73 GNSS receiver and the LandStar7 surveying application from CHCNAV were used by Thai clients to survey their farmlands. The scope of the project was to subdivide the land into different parcels to meet the requirements of subsistence farming. The i73 GNSS receiver and LandStar7 were used by the surveyors to stake out and delineate the parcels boundaries. What’s the purpose of land allocation? In the mid-20th century, the King Bhumibol of Thailand initiated the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy to help Thai farmers optimize their farmland. The King Bhumibol developed this concept as a system of integrated and sustainable agriculture, embracing his thoughts and efforts in water resource development and conservation, soil rehabilitation and conservation, sustainable agriculture and self-reliant community development. Following this concept, the farmers divided the land into four parts with a ratio of 30:30:30:10. The first 30% is intended for a pond; the second 30% is set aside for rice cultivation; the third 30% is used for growing fruit and perennial trees, vegetables, field crops and herbs for daily consumption; the last 10% is reserved for housing, livestock, roads and other structures. How does GNSS technology increase the productivity of agricultural land allocation projects? Compared to traditional surveying methods, the use of a GNSS solution allows for much faster project completion, from the initial CAD-based parcel allocation design to the physical staking out of boundaries in the field. In the field, the Landstar7 App "Base Map" feature provides a clear and accurate display of the project's extent, speeding up surveying operations and reducing potential errors. Landstar7 supports the import of DXF files generated from AutoCAD as well as other types of base maps, such as SHP, KML, TIFF and WMS. After importing the project data on top of a basemap layer, points or lines can be displayed, selected and staked out easily and accurately. The i73, used for this project, is the latest pocket IMU-RTK GNSS receiver from CHCNAV. The unit is more than 40% lighter than a typical GNSS receiver, making it easier to carry and operate without fatigue, especially during hot seasons in Thailand. The i73 IMU sensor compensates for up to 45° pole-tilt, eliminating the challenges associated with surveying concealed or dangerous points to reach, which can be common in farmlands. The integrated battery provides up to 15 hours of field operation, allowing for full-day projects without worrying about power outages when working in more remote locations. As a signature for this project, the operators traced the auspicious character "nine" in Thai, which is also the King Bhumibol's Monarch number. About CHC Navigation CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) creates innovative GNSS navigation and positioning solutions to make customers' work more efficient. CHCNAV products and solutions cover multiple industries such as geospatial, construction, agriculture and marine. With a presence across the globe, distributors in more than 100 countries and more than 1,300 employees, today CHC Navigation is recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in geomatics technologies. For more information about CHC Navigation [Huace:300627.SZ], please visit: www.chcnav.com. ____ Send an inquiry Discover more about i73 or Landstar 7 Send an inquiry for i73 or Landstar 7 Media contact: marketing@chcnav.com Photos provided by our clients.

2021-06-18

CHC Navigation Introduces the P330 Pro VTOL UAV

A fully autonomous, survey-grade Vertical Take-off and Landing fixed-wing drone for surveying and mapping applications. Shanghai, China – May 20, 2021 – CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) releases the P330 Pro VTOL UAV, a high-performance vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fixed-wing unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV), specially designed for aerial surveying and mapping applications. With its concept of high accuracy, long-endurance and multiple payloads, P330 Pro meets the requirements of professionals in mining, construction and infrastructure, environmental monitoring, and the agriculture industry. “P330 Pro changes the way to capture geospatial information. Surveyors and engineers no longer need to spend time on fieldwork preparation to set up GCP systematically to reference the survey. P330 Pro provides professionals with an innovative and versatile platform that can hold an orthophoto camera or optional sensors, such as an oblique camera. Moreover, its integrated GNSS and IMU modules meet the most demanding requirements for mapping and topographic surveys,” said Dylan Cao, Product Manager at CHC Navigation’s UAV Division. “As a result, the use of the P330 Pro UAV compared to less versatile UAV solutions allows aerial survey companies to significantly improve their return on investment.” CHC Navigation P330 Pro UAV solution is packed with the features to make it the most powerful VTOL drone on the market. Long Endurance, High Efficiency –The P330 Pro VTOL drone achieves longer flight time, for the missions up to 150 minutes duration and to map a region of up to 20 km² at a scale of 1:2000. It integrates a high-accuracy GNSS RTK/PPK module with up to 100 Hz differential data update rate for ultimate accuracy. Mapping anywhere – No runway and no extra equipment are needed for takeoff and landing. P330 Pro, as efficiently as a fixed-wing airplane, can take off and land almost anywhere – even in confined spaces or on rough terrain. Easy and Safe Operation –The P330 Pro is packed with the latest aviation technologies such as dual GNSS system, triple IMU systems, five safe return to base strategies, and nine security monitoring checks. Those technologies ensure the safety of flight operations and the reliability of aerial survey results.The EasyFly ground control software makes mission planning and pre-flight checks easier and safer. Compatible with many airborne sensors – P330 Pro makes no compromises on aerial image quality. Whether you need data for orthophotos, 3D models or multispectral mapping, P330 pro carries the best camera for every application. By exchanging cameras in the field, various types of data can be acquired with the same drone. Further information for P330 UAV can be found here Media contact: marketing@chcnav.com

2021-05-20