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There is a global shortage of surveyors... new uses for geospatial skills and technologies are continually being developed, visit https://www.unsw.edu.au/engineering/study-with-us/study-areas/civil-structural-surveying

FIG Working Week 2027 in Stavanger: registration opens and abstract deadline approachesWith the deadline for regular abs...
17/10/2026

FIG Working Week 2027 in Stavanger: registration opens and abstract deadline approaches
With the deadline for regular abstracts set for 1 November 2026, professionals hoping to present their work at FIG Working Week 2027 have just over two weeks left to submit. Additionally, registration is now open for the annual flagship gathering of the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), which will take place in Stavanger, Norway, from 23 to 27 May 2027.
For a profession built on measuring the land, there are few more striking backdrops than Norway's fjord country. Stavanger, the gateway to the Lysefjord and the famous Preikestolen cliff, will host the global surveying community for five packed days in late May, when the Nordic evenings are long and the light lingers well into the night.
The week opens with pre-events on 22–23 May, before three full conference days from 24 to 26 May. The FIG General Assembly bookends the programme on 23 and 27 May, as member associations gather to steer the federation's direction. Beyond the lecture halls, delegates can join technical tours to see local projects up close, or explore the region on social tours and evening events. Organisers advise reviewing these options before completing registration.
Read more in GIM International article.

With the deadline for regular abstracts set for 1 November 2026, professionals hoping to present their work at FIG Working Week 2027 have just over two weeks left to submit. Additiionally, registration is now open for the annual flagship gathering of...

NASA has awarded PlanetiQ a $3.3 million task order to provide GNSS polarimetric radio occultation (GNSS-PRO) and ionosp...
17/10/2026

NASA has awarded PlanetiQ a $3.3 million task order to provide GNSS polarimetric radio occultation (GNSS-PRO) and ionospheric total electron content (TEC) data through NASA’s Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) program.
The acquisition will provide NASA researchers with high-SNR observations of precipitation and the ionosphere. The award follows NASA’s June selection of PlanetiQ as a CSDA On-Ramp 2 task-order holder to provide GNSS-PRO data.
GNSS radio occultation measures how signals from navigation satellites bend and slow as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere, providing detailed profiles of atmospheric properties. PlanetiQ’s GNSS-PRO capability builds on this technique by measuring the horizontal and vertical components of GNSS signals to reveal additional information about precipitation along the signal path.
Read more in GPS World article.

NASA has awarded PlanetiQ a $3.3 million task order to provide GNSS polarimetric radio occultation (GNSS-PRO) and ionospheric total electron content (TEC)

International GNSS DayThe Institute of Navigation (ION), with a mission to advance the art and science of Positioning, N...
17/10/2026

International GNSS Day
The Institute of Navigation (ION), with a mission to advance the art and science of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), has declared October 23 as International GNSS Day. This annual celebration marks the acknowledgment of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems' (GNSS) vital contributions to the modern world. Chosen for its significance, the date 10.23 mirrors the foundational GPS frequency of 10.23 MHz, a number that resonates as the original heartbeat of GPS satellites, signals, and receivers.
Since its inception, this frequency has been adopted by all GNSS service providers, forming the basis of L-band signals for over 100 navigation satellites today. International GNSS Day not only commemorates this pivotal frequency, but also celebrates half a century since the inception of GPS, paying homage to the developers and visionaries who have made satellite navigation what it is today.
Proposed by Dr. Joanna Hinks of AFRL, International GNSS Day extends the tradition of celebrating technological marvels, much like International Pi Day. It's a day dedicated to acknowledging the extensive impacts of GNSS technologies across various sectors, including but not limited to, transportation, agriculture, aviation, and surveying. By bringing together nations, organizations, and individuals who have contributed to advancing GNSS technology, International GNSS Day fosters a global appreciation for the critical role GNSS plays in our interconnected lives.
Read more in the following article.

The Institute of Navigation (ION), with a mission to advance the art and science of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), has declared October 23 as International GNSS Day. This annual celebration marks the acknowledgment of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems' (GNSS) vital contributions to...

“In my view, artificial intelligence (AI) is just that, and is only as intelligent as the data it ‘learns’ from. For sig...
17/10/2026

“In my view, artificial intelligence (AI) is just that, and is only as intelligent as the data it ‘learns’ from. For signal processing and positioning/navigation operations, AI must function in ‘real-world’ physical spaces and dynamic and at times unpredictable environments along with other independent activities. In these cases, past data may not be sufficient to inform current dynamic operations, as the AI-enabled actor must have real-time access to precise positioning and timing information from outside itself to function. AI won’t be useful in such instances without ‘independent awareness’ of its physical location and timing to synchronise or deconflict its operation with other dynamic activities. In that sense, PNT sources do not depend on AI, but ‘dynamic’ AI must have, and will not work without, reliable PNT.”
……
Read more in GPS World article.

GPS World Editorial Advisory Board members discuss the evolving role of AI in signal processing and its potential to improve positioning accuracy.

Unmanned Systems: Without PNT, They’re Not Going AnywhereBefore unmanned systems can realize their full potential, we mu...
25/09/2026

Unmanned Systems: Without PNT, They’re Not Going Anywhere
Before unmanned systems can realize their full potential, we must know what PNT systems will be available across the nation and how reliable they’ll be.
A small pilotless craft races through the surf and delivers flotation to a swimmer in trouble. Drones inspect and spray cleaning fluid on high tension electrical lines more quickly and safely than a conventional helicopter. Driverless trucks travel farther and safer than when a human is behind the wheel. Unmanned systems have nearly limitless potential to benefit society. But they must know where and when they are.
It’s clear unmanned systems have created a new paradigm. While they support existing, sometimes ancient, modes of transportation and functions, remotely controlled and autonomous systems demand new approaches to ensure safe, secure and efficient operations.
One of the most significant is their need for robust and resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT).
Read more in Inside GNSS article.

Before unmanned systems can realize their full potential, we must know what PNT systems will be available across the nation and how reliable they’ll be. A small pilotless craft races through the surf and delivers flotation to a swimmer in trouble. Drones inspect and spray cleaning fluid on high te...

Dr. Alison Brown Receives Kepler AwardDr. Alison Brown’s career spans more than 40 years of pioneering contributions to ...
25/09/2026

Dr. Alison Brown Receives Kepler Award
Dr. Alison Brown’s career spans more than 40 years of pioneering contributions to satellite navigation technology and applications. She has developed and demonstrated hardware and software capabilities for military and commercial systems, including WAAS Ground Uplink station equipment and algorithms, GPS jammer location (JLOC) systems, ultra-low power GPS tracking sensors, cooperative networked acquisition techniques to speed acquisition of military P(Y) and M-code signals, and Open Architecture PNT based on signals of opportunity.
In 1991, Dr. Brown and Sturza filed a patent for a “GPS Tracking System,” the basis for TIDGET—a snapshot receiver that periodically captures a “snapshot” of sampled GPS data to be stored and processed locally or published over a data-link for remote processing. TIDGET was optimised for cost-critical and power-limited applications such as radiosondes and sonobuoys. Under Dr. Brown’s leadership, NAVSYS advanced both hardware and software to enable a set of applications, including the first cell phone GPS to support mobile E911 through network assistance; navigation in urban environments; and a demonstration of GPS operation above the constellation on the USAFA Falcon Gold experiment in geo-transfer orbit (1997).
Read more in Inside GNSS article.

The Institute of Navigation recognizes Dr. Alison Brown with prestigious Johannes Kepler Award at the ION GNSS+ 2026 Conference. For her sustained record of pioneering technical innovations, operational deployments, strategic leadership, and PNT community advancement. Dr. Alison Brown’s career spa...

Trimble has acquired Terasat Japan, one of the largest virtual reference station (VRS) network operators in the country,...
25/09/2026

Trimble has acquired Terasat Japan, one of the largest virtual reference station (VRS) network operators in the country, giving Trimble a direct presence in Japan’s high-precision GNSS corrections market.
Terasat Japan delivers GNSS corrections using data from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) network, which spans more than 1,300 stations across the Japanese archipelago. The acquisition gives Trimble immediate access to mandated GSI data streams required for surveying and construction applications in Japan.
Trimble VRS is a real-time network RTK correction service that delivers sub-centimetre to centimetre-level accuracy — typically 2 cm horizontal and 3 cm vertical — via cellular connection, without requiring users to set up or maintain their own base stations. Trimble says the service’s full GNSS constellation tracking supports rapid convergence and reliable performance in challenging environments such as steep terrain, heavy tree canopy and urban canyons.
Read more in GPS World article.

Trimble announced the acquisition of Terasat Japan, one of the largest virtual reference station (VRS) service providers in the Japanese market.

Jaguar Land Rover Demonstrates Factor-Graph Vehicle NavigationJaguar Land Rover (JLR) has demonstrated a proof-of-concep...
19/09/2026

Jaguar Land Rover Demonstrates Factor-Graph Vehicle Navigation
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has demonstrated a proof-of-concept navigation system based on factor graph optimization (FGO), targeting vehicle localisation in environments where GNSS signals are degraded, obstructed or unavailable.
FGO represents navigation as a graph linking vehicle states with sensor measurements and constraints, which are optimised jointly over a time window rather than processed sequentially as in conventional recursive filtering.
The work was conducted under the European Space Agency NAVISP project ‘Proof-of-concept of advanced navigation algorithms based on factor graph optimisation’. It comprised the development of a complete FGO-Nav unit implementing a factor-graph-based navigation pipeline.
The modular architecture supports GNSS and inertial measurement units (IMUs), with provision for integration of additional sensors including LiDAR, cameras and radar. A sensor abstraction layer (SAL) provides hardware-agnostic sensor integration and supports reproducible offline replay, while an integrated KPI suite and graphical user interface enable configuration, performance analysis and comparison between estimation methods.
Read more in Inside GNSS article.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has demonstrated a proof-of-concept navigation system based on factor graph optimization (FGO), targeting vehicle localization in environments where GNSS signals are degraded, obstructed or unavailable. FGO represents navigation as a graph linking vehicle states with sensor

Northrop Grumman Lumberjack’s Un-jammable Quantum-Powered Magnetic Navigation Northrop Grumman’s jet-powered Group 3 Lum...
19/09/2026

Northrop Grumman Lumberjack’s Un-jammable Quantum-Powered Magnetic Navigation
Northrop Grumman’s jet-powered Group 3 Lumberjack drone—an attritable UAS capable of ISR, electronic warfare and attack missions—has successfully executed a test flight using SandboxAQ’s AQNav magnetic navigation software to accurately navigate under jamming using data from an installed magnetometer. The test, announced by Northrop this Wednesday, also involved recovery and reuse of the aircraft.
“The recent flight demonstration was intended to show both the practicality of magnetic navigation and Lumberjack’s ability to rapidly incorporate advanced partner technologies,” explained Northrop Grumman’s Director of Distributed Systems Michael Bastin said, regarding a test project kicked off just a month earlier.
The flight served “…to evaluate performance in GPS-challenged conditions relevant to the austere and contested environments these systems may face. The key takeaway is that the flight helped validate the promise of quantum-enabled magnetic navigation as a resilient option when traditional positioning signals are degraded or unavailable. “
Read more in Inside GNSS article.

Northrop Grumman’s jet-powered Group 3 Lumberjack drone—an attritable UAS capable of ISR, electronic warfare and attack missions—has successfully executed a test flight using SandboxAQ’s AQNav magnetic navigation software to accurately navigate under jamming using data from an installed magn...

Trimble has introduced new GNSS receiver technology designed to improve positioning performance and resilience against j...
16/09/2026

Trimble has introduced new GNSS receiver technology designed to improve positioning performance and resilience against jamming and spoofing. The new Trimble BD1090, BD1092, BD1092i and BX1092i receiver modules use the company’s Maxwell 8 technology and are intended for OEM integrators serving the geospatial, marine, construction and mining industries.
According to Trimble, the receivers provide increased processing capability, multi-constellation and multi-frequency signal tracking, and new anti-jamming and anti-spoofing capabilities.
The company also introduced Trimble JammerGuard, a technology designed to help receivers detect and mitigate interference and provide protection against spoofed positioning signals.
Trimble said the new technology builds on its existing GNSS positioning and signal-protection technologies, including the Trimble ProPoint positioning engine, IonoGuard technology for mitigating ionospheric disruptions, and RTX-NMA signal authentication technology.
Read more in GPS World article.

New receiver modules using Maxwell 8 technology add processing power, signal resilience and support for emerging LEO constellations.

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