Skip to main content

u-blox GPS satellite receiver module aids unmanned microdrone flight

Equipped with an on board u-blox GPS satellite receiver module, a microdrone from German light-weight vertical take off and landing vehicles (VTOLs) manufacturer, microdrones, has successfully completed a high-precision aerial journey over the Alps from Switzerland towards Italy. Precise GPS coordinates and elevation were crucial for navigating obstacles and completing the flight in punishing weather conditions. Carrying a high-resolution video camera, the autonomous microdrone completed 18 pre-programmed
July 2, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Equipped with an on board 602 U-Blox GPS satellite receiver module, a microdrone from German light-weight vertical take off and landing vehicles (VTOLs) manufacturer, microdrones, has successfully completed a high-precision aerial journey over the Alps from Switzerland towards Italy.

Precise GPS coordinates and elevation were crucial for navigating obstacles and completing the flight in punishing weather conditions.  Carrying a high-resolution video camera, the autonomous microdrone completed 18 pre-programmed flight segments, mapping designated landmarks along the way.
 
“This successful journey of our microdrone demonstrates the robustness, reliability, and versatility of our autonomous drone technology which is being increasingly used for aerial mapping, surveying, search and rescue, security, utilities inspection, and aerial photography.” said Sven Juerss, microdrones CEO, This autonomous flight would not have been possible without the robust, ultra-precise, real-time satellite positioning technology from u blox.”
 
“Fully automated devices are increasingly used to do tasks that are too costly and dangerous for human operators,” said Herbert Blaser, VP Business Marketing at u-blox, “this is an application that exploits all the features of our satellite navigation modules; fast, accurate-fix, low-power consumption and reliable operation in extreme environmental conditions.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Safety issues fuel interest at PIARC’s tunnel conference in Lyon
    December 5, 2018
    1999’s fatal Mont Blanc fire means safety is a constant concern for tunnel operators. Alternative fuels and automated vehicles were also high on the agenda at PIARC’s first conference on the issue. David Arminas reports from Lyon – and walks the Croix-Rousse tunnel More than ever, tunnel management must be done in a holistic fashion. That was the message from André Broto, president of the World Road Associa-tion (PIARC) as he kicked off PIARC’s first International Conference on Tunnel Operations and Safe
  • Traffic cameras embrace AI
    December 19, 2022
    Artificial intelligence is spreading into many aspects of mobility – but what about traffic management and enforcement cameras? ITS International invited a few vision experts to ponder a couple of leading questions…
  • Cellint measures speed and travel time without roadside infrastructure
    April 10, 2014
    Collecting speed and travel time data without using roadside infrastructure could offer new possibilities to cash-strapped road authorities. Streaming video may be useful for traffic controllers to monitor incidents and automatic number plate recognition may be required for enforcement, but neither are necessary for many ITS functions. For instance travel times, tailbacks, percentage of vehicles turning, origin and destination analysis can all be done using Bluetooth and/or WI-Fi sensors and without video o
  • Improving the positional accuracy of GNSS road user charging
    July 23, 2012
    The European GINA project is intended to address and overcome many of the institutional, technical and public acceptance hurdles currently faced by satellite-based road user charging schemes. Dave Tindall and Denis Naberezhnykh, TRL, and Laure Dezes, ERF, write. Pay-as-you-drive Road User Charging (RUC), whereby demand (or congestion) is managed by applying appropriate tariffs in order to encourage drivers to make their journeys at less busy times, on less congested routes or even on different modes, could