Frontier Geomatics Inc.

Frontier Geomatics Inc. is a full-service NovAtel SPAN representative for airborne mapping. SPAN is a positioning and attitude measurement system consisting of a GPS receiver and an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

Unlike other technologies SPAN’s principle is very straight-forward: you connect an IMU to a NovAtel GPS receiver. This tight hardware integration not only results in a much lower system price, but also brings important benefits with it (see side bar "Crucial Benefits "). Only NovAtel's SPAN has this deep integration of IMU and GPS hardware that no other manufacturer can offer or compensate by software alone.

A GPS/IMU system does not have to be exclusive for scientists any more and is simple to operate. After all, it is just an aiding sub-system for your overall mapping projects.

Several IMUs are available:

	The Honeywell HG1700 is available in a 1 deg/h and 5 deg/h model. Both have a 100Hz update rate and because of their low price are most suitable for small and medium-format digital photogrammetry. Download SPAN with HG1700 brochure
	The LN200 is a high-performance 200Hz inertial measurement unit and ideally suited for direct stereo-mapping either from high-altitude or for large scale maps. Its applications also include high-altitude LiDAR and photogrammetry with large-format cameras, either digital or film. Download SPAN with LN200 brochure Download Aerial Photogrammetry Test with SPAN & LN200
Both, the HG1700 and LN200, fall under the US State Department Export Regulations.
	The iMAR FSAS manufactured in Germany requires only an End-Use Statement for the transfer to most countries. In Canada, for example, it is not even covered under the Controlled Goods Program. The FSAS has fiber-optic gyros and an update rate of 200Hz. Its MTBF of 35,000 hours is outstanding. We recommend it for low to medium altitude Lidar applications, stereo-photogrammetry with additional AT and orthophoto generation. Download SPAN with FSAS brochure

Choice of GPS Receivers:
The ProPak-V3 is the simplest enclosure for SPAN. It contains a state-of-the-art OEM-V3 GPS receiver tracking L1/L2, CDGPS, OmniStar and SBAS corrections. GPS and IMU raw data need to be logged through its USB port on a separate laptop. Its COM2 port outputs the necessary NMEA messages for any Photo Flight Management system. It has 2 event input lines to time-tag a camera exposure pulse for example. Download ProPak-V3 brochure

The SPAN-SE enclosure is also based on the OEM-V3 GPS receiver. Additionally to the ProPak it offers GLONASS tracking, status LED's, more COM and Ethernet ports as well as internal data logging on standard CF cards. It has 4 event input lines to time-tag a camera exposure pulse for example. Download SPAN-SE brochure
The SPAN-MPPC processor board stack is for OEM system integrators. It provides interfaces to UART, USB, Ethernet and CAN peripherals. The MPPC creates a continuous GNSS/INS navigation system that delivers accurate position, velocity and attitude. It outputs raw measurement data or solution data over several communication protocols. Multiple GNSS-synchronous strobes and event input lines ensure the MPPC is easy to integrate into larger systems. An API (Application Programmable Interface) is also available. Download SPAN-MPPC brochure
Single-Enclosure GPS/IMU:
	The SPAN-CPT provides a single-enclosure system for lower accuracy requirement such as project flown with small-format digital cameras. The GPS and IMU are packaged into a compact, environmentally sealed enclosure for simple installation and easy integration. Download SPAN-CPT brochure

Processing Software : Inertial Explorer

Recorded IMU and GPS data can be post-processed for increased accuracy. It has a single user interface for GPS and IMU data processing. Inertial Explorer is an extension of the popular GrafNav software and includes RTS Smoother for tightly-coupled forward, reverse and combined processing.

Besides many error models for popular IMUs the user can introduce his/her own IMU error model as well. That way data from other GPS/IMU systems can also be processed with the same efficiency and accuracy. You can process all your NovAtel and non-NovAtel GPS/IMU systems with one software and we can show how to set this up.

GPS/IMU data quality-control is done through a familiar Combined Separation plot comparing the forward and reverse processing solutions. For a more scientific investigation gyro and accelerometer error plots can be inspected

Download Inertial Explorer brochure


		Shorten your turns! There is no more need for the pilot to keep the banking angles low for any airborne survey. With NovAtel’s deeply integrated GPS/IMU technology there are practically no limits to the turns you can fly and still maintain perfect positioning and attitude accuracy on every flight line. Save time and fuel and forget about not to exceed certain bank angles for good! Because the SPAN’s GPS receiver also runs the IMU algorithms at the same time as tracking GPS/GLONASS, it receives phase updates from the IMU whenever a satellite is blocked or lost. As soon as it comes back into view the receiver locks on to it almost instantly, assuring that you record all data available in the air. Other system vendors attempt to compensate this lack of hardware integration by tightly-coupled software alone. The effectiveness of this software-only method is limited. NovAtel’s Inertial Explorer deploys these algorithms as a standard too. Rather than just theoretical simulations we have actual flight data from our customers banking over 70deg on a regular basis.


		Frontier Geomatics Inc not only resells and supports NovAtel SPAN systems, but will also be on-site for the installation, integration with other sensors and operational staff training. With our many years experience we assist you in adapting GPS/IMU technology for your application, no matter what airborne sensor you have and what environment you use it in. Boresighting the IMU to the sensor is critically important and we will guide you to set-up the calibration site and have an efficient work-flow for this task. Location and number of ground control points as well as flight strip pattern depends on senor configuration and specific mapping application. We will aim to fly the boresight while we are on-site. We will then run your imagery through Aerial Triangulation, compute the boresight angles and leave you with a Boresight Certificate.