There’s no denying that GNSS value-added services have become a driving factor behind the digital transformation of agriculture, automotive, surveying, and more. Yet what all these usage areas have in common is a need for highly accurate data and ultra-reliable service delivery. These factors, among others, necessitate unique software solutions and managed services that generalist agencies aren’t ideally suited for.
This dynamic landscape, combined with an acute shortage of specialised skills, necessitates tailored solutions developed and maintained by industry experts. Since 2010, Navmatix has positioned itself as a thought leader and digital innovator in the space, paving the way to high-precision GNSS data delivery and utilisation. In this week’s article, we’re going to look at some of the solutions we’ve developed to help bring about that transformation.
Customised content delivery networks
While the primary goal of any content delivery network (CDN) is to ensure high availability and performance, most cater primarily to the delivery of video streaming, software downloads, web caching, or mobile content acceleration. They’re the backbone of the internet, but their typically generalist approach makes them suboptimal for niche use cases like GNSS corrections data delivery.
Spirent, an industry leader in the GNSS space, knows this all too well, hence why they worked with Navmatix to implement a specialised CDN to support their GNSS Foresight service. The service relies heavily on situational awareness to enable safe and dependable autonomous navigation and comply with regulations governing unmanned drone navigation. As a driver of innovation in various sectors, such as mining and automotive, these use cases demand high availability, ultra-low latency, and high data throughput for content like high-resolution 3D maps.
The solution was a tailor-made customisation of COTS CDN that could accommodate Spirent’s unique data delivery and resilience needs. Equipped with proprietary technology developed with Navmatix’s help, Spirent could rely on high data availability, simplified operations, and a faster time to market for its cutting edge geospatial augmentation service.
NTRIP validation and troubleshooting
As every drone operator or surveyor knows, verifying NTRIP connections out in the field can be a time-consuming and frustrating task. In the old days, this usually involved carrying around and setting up bulky and expensive equipment. After all, there are many factors impacting the availability of GNSS corrections data over NTRIP, some of which include subscription status, credential validity, or simply being outside the service zone. Whenever surveying a new site or planning a new mission, it’s always been good practice to test corrections data availability beforehand, but that hasn’t always been easy.
Navmatix stepped up for the GNSS community by developing a mobile app that serves as a go-to solution for rover operators and network support engineers alike. The app provides a simple and user-friendly frontend that’s instantly intuitive to anyone familiar with GNSS. Moreover, it sits on top of a fully-managed infrastructure to ensure maximum availability in all coverage areas.
The success of the NTRIPChecker app, which has over 5,000 downloads on Android and iOS, is testament to the importance of specialised mobile app development for GNSS added value services. By contrast, most mobile app studios, though they might be perfectly capable of creating apps for common business use cases, lack an understanding of the nuances and challenges of the GNSS industry, which makes them a limiting factor in such situations.
Unleashing the potential of GNSS innovation
The tech market is an extremely competitive one, and GNSS value-added software solutions are no exception. But with proprietary technology, companies can secure a real competitive advantage. Custom software development is the key to realising that goal, since it offers:
- Efficiency and performance optimisation: Customised to meet the unique performance demands of GNSS data processing and handling needs.
- Cost-effectiveness: When you’re working with a partner who understands the nuances of your specific use case, there’s less risk of adding tech debt.
- User-centric design: GNSS-focused software developers have a clear understanding of the needs of the end user, resulting in a more user-centric and intuitive design.
- Enhanced integration and compatibility: A specialised GNSS developer will be familiar with industry standards, such as RTCM corrections messages and RINEX files.
These are just some of the benefits our clients have enjoyed by working with us over the years. If you too are poised to transform your ideas into innovative digital products and services, get in touch with our team today.
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