Location Product News
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Space Force SSC Awards Contracts to BAE Systems and Trimble for Next-Gen Military GPS Receiver
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command, on behalf of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Electronic Systems Diretorate, has awarded contracts to BAE Systems and Trimble TRMB 1.21%↑ Military and Advanced Systems to develop a next-generation military GPS receiver. The contracts initiate the first phase of the Maritime and Aviation Receiver Card (MAVRC) project, aimed at delivering enhanced M-code positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities for aircraft and surface vessels in contested environments.
Designed to reduce size, weight, and power demands, the MAVRC platform will feature improved anti-jamming and anti-spoofing protections while maintaining backward compatibility with legacy Military GPS User Equipment, the agency said. Prototype deliveries under the program are targeted for 2031 following subsequent design reviews and hardware evaluations.
Contact: SSC Public Affairs Office, (310) 653 – 3145, sscpa.media@spaceforce.mil.
NASA Selects Advanced Space for CAPSTONE 02 Lunar Technology Demonstration Mission
NASA has awarded a contract to Advanced Space to launch the CAPSTONE 02 mission, a technology demonstration featuring two identical small spacecraft designed to advance cislunar navigation and operational capabilities in lunar orbit. Targeted for launch in 2027, the mission will use two 400-kilogram small satellites built by Terran Orbital Systems to test rendezvous and proximity operations, autonomous navigation, and inter-satellite communication around the Moon.
Operating in three-body orbits under the combined gravitational pull of Earth and the Moon, the twin spacecraft will alternate between chaser and target roles to evaluate relative navigation techniques critical for future crewed and robotic missions, NASA said. The spacecraft will also serve as an operational testbed for three agency-developed software suites and carry an optical imaging payload from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to support surface observations and tracking.
Contact: NASA, https://www.nasa.gov/mission/capstone02.
HERE Road Alerts Meets Euro NCAP Requirements for Real-Time Hazard Warnings
HERE Technologies said its HERE Road Alerts service now meets Data for Road Safety requirements for real-time road hazard information used in Euro New Car Assessment Program scoring, potentially helping automakers earn up to 1.35 additional points. The cloud-based service provides connected-vehicle warnings about hazards including accidents, roadworks, slippery roads and reduced visibility, giving drivers earlier information about conditions ahead, the company said.
HERE said Road Alerts combines vehicle sensor data, traffic information and other sources to provide timely, high-confidence alerts that can support advanced driver-assistance and speed-assistance systems. The announcement comes as Euro NCAP places greater emphasis on connected hazard information and real-world safety capabilities in its vehicle assessments, the company said.
Contact: Sebastian Kurme, HERE Technologies, 49 173 5153549, sebastian.kurme@here.com.
Eviden and Thales Partner To Upgrade French Military Vehicle Navigation
Eviden and Thales have announced an agreement to integrate Thales’ Galileo Public Regulated Service capability into Eviden’s P3TS military satellite navigation receiver used by the French army. The integrated solution improves resistance against electronic warfare threats, including signal jamming and spoofing, to protect vehicle positioning data in contested operational environments. Offered in two hardware configurations, the system features a high-precision internal clock designed to maintain tactical radio synchronization even if satellite signals are lost completely. The integration program builds on operational support initiatives overseen by the French Defense Procurement Agency to strengthen European strategic autonomy and reduce reliance on GPS, the companies said.
Contact: Isabelle Grangé, Eviden, 33 (0) 6 64 56 74 88, isabelle.grange@atosgroup.com; and Laura Fau, Thales, 33 (0) 6 65 84 09 82, laura.fau@thalesgroup.com.
Fi and Verizon Partner To Integrate Connected Pet Tracking into Verizon Family App
Smart pet technology provider Fi has partnered with Verizon VZ -0.51%↓ to incorporate connected pet tracking features directly into the wireless carrier’s redesigned Verizon Family mobile app. The collaboration integrates Fi’s lightweight Fi Mini GPS tracker into the digital dashboard, allowing users to monitor pet location, activity, and wellness alongside standard family safety features such as screen-time management and driving insights. Postpaid Verizon subscribers can receive real-time safe-zone alerts and location updates for dogs and cats through the unified application interface, the company said.
Contact: Fi, press@tryfi.com, www.fitracking.com.
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Iridium and SKYWAVE Partner To Advance Global Industrial IoT for Heavy Equipment OEMs
Iridium Communications IRDM -0.90%↓ has partnered with ORBCOMM subsidiary SKYWAVE to deliver enhanced industrial Internet of Things connectivity for heavy equipment manufacturers worldwide. The strategic collaboration integrates Iridium’s low Earth orbit satellite constellation and Short Burst Data technology directly into SKYWAVE’s satellite IoT terminals and multi-network management platform. By combining satellite, cellular, and Wi-Fi networks, the integrated solution allows equipment OEMs to maintain continuous asset visibility and extend digital services across remote operating environments, the companies say.
Contact: Jordan Hassin, Iridium Communications, (703) 287-7421, jordan.hassin@iridium.com.
RangeMark Launches Long-Range Drone Identification System That Operates Without GPS or RF
RangeMark, a technology from Sodyo, has introduced a patented visual identification system that enables drones to detect and identify passive markers from distances of up to 1 kilometer without relying on GPS, radio frequency signals, cellular networks or internet connectivity. The company said the technology uses machine-readable printed markers and a camera to provide deterministic identification of specific assets or locations, addressing a key limitation in autonomous drone operations.
RangeMark is designed for defense, infrastructure inspection, public safety and industrial applications, allowing autonomous systems to confirm the identity of marked objects rather than relying solely on AI-based visual recognition. The company said the system is compatible with existing drone platforms and autonomy software and can operate in offline or GPS-denied environments.
Contact: Cathy Yagur, Sodyo, 972-52-865-9535, 420161@email4pr.com.
Xpanner Launches GNSS-Guided System to Streamline Solar Pile Placement
Xpanner has launched Shake Out, a GNSS-guided pile distribution system designed to eliminate the manual marking step on utility-scale solar construction sites. The system uses precise positioning data to guide crews to the exact locations where piles need to be placed, potentially reducing labor, improving accuracy and accelerating solar project construction. Xpanner said Shake Out is designed to integrate into existing solar construction workflows and address a major source of inefficiency in large-scale projects as developers face pressure to build renewable energy infrastructure faster and at lower cost.
Contact: Xpanner, www.xpanner.com.
People
- VisionTrack appoints Richard Lilwall as CEO.
- Transflo Names Ray Morel as CFO.
- Parkopedia has named Vicki Noonan as head of product for automotive and data at Arrive.
- Ali Khodadadi has joined Waymo as a data scientist.
- Phunware named Nick Farrell as senior vice president of sales and has added technology industry veterans Aaron Holloway and Michael Crooks as advisors.
Jobs
Director, Americas Field (Regional) Marketing. HERE Technologies.
Head of Marketing – B2C (Mobile Applications). HERE Technologies.
Channel Sales Manager. Trimble.
Product Marketing Manager. Trimble.
Customer Solution Manager. TomTom.
Senior Product Manager – Autonomous Driving Systems. TomTom.
Senior Director of Product Strategy and Support. U-blox.
Business Development Manager Defense EMEA. U-blox.
Business Development, Defense. U-blox.
Regional Sales Manager. U-blox.
Principal Engineer, Embedded Vehicle Software. Wayve.
GNSS Engineer. Xona.
Sr. GNSS Receiver Engineer. Xona.
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