Swift Navigation Adds Full GLONASS Support to Piksi Multi
Swift Navigation’s Duro Piksi Multi receiver. Photo: Swift Navigation.
Swift Navigation, a San Francisco-based tech firm that is building centimeter-accurate GPS technology to power a world of autonomous vehicles, announced the latest firmware upgrade to its flagship product Piksi Multi Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Module. This marks the fourth improvement since Piksi Multi began shipping one year ago, the company stated. The firmware release also enhances Duro, the ruggedized version of the Piksi Multi receiver housed in a military-grade, weatherproof enclosure designed specifically for outdoor deployments.
The upgrade is available at no cost to Piksi Multi and Duro users and provides full support for Russia’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), in addition to the American Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite constellation. Access to dual constellations improves availability, reliability and range between GNSS base and rover devices, according to Swift Navigation. This firmware release also adds National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) GGA output capability to existing Networked Transport of Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) via Internet Protocol (NTRIP), enabling Piksi Multi and Duro to position by sending and receiving data from Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) base stations over the internet.
“The addition of a second GLONASS satellite constellation enhances reliability and centimeter-accurate positioning in challenging environments, better supporting ground applications in precision agriculture, robotics and autonomous vehicles,” said Swift Navigation Chief technical Officer (CTO) Fergus Noble.