Leica and NovAtel Will Develop Technologies For GPS
Leica Geosystems and NovAtel Inc. have entered an agreement to develop new technologies for global positioning systems (GPS). This is particularly relevant for equipment that will be based on the new upcoming Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). In the mid-eighties Leica Geosystems was one of the first companies to develop and market GPS surveying systems. NovAtel, founded in 1978, also has the reputation of being one of the most successful innovators of advanced concepts in GPS technologies. These include significant contributions to the development of Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) such as WAAS, MSAS and EGNOS.
Novatel Appoints New President
NovAtel Inc., has announced the appointment of Jonathan W. Ladd to the position of president and CEO, effective February 19, 2002. David Vaughn, who has acted in this capacity since February 2001, will continue in consulting capacity for an indefinite period of time. With over 20 years of experience in commercial and precision-focused GPS companies, Ladd brings 12 years of senior management experience in the GPS industry to NovAtel. Recently, he was senior vice president engineering and president at Magellan Corporation Russian subsidiary, Ashtech A/O. He has also held several other senior management positions at Magellan Corporation, including senior vice president of the Advanced Technology Group, and vice president and general manager of Ashtech Precision products business unit.
NovAtel Inc. Awarded Contract for Study
NovAtel Inc. was awarded a $142,000 (CDN) contract by Public Works & Government Services Canada for an Interoperability study on the receiver requirements for Galileo. Galileo is the European Union's state-of-the-art Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), which is expected to be fully operable by 2008 with up to 30 satellites orbiting the earth. This contract, sponsored in Canada by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), focuses principally on both GPS and Galileo receiver requirements and system performance. NovAtel will study the requirements for a combined GPS/Galileo receiver. The University of Calgary, also located in Calgary, Canada, will work under a subcontract to NovAtel to analyze the performance of the system using system constellation modeling techniques.
