The Commission 5 2015-18 work plan consists of realising
tangible outcomes for our already well-known FIVE missions,
which are -
Dr.-Ing.habil. Volker Schwieger
GERMANY
FOCUS on modern technologies, technical developments and
applications.
FACILITATE and follow technical developments
through collaborations with other FIG Commissions and like
organisations.
FOSTER and support research and development and
stimulate new ideas in the fields of expertise represented
within the commission.
FORMULATE and formalise collaboration with manufacturers
on the improvement of instrumentation and associated
software.
FIG EVENTS - present and promote the work of the
Commission and its working groups through technical events
and necessary media.
2.1 WG 5.1 – Standards, Quality Assurance and
Calibration
Standards play an important role in surveying. This is
particularly true with modern instrumentation that produces
measurements and results from black box solutions not fully
understood by the average practicing surveyor. So even if
surveyors are not directly implicated, they are implicitly very
reliant upon standards underpinning the correct functioning of
their instruments.
Working Group 5.1 actively participates in technical
sessions, technical seminars and presentations for FIG Working
Weeks and Congresses.
Importantly Working Group 5.1 is the contact for FIG liaison
to the ISO Technical Commission (TC) 211
(http://www.isotc211.org/) and Technical Committee ISO/TC 172/SC
6.
ISO TC 211 is concerned with standardization in the field of
digital geographic information. This commission aims to
establish a structured set of standards for information
concerning objects or phenomena that are directly or indirectly
associated with a location relative to the Earth. These
standards may specify, for geographic information, methods,
tools and services for data management (including definition and
description), acquiring, processing, analysing, accessing,
presenting and transferring such data in digital/electronic form
between different users, systems and locations. The work links
to appropriate standards for information technology and data
where possible, and provides a framework for the development of
sector-specific applications using geographic data. At present,
Nic Donnelly, from Land Information New Zealand, is the FIG
liaison to TC211.
ISO/TC 172/SC 6 deals more closely with the hands on details
related to using classical surveying instruments. These
standards deal with field procedures for testing geodetic and
surveying instruments such as theodolite, total stations levels
and GNSS in real-time kinematic (RTK).
A principal aim of Working Group 5.1 remains the examination
and promotion of guidelines and recommendations for standards
and quality in survey measurements based on the ISO Guide to
Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) and its supplements.
2.2 WG 5.2 – 3D Reference Frames
The role of 3D reference frames as fundamental infrastructure
for communities is increasingly recognised, most notably through
the 2015 resolution of the United Nations General Assembly
entitled A global geodetic reference frame for sustainable
development. Robust, accurate and easily-accessible 3D reference
frames are critical to support applications such ashazard
monitoring and modelling, infrastructure development, land use
planning, environmental analysis and cadastral definition.
Increasingly, the 3D reference frame is used as a mechanism to
conveniently access the vertical orthometric reference frame
which is so critical to engineering applications.
Working Group 5.2 is focussed on the 3D reference frame as
represented by either geocentric (X, Y, Z) or geographic
(latititude, longitude, ellipsoidal height) coordinates. It
complements and closely aligns with WG 5.3 – Vertical Reference
Frames, which focusses on non-ellipsoidal height systems.
Members of this working group are focussed on education and
guidance on the practical aspects of implementing and using 3D
reference frames. Areas of research and operational interest
include deformation modelling, reference frame transformations,
GNSS utilization, time-dependent coordinates and reference frame
standardization.
2.3 WG 5.3 – Vertical Reference Frames
Established at the 2014 FIG Congress in Kuala Lumpur,
WG5.3 – Vertical Reference Frames (VRF) addresses issues
involving heights and height which impact environmental
phenomena such as sea level rise, climate change and other
geodynamic processes. Practical geodetic issues related to WG5.3
include: relationships and links between land-based vertical
datums and ocean tidal datums, gravimetric geoid based national
vertical reference systems (or datums), regional and global
height system unification, ongoing deterioration of classical
vertical control networks, usefulness of existing leveling data,
and of course, GNSS heighting. Our aim is to provide tools so
that geomatics practitioners can effectively understand and use
VRF’s in their day to day work or implement VRF’s in their
national jurisdictions.
2.4 WG 5.4 – GNSS
The GNSS working group continues to support international R&D
activities in GNSS through participation in the ION Pacific PNT
and GNSS+ Meetings, Multi-GNSS Asia Conference, International
Symposium on GNSS, INTERGEO and etc. Focus areas are in
multi-constellation multi-frequency GNSS precise positioning and
efficient delivery of high precision GNSS positioning which
includes satellite based augmentation services.
The WG 5.4 also continues to represent FIG at the UN
International Committee on GNSS (UN ICG) and contribute towards
the activities and recommendations of the UN ICG Working Group
D. In addition, the WG is working with IAG contributing towards
their effort in enhancing integer ambiguity resolution for
multi-GNSS PPP and PPP-RTK.
In 2017, Suelynn Choy was elected as a steering committee
member of Multi-GNSS Asia. The key objective of Multi-GNSS Asia
is to encourage and promote utilisation and applications of
satellite positioning, navigation and timing services in the
Asia and Oceania region. This region is a unique place that will
see the earliest and highest level of coverage from the new and
mondernised GNSS satellites. The WG is actively supporting
Multi-GNSS Asia for the upcoming Multi-GNSS Asia Conference to
be held in Melbourne, Australia, from 23-25 October 2018. WG 5.4
will participate in the upcoming RTCM SC-104 Meeting in Sydney,
Australia, from 5-6 February 2018.
2.5 WG 5.5 – Multi-Sensor-Systems
WG5.5 is a joint working group between FIG and IAG. In 2017
activity centered around multi-sensor systems for GNSS difficult
environments. Two specific areas were indoor positioning and
autonomous vehicles in urban environments.
A major activity undertaken by members of the joint IAG
Working Group WG 4.1.1 and FIG WG 5.5 was field experiments at
the Ohio State University In October 2017. These revolved around
the concept of collaborative navigation, and partially indoor
navigation. Collaborative positioning is an integrated
positioning solution which employs multiple location sensors
with different accuracy on different platforms for sharing of
their absolute and relative localizations. Typical application
scenarios are dismounted soldiers, swarms of UAV’s, team of
robots, emergency crews and first responders. The stakeholders
of the solution (i.e., mobile sensors, users, fixed stations and
external databases) are involved in an iterative algorithm to
estimate or improve the accuracy of each node’s position based
on statistical models. For this purpose different sensor
platforms have been fitted with similar type of sensors, such as
geodetic and lowcost high-sensitivity GNSS receivers, tactical
grade IMU’s, MEMS-based IMU’s, miscellaneous sensors, including
magnetometers, barometric pressure and step sensors, as well as
image sensors, such as digital cameras and Flash LiDAR, and
ultra-wide band (UWB) receivers.
A novel approach for positioning with Wi-Fi was initiated and
developed at TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology) under the
lead of Guenther Retscher. This approach for localization and
tracking of mobile smartphone users is termed Differential Wi-Fi
(DWi-Fi) by analogy with DGPS. From reference stations deployed
in the area of interest differential measurement corrections are
derived and applied at the mobile user side. Hence, range or
coordinate corrections can be estimated from a network of
reference station observations as it is done in common CORS GNSS
networks. A low-cost realization with Raspberry Pi units has
been realized for these reference stations. These units serve at
the same time as Access Points (APs) broadcasting Wi-Fi signals
as well as reference stations scanning the receivable Wi-Fi
signals of the surrounding APs. As the RSS measurements are
carried out continuously at the reference stations dynamically
changing maps of RSS distributions, so-called radio maps, can be
derived. The DWi-Fi concept was evaluated in several field
campaigns conducted at TU Wien, RMIT University and The
University of Melbourne as well as at the Ohio State University.
2.6 WG 5.6 – Cost Effective Positioning
For the WG 5.6 the most important accomplishment of the year
2017 was organizing the Cost Effective Positioning and Geo Data
Seminar which took place in Novosibirsk, Russia on 20 April. The
primary objective of the Seminar was to shape a vision for the
future of cost-effective positioning technologies. The seminar
was aimed at bringing developers of precise low-cost solutions,
surveyors, and other potential users together. The agenda of the
seminar covered both hardware and software solutions. Access to
the Seminar was open to all participants of Interexpo
Geo-Siberia. The total number of attendees at the Seminar was
more than 60 including participants from Russia, Germany, and
Belgium. Handouts and photos of the Seminar can be found at
http://www.fig.net/news/news_2017/04_comm5_novosibirsk.asp
An online lecture “Precise Point Positioning:
Principles, Applications, Prospects” was given by Leonid
Lipatnikov on March 1, 2017 in the frame of webinar series
organized by Alexander Ustinov. Especial attention was payed to
cost-efficiency aspects of PPP, including free software, free
online processing services, free data sources, and prospects of
free real-time access to correction data via satellite based
augmentation systems. The lecture attracted 86 attendees online,
gained more than 1,100 watches over 11 months. Available in
Russian language at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNUbis1H6j0
Work plan
Terms of Reference
The science of measurement (instrumentation, methodology and
guidelines)
The acquisition of accurate and reliable survey data related to
the position, size and shape of natural and artificial features of the
earth and its environment and including variation with time.
Mission statement
The mission of Commission 5 is to:
Focus on modern technologies, and technical developments and
assist individual surveyors, engineers and GIS/LIS professionals
through guidelines and recommendations, to choose and utilise those
methods, technologies and instruments that are most appropriate to
different applications.
Follow technical developments through collaboration with other FIG
Commissions and other international organisations; participation in
appropriate meetings; and the preparation of appropriate publications.
Support research and development and stimulate new ideas in the
fields of expertise represented within the commission.
Collaborate with manufacturers on the improvement of
instrumentation and associated software.
Present and promote the work of the Commission and its working
groups on an on-going basis at FIG Congresses, FIG Working Weeks, FIG
Regional Conferences and other relevant technical meetings and in
appropriate FIG and other media.
Working Group 5.1 – Standards, Quality Assurance and Calibration
Policy Issues
Influence the development of standards affecting positioning and
measurement instruments and methods, in collaboration with the FIG
Standards Network and through participation in the relevant technical
committees (TCs) of the International Standards Organisation (ISO) and
other appropriate bodies.
Acceptance controls, quality assurance and certification and their
impact on the surveying profession.
Testing and calibration of measuring instruments.
Assist other Commission Working Groups to implement Standards from
TC 172/SC 6 and ISO TC211 as appropriate.
Chair
David Martin, France
e-mail: david.martin[at]esrf.fr
Working Group 5.2 – 3D Reference Frames
Policy issues
Work to bring together all organisations involved in defining or
using reference frames to develop common approaches and avoid
duplication. Such organisations include FIG, the International
Association of Geodesy (IAG), ISO, groups of national mapping
agencies, other influential national agencies.
Continue the existing co-operation with IAG on the Regional
Reference Frame Projects such as AFREF, APREF, EUREF, NAREF, and
SIRGAS.
Consider options for the development and implementation of 4
dimensional datums that incorporate the effects plate tectonic and
regional effects such as those due to earthquakes or local effects
such as landslides.
Provide background technical information on relevant issues
written in a way that is accessible to the surveying practitioners.
Examine how surveying practitioners can access the reference frame,
through less emphasis on networks of ground monuments and more
emphasis on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) base stations.
Provide information on the maintenance of CORS networks to ensure
long-term stability
Chair
Nic Donnelly, New Zealand
e-mail: ndonnelly[at]linz.govt.nz
Working Group 5.3 – Vertical Reference Frames
Policy issues
Educate FIG member agencies on current and future status of
regional and global vertical reference frames and height systems
Educate FIG member agencies on practical aspects about the
implementation of new geopotential datums including:
access using geoid height models and a geometric datum
redefining heights on existing bench marks to serve as
secondary control
ties between height systems and local and global mean sea
level
Chair
Kevin Kelly, USA
e-mail: kevin_kelly[at]esri.com
Co-Chair
Dan Roman, USA
e-mail: dan.roman[at]noaa.gov
Working Group 5.4 – GNSS
Policy issues
Examine the positioning services using CORS and automated
positioning software via WWW.
Support and disseminate emerging positioning techniques using GNSS
Research and dissemination regarding real time networks
Multi-GNSS products and advancements
Provide FIG input during planning and implementation phases
associated with programs of modernisation and development of all GNSS
Chair
Dr. Neil Weston, USA
e-mail: neil.weston[at]unh.edu
Co-Chair
Suelynn Choy, Australia
e-mail: suelynn.choy[at]rmit.edu.au
Working Group 5.5 – Multi-Sensor-Systems
(joint with IAG)
Policy issues
This group is a joint working group between FIG and IAG. It focuses on
the development of shared resources that extend our understanding of the
theory, tools and technologies applicable to the development of multi
sensor systems. It has a major focus on;
Performance characterization of positioning sensors and
technologies that can play a role in augmenting core GNSS capabilities
Theoretical and practical evaluation of current algorithms for
measurement integration within multi sensor systems.
The development of new measurement integration algorithms based
around innovative modeling techniques in other research domains such
as machine learning and genetic algorithms, spatial cognition etc.
Establishing links between the outcomes of this WG and other
IAG and FIG WGs (across the whole period)
Generating formal parameters that describe the performance of
current and emerging positioning technologies that can inform FIG and
IAG members.
Chair
Allison Kealy, Australia
e-mail: a.kealy[at]unimelb.edu.au
Co-Chair
Guenther Retscher, Austria
e-mail:
Guenther.Retscher[at]geo.tuwien.ac.at
