Trimble R6 Field Test

Here are the results of a short test of the satellite tracking by the Trimble R6 rover with GLONASS under forest canopy in Laos. At the time, we were tracking about 4-5 of the GPS satellites exmitting L2C signals, which better tracking performance than regular L2 under adverse conditions.

Forest Site with Undergrowth Cleared

Site 1 - Relatively Open - PDOP 1.6

Site 2 - Open Canopy - PDOP 1.6

Site 3 - Closed Canopy - PDOP 3.4 - Not bad !

Skyplot from Trimble Planning Utility for same time.

De-Classified 60′s Imagery of Cambodia

I initially got pretty excited by this discovery on http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ as some of the imagery is 2-4 ft in resolution and dates from the mid-60′s to mid-70′s. It was de-classified in two batches; 1996 and 2002. However, it seems that most of the imagery is quite cloudy (coincidence ?) and there is not much of the 2-4 ft stuff. Additional frustrations are that is costs money (alebeit a small amount – around $30) and cannot be downloaded. But anyone determined enough should be able to their hands on this.

I’m sure there a much larger collections that are not yet de-classified, covering the entire Khmer Rouge period in Cambodia. I wonder why.

Sceenshot of Black and white KH-7 High Resolution Surveillance Photo North of Phnom Penh. Image Date: 1967/05/24. Camera Resolution: 2 to 4 feet

Screen shot of image covering parts of Kampong Thom and Kampong Cham. Acquisition Date: 17-JAN-76. Camera Resolution: 20 to 30 feet.

Phnom Penh Satellite Time Series

Camko City Satellite Time Series

This time series of Satellite images in Google Earth show the development of Camko City on what was once Boeung Pong Peay. The site lies on the northern edge of Phnom Penh city and is slated for completion in 2018.

You can explore the recent history of Phnom Penh via satellite imagery using the button in Google Earth.

Phnom Penh Flood Risk Map

You may not know it, but if you are in Phnom Penh, you may be sitting below river level RIGHT NOW ! Of course, the level is subsiding and 1.55m below flood level so the risk is very low. The map below shows the water level around the independence monument if flood defenses were breached.

For more information about this map, please feel free to Contact Us

Flood Risk near Independence Monument, Phnom Penh

Cambodia Historical Satellite Imagery

Here is an interesting comparison in the change of land use in Pailin in western Cambodia over the last 20 years.

Landsat Image from 2001 (30m resolution)

Below is an image from 2011, taken by the RapidEye satellite. Nearly all forested areas have been converted to agriculture, except the minefield along the Cambodian-Thai border on the left of the image. Dark patches indicate remaining forest.

RapidEye Satellite Image (5m resolution) from 2011

Boeung Tumpun Development Plan

I drove past this sign on National Road Number 2, which details the plans for Boeung Tumpun, including construction of new roads, canals and reduction in the lake area.

Boeung Tumpun Development Sign, NR2

Based on this sign, I’ve drawn up a rough sketch of the boundaries, which can be viewed in the context of the current ground situation in Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=205681469191653522990.0004a8dd06976a6aab585&msa=0&ll=11.511313,104.928017&spn=0.047519,0.084543

Boeung Tumpun Development Map

Using Khmer Unicode font with ArcGIS 10

1. Go to Start  >  Run, then  type “regedit”

2. Under Registry on the left hand side go to My Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ESRI\Desktop 10.0″

3. Right click on “Desktop 10.0″ add new key “Common”

3 Right click on “Common” add new key “CodePage”

4 On Codepage key add new string value “dbfDefault”

5 Right click on string value “dbfDefault” modify it value field to “UTF-8″

Editing the Registry

6. Reopen Arcgis and then try to edit attribute table by typing Khmer character.

Khmer Unicode Map Labels

Launch of Cambodia Land and Environment Atlas

Commencing in December 2010, the Cambodia Land and Environment Atlas and Resource (CLEAR) has sought to compile the best available spatial information on agriculture, soils, climate, environment and land use in Cambodia. Project partners Aruna Technology, have been responsible to identifying and compiling relevant data and preparing it for publication. Project partners aWhere, based in the United States have been responsible for packaging the data into a spatial viewer that allows the interactive discovery and analysis of spatial information.

The product was officially launched by the Australian Ambassador to Cambodia, H.E. Penny Richards on the 10th June 2011. The event was well attended by nearly 100 representatives from the government, NGO’s and the private sector. CLEAR is available free of charge from Aruna Technology. Please contact us to obtain a DVD copy of the application. You can also read more about CLEAR here: http://clear.awhere.com/Homepage.aspx

Australian Ambassador, HE Penny Richards at the Launch of CLEAR

CLEAR DVD, available from Aruna Technology

An excerpt of the press release from the Australian Embassy is below.

Around 130,000 Cambodian farmers will benefit from Australia’s five year Cambodia Agricultural Value Chain (CAVAC) program which began in 2010. The program will help boost farmers’ incomes by increasing the value of agricultural production, with a focus on rice, fruit and vegetable farming in Kampong Thom, Kampot and Takeo provinces. It will also provide employment for the poor.

The CAVAC program has supported the development of the Cambodian Land and Environment Atlas and Resource (CLEAR) which was launched today [10 June 2011]. CLEAR is a spatial database which will allow researchers and planners to analyse socioeconomic, climatic, soil and land-use data to support decisions on how to improve agricultural productivity and manage natural resources.

CLEAR was developed through a partnership with two private companies, using data contributed by the Royal Government of Cambodia. This is an example of how the CAVAC Program works with the Royal Government of Cambodia and private companies that are committed to improving long term support to rural farmers.
H.E. Ms Penny Richards, the Australian Ambassador to Cambodia, said “Australia has been supporting Cambodia’s farmers for 20 years and our assistance has contributed to rice yields more than doubling during this time. In 2011, a more dynamic and complex agriculture sector, with emerging markets for agricultural inputs, such as seeds and fertiliser, and opportunities for processing and export, requires a different type of support.

New Garmin eTrex Series

eTrex30 - maps, altimeter and compass

Garmin have announced a new lineup of eTrex series GPS with

• an enlarged 2.2 in display
• 25 hour battery life
• worldwide basemap
• expandable memory
• wireless data sharing

Please contact us for further information an pricing

eTrex10 - base model

Trimble Survey Equipment for PDRAM

Through the CAVAC Project, Aruna Technology have delivered and trained staff from three Provincial Department of Water Resource and Meteorology (PDRAM) Offices. The Trimble M3 Total Station has found to be useful for water resources management due to it’s light weight, ease of use and robustness. Staff from the PDRAM Offices in Kampot, Takeo and Kampong Thom were trained by Aruna Technology in the use of the equipment.

ក្រុមហ៊ុនអារុណា ថិចណូទ្បូហ្ស៊ីបានផ្តល់ជូននូវវគ្គបណ្តុះបណ្តាលដល់បុគ្គលិកដែលមកពីបណ្តា​ការិយាល័យមន្ទីរធនធានទឹក និង ឧតុនិយម (PDRAM) តាមខេត្តចំនួនបី។ ពួកគាត់យល់ឃើញថាម៉ាស៊ីន Trimble M3 Total Station មានអត្ថប្រយោជន៍ជាខ្លាំង​ដល់ការគ្រប់គ្រងចាត់ចែងធនធានទឹកដោយសារតែ​វាមានទំងន់ស្រាល ងាយស្រួលប្រើប្រាស់ និង មានភាពរឹងមាំ។ បុគ្គលិកពីបណ្តាមន្ទីរខេត្តកំពត តាកែវ និង កំពង់ធំ ត្រូវបានបណ្តុះបណ្តាលពីការប្រើប្រាស់ឧបករណ៍នេះដោយក្រុមហ៊ុនអារុណា ថិចណូទ្បូហ្ស៊ុ៕

About CAVAC

Cambodia Agricultural Value Chain Project (CAVAC) (2009–2013)

CAVAC is central to AusAID’s support to Cambodia’s agricultural sector. The aim of the project is to reduce poverty and increase farmer incomes through improved agricultural productivity. This includes supporting higher quality rice seed, product diversification, irrigation infrastructure and better farmer links to market traders and agribusiness. The project is initially focusing on three provinces: Kampong Thom, Takeo and Kampot. AusAID works with the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research to implement CAVAC.

CAVAC ទទួលការគាំទ្រសំខាន់ពីមូលនិធិជំនួយអូស្ត្រាលី (AusAID) ដល់វិស័យកសិកម្មនៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។ កម្មវត្ថុនៃគំរោងគឺដើម្បី​កាត់​បន្ថយភាពក្រីក្រ និង បង្កើនចំនូលដល់កសិករតាមរយះការធ្វើឲ្យប្រសើរទ្បើងនូវផលិតភាពកសិកម្ម។ ទាំងនេះរួមមាន​ការផ្តល់ជំនួយពូជស្រូវមានគុណភាពខ្ពស់ បំលាស់ប្តូរផលិតផល រចនាសម្ព័នធារាសាស្ត្រ និង ទំនាក់ទំនងល្អរវាងកសិករទៅនឹង​ពាណិជ្ជករក្នុងទីផ្សារ និង មុខជំនួញកសិកម្ម។ គំរោងនេះផ្តោតការយកចិត្តដាក់ជាដំបុងទៅលើខេត្តបី: កំពង់ធំ តាកែវ និង កំពត។ មូលនិធិជំនួយអូស្ត្រាលី (AusAID) ធ្វើការជាមួយមជ្ឈមណ្ឌលអូស្ត្រាលីសំរាប់ការស្រាវជ្រាវផ្នែកកសិកម្ម​អន្តរជាតិដើម្បីអនុវត្តន៍គំរោង CAVAC ៕

Source: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/country/country.cfm?CountryId=34

Aruna Hosts Trimble Express 2011

On the 3rd June 2011, Aruna Technology, along with co-hosts Trimble Navigation Pte (Thailand), hosted the first ever Trimble Express in Cambodia​ at Himawari Hotel. The event highlighted current trends and challenges facing the survey industry, particularly the rapid changes in the GPS/GNSS world.  With China, Japan, India, the EU and Russia all launching new satellites, positioning by satellite will become far more reliable and accurate, even under challenging conditions.

The afternoon session was dedicated to hands on with some of the latest survey instruments from Trimble, including the compact and functional M3 Total station, the R6 RTK GPS/GNSS Receiver and the very impressive Trimble VX.

Aruna Technology Ltd is the only local authorized distribution partner of Trimble products in Cambodia on which you can rely whenever you need any qualified surveying materials with effectiveness and efficiency.

អារុណា ថិចណូទ្បូហ្ស៊ី រៀបចំ​ព្រិត្តិការណ៍ Trimble Express 2011

នៅថ្ងៃទី ០៣ ខែមិថុនា ឆ្នាំ២០០១១ ក្រុមហ៊ុនអារុណា ថិចណូទ្បូហ្ស៊ី បានសហការជាមួយក្រុមហ៊ុន Trimble Navigation Pte (Thailand) រៀបចំនូវព្រិត្តិការណ៍ Trimble Express ជាលើកទីមួយនៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា នៅសណ្ឋាគារហ៊ីម៉ាវ៉ារី។ កម្មវិធីនេះបានគូសបង្ហាញពីនិន្នាការ និង ការសំរេចបានមួយចំនួន​ដែលជួបប្រទះក្នុងវិស័យ Survey ជាពិសេសបំលាស់ប្តូរយ៉ាងឆាប់រហ័សក្នុងពិភព GPS/GNSS ។ ការកំណត់ទីតាំងតាមរយះ​ផ្កាយ​រណបនឹងផ្តល់ជូន​លោកអ្នកនុវទំនុកចិត្ត និង ភាពសុក្រិតបំផុតទោះបីជា​ស្ថិតក្រោមស្ថានភាពពិបាកយ៉ាងណាក៏ដោយ​ជាមួយនឹងការបង្ហោះ​ផ្កាយរណបថ្មីៗរបស់​ប្រទេសចិន ជប៉ុន ឥណ្ឌា សហគមន៍អ៊ឺរ៉ុប និង រុស្ស៊ី ជាដើម។

ចំណែកវគ្គបណ្តុះបណ្តាលពេលរសៀល គឺផ្តោតសំខាន់ទៅលើការអនុវត្តន៍ជាក់ស្តែងជាមួយឧបករណ៍វាស់វែង​ដែលជាបច្ចេកវិទ្យាចុងក្រោយពី Trimble រួមមាន: ម៉ាស៊ីនចល័ត និង មានមុខងារច្រើន M3 Total station ម៉ាស៊ីន R6 RTK GPS/GNSS Receiver និង ម៉ាស៊ីន Trimble VX ដ៏គួរឲ្យចាប់អារម្មណ៍បំផុត។

ក្រុមហ៊ុន អារុណា ថិចណូទ្បូហ្ស៊ី ជាដៃគូចែកចាយផ្តាច់មុខតែមួយគត់លើផលិតផលម៉ាក Trimble ក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជាដែល​លោកអ្នកអាចទុកចិត្តបាន រាល់ពេលដែលលោកអ្នកត្រូវការ​ឧបករណ៍វាស់វែងមានគុណភាពប្រកបដោយប្រសិទ្ធភាពការងារខ្ពស់៕

Aruna Joins RapidEye’s Distribution Network

Cambodia and Laos’ Aruna Technology

Joins RapidEye’s Distribution Network

Brandenburg/Havel, Germany, May 31, 2011 – RapidEye, a leader in wide-area repetitive coverage of Earth through its constellation of satellites announced today that Cambodia and Laos-based Aruna Technology is now part of its growing distribution network. As part of the agreement, Aruna’s territory will be Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.

John Ahlrichs, Vice President of Distributor Sales at RapidEye commented, “We look forward to partnering with Aruna. They bring a long term presence in this region as both a data distributor and a leader in implementing integrated imagery solutions. In addition, Aruna is aggressively developing programs for monitoring forest degradation and deforestation in Southeast Asia as part of the REDD program, activities which complement our service business.”

“We believe RapidEye provides a unique capability for land cover monitoring that is particularly suited to REDD,” said Jeffrey Himel, Managing Director of Aruna. “We’re very excited to bring the technology to a wider market in mainland Southeast Asia.”

http://www.rapideye.de/news/pr/2011-aruna.htm

Formentera, Spain

Managing GPS Data

With the recent introduction of several new models such as the 62s ans 78s, you’ll also need to update your software to Basecamp, as Mapsource is no longer supported by these models. Basecamp is available as a free download from the Garmin Website and has extended functionality, such as photo geo-tagging and satellite image management (with a Garmin BirdsEye account). The full features of basecamp are:

• View 24K or 100K topographic maps and other topographic data.
• Displays maps in 2-D or 3-D, including elevation profiles.
• View and rotate maps at any angle.
• Create waypoints and routes on your computer and transfer maps, waypoints, routes, tracks and geotagged photos between your computer and device.
• Transfers satellite images to your device (with the purchase of BirdsEye™ Satellite Imagery subscription).
• Shows animated playback of routes and tracks over time.
• Supports geotagged photos.
• Easily organize data into folders.
• Prints full-page, color maps.
• Exports user data for viewing in Google Earth™.
• Includes advanced geocaching support; can import data from geocaching.com.

Basecamp Screenshot

Garmin Basecamp

ALOS Satellite Shuts Down After 5 years

According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the 5 year old ALOS satellite abruptly lost power on 22nd April 2011. Launched in January 2006, the the design life of the satellite was only 3 years and has performed into it’s firth year as hoped. It’s replacement, ALOS-3, is not expected to be in operation until 2014.

From the JAXA website:

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has been operating the Advanced Land Observing Satellite ‘DAICHI” (ALOS), which has exceeded its design life of three years and its target life of five years. However, at around 7:30 a.m. on April 22, we found that the satellite had shifted its operation mode to the low load mode (*1) and all the onboard observation devices were turned off due to power generation reduction. The anomaly was detected through relayed data via the Data Relay Test Satellite “KODAMA.”
Since then, the power generation has been rapidly deteriorating, and we currently cannot confirm power generation. The DAICHI was launched on January 24, 2006.

JAXA is investigating the cause of this problem while taking necessary measures.

*1: Low generation mode: the mode to save power consumption to maintain the minimum function of the satellite.

Original Article

Cool Tools – GPS Camera

Finally available at a reasonable price, this Sony GPS Camera is the ultimate field data collection tool. The camera records coordinates and compass direction with each picture, information which is automatically detected by Google Earth or using the ArcPhoto tool in ArcGIS.

Sony DSC-HX5

Automatically encoding geo-location information eliminates the need for time consuming matching of photos to GPS tracklogs.

The camera is available in camera shops in Phnom Penh for about $350.