Sunnyvale, California-based Trimble Navigation Ltd has launched three Global Positioning System products, including what it claims is the cheapest ever all-in-one system for surveyors and cartographers. The 4600LS weighs 3.7 lbs and comes with receiver, antenna and batteries integrated into one unit that looks something like a flower pot stuck on a pole. It costs $15,000, compared with the $25,000 tag this type of system costs at the moment. It is the first time that a company has been able to make a Global Positioning System of this accuracy – to within 10mm – that can operate on batteries. It will be available in October. The 7400MSi is also accurate to within 10mm but offers real-time data. This ability, coupled with its interface into personal computers and other external processing devices, means that it is targeted at dynamic machine guidance, say heavy digging equipment found in open-cast mining. The real time capability pushes up the price of the system to around $40,000, and it is available now. The last product is Direct GPS for ArcView, a mobile Global Positioning System PC Card with data collection software in-built, that integrates into Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc’s ArcView desktop Geographic Information Systems software. It is designed for people that already use ArcView, enabling them to update existing maps or plans held in their databases. It costs $4,000 and is out now.
