Marine Applications
The very first satellite navigation systems were designed for marine use, by the military of the time, and now the marine industry is one of the largest users of GNSS technology and many of the specific applications developed for the marine industry have become ubiquitous across all application sectors.
Ocean going navigation, track control, coastal navigation, DGPS and other Aids to Navigation (AtoN), Hydrography, Dredging and dynamic positioning are all operations that require precise positioning and have driven the development of GNSS technology through the years.
GNSS Receivers and Infrastructure
Multi-constellation, multi-frequency receivers are used in the most demanding marine applications such as automated docking and marine construction and they demand the highest quality products to ensure the safety of life and equipment.
Chronos represents manufacturers of high quality GNSS receivers, proven in many marine applications. Systems such as container tracking systems, GPS compasses, DGPS receivers and OEM products for system integration can all be supplied to customers.
Chronos has been supplying infrastructure products to the marine industry for many years. Specialised antenna systems and GNSS distribution products are amongst the products that Chronos has supplied to both the civilian marine industry and naval military organisations. Many of the Chronos staff have direct experience of the needs of maritime customers.
Dredging
Dredging is about construction: Dikes, land reclamation, artificial island construction as well as the commonly known waterway maintenance and construction are significant elements of the dredging industry. Each of these functions require the use of a range of specialised support tools such as suction or cutter dredgers, lateral offloading boats, barges and crane-equipped pontoons. For all of these areas, high quality and productivity are major requirements but costs must also be taken into account.
This cost trade-off moves the dredging industry to use leading-edge precise positioning techniques in order to ensure the highest possible return on investment. Precision demanding dredging activities require the centimetre accuracy provided by real-time kinematic GNSS techniques. The techniques are commonly used for on-line tide compensation and gauge evolution during loading. Other functions are the need for precise positioning and timing for underwater acoustic survey systems which can graphically represent underwater environments such as for sub-surface maintenance or extraction. Septentrio receivers are ideally suited to this function, and companies such as Dredging International use their products. Chronos are the Septentrio UK representative.
GPS Compass
Chronos supply the GPS Compass systems from Hemisphere GPS. These products provide accurate heading and positioning, superior performance including heave pitch and roll output on some products. The rugged enclosure combines Hemisphere GPS’ Crescent Vector II OEM board and two multipath-resistant antennas for accuracy, portability and simple installation. The half-meter length smart antenna mounts easily to a flat surface or pole. The stability and maintenance-free design of the V101 replaces traditional gyrocompasses at a fraction of the cost.