by dmackay | Aug 6, 2021 | News
Topcon signs agreement with DDK Positioning to provide GNSS hardware for maritime market
DDK Positioning will provide services and Topcon hardware to Oceaneering International
LIVERMORE, Calif. — August 5, 2021 — Topcon Positioning Systems announces it has entered into an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) contract with DDK Positioning Ltd. to supply Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) hardware components. Founded in 2016 by a highly skilled team with extensive experience in the positioning field, DDK Positioning has combined technical ingenuity with the Iridium® satellite network to create a robust, resilient and completely independent GNSS-augmenting positioning solution.
Topcon OEM GNSS components will be used by DDK Positioning to deliver their MAX services to Oceaneering International, Inc.’s clients. These clients, primarily in the marine energy sector, can achieve accuracy to less than 5 centimeters with this new service. Oceaneering recently conducted an extensive review of how it delivers positioning services to its clients and evaluated the significant advances made in communications infrastructure and services over recent years. Recently, Oceaneering announced an exclusive agreement with DDK Positioning to be the new provider of products and services to the offshore maritime market, delivered through the Iridium network and with Topcon OEM GNSS products.
“Our extensive research of receivers in the market, and the performance of Topcon, made the decision for our route going forward,” said Kevin Gaffney, CEO of DDK Positioning. “Topcon’s experience, their extensive support network and leadership will allow us to effectively support multiple clients, in addition to Oceaneering. We see this as a long-term partnership. Both companies worked tirelessly to bring this together.”
Ian Stilgoe, vice president of Topcon emerging business, said, “With Topcon Positioning System’s extensive history in precise positioning, providing high performance and quality GNSS boards, antennas and receivers to the OEM industry for over 20 years, the company is well-positioned to supply DDK Positioning with the hardware needed to support their clients globally. Working closely with DDK Positioning and Iridium was key to meet the requirements of Oceaneering and the maritime market. Topcon is pleased to be part of this effort to bring the latest positioning technology to this market segment.”
by dmackay | Jul 21, 2021 | News
Oceaneering and DDK Positioning Sign Service Agreement Enhancing C-Nav® Positioning Solutions’ Offerings
Oceaneering International, Inc., and DDK Positioning Limited announced the companies have entered into an agreement for the provision of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) augmentation service and all associated software and hardware supporting Oceaneering’s C-Nav® Positioning Solutions group offerings.
DDK Positioning’s services are delivered exclusively through the Iridium® satellite communications network coupled with hardware developed by partner Topcon. This pairing of cutting-edge hardware and advanced communication infrastructure will enhance the ability of Oceaneering’s customers to precisely position their assets globally. This unified solution offers several benefits to Oceaneering’s positioning customers including, two-way communication enabling machine control and feedback, and redundancy to cover potential signal losses.
From launch, DDK Positioning will provide its MAX service to Oceaneering clients, which can achieve accuracy to less than 10 cm (2 Sigma). The MAX service uses both GPS, Galileo, and GLONASS constellations with further systems to be added within a year.
Eric Smith, Director of Survey Services at Oceaneering, said: “There have been significant advances made in communications infrastructure and satellite positioning technology over the last several years. With this agreement, Oceaneering will be able to offer enhanced positioning technology allowing us to build on our strong industry track record while continuing to serve the positioning needs of our clients now and into the future.”
Kevin Gaffney, CEO at DDK Positioning said: “We are absolutely delighted to have signed an agreement with Oceaneering to provide our precise and reliable GNSS positioning solution to Oceaneering’s customers in the maritime energy industry.
“This agreement demonstrates the need for an alternative GNSS augmentation service that increases the reach of services from Pole to Pole, with the added benefit of Iridium’s resilience and reliability. We are looking forward to working with Oceaneering to enhance their service and product portfolio while delivering market leading services for many years to come.”
by dmackay | May 24, 2021 | News
Iridium Makes Strategic Investment in DDK Positioning, Provider of Enhanced GNSS Accuracy Solutions
DDK Positioning Solutions Utilize the Iridium® Satellite Constellation to Deliver Five Centimeter GNSS Accuracy to Industrial IoT Users
MCLEAN, VA., April XX, 2021 – Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) today announced that it has made a strategic investment in DDK Positioning (DDK), an Aberdeen, Scotland based provider of enhanced Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) accuracy solutions. DDK uses the Iridium® network to provide global precision positioning services that can augment GNSS constellations, including GPS and Galileo, to significantly enhance their accuracy for critical industrial applications. DDK is also developing similar services for other GNSS constellations, such as GLONASS and Beidou. Terms of the investment are not being disclosed.
Standard positioning accuracy through a system like GPS is typically within 10 meters, however by using the Iridium network, DDK’s enhanced GPS accuracy service brings incredibly precise positioning of five centimeters or less. This advanced level of accuracy is ideal for autonomous vehicles like UAVs, precision agriculture applications, offshore infrastructure projects such as windfarm construction, automotive applications like driverless cars, as well as a host of construction, mining, surveying and IoT use cases. Historically, there have been limited geostationary satellite provider options for this type of service, but they suffer from line-of-sight blockage issues and coverage limitations in and around Arctic and Antarctic regions.
Kevin Gaffney, CEO of DDK Positioning, said, “We are delighted to have embarked on this journey with such a strong and well-respected company as Iridium. This partnership is a perfect fit for DDK Positioning, with Iridium’s satellite communications network and our GNSS solution, we are in a position to deliver a truly unique service which is robust, resilient and secure.” Gaffney continued that, “The investment made by Iridium will also allow us to grow the company even further whilst expanding our service offering globally.”
According to a report published by the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency, augmentation services like those offered by DDK will account for $76.5 billion (€65 billion) in global GNSS market revenue by 2029, while the global GNSS downstream market, including services delivered and hardware devices, is estimated to reach $382 billion (€325 billion).
“We are impressed with the team that DDK has put together and see great potential for this technology and how it takes advantage of the Iridium network,” said Iridium CEO, Matt Desch. “DDK’s enhanced positioning is a unique capability that adds a high-value solution on top of our existing portfolio of custom network services. Solutions from Iridium and DDK partners that are focused on precision agriculture, autonomous systems, maritime and infrastructure projects can now experience incredibly precise GNSS accuracy from anywhere on the planet.”
For more information about Iridium IoT solutions visit: https://www.iridium.com/iot
For more information about DDK Positioning visit: https://www.ddkpositioning.com
by dmackay | Apr 29, 2021 | News
NSSLGlobal partners with DDK Positioning to offer enhanced GNSS positioning to its maritime customers
- DDK Positioning’s precise GNSS positioning solution provides an accuracy of less than 5cm
- Partnership enhances NSSLGlobal’s full-service solutions portfolio for maritime customers
NSSLGlobal, the award-winning satcom and IT solutions provider, has entered a strategic alliance with DDK Positioning (DDK), to incorporate enhanced Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) positioning navigation and timing solutions into NSSLGlobal’s maritime portfolio.
NSSLGlobal will now provide, install and service DDK’s GNSS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) solution which enhances the ability of NSSLGlobal’s customers to precisely locate and track their assets. DDK’s independent GNSS technology is provided exclusively through Iridium’s global satellite constellation, and creates a robust, resilient and completely independent GNSS solution that has an enhanced accuracy of less than 5cm, compared to the standard GPS accuracy of 10m.
Kevin Gaffney, DDK Positioning CEO based in Aberdeen, said: “This partnership is a fantastic fit for DDK Positioning. We are now in a place to provide our clients with our precise positioning solutions globally and we are delighted to formalise our working relationship with NSSLGLobal with the signing of this new strategic alliance. To continue the journey with such a strong and well-respected company such as NSSLGLobal, and with their reach in the market, makes great sense and we are looking forward to the journey that we will have together.”
Paul Rutherford, Service Director, NSSLGlobal, says: “DDK Positioning is leading the field in advanced GNSS positioning. We’re pleased to partner with such an innovative company and to be able to add this technology offering on top of the already extensive navigation and communication portfolio we offer our customers. The system will provide greater location accuracy, along with the ability to help detect and mitigate spoofing,”
by dmackay | Nov 19, 2020 | News
DDK Positioning enters into partnership with Charity & Taylor
DDK Positioning has entered into a strategic alliance with Charity & Taylor (C&T) to enhance their service offering globally. The partnership will see C&T distribute, install and service DDK’s precise GNSS positioning solutions globally in the marine sector.
With C&T, being owned by the Aage Hempel Group and a member of grupoarbulu, it is one of the largest marine electronics group in Europe. This partnership will act as an ‘enabler’ to DDK Positioning, helping to push their services and expertise globally using C&T’s established market presence and track record to date.
Kevin Gaffney, DDK Positioning CEO based in Aberdeen, said: “This partnership is a fantastic fit for DDK Positioning. We are now in a position to provide our clients with our precise positioning solutions globally and we are delighted to formalise our working relationship with C&T with the signing of this new strategic alliance.
“To start the journey with such a strong and well-respected company such as C &T with their reach in the market makes great sense and we are looking forward to the journey that we will have together.”
”Rodger Perks, MD at C&T, comments: “Charity & Taylor is both well placed and highly regarded in the offshore support sector operating from Aberdeen, Grangemouth and Great Yarmouth. The business in Falmouth specializes in the high-end yacht market with equipment supply, support and installation, as well as satellite connectivity.”
“This alliance will enable DDK Positioning to increase their presence globally and we’re proud to work alongside them to better service our clients with a precise GNSS positioning solution.”
DDK Positioning offers truly global, resilient delivery of precise GNSS positioning services to number of markets, including; offshore survey & construction, marine, agriculture, renewables, automotive, aviation and IoT.
