By Dave Goddard, portfolio manager, intelligent machine solutions, Leica Geosystems Mining
Open pit mines rely on machine guidance systems to improve efficiencies in production. These systems require high precision GNSS positioning to provide robust 3D positioning. Locata Corp. (Locata) has invented a ground-breaking radio positioning system that is equivalent to a GNSS positioning constellation but is ground-based instead of satellite-based.
The Leica Jigsaw Positioning System (Jps) is the world’s first commercial product to integrate these Locata signals into a high precision GNSS+Locata positioning device, delivering a new and previously unattainable level of positioning reliability in areas where GNSS-only positioning is unreliable. Improvement from 75.3% to 98.7% in availability over a GNSS-only system (maintaining RTK accuracy) has resulted – with huge commercial benefits.