Altus Positioning Systems Launches APS-3

Altus Positioning Systems (CA, USA) has launched the APS-3 GNSS Surveying receiver. Based around Septentrio's AsteRx2 RTK board the APS-3 offers both GPS and Glonass RTK in a highly flexible format. The APS-3 comes with a GSM modem as standard and a choice of internal digital UHF or Spread Spectrum radios.

In addition, the instrument is equipped with Bluetooth and two hot swappable internal batteries. On board data logging via an easily accessible SD card completes a perfect on the pole solution for Surveyors. The APS 3 weighs about half a kilo and provides enough power for a day's operation.

With is combination of communication methods, the APS-3 allows the Surveyor to work within real time network environments and in local systems with the same instrument configuration. With it's built in digital transceiver and GSM modem as standard, the APS-3 can be either base or rover, allowing the user to utilize either unit as a base station and the other as a rover, or as two rovers in a situation where the corrections are provided from a network.

Altus and the APS-3 by preference work with the survey applications software Carlson SurvCE. SurvCE is available in German for the first time this year and had been available in all other major European languages. Carlson, Septentrio and Altus have joined forces to create a Post Processing Package which will also be available later this year.

Altus Positioning Systems designs manufactures and sells products for the surveying market. The APS-3 is the first of the products Altus will bring to market. Deliveries of the APS-3 will commence in late 2007 in the United States and Europe. Altus, based in Southern California, engages the talents of many engineers experienced in the design and construction of GPS receivers since the earliest days of satellite surveying. Altus Positioning Systems was conceived by Neil Vancans, Richard Keegan who holds many of the original patents in GPS is CTO and Simon Baksh formerly with Novatel is VP of Product Development.