This partnership has already led to the first successful operational deployment of the Leica Jigsaw Positioning System network.

The technology at the heart of the Leica Jps network is a combination of the “Local Constellation” created by Locata Corporation and Leica Geosystems’ technology.

The Local Constellation replicates GPS with a terrestrial network for a fraction of the cost of just one of the satellites.

The partners say the Leica Jps network is the only high precision solution in the world that augments standard GPS and GLONASS signals with Locata signals.

The Leica machine positioning technology works well, providing it knows exactly where it is to start with.

When the machines can “see” three satellites they can properly fix their position.

However, near the pit wall that can become problematic.

This is where the Locata system comes into its own.

Its Locatalites are put up on masts around the mine where they can be “seen” from any part of the pit floor.

This way any machine using Locatalite can always get the necessary three to properly orient itself.

According to Leica the success of the combined technologies and continued relationship between both parties ensures the Leica Jps will be commercially available to the mining industry globally from August.