Text: Junaid, Anna(韦安娜)

Photo: Uqba Ramzan

Record: Anna(韦安娜)

Editor: Crusoe(刘山洪), Stephen C. McClure

>>>About the Speaker:

Mr. Stefan Wei is the marketing director in the Hi-Target (中海达) international department. He graduated from China University of Geosciences and studied Land Resource Management. The Hi-Target corporation is a professional surveying equipment manufacturer and industry solution provider based in Guangzhou, China. Since Mr. Wei joined Hi-Target, he worked as a technical engineer, product manager, and then moved on to the marketing side. He has attended many international exhibitions and conferences in the surveying and mapping industry. He is also in charge of communications between Hi-Target and scientific organizations in the industry, such as ISPRS, FIG, and AFLAG. Mr. Wei strongly belives that “Made in China” will lead the world.

Fig.1 Mr. Stefan Wei was Giving the Talk of EGSC Session 15

>>>About this English Geoscience Café session:

At 19:00 on Dec 14th, 2017, Mr. Stefan Wei attended the English Geoscience Café No.15 in which he spoke on Precise Point Positioning (PPP).

Specifically, the Mr. Stefan Wei’s presentation was comprised of three parts: An introduction to Global Precise Point Positioning and Hi-Target; a brief description of his work and trips throughout the world; and some concluding remarks.

Fig.2 Audience were Listening to the Talk of Mr. Stefan Wei Carefully

1) An Introduction to Global Precise Point Positioning and Hi-Target

When introducing the new technology and the term Precise Point Positioning, he mentioned that he encountered this technology in 2011 for the first time.Emphasizing the importance of accuracy in GNSS positioning, he explained that PPP is a positioning technique that removes or models GNSS system errors to provide a high level of position accuracy from a single receiver. A PPP solution uses a network of global reference stations to do the job. Once the corrections are calculated, they are delivered to the end user via satellite or over the Internet. These corrections are used by the receiver, with centimeter-level accuracy. He further explained how Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) and Real Time Kinematics (RTK) work in place of conventional base stations used in differential GNSS positioning. He discussed how RTK is widely used in industry,providing swift positioning at centimeter level accuracy.

Fig.3 Traditional Single Station RTK & CORS

Moving on, Mr. Wei explained Regional Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBASs) and illustrated how they work. A SBAS is comprised of geosynchronous satellites that complement global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)to optimize the accuracy andavailability of GNSS signals. Accuracy is enhanced through the transmission of wide-area corrections for GNSS range errors. Further, Mr. Wei mentioned that SBAS systems are operated by several countries.He spoke about the basic error sources in GNSS systems categorizing them such as Ionospheric and Tropospheric Delays.

Fig.4 Regional SBAS (Satellite-Based Augmentation System)

Mr. Wei introduced the Hi-Target Real Time Precise Positioning Service System (Hi-RTP), a product of Hi-Target, and he briefly described its capabilities and specifications. A map of 100 plusGlobal Reference Systems, showed howHi-Target has been all around the world. Mr. Wei also shared plans for increasing the number of stations.

Fig.5 Hi-Target Real-Time Precise Positioning Service System (Hi-RTP)

Fig.6 Global Reference Stations

He introduced thesalient features of the products such as Hi-RTP and in general described the services provided by Hi-Target. The company sends data, which can reach the accuracy of Hi-RTP’s 5-8 cm in real time orbital accuracy, from the Hi-Target quality monitoring and service center. Mr. Wei also thoroughly explained each service provided by the company, and applications. He then shared glimpses of the iRTK5 receiver and Hi-RTPFieldwork Software integrated. He not only enlightened attendees with the performance and tests results of Hi-RTP globally, he also shared expected improvements in the services and products as he concluded his first topic.

Fig.7 Different Applications with Different Service Subscription

Fig.8 Hi-RTP Positioning Services Performance (Global)

2) A brief description of his work and trips throughout the world

The second part of Mr. Wei’s discussion comprised of his personal experiences of travelling around the world since he started working for Hi-Target. He stated that he had travelled to 47 countries, though it is sometimes stressful to travel quite often. Meeting different people from all over the world however,gave him the knowledge and experience. In addition, it helped him change his views about certain places of the world.

Fig.9 Mr. Stefan Wei was Talking about his Experiences and Feelings Vividly

When he first travelled to ASEAN FLAG in 2011, Mr. Stefan Wei was proud to represent China and Hi-Target in the international association. He shared unique stories about various places. He praised the discipline in Japanese nation and mentioned about seeing a stereotype being broken that it is dangerous to roam in Africa. Contrary to the common belief, he found African people loving and caring, and the place is not as dangerous as it is portrayed to be.

Fig.10 Mr. Stefan Wei in ASEAN FLAG (Asia)

Furthermore, he experienced both extremes on the temperature scale from -20 degree Celsius in Canada to +40 degree Celsius in Pakistan.

Fig.11 Mr. Stefan Wei in Canada (North America)

3) Some Concluding remarks

The session was concluded with an interactive Q&A. Thanks to his humbleness and his way of presentation, the participants were quite at ease in information sharing and asking useful questions. On a participant’s question was about whether the Chinese products are competitive to the European counterparts, he beautifully answered it by quoting, “In 2016, 90% of the GPS receivers used by the surveying industry in China were made in China and only the remaining 10% were European or made elsewhere.” He recalled when Hi-Target merged their brand with a Finnish group in Germany.

Mr. Stefan Wei ended up his talk with his goal to break the stereotype and to see Chinese products and technology be more innovative and creative in the eyes of the world.

Fig.12 Mutual Interlocution in Q & A section

In the end, the session ended with a group photo. This edition of English Geoscience Café was one of the most informative and interactive sessions, in which the speaker took the audience on a roller coaster ride from sharing technical knowledge to professional development, mixed with real life experiences.

Fig.13 Presenting a Souvenir to Mr. Stefan Wei as a Token of Gratitude

Fig.14 Group Photo of Speaker, EGSC Members and Some Audiences

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