Topcon announces exemption to operate Unmanned Aerial System

LIVERMORE, Calif., April 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Topcon Positioning Systems announces it has received a national exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that allows for operation of its unmanned aerial system (UAS) in the United States. The exemption covers the operation of the Sirius Basic and Sirius Pro for aerial data collection.

The Sirius Pro and Sirius Basic systems are designed to produce the most accurate solutions for the automated mapping of a wide range of sites — regardless of terrain — including construction sites, mines and quarries, and for use in land surveying, transmission line and pipeline inspection as well as agricultural operations including field mapping and livestock management. With the Sirius Pro model, Topcon eliminates the need for ground control points by combining RTK (Real Time Kinematic) GNSS solutions with precision timing technology to provide accurate mapping results.

"This exemption is exciting news for the U.S. marketplace," said Eduardo Falcon, executive vice president and general manager of the Topcon GeoPositioning Solutions Group. "It allows Topcon to be a resource for end-users and provide UAS demonstrations and training. Aerial data collection has a strong impending impact on all the industries we serve, and the possibilities for survey, construction, and agricultural applications are seemingly limitless.

"Building on the success the Sirius models have already seen in the European and Australian markets, this exemption allows Topcon to expand on that momentum in the U.S.," said Falcon.

Visit topconpositioning.com for information about Topcon aerial mapping solutions.

About Topcon Positioning Group

Topcon Positioning Group is headquartered in Livermore, California, USA (topconpositioning.com). Its European head office is in Capelle a/d IJssel, the Netherlands (topcon-positioning.eu). Topcon Positioning Group designs, manufactures and distributes precise positioning products and solutions for the global surveying, construction, agriculture, civil engineering, BIM, mapping and GIS, asset management and mobile control markets. Its brands include Topcon, Sokkia, Tierra, Wachendorff Elektronik, Digi-Star and 2LS. Topcon Corporation (topcon.com), founded in 1932, is traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (7732).