SAN FRANCISCO – Swift Navigation, a leader in precise positioning technologies for automotive, IoT, and mobile applications, today announced that Vivax-Metrotech, a global manufacturer of utility location and inspection tools, has validated Swift’s Skylark® Precise Positioning Service to power centimeter-accurate utility mapping with its unique vLoc3 RTK-Pro receiver.
Vivax-Metrotech’s vLoc3 RTK-Pro receiver is the first utility locator to fully integrate precise GNSS with Real Time Kinematic technology, enabling teams to locate buried infrastructure and map its exact position with survey-grade accuracy using a single handheld device. Traditionally, these tasks require separate teams and equipment to locate utilities and then survey their locations, often causing delays and increasing the risk of miscommunication. With Skylark, the vLoc3 RTK-Pro receives GNSS corrections to achieve accuracy within two centimeters, eliminating the need for a local RTK base station.
By streamlining this process, the solution reduces project timelines, minimizes human error, and improves safety and efficiency. Teams can also capture additional data points, such as the locations of fire hydrants, utility meters, and other critical features, further optimizing data collection workflows.
“We developed the vLoc3 RTK-Pro to simplify and accelerate utility projects for our customers,” said Josue Pineda, Product Manager Utility Locators, Vivax-Metrotech. “When used with Skylark, teams can locate and map utilities with survey-grade precision — all with a single, easy-to-use device and no need for an RTK base station.”
Skylark is a cloud-based GNSS corrections service that delivers highly accurate and reliable positioning for location-based applications worldwide. With multiple variants tailored to diverse use cases, Skylark balances requirements for accuracy, coverage, power consumption, and cost.
“We’re excited to work with Vivax-Metrotech to deliver centimeter-level positioning accuracy to utility operators worldwide,” said Holger Ippach, Executive Vice President of Product & Marketing at Swift Navigation. “Equipping field teams with survey-grade precision in an intuitive and easy-to-operate device will transform utility mapping with improved efficiency and accuracy.”
ABOUT SWIFT NAVIGATION
Swift Navigation is a San Francisco-based technology company transforming precise positioning across industries. Its Skylark® Precise Positioning Service delivers real-time, centimeter-accurate positioning at scale, enabling applications in autonomous driving, robotics, precision logistics, and V2X communication. Trusted by leading automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, robotics companies, IoT system integrators, and mobile handset OEMs, Skylark powers more than 10 million ADAS-enabled and autonomous vehicles and devices worldwide. Learn how Swift is building the infrastructure for a safer, more connected future at swiftnav.com.
ABOUT VIVAX-METROTECH
Vivax-Metrotech, with its headquarters in Silicon Valley, Santa Clara, California, designs and
manufactures equipment for locating all types of underground utilities. Metrotech has been a leader in technology development and design innovation since 1976. In 2007, the company acquired Vivax Corporation, a manufacturer of video inspection camera systems. The resulting company, Vivax-Metrotech, now employs more than 270 people worldwide and has an extensive range of products to accurately locate underground utilities and inspect the condition of metallic and non-metallic pipes. The manufacturer also offers a range of specialized products for fault location on cathodically protected pipelines and telecommunications and power cables. From the industry’s first high-frequency line meter to today’s wide range of high-precision, easy-to-use locators as well as video inspection cameras, Vivax-Metrotech is known and trusted worldwide as an innovator in technology and service.
