Our study addresses the need for universal monitoring solutions given the diverse environmental impacts of surface mining operations. We present a solution combining remote sensing and machine learning techniques, utilizing a dataset of over 2000 satellite images annotated with ten distinct labels indicating mining area components. We tested various approaches to develop comprehensive yet universal machine learning models for mining area segmentation. This involved considering different types of mines, raw materials, and geographical locations. We evaluated multiple satellite data set combinations to determine optimal outcomes. The results suggest that radar and multispectral data fusion did not significantly improve the models’ performance, and the addition of further channels led to the degradation of the metrics. Despite variations in mine type or extracted material, the models’ effectiveness remained within an Intersection over Union value range of 0.65–0.75. Further, in this research, we conducted a detailed visual analysis of the models’ outcomes to identify areas requiring additional attention, contributing to the discourse on effective mining area monitoring and management methodologies. The visual examination of models’ outputs provides insights for future model enhancement and highlights unique segmentation challenges within mining areas.

Reliable and accurate positioning underwater has been the goal of many research activities in the last years. In this paper, we present our design of a self-maintainable underwater navigation system, which provides a simple, low-cost, and flexible solution. In our concept, a set of buoys is equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers as well as underwater pseudolite signal transmitters. Therefore, the buoys are able estimate their position and transmit this information underwater through a pseudolite signal. We particularly designed this signal for underwater ranging for both fresh and salt water. Any suitable underwater receiver is then able to do ranging via these pseudolite signals. In this paper, we theoretically analyze and test our concept using several buoy distributions and diving depths. The optimal arrangement of buoys is determined in terms of accuracy and availability depending on the number of available buoys and targeted water depth for an efficient operation. For example, at a targeted depth of 30 m in fresh water, a maximum horizontal position root-mean-square (RMS) error of less than 3 m can be achieved with a set of five buoys providing a service radius of up to 72 m.

The sailing market continues to develop rapidly and has a high growth potential. Sailing is one of the most popular types of recreational activity in Poland due to an abundance of lakes, including the Great Masurian Lakeland Trail which received a special mention from UNESCO. The development of nautical tourism requires effective organizational and technical solutions. The absence of a public mooring information system in Poland’s inland harbors has prompted the development of the Global Yacht Positioning System (GYPS) for mobile devices. The design process was preceded by a survey of sailors and marina operators to identify their needs and expectations, as well as an inventory of marinas in the Polish region of Masuria. The developed prototype system is a mobile application that relies on data transmission, communication and satellite technologies. The proposed solution is a convenient tool that will facilitate the operations of inland harbors and improve navigation safety.

The EGNOS satellite system was created, inter alia, to support air operations. In May 2016, the first LPV-200 landing approach in Europe was implemented at the Paris airport. The article presents the results of research on the quality of the EGNOS system, carried out in various places in Poland. Data obtained in real time and in post-processing mode were used for analyses. 24-hour observational data recorded in 2015 using the Polish TPI NETpro network were used. Research includes a period of low and high ionospheric activity. All data used in the work has been developed for APV-1 and LPV-200 applications. The algorithms described in the documentation characterizing the possibilities of using satellite systems in aviation were used in the work. The calculations were performed in the professional PEGASUS software, which is intended for testing the GPS / SBAS positioning quality in Europe. It was also necessary to use proprietary software-PP_SBAS_Analyzer. Summing up the results of research carried out at selected TPI NETpro network points located in Poland, it can be concluded that the quality of GPS / EGNOS positioning depends on the location of the observation. The basis for conducting a more thorough analysis should be weak results obtained for the territory of Poland in the extreme south, where, according to the results of experiments, it is not possible to implement procedures compatible with APV. Noteworthy are the significantly different results of the positioning quality test at some points located only about 100 km apart. Therefore, prior to the application of the EGNOS system in aviation, it seems necessary to conduct local monitoring of the system's operation. The results of the conducted research prove that the quality of positioning using the EGNOS system has significantly improved in recent years and can meet the requirements of satellite air navigation in accordance with APV-1 and even LPV-200.