The article presents state of work in technology of free-space optical communications (Free Space Optics − FSO). Both commercially available optical data links and their further development are described. The main elements and operation limiting factors of FSO systems have been identified. Additionally, analyses of FSO/RF hybrid systems application are included. The main aspects of LasBITer project related to such hybrid technology for security and defence applications are presented.

The GRACE-based model GGM02S is a global gravity model expressed in spherical harmonics. As the model is a global solution, a certain smoothing of the available gravity field information is unavoidable. For regional geoid determination the irregularities of residual gravity field should be included. The paper presents the global GRACE gravity field solution, regionally improved by adding a residual field, which is represented by radial base functions. The GRACE observations over the territory of Poland are analysed and a regionally improved GRACE geoid from this data is derived. This improved regional geoid is compared with the Polish quasigeoid and differences between the global and regionally improved GRACE GGM02S solutions are discussed. The study shows that the error of the official GRACE GGM02s solution was reduced by 50% due 10 regional refinement.

Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) perfectly fit into the future vision of merchant fleet. MASS autonomous navigation system combines automatic trajectory tracking and supervisor safe trajectory generation subsystems. Automatic trajectory tracking method, using line-of-sight (LOS) reference course generation algorithm, is combined with model predictive control (MPC). Algorithm for MASS trajectory tracking, including cooperation with the dynamic system of safe trajectory generation is described. It allows for better ship control with steady state cross-track error limitation to the ship hull breadth and limited overshoot after turns. In real MASS ships path is defined as set of straight line segments, so transition between trajectory sections when passing waypoint is unavoidable. In the proposed control algorithm LOS trajectory reference course is mapped to the rotational speed reference value, which is dynamically constrained in MPC controller due to dynamically changing reference trajectory in real MASS system. Also maneuver path advance dependent on the path tangential angle difference, to ensure trajectory tracking for turns from 0 to 90 degrees, without overshoot is used. All results were obtained with the use of training ship in real–time conditions.

Visible light communication is seen as a crucial technology within optical wireless communication systems. The technology of vehicular visible light communication holds significant importance in the context of connected vehicles. This technology can serve as a supplementary solution to vehicular systems that are based on radio frequency. In this paper, the authors conduct an analysis of the performance of both line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight vehicle-to-vehicle visible light communication systems under the effect of artificial light source and weather conditions, including clear, hazy, and foggy weather. A practical vehicular laser diode, a street lamp, and an avalanche photodiode are used to design the proposed system model. Performance enhancement for the proposed system is achieved using an optical amplifier at the receiving end. An artificial light source of light-emitting diode Corn-type is used to represent an ambient artificial light source. Different metrics such as quality factor and bit error rate are used to assess the system performance of the non-line-of-sight-vehicular communication system. The proposed line-of-sight model achieves a data rate of 25 Gbps, supporting a distance of 80 m under clear sky and hazy atmospheric conditions. For foggy weather, an attainable link distance of 70 m is achieved. The achieved results emphasize the suitability of the suggested models for vehicular applications in real world environment.