Satellite Positioning System

GNSS Positioning Modes

(GNSS Surveying Techniques)

Centre of Studies for Surveying Science & Geomatics

Universiti Teknologi Mara (Perlis)
GNSS Positioning Modes

• Positioning with GNSS can be performed by

either of two ways:
a. absolute positioning
(single point positioning)
b. relative positioning
GNSS Observation Techniques
GNSS

Absolute Relative

Pseudo Range Carrier Phase Pseudo Range Carrier Phase

Post- Real-Time/Post Post-

Real-Time Real-Time Real-Time
Processed Processed Processed

Standalone PPP RT PPP SBAS DGNSS RTK Network RTK

10 - 30m mm - cm cm – dm 2 – 5m 0.5 – 3m 1 – 5cm 3 – 5cm

Rapid Network
Static Kinematic
Static Static
mm - cm 1 – 5cm
1 – 3cm 3 – 5cm
GNSS Absolute positioning
Psuedo Range - Standalone
• Also known as standalone or autonomous
positioning -involves only one GNSS receiver
• One GNSS receiver simultaneously tracks four or
more GNSS satellites to determine its own R3
R2
coordinates with respect to the center of the Earth R4
(using least-squares estimation or Kalman filtering
technique) R1
• receiver gets the satellite coordinates through the
navigation message, while the ranges are obtained
from either the C/A-code in real-time

(Xo Yo Zo)
GNSS Absolute positioning
Carrier Phase - Precise Point Positioning
(PPP)
• post-processing
• static positioning
• rapid/precise orbit, clock and phase bias
• longer observation more precise
• scientific software – GIPSY-OASIS,
BERNESE, PANDA, GINS
Carrier Phase – Real-time PPP (RT PPP)
• Integrated system to access the refence
stations data and also to compute the
required solution
• Real-time computation of phase bias or
uncalibrated phase delay
GNSS relative positioning

• Called differential positioning and employs two

GNSS receivers simultaneously tracking the
same satellites to determine their relative
coordinates- base (known) and rover
(unknown)
• Provides a higher accuracy than that of
autonomous positioning- subcentimeter to a
few meters (depending on whether the carrier-
phase or the pseudo-range)
• Concept - “measurements of two (or more) Correction
receivers simultaneously tracking a particular
satellite contain more or less the same errors
and biases”
Known
• Differencing technique to eliminate errors Unknown
Static Relative Positioning

• The most accurate positioning method depends on carrier phase measurement.

• It employs two (or more) stationary receivers simultaneously tracking the same
satellites-one receiver (precisely known point) and rover (unknown point)
• Based on collecting simultaneous
measurements at both the base and
remote receivers for a certain period
of time, which, after processing,
yield the coordinates of the unknown
point
• Differencing is used to remove any
of the bias introduced by imperfect
clock and atmosphere
Static Relative Positioning

• If baseline is relatively short (15 or 20 km),

ambiguity parameters would be a key issue to
ensure high-precision positioning- fixing the
ambiguity parameters
• If the baseline is relatively long-ionosphere-free
linear combination option to remove the
majority of the ionospheric error
• For very long baselines, for example, over
1,000 km- use scientific software packages
such as BERNESE, GAMIT/BLOCK
• the expected horizontal accuracy of the static
GNSS surveying is 1.5 cm (rms)
Static Relative Positioning

Static baseline occupation time (NAVSTAR Global Positioning System Surveying, 2003)

* baselines greater than 20 km-dual-frequency receivers

Static Relative Positioning

• Post-processed approach
• Design the network
• Location and number of known control
point
• Location and number of new control
point to be established
• Distances of known to new control points
• Known control point
• CORS (no need to be occupied)
• GNSS monument (need to be occupied)
 2
Fast Static Relative Positioning
1
• a carrier-phase based relative positioning technique
similar to static GNSS surveying BUT in short period Rover
(about 2 to 10 minutes) Rover (moving)
(moving)
• Base receiver remains stationary over the known point-
rover receiver remains stationary over the unknown
point for a short period of time only
• suitable if the unknown points located in the vicinity (i.e.,
within up to about 15 km) of a known point. 3
Base 4
(fixed)

Rover
Rover
(moving)
(moving)
Network Static
• The user sets up a surveying job using single
fast static (rover) technique and processes
the data after job done.
• For processing, user request (any) position
nearby the rover location known as a virtual VRS
reference station (VRS) on (Real-Time
Network) RTN system/web.
• RTN computes a VRS based on the position
sent.
• Using VRS and rover data, solution is
computed from baseline result and VRS is
used as a base.
Periodic
Static Test
KPUP 1/2008
Kinematic

• can provide immediate results using the

i. real-time kinematic (RTK) mode
ii. post-process kinematic (PPK) mode
iii. Network RTK mode
• requires two receivers collecting observations simultaneously
from a pair of stations, base (known point) and rover (unknown),
collecting data on points of interest
• requires that the integer ambiguities be resolved before the
survey is started
• suitable for the survey involves a large number of unknown
points located in the vicinity (about 10-15 km) of a known point
Post-process kinematic (PPK)
• carrier-phase-based relative positioning technique
• Usually collected at a 1- to 2-second recording rate
for a period of about 30 seconds per each stop

Real-time kinematic (RTK)

• Provide coordinates of the unknown points in real
time
• base receiver measurements and coordinates are
transmitted to the rover receiver through the
communication link
• built-in software in a rover receiver combines and
processes the GNSS measurements collected at
both the base and the rover receivers to obtain
the rover coordinates
Network RTK
• The user sets up a surveying job and logs into
the RTN system using a cell phone (or other
communication method)- the rover sends its
position (via a NMEA sting) to the RTN system.
• The RTN system computes a virtual reference
station, in close proximity to the rover based
on the position sent.
• Using input from the closest surrounding
reference stations, the RTN system then
computes and sends corrections as if a real
base station were broadcasting from the
location of the virtual reference station. Periodic
• Using the cell phone, the receiver then obtains Real-time Test
and applies the corrections in real time. KPUP 1/2008
Differential GNSS (DGNSS)

• code-based relative positioning technique that

employs two or more receivers simultaneously
tracking the same satellites
• real-time and provide sub/meter level accuracy
• by assuming GNSS errors in the measured
pseudoranges are essentially the same - base and the
rover within a few hundred kilometres
• corrections are transmitted in a standard format
called Radio Technical Commission for Maritime
Service (RTCM) to the rover through a
communication link
• applies the DGNSS corrections to correct the
measured pseudoranges at the rover and compute
the rover coordinates
• Previously known as DGPS
Space-Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS)

• Current GNSS positioning services are not

suitable for civil aviation and critical
maritime applications
• the position accuracy and the integrity of
GNSS do not meet user requirements.
• augmentation systems have been
envisioned to provide an increased
performance.
• An augmentation system might be
considered as differential system with the
additional feature of providing integrity
information.
Space-Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS)

• use a network of terrestrial reference stations to perform GNSS ranging

measurements
• Master station - to generate correction parameters for the satellite orbits,
the satellite clocks, and the ionospheric influence.
• Master station- perform several integrity checks to validate the satellite
signals.
• Uplink station - The corrections together with integrity information are
then transmitted using C-band signals to the SBAS satellites
• SBAS satellites relay the information using L-band signals to the user.
Space-Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS)
 Antenna

Antenna Side View Top View

Height
Bottom of Notch

Notch

Slant
Ground Plane Antenna
Geodetic Receiver
Antenna
Height
Center of
Bumper

Slant
Compact Antenna
Surveying Receiver
Antenna
Height

Antenna Height

Antenna Height
(-ve)
Bottom of
Without
antenna mount With Tribrach
Tribrach

Vertical
Pillar GPS/EDM Pillar GPS/EDM

Antenna
Reference
Point
Antenna
Height

Antenna Height
Bipod
Bottom of
setup
antenna
mount

Vertical
Antenna
Height APC

Antenna Height
offset
ARP

Antenna Offset APC:

Antenna specification
Phase
Center
Antenna height from antenna phase center:
Antenna height from bottom of antenna mount + APC offset
 Antenna dimension

Antenna B = 97.5mm

Height

168mm
B = 97.5mm

GR-5

168mm
Phytogaras
Theorem
Convert slant

Vertical Height
to vertical
Vertical Height
Network Design

Purpose of Network Design

• To fulfill the survey requirements
• To optimise the time spent in the field
• To provide checks on data observed in the field
• To produce results in confidence and reliable
Network Design

Guidelines of Network Design

• Acquire control within project area
• Use good geometry network
• Use independent baselines
• Build redundancy into the network
• Have 2 independent occupations at
each station
• Use station with good visibility
• Use station with low multipath
Network Design

Independent Baselines No. of Receivers = 4

• Number of baselines: No. of Baselines = 6
No. of Independent Baselines = 3
(N(N - 1))/2

• Number of independent baselines:

N-1

where, N = number of receivers

Network Design

Variation of selection
Independent baselines
 Network Design

Wrong selection
Independent baselines
• Not connected to all
receivers
• Close loop
• - more than no. of
baselines
Network Design
F

D
B

A
G
E
C

• No.of points to observe = 7

• No. of baselines to observe = 12
If no. of receivers each session = 4,
how many session is needed?
Network Design
F

D
B

A
G
E
C

Session Station Occupied Independent Baselines

1 A,B,C,D A-B, B-D, C-D
2 A,B,C,E A-C, B-C, C-E
3 B,D,E,F B-E, D-E, E-F
4 D,E,F,G D-F, D-G, E-G
Baseline Processing

Processing Steps
• Estimate receiver locations
• Run differencing technique
• Resolve Integer ambiguity
• Calculate baseline solution
Differencing

• There are 3 differencing techniques:

i. Single difference
ii. Double difference
iii. Triple difference
Differencing
Single differencing
• Differencing carrier phase measurement from
one GPS satellite measured by different
receiver simultaneously
• Observing same satellite at the same time, will
eliminate
1. satellite clock bias
2. Atmospheric and orbital error
• Remaining integer ambiguity and receiver clock
error
Differencing
Double differencing
• Differencing carrier phase measurement from
two satellites measured by different receiver
simultaneously
• Observing same satellite at the same time, will
eliminate
1. satellite and receiver clock bias
2. Atmospheric and orbital error
• Remaining integer ambiguity
Differencing
Triple differencing
• Combining two double differences with each
one involved two satellite and two receiver
• Observing same satellite at the same time, will
eliminate
1. Satellite and receiver clock bias
2. Atmospheric and orbital error
3. Integer ambiguity
4. Detect for cycle slips and loss of lock
Differencing
 Baseline Solutions

Processing solutions
• fixed solution- ambiguity parameters
were fixed at integer value, baseline
accuracy is at the centimeter level
• float solution - unable to fix ambiguity
parameters at integer values (collected
GNSS data is insufficient), baseline
accuracy is not accurate

Dl = First Partial Wavelength

C = Counted Cycles
N = Integer Ambiguity

Distance = N*l + C*l + Dl

Baseline Solutions
Quality of baselines (depends on software)
• Statistical summary
• Quality control (limit acceptance)
• Satellite control (satelites used)

Editing Data
• Raise elevation mask / cut-off angle
• Remove satellite
• Change session
• Cycle slips
• Wrong integer fix
• Bad reference satellite
• Multipath
Network Adjustment
Data & Adjust
• Input - Baselines vector
• Output – Coordinates solution
• Adjustment – Least Squares Estimation
• Statistical test ( Tau criterion, Chi-square test)

Use of Least Squares

• Provide unique solutions
• To remove outlier/large errors in observation
• To model random errors
• To minimize the residuals
• Estimate precision & quality
• Check consistency of network
Network Adjustment
Minimally Constrained (Free) Adjustment
• Evaluate the network internal consistency
• Detect blunders or bad-fitting baselines
• Estimate accurate error
Network Adjustment
Fully Constrained Adjustment
• Reference the network to existing control
• Verify existing control
• Produce network transformation
Network Adjustment
Inner Constrained Adjustment
• Reference the network to existing control
• Constraint the existing control with standard deviation
• Treat the constraint coordinates as point observations
• Produce network transformation
• Existing control – readjust