Tale of Two RTNs: Rigorous Evaluation of Real-Time Network GNSS Observations
Publication: Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 2
Abstract
Real-time networks (RTNs) have become popular for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) surveys because highly accurate positions can be derived in seconds to a few minutes compared with the many minutes and hours required with postprocessed static sessions. To evaluate the accuracy of these shorter-duration RTN GNSS observations and their potential for use as a source for establishing geodetic control, data collected from two National Geodetic Survey (NGS) surveys in South Carolina and Oregon were studied in detail. This article explores the horizontal and vertical accuracy of real-time observations as a function of observation duration, examines the influence of the inclusion of Globalnaya Navigazionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS) observables, compares results from real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning using a single base station versus a network of base stations, and assesses the effect of baseline length on accuracy. Thirty-eight passive marks were repeatedly observed with GNSS using a RTN in the two study areas for a variety of different observation times, ranging from 5 s to 15 min. An optimal real-time observation duration was found in the range of 180 to 300 s. The real-time data acquired using a network of base stations tended to be more accurate and precise than single-base RTK data, especially vertically. Further, the addition of GLONASS observables helped obtain more fixed solutions at longer baseline lengths than solutions based solely on global positioning system (GPS) observables and showed a slight improvement in accuracy, particularly for stations with poorer satellite visibility.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funded this research study by cooperative agreement via the Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies (CIMRS), Award Number NA11OAR4320091. The authors appreciate Leica Geosystems and David Evans and Associates for providing hardware and software utilized in this study. Graduate student Brian Weaver also assisted with the data processing for this study. Oregon State University civil engineering students Michael Eddy, Marian Jamieson, Nathan Jones, and Tyler Wall assisted with the GNSS survey in Oregon. Mahyar Sharifi-Mood also assisted with code development and generating some of the plots. Drs. Jihye Park and Jim Kiser provided valuable feedback to the study. The lead author also acknowledges the support of the Oregon State University Laurels Block Grant and International Fellowship for providing additional financial assistance.
References
ADJUST [Computer software]. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD.
Anquela, A. B., Martín, A., Berné, J. L., and Padín, J. (2012). “GPS and GLONASS static and kinematic PPP results.” J. Surv. Eng., 139(1), 47–58.
Aponte, J., Meng, X., Hill, C., Moore, T., Burbidge, M., and Dodson, A. (2009). “Quality assessment of a network-based RTK GPS service in the UK.” J. Appl. Geod., 3(1), 25–34.
Bae, T. S., Grejner-Brzezinska, D., Mader, G., and Dennis, M. (2015). “Robust analysis of network-based real-time kinematic for GNSS-derived heights.” Sensors, 15(10), 27215–27229.
Charoenkalunyuta, T., Satirapod, C., Lee, H. K., and Choi, Y. S. (2012). “Performance of network-based RTK GPS in low-latitude region: A case study in Thailand.” Eng. J., 16(5), 95–104.
Dennis, M. L. (2014). “2013 NGS 58/59 update project: Data content and format summary report.” National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD.
Edwards, S. J., Clarke, P. J., Penna, N. T., and Goebell, S. (2010). “An examination of network RTK GPS services in Great Britain.” Surv. Rev., 42(316), 107–121.
Gillins, D. T., and Eddy, M. J. (2015). “An evaluation of NGS-58 and OPUS-Projects: Methods for determining accurate ellipsoidal heights with GPS.” Rep. Prepared for National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD.
Gillins, D. T., and Eddy, M. J. (2016). “Comparison of GPS height modernization surveys using OPUS-Projects and following NGS-58 guidelines.” J. Surv. Eng., 05016007.
Henning, W. (2011). “User guidelines for single base real time GNSS positioning.” ⟨http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PUBS_LIB/NGSRealTimeUserGuidelines〉 (Dec. 1, 2016).
IGS (International GNSS Service). (2017). “rcvr_ant.tab.” ⟨https://cddis.nasa.gov/Data_and_Derived_Products/GNSS/orbit_products.html〉 (Mar. 10, 2017).
Janssen, V. (2009). “A comparison of the VRS and MAC principles for network RTK.” Proc., IGNSS 2009 Symp., International Global Navigation Satellite Systems, New South Wales, Australia.
Janssen, V., and Haasdyk, J. (2011). “Assessment of network RTK performance using CORSnet-NSW.” Proc., IGNSS 2011 Symp., International Global Navigation Satellite Systems, New South Wales, Australia.
Janssen, V., Haasdyk, J., McElroy, S., and Kinlyside, D. (2011). “CORSnet-NSW: Improving positioning infrastructure for New South Wales.” Proc., Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute Biennial Int. Conf., Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute, Canberra, Australia, 21–25.
Lapine, L. A., and Wellslager, M. J. (2007). “GPS+ GLONASS for precision: South Carolina’s GNSS virtual reference network.” Inside GNSS, 50–57.
Leica Geosystems. (2005). “Take it to the MAX!” ⟨https://www.smartnetna.com/documents/Leica_GPS_SpiderNET-Take_it_to_the_MAX_June2005_en.pdf〉 (Aug. 31, 2016).
MATLAB [Computer software]. MathWorks, Natick, MA.
NGS (National Geodetic Survey). (2013). “Multi-year CORS (MYCS1) solution, item D on CORS coordinates.” ⟨http://geodesy.noaa.gov/CORS/coords.shtml#MYCS1〉 (Mar. 10, 2017).
OPUS-Projects [Computer software]. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD.
OPUS-RS [Computer software]. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD.
Oregon Department of Transportation. (2017). “Home: Oregon Department of Transportation: State of Oregon.” ⟨http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Pages/index.aspx〉 (Dec. 11, 2017).
Petovello, M. (2011). “GNSS solutions: Virtual reference stations.” Inside GNSS, 28–31.
Sarkar, S., and Bose, A. (2015). “Contribution of GLONASS in multi-GNSS solution accuracy.” Coordinates, 13.
Smith, D., Choi, K., Prouty, D., Jordan, K., and Henning, W. (2014). “Analysis of the TXDOT RTN and OPUS-RS from the Geoid Slope Validation Survey of 2011: Case study for Texas.” J. Surv. Eng., 05014003.
Soler, T., Michalak, P., Weston, N. D., Snay, R. A., and Foote, R. H. (2006). “Accuracy of OPUS solutions for 1- to 4-h observing sessions.” GPS Solutions, 10(1), 45–55.
South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office. (2016). “Geodetic survey: South Carolina real-time network.” ⟨http://rfa.sc.gov/geodetic/rtnstatus〉 (Sep. 27, 2016).
Spider [Computer software]. Leica Geosystems, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Trimble Business Center [Computer software]. Trimble, Sunnyvale, CA.
Ugur, M. A. (2013). “Modeling the neutral atmosphere in continuously operating GNSS networks using OPUS-Projects.” M.S. thesis, Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH.
Wang, C., Feng, Y., Higgins, M., and Cowie, B. (2010). “Assessment of commercial network RTK user positioning performance over long inter-station distances.” J. Global Positioning Syst., 9(1), 78–89.
Weaver, B., Gillins, D. T., and Dennis, M. (2018). “Hybrid survey networks: Combining real-time and static GNSS observations for optimizing height modernization.” J. Surv. Eng., 05017006.
Wübbena, G., and Bagge, A. (2002). “RTCM message Type 59—FKP for transmission of FKP.” Geo++ White Paper No. 2002.01.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 144 • Issue 2 • May 2018
Copyright
© 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 22, 2017
Accepted: Oct 31, 2017
Published online: Jan 10, 2018
Published in print: May 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Jun 10, 2018
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.