Development of the First Military GPS Handheld Survey System: Initial Report

John Kelly, Erik Bogensberger, Sean Heitz, Michael Johnson and Kimberly Beckman

Abstract:	The use of GPS to establish position, range, and azimuth has been well explored in obtaining benefits of cost, size, portability, and accuracy in many commercial and even military applications when compared against traditional methods of deriving similar information. The application of techniques involving increased measurement precision and comparative methods to reduce error and noise (and thus higher precision resultant positions) has led to the broad application of GPS for geodetic surveying. The military use of geodetic survey capabilities is widespread and includes the establishment of theatre grid control points for the placement of weapons and other assets, location of targets, and establishment of perimeters relevant to the developing battlefield. The military precision location user desiring to use GPS is challenged with difficulties such as exposure to the possibilities of jamming or spoofing within the military environment that must be accommodated by use of PPS GPS receivers and the availability of L2. Additionally, concerns for ruggedization and portability are key in addressing the harsh and often dynamic nature of performing data collection and other surveying functions under noncommercial equipment conditions. Solutions to date for the military have been limited to adoptions of commercial off the shelf or slightly modified equipment in backpack form and lack the portability and compactness of a true handheld based approach. Further, the ability to leverage existing assets such as fielded military handheld receivers to provide survey capabilities improves the overall cost effectiveness of providing such capability to a wider user base. This paper presents the development and initial test results of the first military-issue, handheld receiver-based survey system developed around the successor to the PLGR GPS receiver, the PLGR II. The software-only upgrade to the PLGR II incorporates carrier phase measurement capability and additional application software such that a centimeter level of position accuracy may be obtained using only two dual frequency twelve channel PLGR IIs and any customer defined data logging devices. The PLGR II Survey system is capable of static or kinematic operation using either L1 or L2 and may be configured for post or real-time processing depending on the application. System characterization results derived at both Rockwell Collins test facilities and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) verify the ability of the PLGR II Survey system to achieve centimeter-level results of absolute position over baselines of several kilometers and decimeter-level results using a single frequency over ten to fifteen kilometers.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2001) September 11 - 14, 2001 Salt Palace Convention Center Salt Lake City, UT
Pages:	1592 - 1597
Cite this article:	Kelly, John, Bogensberger, Erik, Heitz, Sean, Johnson, Michael, Beckman, Kimberly, "Development of the First Military GPS Handheld Survey System: Initial Report," Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2001), Salt Lake City, UT, September 2001, pp. 1592-1597.
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