Analysis of GNSS Cycle Slip Behavior and RTK Positioning Performance Under Vegetation

Di Hai, Yidi Chen, Jiayi Zhou, Chin Lok Tsang, Zhen Lyu, Guohao Zhang

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	The real-time kinematic (RTK) technique using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) has become popular for precise navigation and positioning in urban areas, but its performance in harsh environments is highly sensitive to cycle slips due to signal scattering. While cycle slip detection and the degradation of RTK performance in urban areas have been extensively studied, the influence of vegetation on GNSS RTK technique has been largely overlooked. In this study, the occurrence of cycle slips under vegetation is first investigated, indicating that longer signal propagation paths within the vegetation canopy increase the likelihood of cycle slips. Furthermore, the impact of vegetation on RTK positioning performance is evaluated. Finally, a case study is conducted by adjusting the satellite selection strategy and the measurement noise model. The results of the case study demonstrate that these strategies can improve RTK performance in vegetated environments, highlighting the importance of accounting for vegetation effects in RTK positioning.
Published in:	Proceedings of the ION 2026 Pacific PNT Meeting April 13 - 16, 2026 Hilton Waikiki Beach Honolulu, Hawaii
Pages:	389 - 398
Cite this article:	Hai, Di, Chen, Yidi, Zhou, Jiayi, Tsang, Chin Lok, Lyu, Zhen, Zhang, Guohao, "Analysis of GNSS Cycle Slip Behavior and RTK Positioning Performance Under Vegetation," Proceedings of the ION 2026 Pacific PNT Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii, April 2026, pp. 389-398. https://doi.org/10.33012/2026.20636
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