Combined Use of GPS and GLONASS A New Era in Marine Navigation and Positioning

Günter Heinrichs and Jürgen Windl

Abstract:	When the Global Positioning System (GPS) became op-erational in 1993 it promised to provide a new utility and a new standard in the means by which to obtain precise measurements. For many users this potential has already become a reality. Pilots can now use GPS to find airports, mariners can find harbours, hikers can find their way, and surveyors can measure positions to centimetre accuracy. New applications have farmers, miners and construction workers guiding their machines using GPS. However, like most young technologies, the GPS system is not yet per-fect and certain limitations exist that become apparent in certain applications. It is known, that many impediments can be significantly reduced with the addition of more sat-ellites. Therefore, GLONASS is becoming increasingly important in forming an inalienable element, together with GPS, in the Global Navigation Satellite System GNSS and in the European Navigation Overlay Service EGNOS. The com-bined use of GPS and GLONASS offers many advantages compared with GPS-only use for maritime applications. The inclusion of the GLONASS signals significantly in-creases the accuracy of positioning and velocity as well as the availability and the integrity. Thus, even in adverse conditions, such as bad weather, narrow channels, and congested harbors, the combined use of GPS and GLONASS lets you navigate with the greatest confidence. This paper describes the advantages of combined GPS/GLONASS systems compared with GPS-only sys-tems for maritime applications at the example of MAN Technologie AG’s NR-N124 Marine Navigator. Test re-sults of a measurement trail supported by the German Navy will show the increased performance of combined GPS/GLONASS systems particularly with regard to posi-tion and velocity accuracy.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 11th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1998) September 15 - 18, 1998 Nashville, TN
Pages:	2081 - 2090
Cite this article:	Heinrichs, Günter, Windl, Jürgen, "Combined Use of GPS and GLONASS A New Era in Marine Navigation and Positioning," Proceedings of the 11th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1998), Nashville, TN, September 1998, pp. 2081-2090.
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