Introduction of a Geometry-Based Network RTK Quality Indicator

P. Alves, I. Geisler, N. Brown, J. Wirth and H.-J. Euler

Abstract:	The multiple reference station approach is widely known as a method for combining the data from a regional reference station network to provide precise measurement correction to users. This is performed by measuring the regional errors at the reference station locations and interpolating them for the location of the rover. The quality of those corrections is dependent on the reference station spacing, the location of the rover, and the characteristics of the measurement errors. This paper introduces a network RTK quality indicator based on the characteristics of the measurement errors. The indicator assumes that the more linear the regional correlated errors, the better the interpolation methods will perform. The linearity of the network measurement errors is measured and weighted based on the distance to the rover. This paper compares the proposed quality indicator to the performance of three interpolation methods: 2D surface, least squares collocation, and distance weighted interpolation. The interpolation methods provide an 18 to 69 percent improvement relative to the single reference station approach, however all the approaches perform and behave similarly. The quality indicator shown, successfully models the network RTK performance over time. The indicator can also produce reference station network quality maps, which are shown and analyzed.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 18th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2005) September 13 - 16, 2005 Long Beach Convention Center Long Beach, CA
Pages:	2552 - 2563
Cite this article:	Alves, P., Geisler, I., Brown, N., Wirth, J., Euler, H.-J., "Introduction of a Geometry-Based Network RTK Quality Indicator," Proceedings of the 18th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2005), Long Beach, CA, September 2005, pp. 2552-2563.
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