Reliable Technology of Centimeter GPS/GLONASS Surveying in Forest Environments

This paper presents a reliable technology for GPS/Global´naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS) surveying under difficult observational conditions, i.e., in forest environments. The technology is based on the rapid static and Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) methods. Test surveys for the developed technology were carried out on a point in a dense forest, with a high degree of difficulty for satellite access. The coordinates of the point were determined by three GPS/GLONASS receivers positioned in a line on a special base, which were separated by a fixed distance of 0.5 m. The test surveys were conducted using Topcon HiPer Pro receivers with 10-Hz RTK positioning and gathering data at a sampling rate of 10 Hz. Practical tests for the presented technology showed that rapid static surveys based on three rover GPS/GLONASS receivers were a quite efficient technology in forest environments (unlike the RTK) and allowed for reliable centimeter accuracy of the determined positions to be obtained in 5-min observational sessions.