Cost-effective precise positioning using carrier phase navigation-grade receiver

The market for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based applications requiring accurate positioning information has been steadily growing over the recent years. As a consequence of technological advances in GNSS technology, single-frequency, navigation-grade receivers capable to provide carrier phase data can be a cost-effective alternative to the high-professional, geodetic-grade receivers. Navigation-grade receivers are mainly attractive as their cost ranges around of few hundred euros. In addition, the carrier phase measurements are the most accurate observables collected from a GNSS system. As a result, the positioning accuracy obtained with navigation-grade receivers can reach levels that may raise interest various communities that use positioning information. The main purpose of this study is to analyze the performance of high-sensitivity carrier phase-based positioning using navigation-grade equipment. A few static tests covering different time intervals and various baselines with different lengths are investigated. In addition, several kinematic tests are also conducted. The obtained positioning solutions and baseline lengths are compared to the corresponding ones derived from observations collected with professional equipment. The test results demonstrate that cm-level accuracy can be achieved with navigation-grade equipment when it can output carrier phase data. This level of accuracy may be attractive to various applications, such as land, marine or aerial surveying, structural monitoring or early warning systems.