Integrated GNSS attitude determination and positioning for direct geo-referencing

Area of Science:

• Geomatics Engineering
• Geodetic Surveying
• Sensor Fusion

Background:

• Direct geo-referencing enables rapid 3D spatial data acquisition.
• Accurate positioning and orientation are crucial for 3D laser scanning.
• Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers are key navigation sensors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrated GNSS navigation system for precise position and attitude estimation of a 3D laser scanner.
• To enhance the reliability of carrier phase ambiguity resolution and attitude determination.
• To improve the relative positioning accuracy between a rotating laser scanner and a reference station.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a multi-sensor system (MSS) with multiple GNSS antennas on a rotating laser scanner and a reference station.
• Employing the multivariate constrained integer least-squares (MC-LAMBDA) method for ambiguity resolution and attitude estimation.
• Leveraging known antenna geometry to strengthen the attitude model and improve reliability.

Main Results:

• The integrated method significantly enhances ambiguity resolution reliability.
• Positioning accuracy between the rotating frame and the reference station is improved.
• Numerical analyses confirm reduced position standard deviation by approximately 0.8, aligning with theoretical gains.

Conclusions:

• The proposed integrated GNSS navigation system effectively improves ambiguity resolution and positioning accuracy.
• The array-aided approach enhances the reliability of direct geo-referencing for 3D laser scanning.
• This method offers a robust solution for precise spatial data acquisition in geomatics.