Testing Multi-Frequency Low-Cost GNSS Receivers for Geodetic Monitoring Purposes

Area of Science:

• Geodesy
• Satellite Navigation
• Geodetic Monitoring

Background:

• Geodetic Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers are costly and vulnerable to damage.
• Low-cost GNSS receivers present an affordable, lightweight alternative for geodetic monitoring.
• Evaluating the performance of low-cost GNSS is crucial for expanding their application.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess the positional precision of a multi-frequency low-cost GNSS instrument (ZED-F9P).
• Investigate the displacement detection capabilities of low-cost GNSS technology.
• Compare performance against traditional geodetic GNSS receivers.

Main Methods:

• Static and dynamic surveys were conducted using two baselines.
• One baseline used a geodetic GNSS receiver at the base, the other used a low-cost receiver.
• Controlled movements with sub-millimeter accuracy were used to test displacement detection.

Main Results:

• Horizontal positional precision for low-cost GNSS was comparable to geodetic receivers (≤2 mm).
• Low-cost instruments showed superior performance in height component determination.
• Reliable displacement detection from 10 mm upwards was achieved with low-cost GNSS.

Conclusions:

• Low-cost GNSS instruments are suitable for geodetic monitoring and displacement detection.
• They provide comparable horizontal precision and better vertical precision than geodetic receivers.
• Further investigation into antenna calibration may enhance low-cost GNSS accuracy.