GNSS Receiver Antenna Absolute Field Calibration System Development: Testing and Preliminary Results

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Antonio Tupek
• Author: Mladen Zrinjski
• Author: Marko Švaco
• Author: Đuro Barković
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Geodesy
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture; (Department of Robotics and Production System Automation); (Chair of Autonomous Systems and Artificial Intelligence)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: TECHNICAL SCIENCES; Geodesy
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: TECHNICAL SCIENCES; Mechanical Engineering

Abstract (english)

For high-precision Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) positioning based on carrier-phase measurements, knowledge of the GNSS receiver antenna electrical signal reception characteristics, i.e., phase center, is crucial. Numerous studies have led to the understanding of the influence of GNSS receiver antenna phase center corrections (PCCs) on GNSS positioning accuracy and other estimated parameters (e.g., receiver clock estimates, ambiguities, etc.). With the goal of determining the PCC model of GNSS receiver antennas, only a few antenna calibration systems/facilities are in operation or under development worldwide. The International GNSS Service (IGS) publishes type-mean PCC models for almost all geodetic-grade GNSS antennas. However, the type-mean models are not perfect and do not fully reflect the signal reception properties of individual GNSS receiver antennas. Relevant published scientific research has shown that the application of individual PCC models significantly improves the accuracy of GNSS positioning and other estimated parameters. In this article, the new automated GNSS antenna calibration system, recently developed at the Laboratory for Measurements and Measuring Technique (LMMT) of the Faculty of Geodesy of the University of Zagreb in Croatia, is presented. The developed system is an absolute field calibration system based on the utilization of a Mitsubishi MELFA 6-axis industrial robot. During calibration, the robot tilts and rotates the GNSS antenna under test (AUT) around a fixed point within the antenna. The antenna PCC modelling is based on time-differenced double-difference carrier-phase observations. Our preliminary results for the Global Positioning System (GPS) L1 (G01) frequency show a submillimeter repeatability of the estimated PCC model and a submillimeter agreement with the Geo++ GmbH calibration results.

• Keywords (croatian): GNSS; receiver antenna; absolute field calibration; industrial robot; phase center correction (PCC); GPS L1; validation
• Language: croatian
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Remote Sensing
• Numbering: vol. 15, no. 18, pp. 1-21, 4622
• e-ISSN: 2072-4292
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15184622
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:235:309011
• Publication: 2023-09-20
• Document URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/18/4622
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-05-22 08:54:48