Enhance Your Tracking Capabilities with Differential GNSS

• Differential GNSS improves GNSS accuracy using base stations to calculate corrections that should be applied to measurements your GNSS/INS receives. 

• DGNSS is available in a variety of formats, all of which can be handled by OXTS technology. 

• DGNSS can be implemented with a GNSS/INS and antenna, a base station, and the right software.  

Differential GNSS is a method of improving the accuracy of the data you get from your GNSS receivers. It works by feeding your GNSS/INS data from a separate GNSS receiver, called a base station, whose position is already known to a high level of accuracy. The base station compares the data it gets from the satellites with its known position data, and identifies any difference between the two values. That level of correction is then transmitted to other devices nearby using GNSS, so they can apply the same level of corrections to their data. 

Read more: What are differential corrections or DGNSS? 

Differential GNSS – or DGNSS – can improve the accuracy of GNSS data from around 5-15m to sub-metre levels. The RT3000 v4 can achieve accuracy of within 40cm using DGNSS (though generally that is combined with RTK to achieve an accuracy of 1cm!) 

Differential GNSS is a fundamental technology in any industry that uses positioning software. Automotive testing, mobile mapping, even autonomous navigation all rely on localisation technology, meaning they all rely on DGNSS – especially as the demand for centimetre-level accuracy has grown. 

Do you need accurate positioning?

OXTS GNSS/INS devices provide centimetre-level accuracy using a combination of high-performing technology, advanced algorigthms, and corrections services such as differential GNSS. To discuss your needs with our team, click below.

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Like all positioning technology providers delivering professional grade localisation data, OXTS technology supports DGNSS. Working with OXTS gives you access to a few extra benefits, though: 

• Our base stations, GPS-Base and RT-Base S, can send corrections in a wide range of formats, including RTCA2, RTCMv3, and CMR+, maximising compatibility with other hardware in your setup. 

• Our GNSS/INS devices contain advanced positioning algorithms such as gx/ix tight-coupling, designed to preserve RTK levels of accuracy in areas such as cities where GNSS signal might be weak. 

• You can also take advantage of real-time sensor fusion capabilities in our OXTS WayFinder to achieve centimetre-level accuracy without DGNSS – or any GNSS signal at all. 

It’s easy to create a positioning solution that uses differential GNSS using OXTS hardware – and our engineers are on-hand to support you through every step of the process. 

You’ll need four things: 

• An OXTS GNSS/INS device. There are many to choose from depending on your needs – check them out here.  

• A base station. We have two to choose from: 

• The GPS-Base, designed for mounting in a fixed location for corrections. 

• The RT-Base S, a self-contained weatherproof mobile base station with battery power for mobile use. 

• OXTS NAVsuite, our free software package for configuring your GNSS/INS, visualising your data in real time, and post-processing. 

• A GNSS antenna so your device can receive satellite signals. 

Of course, you may want to layer on additional hardware of capabilities depending on your use case – but that’s the core of what you need. You can even achieve DGNSS without a base station, if you choose to subscribe to a corrections service such as SBAS – though these may not be as accurate as using DGNSS with a base station. 

Hopefully this blog has helped you understand the role of differential GNSS in accurate localisation. DGNSS is just one of many technologies available today to deliver the most accurate localisation possible; if accuracy and reliability are your goal, OXTS can help. Talk to our engineers today to discuss your needs, and we can suggest the right combination of hardware, software, and services to deliver the data and reliability that you need. 

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