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Single-frequency precise point positioning with optimal filtering

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Abstract

The accuracy of standalone GPS positioning improved significantly when Selective Availability was turned off in May 2000. With the availability of various public GPS related products including precise satellite orbits and clocks, and ionosphere maps, a single-frequency standalone user can experience even a further improvement of the position accuracy. Next, using carrier phase measurements becomes crucial to smoothen the pseudorange noise. In this contribution, the most critical sources of error in single-frequency standalone positioning will be reviewed and different approaches to mitigate the errors will be considered. An optimal filter (using also carrier phase measurements) will be deployed. The final approach will then be evaluated in a decently long static test with receivers located in different regions of the world. Kinematic experiments have also been performed in various scenarios including a highly dynamic flight trial. The accuracy, in general, can be confirmed at 0.5 m horizontal and 1 m vertical, with static tests. Ultimate results demonstrate an accuracy close to 2 dm (95%) for the horizontal position components and 5 dm (95%) for the vertical in the flight experiment.

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Notes

  1. Strictly, smoothing implies the computation of estimates for unknown parameters (e.g. position coordinates) pertaining to epoch tk, using observations from the whole data collection period, i.e. [t1, tl] with 1 ≤ k ≤ l; the data period extends beyond epoch tk. Filtering refers to estimates for parameters at epoch tk, using solely data up to and including epoch tk, i.e. [t1, tk]. Filtering allows real-time operation and smoothing does not. In this paper, we continue to refer to ‘phase smoothing’, as commonly done, but strictly filtering is meant instead.

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Acknowledgments

The flight data (as well as the photograph of the aircraft) were kindly provided by José Lorga of the Control and Simulation division, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology. Also the effort of the aircraft crew is appreciated in performing the special maneuvers.

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  1. Delft Institute of Earth Observation and Space Systems (DEOS), Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, 2629HS, Delft, The Netherlands

    Anh Quan Le & Christian Tiberius

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  1. Anh Quan Le
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  2. Christian Tiberius
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Correspondence to Anh Quan Le.

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Le, A.Q., Tiberius, C. Single-frequency precise point positioning with optimal filtering. GPS Solut 11, 61–69 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-006-0033-9

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