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2024 Journal Impact Factor - 0.6
2024 CiteScore - 1.9
ISSN 2083-6473
ISSN 2083-6481 (electronic version)
Editor-in-Chief
Associate Editor
Prof. Tomasz Neumann
Published by
TransNav, Faculty of Navigation
Gdynia Maritime University
3, John Paul II Avenue
81-345 Gdynia, POLAND
e-mail transnav@umg.edu.pl
A Novel Network RTK Technique for Mobile Platforms: Extending High-Precision Positioning to Offshore Environments
1 Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
ABSTRACT: Network Real-Time Kinematic (NRTK) positioning, as the most mature real-time high-precision positioning technology, is widely recognized for its centimetre-level accuracy, operational efficiency, and extensive application potential. However, conventional NRTK systems rely on reference stations anchored to bedrock-based infrastructure, limiting their coverage to terrestrial areas within Continuous Operating Reference Station (CORS) networks. This architectural limitation renders conventional NRTK inapplicable for offshore and marine environments. To overcome this geographical constraint, we propose an innovative NRTK framework for mobile platforms featuring (1) simultaneous estimation of atmospheric delays and baseline dynamics to get precise relative coordinate movements, (2) the regularization method is applied to de-correlate the positional and atmospheric parameters and the regularization coefficients are optimized by mean square error minimization, and (3) integration of Precise Point Positioning (PPP) at a main base station to maintain an absolute position reference for the network. Experimental validation using Hong Kong's terrestrial CORS network demonstrates that the proposed marine-adapted system achieves positioning accuracy comparable to conventional bedrock-based NRTK, with three-dimensional (ENU) errors measuring (2.90, 3.22, 4.32) cm and (2.90, 2.88, 6.70) cm in two operational scenarios. This methodological advancement enables the deployment of buoy-based NRTK systems in marine environments, with significant implications for maritime applications including port traffic management, fishing fleet navigation, and offshore resource exploration. By extending NRTK's operational domain beyond terrestrial boundaries, our technique not only enhances positioning reliability for marine operations but also creates new paradigms for oceanic resource management.
KEYWORDS: Safety at Sea, Environment Protection, Navigational Safety, Meteorological Conditions, Navigation, GNSS, European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), Ports and Harbours
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Citation note:
Chen W., Ding J., Wang Y., Mi X., Liu T.: A Novel Network RTK Technique for Mobile Platforms: Extending High-Precision Positioning to Offshore Environments. TransNav, the International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation, Vol. 19, No. 2, doi:10.12716/1001.19.02.04, pp. 371-380, 2025
Authors in other databases:
Junsheng Ding:
orcid.org/0000-0001-9693-4999
nkItmXUAAAAJ
orcid.org/0000-0001-9693-4999
nkItmXUAAAAJ
Yuyan Wang:
59700749300
59700749300
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