Kwame Nkrumah University of

Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

Lecture 5:
INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL
NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEM
(GNSS)

Samuel Osah (Ph.D.)

Department of Geomatic Engineering
College of Engineering, KNUST August 2022 1
 Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)
Global Navigation Satellite System
(GNSS)

Generic term describing the satellite navigation

systems capable of providing autonomous all-
weather, precise, three-dimensional positioning,
Navigation, and timing (PNT) information at a global
scale.
GPS
USA Galileo
EU/ESA

Satellites Constellation

GLONASS
Russia
Compass
China

2 www.knust.edu.gh
 Introduction

❖GNSS-Global Navigation Satellite System comprises the constellation of satellites

providing signals from space to facilitate positioning, navigation, & timing on a global
scale.
❖Thus, GNSS is A worldwide radio-navigation system
❖Uses satellites as reference points to calculate positions

DR E. M. OSEI JNR 3
 Introduction
•Types:
• GLOBAL
• Global Positioning System (GPS) developed by USA
• Glogalnaya Navigationnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS) developed by Russian
Federation
• Galileo developed by European Union (EU)
• BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) developed by the Chinese
• REGIONAL
• Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) by India
• Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS)- Japanese

DR E. M. OSEI JNR 4
GNSS

▪ GNSS survey utilizes high precision survey grade Global

Positioning Receivers to establish horizontal and vertical
values for remote locations.
▪ Measurements can be determined without the of a clear
line of sight between points on the ground
▪ It enables the surveyor to work in extraordinary terrain
and to cover large areas in an efficient and precise
manner

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GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
WHAT IS GPS?

▪ A world wide radio-navigation system

▪ Uses satellites as reference points to calculate
positions
▪ Three components:
– Space segment
– Control segment
– User segment

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Introduction 3

� GNSS techniques are similar to trilateration (measurements of distances to fix

positions) principles

� Ranges are measured to satellites orbiting above the earth

� approx 20,000 km - orbital altitude

� GNSS receivers - Passive systems, gather signals from satellites

� GNSS satellite signals travel one way to the receivers.

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GNSS System 4

� Time measurements - time signals were sent and received

� Signal encodes - departure (satellite) & arrival (receiver) time.

� Using the Signal speed & time taken, range computations are possible.

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GNSS System 5

The system is made up of 3 segments

� Control Segment

� Space Segment

� User Segment

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GNSS Control Segment 6

� Tracking of all satellites by monitoring stations

� Processing at master control stations to predict orbits (ephemerides) of all satellites

� Uploading of ephemerides and satellite clock corrections

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GNSS Space Segment 7

� to receive and store information concerning their positions, health, clock offsets and
drifts

� to maintain accurate time, within the GPS time system

� to transmit time codes, ephemerides and other information to the users

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GNSS User Segment 8

� receiver/processors with highly-stable clocks for tracking satellites and decrypting

codes
� displays location, time and speed information to the user.

� receivers are often described by its number of channels (this signifies how many
satellites it can monitor simultaneously)

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GNSS System 9

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Biases and Errors 10

� Satellite dependent:
* Orbit bias
* Clock bias
� Propagation medium dependent:
* Tropospheric refraction
* Ionospheric refraction

� Receiver dependent:
* Receiver resolution
* Clock error
* Multipath
* Antenna phase centre error

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GNSS Coordinate System 11

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Influence of Satellite Constellation Geometry on Positions 12

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Satellite Positioning 13

Range measurements from two satellites limits our location to the

intersection of two spheres, which is a circle.

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Satellite Positioning 14

A third measurement narrows our location to just two points.

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Satellite Positioning 15

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GNSS Accuracies 16

� The position calculated by a GPS receiver relies on three accurate measurements:

+ Current time
+ Position of the satellite
+ Time delay for the signal

� Higher accuracy is available today by using GPS in combination with augmentation

systems. These enable real-time positioning to within a few centimeters.

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GNSS Limitations 17

� There must be a relatively clear ”line of sight” between the GPS antenna and four or
more satellites.

� Jamming

� Interoperability

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GNSS Applications 18

� Military
+ GNSS integrated into fighters, tankers, helicopters, ships, cars,
submarines, drones, and equipment for soldiers.
+ Target tracking.
+ Search and rescue

� Telematics
+ GNSS technology integrated with computers, cars, hardware and
mobile communications technology for automotive navigation projects.

� Surveying & Mapping

+ 3D spatial data capture, GIS, cadastral, boundary location, setting-out

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GNSS Applications 19

� Deformation Monitoring

� Precision Agriculture

� Space Weather & Time Syncronization

� Search & Rescue

� Recreational

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 GPS
Basic Theory
GPS Principle : Range

Range = Time Taken x Speed of Light

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 GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
MEASURING DISTANCE TO SATELLITE

Distance = velocity * travel time

Calculating distance to satellite

Using travel time of radio signal
Distance is about 22,000 km Travel time = ?
⚫ We cannot see satellites approx. 0.07 sec !
⚫ We cannot measure exact distance

Using radio signal to calculate distance

This signal travels with speed of light
Speed of light = 299,174 km/sec

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 GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
EXACT TIMING

▪ Very precise clocks for exact timing

– satellites : highly accurate ‘atomic’ clocks
(about USD 100,000 each)
– Receivers : moderately accurate quartz clocks

▪ Clock error due to difference in clock accuracy

▪ use a 4th satellite to correct for clock error

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Of Science & Technology 27
 GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
THE SATELLITE POSITION IN SPACE

▪ Using satellites as reference points for positioning also

requires that you know the exact position in space of
each satellite, at any place and at any time
▪ The GPS control segment monitors the satellite position
in space
▪ All details of satellite orbits is available in an ‘almanac’
▪ This satellite status information can be downloaded to
the GPS receiver

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Of Science & Technology 28
 GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
HOW THE GPS WORKS

▪ Uses satellites as reference points to calculate positions

1. The basis for GPS is resection from satellites
2. For resection a GPS receiver calculates distance to
satellites using travel time of radio signals
3. To measure travel time, GPS needs exact timing
4. Along with distance you need to know the satellite
position
5. For accurate positioning you must correct for errors

Kwame Nkrumah University

Of Science & Technology
 GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
HOW THE GPS WORKS

1. Resection from satellites 2. Distance to satellites 3. Exact timing

4. Position in space 5. errors

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Of Science & Technology 30
 GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
CORRECTING ERRORS

▪ Main GPS error sources

– Clock errors
– Signal errors (noise)
– Interference in ionosphere and troposphere
– Multipath error
– Satellite position (“ephemeris”) error
– Geometrical error (Geometric Dilution of Precision -
GDOP)
– Intentional errors (Selective Availability - SA)
– Human errors
– Receiver errors (hardware, software, antenna)

Kwame Nkrumah University

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GPS System Components

Space Segment
NAVSTAR : Navigation
Satellite Time and Ranging
24 Satellites
20200 Km

Control Segment
1 Master Station
User Segment 5 Monitoring Stations
Receive Satellite Signal
 Three Segments of the GPS
Space Segment
NAVSTAR : Navigation
Satellite Time and Ranging
24 Satellites
20200 Km

User Segment

Control Segment

Ground
Antennas
Master Station Monitor Stations
GPS Principle : Point Positioning

R1
R3
R2

•3 We
Spheres intersect
are 2somewhere
Spheres onata asphere
intersect point
as a circle
of radius, R1
•3 Ranges to resolve for Latitude, Longitude and
Height
GNSS Principle

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Outline Principle : Position

▪The satellites are like “Orbiting Control Stations”

▪Ranges (distances) are measured to each satellites using time dependent

codes

▪Typically GPS receivers use inexpensive clocks. They are much less accurate
than the clocks on board the satellites

▪A radio wave travels at the speed of light

(Distance = Velocity x Time)

Consider an error in the receiver clock

1/10 second error = 30,000 Km error
1/1,000,000 second error = 300 m error
 Point Positioning

4 Ranges to resolve for Latitude, Longitude, Height & Time

It is similar in principle to a resection problem
Point Positioning

Point Positioning with at least 4 GPS satellites and Good

Geometry
Error Sources

▪Like all other Surveying Equipment

GPS works in the Real World

▪That means it owns a set of unique

errors
 Satellite Errors
▪ Satellite Clock Model
though they use atomic clocks, they are still
subject to small inaccuracies in their time
keeping
These inaccuracies will translate into
positional errors.
▪ Orbit Uncertainty

The satellites position in space is also

important as it’s the beginning for all
calculations
They drift slightly from their predicted orbit
Observation Errors
GPS signals transmit their timing information
via radio waves
It is assumed that a radio wave travels at the
speed of light. 19950 Km

GPS signals must travel through a number of

layers making up the atmosphere.
Ionosphere
200 Km
As they travel through these layers the signal
gets delayed
Troposphere
This delay translates into an error in the 50 Km

calculation of the distance between the

satellite and the receiver
Receiver Error

Unfortunately not all the receivers are

perfect. They can introduce errors of their
own F1

ESC
F2 F3

SFT
F4 F5

CE
F6

Internal receiver noise

Receiver clock drift
Multipath Error

• When the GPS signal arrives at

earth it may reflect off various
obstructions

• First the antenna receives the

signal by the direct route and then
the reflected signal arrives a little
later
Point Positioning Accuracy

Accuracy 10 - 30 m

In theory a point position can be accurate to 10 - 30m

based on the C/A Code
 How do I
Improve my Accuracy ?

Use
Differential GPS
 Differential GPS

• The position of Rover ‘B’ can be

determine in relation to Reference
‘A’ provided
Coordinates of ‘A’ is known
Simultaneous GPS observations

• Differential Positioning
Eliminates errors in the sat. and
receiver clocks A B

Minimizes atmospheric delays

Accuracy 3mm - 5m
Differential Code / Phase

• If using Code only accuracy is in

the range of 30 - 50 cm
This is typically referred to as
DGPS

• If using Phase or Code & Phase

accuracy is in the order of 5 - 10
mm + 1ppm
A B
 Dilution of Precision (DOP)
A description of purely geometrical contribution to the uncertainty in a position fix
It is an indicator as to the geometrical strength of the satellites being tracked at the
time of measurement

GDOP (Geometrical),
Includes Lat, Lon, Height & Time
Poor GDOP
PDOP (Positional) Good GDOP
Includes Lat, Lon & Height
HDOP (Horizontal)
Includes Lat & Lon
VDOP (Vertical)
Includes Height only
 Satellite Distribution Geometry –
Dilution of Precision (DOP)
When the satellites are all in the same
part of the sky, readings will be less
accurate.
Dilution of Precision (DOP)
GNSS Positioning Modes (Techniques)
• Autonomous ( Point Positioning)
10-20 meters
• Differential (Code)
2-5 meters
• DGPS
2-5 meters
• Phase Differential
} Relative
Positioning

•RTK 10-20 m 2-5m cm

•Static observation
centimeter
Summary of GPS Positioning

▪Point Positioning :
10 - 30 m (1 epoch solution, depends on SA)
5 - 10 m (24 hours)
▪Differential Code / Phase :
30 - 50 cm (P Code)
1 - 5 m (CA Code)
▪Differential Phase :
5 mm + 1 ppm
GPS in Surveying
Point Positioning

Accuracy 10 to 20m in each

component

Dependent on DoD
Selective Availability

Navigation Applications

Not suited for Surveying or

Precise Navigation
 • Eliminates clock errors
• Mitigates atmospheric
and orbital errors
• Shorter baselines
improves accuracy
• Affected by latency of
correction transfer

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Advantages of Real Time GPS

Good Accuracy
• No post processing
Immediate Results
• One man operation
One Base multiple rovers
increases production
• Collect raw data
Increased confidence
• Ease of operation
Limitation

• The two largest limitations effecting Real Time GPS Surveying

Obstructions
Multipath
Loss of lock
Communication Link
Range
Location of Transmitter
Power Consumption

• Real Time GPS has become an acceptable tool within the Survey Industry. It is
not always the correct tool for the task.
Applications

• Boundaries
• Topo and Locations
• Seismic Stakeout
• Mapping
• Profiles
• Monitoring
• Establishing Portable
• Volumes
Control Stations (sharing
• Photo control
with Total Stations)
• Construction Control and
• Slope Staking
Stakeout
Applications (Real Time)

DTM Stakeout
Existing
Ground Surface

Design Surface
in DXF format
Applications (Real Time)

Road Alignments
Horizontal
Tangents, Spirals, Curves
Profiles
Parabolic Curves
Cross Sections
Using GPS for Surveying

All GPS Surveying is carried out using differential techniques. That is to say
a baseline is measured from a fixed point, (a reference station) to an
unknown point (a rover station).

This is undertaken using one of two methods :

Post Processing
The raw GPS data from the satellites is recorded and processed in the
office using software

Real Time
The processing of the data is carried out as you work, giving an
instantaneous and accurate position
Post-processed Static Observation

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Thank You

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