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Assessing GNSS correction signals for assisted guidance systems in agricultural vehicles

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Abstract

Accuracy levels achieved with differential global positioning system (DGPS) receivers in agricultural operations depend upon the quality of the correction signal. This study has assessed differential signal error from a Dedicated Base Station, OmniSTAR VBS, European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System, European reference frame-IP for internet protocol (EUREF-IP) and radio navigation satellite aided technique (RASANT). These signals were utilized in guidance assisting systems for agricultural applications, such as tillage, harvesting, planting and spraying, in which GPS receivers were used under dynamic conditions. Simulations of agricultural operations on different days and at different time slots and simultaneously recording the tractor′s geo-position from a DGPS receiver and the tractor′s geo-position from a real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS allowed the comparison of the GPS correction signals. The hardware used for tractor guidance was a lightbar (Trimble model EZ-Guide Plus) system. ANOVA statistics showed a significant difference between the accuracy of the correction signals from different sources. GPS correction signal recommendations to farmers depend upon the accuracy required for the specific operation: (a) Yield monitoring and soil sampling (<1 m) are possible with all the GPS correction signals accessed in any time slot. (b) Broadcast seeding, fertilizer and herbicide application (<0.5 m) are possible for 80% of time with OmniSTAR VBS, 40% of time with RASANT and EUREF-IP and 100% of time with a dedicated base station. (c) Transplanting and drill seeding (<0.04 m) are not possible with the accuracy correction provided by any one of the systems used in this study.

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Abbreviations

BS:

Base Station

CMR:

Compact measurement record

DGPS:

Differential Global Positioning System

EGNOS:

European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service

ESA:

European Space Agency

EUREF-IP:

European reference frame over internet protocol

FM:

Frequency modulation

GLONASS:

Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System

GNSS:

Global Navigation Satellite System

GPS:

Global Positioning System

IAG:

International Association of Geodesy

MSAS:

Multi-Functional Satellite Augmentation System—Japan

NASA:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

PDOP:

Position dilution of precision

RASANT:

Radio navigation satellite aided technique

RDS:

Radio Data System

RNE:

Spanish National Radio

RTCM:

Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services

RTK:

Real time kinematic

SBAS:

Space-Based Augmentation System

VBS:

Virtual Base Station

WAAS:

Wide Area Augmentation System

UTC:

Co-ordinated universal time

UTM:

Universal transverse mercator

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported in part by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (Project: INIA Nº RTA 2006-00058-C03-03). The authors thank Soluciones Agrícolas de Precisión S.L. in Córdoba (Spain) for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dpto. de Ingeniería Aeroespacial y Mecánica de Fluidos, Área de Ingeniería Agroforestal, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra. Utrera, km 1, Sevilla, 41013, Spain

    M. Pérez-Ruiz

  2. Dpto. de Ingeniería Rural, Área de Mecanización y Tecnología Rural, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, 14005, Spain

    J. Carballido, J. Agüera & J. A. Gil

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  1. M. Pérez-Ruiz
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Correspondence to M. Pérez-Ruiz.

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Pérez-Ruiz, M., Carballido, J., Agüera, J. et al. Assessing GNSS correction signals for assisted guidance systems in agricultural vehicles. Precision Agric 12, 639–652 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-010-9211-4

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