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RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

RTK, PPP, PPK, SBAS… Which technology for your drone missions?

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GNSS accuracy is crucial for UAV missions. Between SBAS, PPP, PPK, RTK or PPP-RTK, the choice of augmentation technology depends on your constraints on the ground, your need for precision and your technical resources.
Here’s a clear overview to help you make the right choice!

SBAS: Satellite-Based Augmentation System

SBAS technology (see article) greatly improves the integrity of the position and the continuity/availability of the augmentation service.

However, SBAS-type accuracy enhancement services (see article), such as EGNOS, only provide metric accuracy of 1 to 3 metres.

The SBAS system is now certified for uses such as ‘standard’ aeronautics, but it is no longer the solution for drone pilots looking for centimetre-level accuracy.

PPP: Precise Point Positioning

Unlike SBAS, PPP technology alone (article), i.e. without any associated technology, provides accuracy of between 10cm and 1m over a very wide (global) coverage area.

For drone use, PPP can be an attractive solution when decimetric absolute accuracy is sufficient. This may be the case for mapping or inspection missions in isolated areas, where access to real-time correction networks (such as RTK or NRTK) is limited or non-existent.
Its main advantage is that it requires no local infrastructure, which facilitates rapid deployment in the field. On the other hand, the long signal convergence time, which can range from a few minutes to more than 30 minutes depending on conditions and the type of device, remains a major obstacle for applications requiring immediate, reliable positioning.
This is a constraint for dynamic in-flight applications, particularly when drones are used for short-duration photogrammetric surveys or in changing environments ( highionospheric activity).

PPK:Post Processing Kinematic

The difference with previous techniques is the way in which the data is corrected over time to make it more accurate. As its name suggests, PPK is a delayed precision technique.

With PPK, the drone geolocates the X, Y and Z coordinates of each image based on the on-board GNSS unit. At the same time, a base (Mobile Pivot, AeroPoint, CORS network such as TERIA or Virtual TERIArinex) also records position information, but with much more precise triangulation in RINEX format.

Once the flight is over, these two sets of GNSS data can be further processed to match the time-stamps on the photos. There are several software packages available to do this, depending on the equipment used. Finally, the drone’s position data, which is less accurate, is corrected to give flight data with centimetre-level accuracy.

This procedure requires a great deal of processing, but provides a high level of measurement integrity in delayed time.

This makes PPK particularly useful in environments where network coverage is limited or unstable (rural or mountainous areas, etc.), or in critical contexts where data reliability and reproducibility are essential, such as topography, precision agriculture or infrastructure inspection.
What’s more, not relying on live correction significantly reduces the risk of signal loss or flow interruptions, making operations even more robust.

Les contraintes de cette technique sont le temps de traitement mais également la nécessité d’avoir une station de référence à proximité ou d’installer une antenne pivot ou base mobile. Si le droniste n’en dispose, il est possible d’utiliser les données du service RGP de l’IGN dont les données sont en majorité fournie par TERIA.

PPK Virtual Rinex

The principle of this association is the same as the classic PPK, but instead of using a physical station, we will use a virtual RINEX file generated by a service such as TERIA Virtual Rinex or equivalent.

This file is positioned exactly on the drone’s take-off point, and is generated retrospectively with a quality that can be equivalent to that of a physical base (if network coverage is good and geodesy is mastered).

The advantages of this technology are that it saves time, because there’s no need to install a GNSS station on a tripod, or to ensure a stable connection with the drone.
The other advantage is that it minimises the baseline (distance between drone and base) and therefore improves the accuracy of PPK post-processing.

RTK: Real Time Kinematic

Read the article: What do RTK and NRTK mean?

For professional drone use, RTK significantly reduces image overlap.
As a result, fewer photos are needed, which means shorter flight and calculation times, and greater flight autonomy. High precision with high data integrity also means that measurements taken several days and seasons apart can be compared. In this way, it will be possible to monitor the progress or comparison of a project, for example.

Measurement integrity curve and GNSS vs RTK accuracy (Source: SNIP)

In Red SBAS/WAAS, the corrections delivered by satellite and the same set used

In Blue , the traditional DGPS of a neighbouring station (50 km away), using the RTCM message

In Green (the tiny dot in the centre), the RTK navigation system operating in fixed ambiguity resolution mode, using type 1004 RTCM messages from a local station.

GNSS solutions for RTK UAVs

There are two possibilities for working in RTK with different levels of high precision.

The first is a drone with an RTK antenna combined with a subscription to an RTK network. Only the drone is deployed in the field, without any additional equipment, with an accuracy of 2 to 5cm. The images recorded by the drone are geotagged in real time and corrected by the RTK service.
The second is the RTK drone, this time combined with an RTK base such as TERIA ‘sPYX . This method gives a relative accuracy of 1 to 2 cm, but requires the base to be positioned accurately beforehand, with a recording period.

The savings in processing time and logistics offered by this service enable professionals to optimise their working methods.

The use of services such as TERIA’s RTK or PPP-RTK, providing centimetric accuracy in real time with qualified data, is increasingly in demand. Image georeferencing is instantaneous and automated. RTK drone training and handling is therefore faster.

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TERIA Solutions

TERIA supports drone operators with a special RTK offer, adapted to the specific needs of dynamic RTK use.

Through its compact PYX solution, TERIA also offers the possibility of providing corrections from the mobile receiver positioned as an RTK base and providing corrections via the TERIA NTRIP server.

In this case, the TERIAconnect application is able to connect the PYX to the drone, georeference it in the legal system and supply RTK corrections in RTCM format.

To take this a step further, TERIA offers a corrections service transmitted via a private satellite link based on PPP-RTK technology . The aim is to provide the corrections directly to the UAVs without using a terrestrial communications link.
The advantage of SSR technology is that it does away with the telephone network and the loss of connections due to white zones.

What are the limits to the use of GNSS in UAVs?

However advanced it may be, GNSS technology, even when combined with RTK or PPP-RTK solutions, does not remove all the constraints encountered in the field.
Certain limitations remain, and it is essential to be aware of these in order to choose the most appropriate solution for each drone mission.

Environnement et couverture satellite

Dans les environnements urbains denses (zones dites de canyons urbains), en forêt ou en montagne, les signaux GNSS peuvent être fortement perturbés. Les bâtiments élevés, le relief ou la végétation créent des effets de masques, des multi-trajets (multipath) et parfois des pertes de signal, affectant directement la fiabilité du positionnement en temps réel.

Dépendance au réseau cellulaire

Les corrections GNSS en temps réel, comme celles utilisées par les services RTK, reposent souvent sur une connexion au réseau cellulaire. Or, ce dernier est optimisé pour une utilisation au sol. À haute altitude, la couverture réseau devient aléatoire : les antennes étant orientées vers le bas, elles offrent une mauvaise performance pour les objets en vol. De plus, le besoin en bande passante montante (notamment pour la transmission de vidéos en direct) n’est pas toujours bien géré par les réseaux mobiles classiques.

Réglementation encore inégale

Le développement du drone professionnel se heurte encore à une réglementation fragmentée. Autorisations de vol, restrictions d’usage, qualifications obligatoires : les exigences varient d’un pays à l’autre, ralentissant les déploiements à grande échelle, notamment pour les applications en zones sensibles ou en agglomération.

Cybersécurité et acceptabilité sociale

Avec la montée en puissance des usages en milieu urbain, la question de la sécurisation des données collectées devient cruciale. Il ne suffit pas de capter des images ou des données géospatiales : il faut aussi garantir leur confidentialité, leur traçabilité, et rassurer les citoyens quant à leur usage. C’est tout l’enjeu des systèmes d’identification à distance, de type ADS-B ou DJI AirSense, qui reposent précisément sur une géolocalisation GNSS fiable et en temps réel.

If you would like to install a TERIA solution on your drone, ask for a personalised quote.

Our team of experts will get back to you as soon as possible.

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