RTKk

RTKk refers to Real-Time Kinematic, a precise positioning technique used in conjunction with Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). It significantly enhances the accuracy of GNSS-derived positions from several meters to centimeter-level precision. This is achieved by using a fixed base station receiver and a mobile rover receiver. The base station, whose precise location is known, receives GNSS signals and calculates the error in those signals. This error information is then transmitted wirelessly to the rover receiver. The rover uses this correction data to eliminate or significantly reduce errors in its own GNSS measurements, thereby determining its position with very high accuracy in real-time.

The core principle of RTKk relies on the carrier phase of the GNSS signals, which is a much finer measurement than the code phase typically used in standard GNSS. By tracking the cycles of the carrier wave, RTKk can achieve centimeter-level accuracy. However, this method requires the carrier phase ambiguity, which is the unknown integer number of full carrier cycles between the satellite and receiver, to be resolved. The base station's known position helps in resolving this ambiguity for the rover. RTKk technology is widely employed in applications requiring high positional accuracy, such as surveying, precision agriculture, autonomous vehicle navigation, construction, and mapping. Its effectiveness depends on factors like satellite visibility, atmospheric conditions, and the distance between the base station and the rover.