RTK, which stands for Real-Time Kinematic, is a satellite navigation technique used to enhance the accuracy of position data collected by drones during surveys. It is particularly important in applications where precise positioning is crucial, such as in construction site surveys, mapping, agriculture, and infrastructure inspection.
- High Accuracy: RTK enables drones to achieve high levels of accuracy in positioning, which is essential for applications like construction site surveys, where precise measurements are crucial.
- Efficiency: RTK allows for faster and more efficient data collection, as the drone can rapidly and accurately navigate through the survey area without the need for extensive ground control points.
- Reduced Ground Control Points: Traditional surveys may require the placement of ground control points throughout the survey area to improve accuracy. With RTK, the need for ground control points is reduced, saving time and resources.
- Dynamic Environments: RTK is particularly useful in dynamic environments where the drone is moving, such as during construction site surveys. It helps maintain accuracy even when the drone is in motion.
Drones equipped with RTK technology have specialised GPS receivers. These receivers not only receive signals from satellites in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), such as GPS, GLONASS, or others, but also receive correction signals from a reference station on the ground.
RTK requires a network of reference stations on the ground with known and precisely surveyed locations. These reference stations receive signals from satellites and calculate the errors in the satellite signals in real-time.
The corrections calculated by the reference stations are transmitted in real-time to the RTK-enabled drone. These correction signals provide corrections for errors introduced by the Earth’s atmosphere, satellite clock inaccuracies, and other factors that can affect GPS accuracy.
The RTK-equipped drone uses the correction data to refine its own GPS position in real-time. This enables the drone to achieve centimeter-level accuracy in its positioning, significantly improving the precision of the survey data collected.
In summary, RTK technology significantly enhances the accuracy and efficiency of drone surveys by providing real-time corrections to GPS positioning.
This technology is particularly valuable in applications where precise geospatial data is essential for decision-making and analysis.
I have worked with DRONE SURVEYING for some years now, from checking a boundary of new land to auditing earthworks. The use of drones on our sites is now standard; we monitor progress and calculate cut and fill via the online software as our sites progress.
The use of regular mass data collection and the latest drone technology and practises will without doubt save us time and money on our sites.
We use DRONE SURVEYING on all of our sites to support our cut and fill strategy, with regular surveys and their cutting-edge software, we are able to manage our sites much more effectively.
Having now worked with DRONE SURVEYING engineering solutions for a number of years, their services have proven to be invaluable conducting our volumetric surveys, progress videos and cut and fill support. The drone data platform has allowed us to get the best from the data with full support and training provided from the DS team
The drone data helps us to make quicker and smarter key decisions to ensure we have budget and time control on our projects. Having monthly surveys on our sites ensures we keep full control of all earth movements.
Using aerial imagery from drone surveys helps us anticipate errors or mistakes in the next stage of development instead of waiting for work to start on the ground. This proactive approach has saved us hundreds of thousands of pounds; a reactive approach can be costly