Rutronik Adapter Board - RAB4 for RTK
Centimeter-precise positioning in real-time
Precise positioning plays a key role in many applications and becomes increasingly important, for example concerning self-driving vehicles. Real-time kinematics (RTK) is a technology that is much more accurate than conventional multi-GNSS systems and is becoming more and more economically attractive. With the RAB4, the experts from Rutronik System Solutions, in cooperation with the Rutronik Wireless Competence Center, have developed an Adapter Board that allows fast testing of RTK performance and comparison with a leading multi-GNSS receiver without having to design separate hardware. That speeds up the pre-development phase, reduces costs, and makes applications ready for the market more quickly. Another advantage is that the RAB4 is easy to combine with other boards from Rutronik System Solutions via an Arduino interface so that a wide range of approaches are available to realize your development project.
How RTK works and areas of application
RTK is a technology that increases the accuracy of satellite system positions using a base station that sends correction data to a moving receiver. Correction data can come from a local base station, for example via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or NR+, or can be received over an internet connection from a third-party correction service using Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol (NTRIP). Such SAPOS networks are free in 14 of the 16 Federal States in Germany. Private correction data providers enable transnational coverage and even better technical performance. Compared to conventional GNSS receivers, which often only determine one position per second, with RTK up to 200 fix/s are possible. As a result, the technology achieves an accuracy of one to two centimeters, even on fast-moving vehicles.
Target markets & applications for RTK:
- Agricultural machines
- Autonomous vehicles
- Drones
- Lawn mowing robots
- Service vehicles like road marking machines or winter services
Advantages of RTK:
- More precise positioning
- Real-time positioning
- Several satellite systems are available, including the European navigation satellite and timing system Galileo
- Versatile use in outdoor applications
Demonstrate what is possible: Moving a rover with RAB4 and an app
To show the performance of RTK technology and the RAB4, the experts at Rutronik System Solutions have developed its own rover. The rover is easy to operate via an app and can be controlled with centimeter precision. Using an Arduino interface, the RAB4 is combined with the RDK3 from Rutronik System Solutions, a Base Board that allows a wireless connection via Bluetooth® Low Energy. The reference station sends the measured GNSS position to the rover in a real-time protocol via Bluetooth. As a result, the rover knows the distance to the reference station and can navigate in the garden with centimeter precision using its relative position to the base station. Therefore, it is not necessary to lay a wire in the ground as a boundary.
The application example will be shown for the first time at the Rutronik booth at embedded world 2024 and visitors can control it themselves.
RAB4 combines the best components for RTK applications
Only state-of-the-art components from the Rutronik portfolio come into use on the Adapter Board from Rutronik System Solutions. The UM980 from Unicore is a high-precision RTK positioning module based on the latest generation of the GNSS SoC NebulasIV. It offers a high positioning rate of 50 Hz and supports all available GNSS frequencies. Thanks to the integrated anti-interference feature, even complex environments with the threat of multi-path effects like urban areas are no problem. Due to these characteristics, the UM980 suits for high-precision navigation and positioning applications.
To evaluate absolute positioning, the RAB4 features a 4G LTE module with an integrated standard multi-GNSS receiver from Telit Cinterion's LE910 series. Another advantage is that developers can directly compare the outputs of the GNSS receiver with those of the RTK receiver and can draw conclusions about the need for improvements for the respective application without having to use several development kits from different suppliers. The RAB4 also includes a prepaid SIM card preloaded with 100 MB of data. Thanks to this combination, NTRIP correction data can be downloaded from the Internet. It is not necessary to operate an own reference station.
Easy to combine
Due to the Arduino interface, the Adapter Board is easy to combine. For example, with the Base and Adapter Boards from Rutronik System Solutions. Thanks to the modular concept, a variety of approaches are possible to implement your development project quickly, inexpensively, and simply, but in a technically sophisticated way.
Using the combination of RDK3 and RAB4, it is possible to implement both location-independent use via a 4G Internet connection to a public network of correction data and localized use via Bluetooth® Low Energy, which is sufficient for some applications such as a lawn mowing robot.
It is also conceivable, for example, to link it with the Text To Speech Adapter Board, whose core hardware and software are from Epson and adapted by the experts from Rutronik System Solutions. With the help of the board, voice output on battery status, connection problems, or information on upcoming service intervals are quickly implemented in up to twelve languages and increase user-friendliness.
Advantages of the RAB4:
- Hardware for the development of proof-of-concepts
- No need to develop your own hardware
- Reduces costs, accelerates the pre-development phase, and applications reach market maturity faster
- Quick and easy testing of RTK performance
- Easy to combine, for example with the RDK3 from Rutronik System Solutions, thanks to the Arduino interface
- All components can be found on the Rutronik line card
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