Multi-constellation Network RTK for Automatic Guidance in Precision Agriculture

GNSS navigation methods have acquired an increasing role in precision agriculture, especially for machine control and guidance, allowing to obtain high accuracy position data thanks to the RTK/NRTK technique. The aim of this work is to test the correct functioning of automatic driving systems with differential correction obtained from a regional GNSS network (GPS Umbria), evaluating the advantages of multi-constellation corrections with respect to the GPS + GLONASS configuration, more usual for agricultural applications. For testing purposes an independent geodetic receiver was installed on NRTK controlled vehicles performing a contemporary data acquisition. The experimental campaign was carried out during different agricultural processes in test areas in Umbria (central Italy) with variable environmental conditions. The results obtained with the geodetic receiver were used as a reference solution to validate the measurements performed by the systems on board the vehicles, and comparisons were made between the accuracies obtained with GPS-GLONASS only versus a full multi-constellation navigation, demonstrating the advantages obtainable with the latter.