Long Term Validation of High Precision RTK Positioning Onboard a Ferry Vessel Using the MGBAS in the Research Port of Rostock

Abstract

In order to enable port operations, which require an accuracy of about 10cm, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) operates the Maritime Ground Based Augmentation Service (MGBAS) in the Research Port of Rostock. The MGBAS reference station provides GPS dual frequency code and phase correction data, which are continuously transmitted via an ultra-high frequency (UHF) modem. Up to now the validation of the MGBAS was rather limited. Either a second shore based station was used as an artificial user, or measurement campaigns on a vessel with duration of a few hours have been conducted. In order to overcome this, we have installed three separate dual frequency antennas and receivers and a UHF modem on the Stena Line ferry vessel Mecklenburg Vorpommern which is plying between Rostock and Trelleborg. This paper concentrates on the analysis of the highly accurate phase based positioning with a Real Time Kinematic (RTK) algorithm, using correction data received by the UHF modem onboard the vessel. We analyzed the availability and accuracy of RTK fix solutions for several days, whenever the ferry vessel was inside the service area of the MGBAS.