Low-Cost GNSS-R Altimetry on a UAV for Water-Level Measurements at Arbitrary Times and Locations
Together with direct Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, the signals reflected at the water surface can be received by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). From the range difference between two GNSS signal paths, the height of the UAV above the water level can be geometrically estimated...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-02-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/5/998 |
| _version_ | 1818040225638645760 |
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| author | Kaoru Ichikawa Takuji Ebinuma Masanori Konda Kei Yufu |
| author_facet | Kaoru Ichikawa Takuji Ebinuma Masanori Konda Kei Yufu |
| author_sort | Kaoru Ichikawa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Together with direct Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, the signals reflected at the water surface can be received by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). From the range difference between two GNSS signal paths, the height of the UAV above the water level can be geometrically estimated using the weighted least squares method, called GNSS reflectometry (GNSS-R) altimetry. Experimental low-cost GNSS-R altimetry flights with a UAV were conducted at the coast of Lake Biwa, Japan. Although the height estimated by the GNSS-R altimeter included large short-term noises up to 8 m amplitude, it agreed well with the UAV altitude measured by the post-processed kinematic positioning. By selecting better weight functions in the least square method and using sufficient temporal averaging, the GNSS-R altimetry achieved accuracy in the order of 0.01 m if a sufficient number of GNSS satellites with high elevation angles were available. The dependency of the results on the weight functions is also discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T08:11:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ec115ab623043feb4ec62e44ee75b1b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T08:11:09Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ec115ab623043feb4ec62e44ee75b1b2022-12-22T01:56:34ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202019-02-0119599810.3390/s19050998s19050998Low-Cost GNSS-R Altimetry on a UAV for Water-Level Measurements at Arbitrary Times and LocationsKaoru Ichikawa0Takuji Ebinuma1Masanori Konda2Kei Yufu3Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, Kasugai 816-8580, JapanCollege of Engineering, Chubu University, Kasugai 487-8501, JapanGraduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, JapanResearch Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, Kasugai 816-8580, JapanTogether with direct Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, the signals reflected at the water surface can be received by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). From the range difference between two GNSS signal paths, the height of the UAV above the water level can be geometrically estimated using the weighted least squares method, called GNSS reflectometry (GNSS-R) altimetry. Experimental low-cost GNSS-R altimetry flights with a UAV were conducted at the coast of Lake Biwa, Japan. Although the height estimated by the GNSS-R altimeter included large short-term noises up to 8 m amplitude, it agreed well with the UAV altitude measured by the post-processed kinematic positioning. By selecting better weight functions in the least square method and using sufficient temporal averaging, the GNSS-R altimetry achieved accuracy in the order of 0.01 m if a sufficient number of GNSS satellites with high elevation angles were available. The dependency of the results on the weight functions is also discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/5/998GNSS reflectometryaltimetryunmanned aerial vehiclelake water level |
| spellingShingle | Kaoru Ichikawa Takuji Ebinuma Masanori Konda Kei Yufu Low-Cost GNSS-R Altimetry on a UAV for Water-Level Measurements at Arbitrary Times and Locations Sensors GNSS reflectometry altimetry unmanned aerial vehicle lake water level |
| title | Low-Cost GNSS-R Altimetry on a UAV for Water-Level Measurements at Arbitrary Times and Locations |
| title_full | Low-Cost GNSS-R Altimetry on a UAV for Water-Level Measurements at Arbitrary Times and Locations |
| title_fullStr | Low-Cost GNSS-R Altimetry on a UAV for Water-Level Measurements at Arbitrary Times and Locations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low-Cost GNSS-R Altimetry on a UAV for Water-Level Measurements at Arbitrary Times and Locations |
| title_short | Low-Cost GNSS-R Altimetry on a UAV for Water-Level Measurements at Arbitrary Times and Locations |
| title_sort | low cost gnss r altimetry on a uav for water level measurements at arbitrary times and locations |
| topic | GNSS reflectometry altimetry unmanned aerial vehicle lake water level |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/5/998 |
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