Sub-Meter Hybrid Positioning with Flying 5G Networks and Synchronization Corrections

This work presents a synchronization correction mechanism of a dedicated flying fifth generation (5G) network enabling submeter positioning. Field results are shown thanks to a first-of-a-kind testbed for hybrid Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), 5G new radio (NR) and sensor positioning, called Hybrid Overlay Positioning with 5G and GNSS (HOP-5G) testbed. As shown in previous works, this dedicated 5G network achieves sub-meter ranging performance, by exploiting in real-time 5G NR positioning reference signal (PRS) transmissions of 80MHz. This paper presents the correction mechanism necessary to enable sub-meter hybrid positioning with these high-accuracy ranging measurements. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this paper demonstrates for the first time the feasibility to apply such 5G network synchronization corrections to dedicated flying 5G base stations for positioning, achieving sub-meter hybrid positioning in a field deployment.