Precision navigation for UAVs: evaluating GNSS constellations for enhanced geospatial accuracy

Accurate localization is paramount for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) spanning various technical and industrial domains, necessitating a comprehensive assessment of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) precision. This study investigates the performance of distinct GNSS constellations in determining the precise location of a building utilizing a high-precision GNSS receiver. The receiver, incorporating advanced multi-frequency and full-constellation positioning capabilities, was integrated with a smartphone via Bluetooth to enable the UAV's acquisition of centimeter-level positioning data. Sequential utilization of single satellite systems—such as GPS-only, GLONASS-only, Galileo-only, SBAS-only, and BeiDou-only—facilitated the documentation of latitude and longitude coordinates for the designated building. Subsequent comparison of these coordinates with a specialized Geographic Information System (GIS) was conducted to evaluate their positional accuracy. The comparative analysis underscores significant variability in the precision offered by each satellite constellation, providing valuable insights for optimizing UAV navigation across GIS, IoT, construction, and other sectors requiring high-precision localization. This research underscores the significance of high-precision GNSS receivers in enhancing UAV-based geospatial assessments, emphasizing the critical selection of appropriate satellite systems for tailored localization tasks. The study contributes to advancing UAV navigation strategies, ensuring robust and accurate geospatial data collection within diverse operational frameworks.<p></p>