Combined Analysis of Real-Time Kinematic GPS Equipment and Its Users for Height Determination

Abstract

Ellipsoidal and Australian Height Datum heights have been deter- mined for a 60-point control network from five base stations by three separate users using three different makes of real-time kinematic (RTK) global positioning system (GPS) equipment. This was to determine whether these RTK GPS surveys (i.e. equipment and users combined) can meet vertical accuracy specifications for con- tract work with Main Roads Western Australia. A comparison of the differences between the RTK GPS ellipsoidal heights and the control indicates 51 mm (95% confidence) accuracy, accounting for errors in the control network. Likewise, the difference between the RTK GPS-derived Australian Height Datum heights and the control indicates 53 mm (95% confidence) accuracy. However, there was an increasing number of failed RTK GPS position solutions with increasing baseline length, which had to be omitted from these statistics.