PPP and Galileo High Accuracy Service with Satellite Selection Strategies for Kinematic Applications

Abstract

Precise Point Positioning (PPP) and Real Time Kinematic (RTK) techniques are becoming interesting in several transportation sectors, especially for autonomous operations. Users have high accuracy needs coupled with stringent requirements on continuity, availability, integrity, and convergence time, whose satisfaction can be challenging in harsh environments. Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) provides free PPP corrections worldwide. In 2021 the testing phase started, in May 2022 the HAS Signal In Space Interface Control Document (HAS SIS ICD) was published and the initial service is expected soon, by the beginning of 2023 at the latest. The service will be provided on the E6-B signals and through a ground channel over the internet. This paper analyses the Galileo HAS performance and discusses how to exploit the benefits of Galileo HAS for kinematic PPP applications. In particular, a satellite selection strategy was investigated to take advantage of the HAS characteristics, overcome the challenges in difficult environments and optimize the user performance. After a characterization of the HAS performance with live signals, the paper shows through the results of an automotive experimentation campaign performed at the Joint Research Center (JRC), Ispra, the advantages of applying the HAS corrections and exploiting the service in the satellite selection.