Combined processing of GPS and BeiDou observations : an investigation

Abstract

Increasingly geodetic science applications require reliable, rapid, precise and, ideally, real time positioning capability. With GNSS positioning techniques today's geodesists can expect positioning accuracy ranging from metre-level to mm, depending upon the receiver and measurement types, the sophistication of observation error modelling, and the data processing technique employed. The double-differenced observable approach and single- receiver Precise Point Positioning (PPP) are two classes of GNSS techniques for precise receiver positioning. In this master thesis the results of GNSS measurement processing are investigated, comparing the GPS-only measurement processing with combined GPS and BeiDou measurement processing. The GPS-only techniques may suffer due to poor satellite geometry. Hence, combined GPS and BeiDou measurement processing would lead to better satellite geometry as well as improved positioning. Positioning accuracy and convergence time were investigated for PPP and Double Difference using GPS-only, BeiDou-only and GPS plus BeiDou measurement processing.