Designing and Implementing a successful GNSS Infrastructure Project

Asia Geospatial ForumEnabling Geo-GovernanceHanoi, Vietnam, 17-19th September 2012

Designing and Implementing a successful GNSS Infrastructure Project

Neil Ashcroft, J v Cranenbroeck, V Lui

Leica Geosystems



Traditional Geodetic Networks

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Traditional Geodetic NetworksEconomic Justification

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Most of the GNSS Network RTK projects have been developed by the economical justification that an active geodetic network would reduce the cost of maintaining a traditional geodetic network where the maintenance of the benchmarks and the control survey were a significant part of the owner’s budget.

Active GNSS Positioning Reference Network in Hong Kong



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GNSS Reference NetworksSingapore Reference Network

Singapore's cadastral survey modernisation initiative led to SiReNT. However multiple applications are supported…

•Cadastre

•Engineering

•Mapping / Terrestrial and Aerial

•Monitoring

•Hydrographical survey

•Transportation

•Emergency services

•Scientific studies

•Etc…



GNSS ApplicationsApplication Typical

Accuracy GPS Visibility Typical

Location Power Accessories Security /

Access Remarks

Geophysical Atmosphere Monitoring

< 1mm Excellent all round visibility preferably above 0 degrees.

Wide open ground preferably with monument in good bedrock.

Often remote site requiring wind and/or solar battery charger.

MET and Tilt Packages often required. Lightning protection.

Often poor security and difficult to service due to remoteness.

Precision antenna adapter. Very demanding application

Geodetic Survey

< 1cm Good all round visibility, possibly some obstructions up to 10 degrees.

National survey or government office grounds, possibly roof tops.

Usually mains AC with battery backup. Occasionally remote sites.

Lightning protection, MET and Tilt package sometimes required.

Usually good security and easy to service.

Choke ring antenna coordinatd to national network standards.

Survey < 5cm Reasonable visibility, some obstructions above 10 degrees.

Commercial survey premises, roof or mast mount.

Mains AC with battery backup.

RTK Broadcast often required.

Both usually excellent to protect investment.

The least demanding application

Structure Monitoring

< 5cm

Visibility may be compromised by structure or environment.

Dam, Bridge, Building, Offshore Oil Rig, Volcano, Landslide.

Mixture of AC and renewable energy charged battery powered systems

Tilt Package often required. Lightning protection may be necessary.

Often difficult to service because of location.

Antenna must be tightly coupled to structure.



Site Recommendations by ICSM

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http://www.icsm.gov.au



Steps to consider…

Pre-analysis, investigation and market research. Consider users needs for :

•Positioning

•Accuracy

•Reliability

•Availability

Estimate number of users in each market and therefore required functions

Develop

•Business plan

•Financial plan

•Business model

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• Cost

• Charging Mechanism

• Delivery Mechanism



Sample Business Model

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Sample Business Model : The “Higgins” Model

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Specify

Specify System

• Target Density, Coverage, Accuracy, Reliability and Availability

• Site Quality

• Equipment Quality

• Geodetic Reference Frame

• Data Services Produced

• Data Access Policy

Stations

Own Stations

• Site Selection

• Site Construction

• Equipment Purchasing

• Station Data Comms

• Site Maintenance

• Equipment Replacement Cycle

Network

Network the Data

• Data Comms from Network Stations

• Control Centre

• Quality Control of Raw Data

• Data Archive

Process

Process Network

• Copy of Network

• Data Processing

• Production of Data Streams

• Data Wholesaling

• Retailer Support

Deliver

Deliver Service

• Retail Sale of Data Products

• Marketing

• Rover Equipment Support

• End User Support

• Liaison with User Comms Providers

Governance

Courtesy of M.Higgins, DERM, QLD, Australia



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Some reasons to fail…

• The most important is to remind the sentence that “how a project starts, a project ends”.

• If a GNSS Network starts without serious investigation on user’s needs and expected services delivered in term of accuracy and availability, reliability and format, it will fail.

• If a GNSS Network starts without reviewing and consulting with all the potential users, it will fail.

• Workshop, training, documentation, access to the network services, website, user’s day, … and … publicity !

• Marketing is certainly important and no one will be surprised to assist a failure when few people were aware about the proposed services.

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Some more reasons to fail…

• Communications is one of the major reasons to fail as no data, no correction.

• Improper coordinates is another reason to fail.

• If the organisation in charge of delivering the associated services of a GNSS Network RTK infrastructure doesn’t have 24/7 a call centre with an expert reaction to address the user’s issues or to repair the system in case of down operations, the project will fail.

• “Charging too much” or “Just for free”. Organisations that have NO confidence in the deliveries or don’t want to take responsibility, will offer the service for free with the net result that if something is going wrong, after all no one is paying for the service when it works. On the other side, charging too much will prevent people to consider the costs if they exceed what they can manage themselves by using a local GNSS Reference Station setup.

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The Reasons to succeed…

• Identify the future customer’s needs !

• Carefully design and planning of deployment (hotspot strategy vs full coverage)

• Consider “more” value added services than only “corrections”

• No concession about the coordinates (must match !)

• 24/7 … not for surveyors … but for farmers / emergency service / structural monitoring, etc !

• Be innovative in charging for products and services

• No rover RTK = No business … Rental proposal ? Rover bundle with data product ?

• Cooperation with third party for generating profits out of the services

• Remember : customer always has the choice … to setup his own GNSS Base Station …

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Examples of different business modelsSmartNet



Thank you very muchAny Questions ?

Neil Ashcroft

Monitoring & Control Segment Manager

Leica Geosystems Singapore

[email protected]

Joel van Cranenbroeck

Business Technology Manager

Leica Geosystems , Heerbrugg, Switzerland

[email protected]

Vincent Lui

GNSS & Solution Business Specialist

Leica Geosystems Ltd Hong Kong

[email protected]

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Documents

Designing and Implementing a successful GNSS Infrastructure Project