A GNSS low-cost RTK network: positioning and atmospheric monitoring performances in mountain areas

The utilization of low-cost devices for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) positioning has become a widespread practice globally. Numerous studies have delved into examining the use of these devices, aiming to assess their performances, unique characteristics, and potential challenges. In recent years, the focus has extended beyond pure positioning to applications in environmental monitoring, particularly in estimating atmospheric biases such as tropospheric delay. This study concentrates on harnessing continuous operating reference station (CORS) networks for GNSS positioning at elevated altitudes, evaluating the attainable precision and robustness. Additionally, particular analyses are made to tropospheric estimations derived from rover devices through post-processing applications. While these approaches have often been implemented in the past using networks composed of geodetic receivers, this study has considered the Centipede RTK network, consisting exclusively of low-cost devices. Two different types of rovers are considered: a professional-grade and a low-cost one, aiming to analyze the achievable performances and differences between them. Three different test sites have been selected, ranging from an altitude of approximately 1470 m to 2540 m in a mountainous area close to Turin (NW Italy). After some analyses and comments based on the obtained results, some future perspectives are provided for the readers.