​Achieving centimeter-level accuracy in positioning is no longer the exclusive domain of surveyors and large corporations. With the advent of affordable and powerful GNSS hardware and open-source software, anyone can set up their own Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) base station.
 
This guide will walk you through the essential steps to host your own RTK base, empowering you with high-precision location data for applications ranging from precision agriculture and drone mapping to robotics and autonomous vehicle guidance.
 
Understanding the Core Concepts of RTK

RTK technology significantly enhances the precision of position data derived from satellite-based positioning systems like GPS referred as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). It works by having a fixed base station that receives satellite signals and then transmits correction data to a moving receiver (the "rover"). The base station, with its known and static location, can help the rover identify errors in the satellite signals. This correction data flow allows the rover to eliminate most of the local signal errors, resulting in highly accurate positioning.

To achieve optimal coverage and guarantee the highest fidelity across a territory, the granularity of the base station network is paramount. Each base station covers a 20 km diameter, meaning that for applications requiring consistent centimeter-level accuracy (±1-2 cm), the rover should never be more than 10 km away from the base. This principle dictates a deployment strategy of placing a new base station approximately every 10 kilometers to create a seamless and reliable grid.

Host your own RTK base

Select the right hardware: This includes a GNSS receiver, a GNSS antenna, and its cable.

For DIY enthusiasts, we provide a complete guide on how to build your own base with Centipede's RTKBase software.

This guide is only available in French for now, but you can use your browser's integrated translation feature.

Others might prefer ready-to-go solutions from ardusimple, rtkbase.eu, Sparkfun or GNSS Store.

While dual-band stations have been the standard for a while, we now recommend to only buy triple-band (L1/L2/L5) stations and corresponding antennas.

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Once you have the hardware :
  1) Establish a precise location for your base station: The accuracy of our corrections is directly dependent on the accuracy of your base station's known coordinates and the quality of the antenna placement.

  2) Broadcast the correction data to our Centipede-RTK NTRIP caster (same settings as the rover).

 3) Register your base by following the complete process. This step is what makes Centipede-RTK different from other solutions. With this step, we can guarantee the quality or your signal and setup.

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The registration process is only available here (in French) for now.

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