You may have seen us mention RTK Everywhere in the documentation for the RTK Torch that came out a few months ago, and in the recently released RTK EVK - but what is it? Short answer: RTK Everywhere is our new firmware for our enclosed PNT products.
Want the long answer? Let's get into it!
Higher Memory Need
We had a need for new firmware on our PNT surveyors because our new products have a need for higher PSRAM, due to their advanced capabilities like tilt compensation and corrections priority, both of which require more resources. So, we reconstructed the firmware to accommodate these new memory needs. Our new, more powerful devices like the Torch can take advantage of that extra space for their advanced feature set.
More Variety in RTK Solutions
RTK Everywhere will support a wide range of RTK solution types. For example, with it, the RTK Torch can support corrections via Bluetooth, Wifi, PointPerfect over IP, and Galileo E6 HAS. The RTK EVK supports corrections via IP, PointPerfect over L-Band, NTRIP, Bluetooth, WiFi, and cellular.
With the hardware and user needs evolving, we needed to make sure our products were ready for an array of applications and not locked into just one method of connectivity. Now with our products that use RTK Everywhere, you can take your pick of how you want corrections. With the advent of the ESA's Galileo E6 HAS, a GNSS augmentation that uses the Galileo E6 signal, you can get precise satellite corrections for free.
PointPerfect Flexibility
RTK Everywhere gives us maneuverability to use all types of receiver chips and correction types. PointPerfect is u-blox's service and traditionally only works with u-blox hardware. PointPerfect outputs corrections in SPARTN format, which is designed for wide area broadcast with low bandwidth. The format most receivers are able to process is RTCM, which is designed for point-to-point differential corrections, not for broadcast. U-blox designs their products to be able to receive PointPerfect corrections via SPARTN.
However, with RTK Everywhere, we have the space to incorporate the PointPerfect library (PPL) onto other chip based products that converts PointPerfect SPARTN data to RTCM data that they can read. No one else does this! This means that even though the RTK Torch doesn't contain a u-blox positioning chip, it still is able to connect to PointPerfect through our usage of PPL in the RTK Everywhere firmware!
Get an up close look at RTK Everywhere on our GitHub page here.
Take a look at the docs to learn more.
Learn more about our PNT line and RTK technology here:
