High precision GPS guidance of mobile robots

摘要

The use of GPS for guidance of mobile robots has been reported as achieved in a number of useful proximate scenarios such as stevadoring, formation movement or search and agricultural positioning. Standard DGPS can be used to get an accuracy of under one metre sometimes leaving fine motor adjustments by humans to complete a task. Pay a lot more, and the precision improves but the cost is high in any commercial terms for the mass market. We report high precision GPS-guided movement based on the use of readily available low-cost receivers. Accuracies of better than 5 cms maintained over minutes have been demonstrated and are being improved upon. The guidance algorithms were adjusted to allow for the retention of orientation when approaching close to a destination. The introduction of the Galileo system will improve the efficacy and usefulness of this method as we move from 24 to 30 satellites.