Utilization of Quasi-Zenith Satellite System for Navigation of a Robot Combine Harvester

• Main Authors: Kannapat Udompant, Ricardo Ospina, Yong-Joo Kim, Noboru Noguchi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Agronomy
• Subjects: combine harvester; global navigation satellite system (GNSS); real-time kinematic (RTK); CLAS; MADOCA
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/3/483

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of a robot combine harvester by comparing the Centimeter Level Augmentation Service (CLAS) and the Multi-Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Advanced Demonstration tool for Orbit and Clock Analysis (MADOCA) from the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) by using the Real Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning technique as a reference. The first section of this study evaluates the availability and the precision under static conditions by measuring the activation time, the reconnection time, and obtaining a Twice Distance Root Mean Square (2DRMS) of 0.04 m and 0.10 m, a Circular Error Probability (CEP) of 0.03 m and 0.08 m, and a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.57 m and 0.54 m for the CLAS and MADOCA, respectively. The second section evaluates the accuracy under dynamic conditions by using a GNSS navigation-based combine harvester running in an experimental field. The results show that the RMSE of the lateral deviation is between 0.04 m and 0.69 m for MADOCA and between 0.03 m and 0.31 m for CLAS; which suggest that the CLAS positioning augmentation system can be utilized for the robot combine harvester if the user considers these accuracy and dynamic characteristics.