SWEPOS (Swedish Network RTK) infrastructure has been extended to include the test area of Prepare-Ships project by establishing three new reference stations. Stations are up and running and are part of the infrastructure which generates the GNSS corrections for the GNSS receiver onboard the ships. It has also been decided to distribute the correction data in broadcast mode (one-way stream) using modern technique (casters), and to implement a new distribution stream via VDES to the ship.
Tests have been performed on the test platforms with PPP and RTK, converging towards the same value, integrity check leads to a common position within some centimeters. Both systems are deemed consistent, but PPP needs more time to align.
Hardware has been developed and “maritimised”, and an integrity service for NRTK (SWEPOS) has been developed and tested.
The team has participated in discussions with RTCM SC 135 related to the integrity standardization.
Result from this project serves as proof of concept of the suggested solution and might serve as basis for future standardization.
The design and development of the Dynamic Realtime Predictor has been finalized, as well the necessary verification and the validation tests. In its last iteration, the predictor is a software module written in C++ with an Application Programming Interface (API) written in C. The C-API enables the integration of the predictor with Electronic Chart and Information System (ECDIS) software.
The architecture for the Predictor software has been set with three modules making up the envisioned functionalities of the predictor system: the dynamic predictor, the machine learning coefficient tuner, and the predictions monitor. Functioning prototypes for the dynamic predictor and the machine learning coefficient tuner were developed and tested. The development of the prediction monitor has continued. The ambition is to open-source the software so that it can be used as a “reference implementation” for developers of maritime decision support systems (such as an ECDIS).
The communication architecture describing the principles for exchange of predictors Ship2Ship over VDES has been developed,and also include broadcast of Network RTK-corrections over VDES. The architecture consists of VDES transponders on participating vessels and a VDES base station for Shore-to-ship communication. Two prototype units have been produced and the required VDES communication protocols have been developed and implemented in the software radio module of the prototypes. Simulators for RTK transmissions and Predictor over VDES are available and tested. Saab is now preparing for full scale production of the shipborne VDES transponder based on the prototypes we used in Prepare Ship project.
The navigation decision support sub-system developed by the team under Telko’s lead serves as a primary interface between results from other work packages) and human operators, being realized as a module in an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). A working engineering prototype of this system has been completed, including interaction with the positioning, predictor and communication sub-systems. The prototype has been successfully tested during the test campaigns.
Work has continued with focus on moving from engineering prototype to production, design of an HMI for navigators, as well as automation and graphical presentation
