Using sun observations to set an azimuth combining and comparing Automatic Target Recognition in a Total Station with GPS observed time and position

Nixon, Phillip (2011) Using sun observations to set an azimuth combining and comparing Automatic Target Recognition in a Total Station with GPS observed time and position. [USQ Project]

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Abstract

The Leica 1200 series total stations have the ability to connect to a Differential Global Positioning Receiver (GPS) via Bluetooth. With a GPS mounted on the top of the Total
Station, a position and height for a station can be obtained. The only other piece of information that is needed is the orientation.

The aim of this report is to investigate the potential for using Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) to take sun observations for the calculation of geodetic azimuths, to
reduce pointing errors associated with solar observations.

A protective filter lens was constructed that enabled safe and functional tracking of the sun. Software was also written that calculates an azimuth in the field to assist with the testing of the accuracy of this method.

It was found that using the ATR tracking method on the sun was approximately twice as accurate when compared with the manual pointing method. The results of an averaged
twelve set observation achieved results with a standard deviation of 12” over 11 observation periods, with a maximum error of 23”, when comparing the azimuth from the
sun with the local geodetic control marks over a 350m baseline.

When compared to RTK GPS readings taken over the same baseline, the solar observations were found to give approximately twice as accurate an azimuth 72% of the time.

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Item Type:	USQ Project
Refereed:	No
Item Status:	Live Archive
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre:	Historic - Faculty of Engineering and Surveying - Department of Surveying and Land Information (Up to 30 Jun 2013)
Supervisors:	Zhang, Zhenyu; Campbell, Glenn
Date Deposited:	07 Jan 2013 03:03
Last Modified:	03 Jul 2013 01:37
Uncontrolled Keywords:	azimuth, GPS, automatic target recognition
Fields of Research (2008):	09 Engineering > 0909 Geomatic Engineering > 090903 Geospatial Information Systems
Fields of Research (2020):	40 ENGINEERING > 4013 Geomatic engineering > 401302 Geospatial information systems and geospatial data modelling
URI:	https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/22622

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