GNSS high precision positioning in selected applications
A general overview of the GNSS centimeter high precision market applications, and market movements from 2021 to 2025 in the most relevant application
1. Introduction
In an article published by EE Times Asia in 2021, I outlined how the high-precision GNSS market (capable of centimeter-level accuracy) was still considered niche but yielded high revenue. This was largely due to the complexity of integrating such modules into volume-critical applications like autonomous mobility. Key sectors included automotive (ADAS), drones (used in delivery, agriculture, and surveying), and AGVs in industrial settings (factories, warehouses, and ports).
Between 2021 and now, significant progress has been made, particularly in automotive and drone applications. GNSS performance has improved through better satellite constellations, SBAS, and real-time correction services. Importantly, the emergence of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) is becoming a game-changer.
NTN, including LEO satellites, provides additional connectivity and positioning redundancy, especially in areas with limited GNSS coverage. This is particularly valuable for V2X in ADAS systems and for drones operating beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), where continuous, reliable, and accurate positioning is critical.
2. Improvements in Drones for Smart Agriculture
Since 2021, drone technology has rapidly evolved, particularly in the domains of smart agriculture and delivery. Manufacturers have improved GNSS precision, imaging systems, and autonomous capabilities—leading to more efficient, scalable, and data-driven applications. While DJI is a key industry leader, companies like XAG, Parrot, Zipline, Wing, EHang, and others have introduced equally significant innovations that are shaping the future of aerial operations.
Smart Agriculture Drones: Post-2021 Developments
a. DJI: High-Precision GNSS and Autonomy
DJI’s Agras series (e.g., T30 and T20) now features RTK GNSS systems for centimeter-level accuracy, crucial for spraying, mapping, and seeding. Coupled with multispectral and thermal sensors, DJI drones deliver high-resolution crop health monitoring. Enhanced AI and autonomous flight software reduce manual intervention and improve operational efficiency.
b. XAG: Modular Agri-Tech and Precision Seeding
XAG’s P100 and V40 drones offer modular payload systems such as JetSprayer and JetSeed, enabling high-efficiency spraying and seeding. Integrated RTK navigation and cloud-based task planning allow for fully autonomous, large-scale operations.
c. Parrot: Customization and Open-Source Flexibility
Parrot’s ANAFI USA and AI models support multispectral imaging and provide users with open-source SDKs—enabling tailored software solutions for vegetation analysis and crop management.
3. Drones for Delivery: Post-2021 Improvements
Drones for delivery have also seen significant improvements after 2021, particularly in areas related to autonomous navigation, payload capacity, safety, and regulatory compliance. Some notable advancements are:
Autonomous Navigation and GNSS Integration
RTK and dual-frequency GNSS systems have enhanced drone accuracy in complex environments, allowing safer and more efficient delivery routing.
Increased Payload and Range
Improved batteries and lightweight materials have increased payload capacity and delivery range, expanding use cases across medicine, food, and e-commerce.
c. Zipline
Zipline’s Platform 2 (P2) enables mid-air docking and precision payload drops. Hybrid aircraft design and AI-based routing make it ideal for long-range medical and commercial logistics.
d. Wing (Alphabet)
Wing’s autonomous fleet systems allow dozens of drones to operate in urban environments with high-precision GNSS and real-time obstacle avoidance. The company has expanded suburban delivery trials in multiple countries.
e. DJI
DJI’s enterprise models now support delivery features like RTK flight control, drop systems, and AI-supported collision avoidance, making them suitable for short-range logistics tasks.
f. EHang
EHang’s EH216 and EH216L platforms support payloads up to 200 kg for urban logistics and remote area deliveries. Their participation in European BVLOS trials and contributions to China’s UAV delivery standards show readiness for large-scale operations.
3. Safety and Collision Avoidance
Enhanced collision avoidance systems are making drone delivery services safer. Drones now incorporate LiDAR, optical sensors, and AI-powered object detection to avoid obstacles and improve flight safety, even in challenging environments. These systems are supported by GNSS-based real-time positioning to help drones maintain their course even if the onboard sensors lose sight of certain objects.
4. Regulatory Progress and Air Traffic Control
Regulatory improvements, particularly in the US and Europe, have facilitated the development of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight capabilities. This has allowed delivery drones to fly further distances without the need for direct human supervision. Regulatory bodies have also been working on systems for drone traffic management, ensuring that multiple drones can operate safely in shared airspace, which is essential for scaling delivery services.
5. Testing and Scaling
Delivery drone companies, including Amazon Prime Air and Wing, have continued testing and scaling their operations. For example, Wing has been conducting successful drone delivery trials in suburban areas and has expanded its services to deliver food, medicine, and other items to consumers. Zipline, meanwhile, has made major strides in delivering medical supplies and vaccines in remote areas, further validating the role of drones in delivery networks.
4. Automotive - ADAS centimeter level precision
The Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) market has evolved significantly post-2021, driven by rising demand for autonomous vehicles, enhanced safety standards, and sustainability goals. Precise positioning enabled by high-precision GNSS is a cornerstone for these advancements, especially for Level 2+ and Level 3 autonomous systems requiring centimeter-level accuracy.
1. Enhanced GNSS Integration and High-Precision Positioning
Integration of RTK and PPP GNSS technologies has become essential in automotive applications. RTK’s real-time correction capability offers superior accuracy and reliability in dynamic environments compared to PPP, making it the preferred choice for ADAS and autonomous driving. This is critical for features like lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, and precise navigation in urban canyons or tunnels.
Key chipset providers advancing automotive GNSS platforms include:
U-blox: With its ZED-F9K-01A module, combining PointPerfect GNSS augmentation and sensor fusion for lane-level positioning, supporting Level 2+ autonomy.
STMicroelectronics: Launched the Teseo VI receiver in 2025, the first single-die quad-band multi-constellation GNSS chip achieving centimeter-level accuracy, supporting automotive safety (ASIL-B) and cybersecurity standards.
ST Collaborations for centimeter precision:
・Trimble: The integration of Trimble's ProPoint Go positioning engine with Teseo VI delivers high-accuracy position and orientation data, ideal for applications such as automotive navigation, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and field robotics.
・Swift Navigation: This partnership combines Swift's Skylark precise positioning service with Teseo VI, enabling mass-market adoption of high-precision GNSS in autonomous driving, robotics, and V2X communication.
・Point One Navigation: collaborated with STMicroelectronics to pair Point One’s FusionEngine software with ST’s TeseoAPP GNSS chipset. This combination provides a high-performance, ASIL-rated precise location solution for automotive applications, assuring functional safety at ASIL-B, which is critical for Level 3+ ADAS systems.
Qualcomm and MediaTek: Both have introduced automotive GNSS platforms that natively support V2X communication, enabling vehicles to interact in real-time with surrounding infrastructure and other vehicles.
In particular, MediaTek has strengthened its automotive product portfolio by launching auto cockpit chipsets under the Dimensity Auto branding. Notably, MediaTek has partnered with NVIDIA for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving solutions, integrating NVIDIA’s GPUs to enhance AI capabilities in vehicles. This collaboration aims to deliver comprehensive solutions for digital cockpits, infotainment, and telematics units.
Qualcomm and Alps Alpine have announced a camera-based sensing and positioning device called ViewPose to support absolute lane-level vehicle positioning. Alps Alpine leverages multiple solutions from Qualcomm Technologies, including the Snapdragon Automotive 5G platform, which supports Multi-Frequency GNSS and a Snapdragon Automotive Cockpit Platform for processing multiple camera images and Vision Enhanced Precise Positioning (VEPP) software.
Emerging Chinese players such as Unicore Communications and SinoGNSS have made strides in delivering automotive-grade GNSS chips, focusing on integration with BeiDou and global constellations to enhance signal availability and accuracy, especially for the Chinese market.
Comnav Technology similarly provides advanced GNSS modules tailored for automotive and industrial applications, supporting multi-constellation tracking and RTK corrections.
Alps Alpine and Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. have been collaborating to develop high-precision GNSS modules for automotive applications. In November 2021, they jointly introduced the UMSZ6 Series GNSS Module, achieving vehicle positioning accuracy within 50 centimeters without the need for correction data; a significant milestone for automotive technology.
2. Evolution Toward Level 3 Autonomous Vehicles
Manufacturers like Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW are pushing Level 3 autonomy, relying on high-precision GNSS, LiDAR, radar, and camera sensor fusion to enable vehicles to self-drive in complex environments while allowing human override when needed. GNSS positioning ensures accurate path planning and lane keeping critical for safe autonomous navigation.
3. Safety and Collision Avoidance Systems
ADAS safety features, including automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, and lane departure warnings, rely on centimeter-level GNSS combined with LiDAR, radar, and cameras to detect hazards and intervene promptly. RTK GNSS integration enhances lane accuracy and vehicle positioning even in challenging urban settings.
4. Increased Market Penetration and Consumer Adoption
There has been a rapid increase in market penetration for ADAS features in consumer vehicles, even as companies continue to improve autonomous driving capabilities. More vehicles are coming equipped with features like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, and automatic parking as standard.
Many automakers, such as BMW, Ford, and Tesla, have started offering Level 2+ autonomous driving features in more affordable models. As these technologies become more widespread, the demand for high-precision GNSS continues to grow, as these systems form the backbone of the safety and navigation technologies in modern vehicles.
As early as 2021, Honda began deploying its Level 3 ADAS system in a limited number of vehicles in Japan. This was followed by other OEMs in 2024, including Mercedes-Benz (S-Class, EQS models) and BMW (7 Series). Several more automakers are expected to launch their own Level 3 ADAS systems by the end of 2025 and 2026. Below is an overview of the current status of L3 adoption among major car manufacturers.
5. Collaborations and Industry Consolidation
Besides partnerships among chipset OEMs, major industry consolidation has strengthened GNSS offerings. Notably, Hexagon’s acquisition of Septentrio combined Septentrio’s advanced GNSS receiver technology with Hexagon’s extensive positioning and automation expertise. This merger enhances solutions for industrial applications such as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), enabling centimeter-level accuracy and robustness critical for autonomous industrial operations.
Hexagon has also formed strategic partnerships with automotive OEMs including Volkswagen Group (Seat), ZF Group, and Daimler Truck North America, focusing on integrating high-precision positioning into vehicle manufacturing and autonomous systems.
6. Regulatory Advances and Certification
Regulatory advancements have played a crucial role in shaping the ADAS market. Governments across the world have introduced new safety standards that mandate certain ADAS features, such as lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking, in passenger vehicles.
In 2022, the European Union passed regulations requiring that certain ADAS features be made standard in all new vehicles sold in the region by 2024. These regulations, along with regulatory frameworks for autonomous driving, are accelerating the development and adoption of GNSS and sensor technologies that support autonomous and semi-autonomous driving.
In particular, several of the mandatory ADAS in the EU rely on GNSS positioning data such as:
・Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA)
・Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
・Emergency Lane-Keeping System (ELKS)
・Blind Spot Information System (BSIS)
・Moving Off Information System (MOIS)
Car OEMs can choose to adopt a single multi-functional GNSS module (which is prevalent in mid-range and entry-level vehicles) or, for high-end and premium segments, implement multiple GNSS modules to address specific applications. The decision to adopt a single or multiple GNSS modules may vary depending on vehicle type, target market, and the level of ADAS integration.
In the U.S., the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been increasing efforts to regulate and certify autonomous vehicles, which will further drive demand for high-precision GNSS systems.
7. Growth of Autonomous Vehicle Testing and Deployment
Post-2021, there has been a surge in testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles in controlled environments (and increasingly in urban settings) by companies like Waymo, Cruise (GM), and Aurora Innovation. These vehicles rely heavily on GNSS positioning in combination with LiDAR, radar, and camera systems for reliable navigation.
Testing in real-world conditions and deployment of Level 3 autonomous driving will require more accurate and reliable GNSS solutions to ensure safe operation in mixed traffic environments.
8. Enhanced Connectivity and Smart Infrastructure
As 5G and V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) communication technologies continue to roll out, vehicles will be able to communicate more effectively with each other, surrounding infrastructure, and the cloud, improving both safety and traffic flow. These improvements will further drive the need for high-precision GNSS systems to integrate seamlessly with smart infrastructure such as traffic lights, road signs, and smart parking systems.
Furuno, U-blox, and STMicroelectronics have been involved in advancing technologies for smart infrastructure that interact with autonomous vehicles through GNSS-based positioning and sensor fusion.
・Furuno: launched RTK-enabled GNSS receivers for interaction with smart traffic signals and intelligent parking systems.
・U-Blox: introduced the ZED-F9K module for sensor fusion and partnerships to enhance smart city solutions.
Launched V2X-enabled GNSS solutions in 2024, improving real-time communication with smart infrastructure.
・STMicroelectronics: developed GNSS chips optimized for V2X communication and collaborated on smart city integration.
5. Conclusion
GNSS sensors are vital and increasingly mandatory for Level 2+ ADAS, enabling precise, global positioning for functions like lane keeping and autonomous parking. With growing V2X demands, centimeter-level accuracy and redundancy are essential for safety and reliability. GNSS performance is advancing through expanded satellite coverage, SBAS and correction services. Integration with LiDAR, cameras and maps enhances navigation, allowing ADAS to operate independently of local infrastructure with minimal error.