u-blox (Sungkyunkwan University, Singapore), a global leader in positioning and wireless communication technologies, has adopted dual-band GNSS to improve positioning accuracy by reducing multipath effects and simplify the process of quickly locating a vehicle.

u-blox recently announced the F10, its first dual-band GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) platform that combines L1 and L5 bands to deliver improved multipath resistance and meter-level positioning accuracy.

The platform is ideal for urban mobility applications such as aftermarket telematics and micromobility.

There is a growing number of applications that use GNSS receivers for accurate location tracking.

On the other hand, current receiver products cannot fully perform in urban areas. In dense urban environments where satellite signals can be reflected by buildings or tree leaves, GNSS receivers that can mitigate multipath effects are required for accurate and stable positioning.

The L5 band is highly resilient to these influences, greatly improving positioning accuracy. A L1/L5 dual-band GNSS receiver combined with a highly stable L1 band can provide positioning accuracy (CEP50) of less than 2 m, while a receiver supporting only the L1 band has a positioning accuracy of around 4 m.

The u-blox team conducted road tests in several urban areas and confirmed that the new platform significantly improves positioning accuracy compared to GNSS L1 receivers.

The F10’s firmware algorithm prioritizes L5 band signals in weak signal environments, ensuring stable positioning accuracy even when used with small antennas. The platform also features protection level technology that provides reliable real-time positioning accuracy estimates.

If the cellular modem is very close to the GNSS receiver, it may interfere with the reception of the signal. Some F10 module models (NEO-F10N, MAX-F10S, MIA-F10Q) are equipped with robust RF circuitry that allows the GNSS and cellular modem to operate without interference.

The u-blox F10 platform is pin-to-pin compatible with its predecessor, the u-blox M10, allowing for easy migration. The platform also supports u-blox AssistNow, a globally available real-time online A-GNSS service that reduces GNSS time-to-first-fix (TTFF) and power consumption.

The u-blox EVK-F101 evaluation kit is expected to be available from April 2024.