Evo II Enterprise Pro RTK Drone - Autel Explorer App RTK Options

[Malli35998]

I have recently purchased an Evo II Enterprise Pro 6K RTK Drone. When a Base Station and/or an NTRIP Network is not available, what is the best RTK Option to choose in the Autel Explorer App? I would like an clear explanation of the various RTK options in the Autel Explorer App. See attached photo. What do each of these options do?

• RTK Aircraft Feature (toggle on/off)
• RTK Connection Options (None, Network, Custom)

I submitted a ticket to Autel Support to see what they suggest.

 

[elistechnology]

RTK on/off switch enables you to change beetwen precise and regular GPS mode.

Regular GPS accuracy: ~1.5m XY, ~3m Z (in good conditions).
RTK mode connected to NTRIP accuracy: ~3cm XY, ~5cm Z (could be worse, could be better depending on many conditions (distance from base, satelites visibility, quality of corrections)

RTK custom allows you to enter the data needed to connect to the server sending corrections (the data should be provided by the NTRIP provider)
RTK Network as far as i know works for users from China only.
Flying in RTK none should be used for PPK worflow, drone stores RINEX data (?is it working when RTK is disabled?)

 

[Malli35998]

Thank you!

 

[Malli35998]

This is info I received from Autel Technical Support.

When a base station and NTRIP network are not an option, RTK is not an option as there would be nothing to connect to in real-time to provide your location data. When a base station and NTRIP network are not available, but you still need accurate location data for a flight, you would need to rely on a Cloud PPK program to provide you with location data from your flight.

The RTK Aircraft Feature slider turns the RTK capabilities of the aircraft on and off. If you would like to fly without using RTK, you would want to turn the slider to the Off position. If you are using RTK, you would want it in the On position. For your RTK connection options, users in the US should only be using 'None' or 'Custom'. The 'Network' option should not be used by US users as it is for a completely different area of service and not applicable within the US.

 

[paolo]

This is info I received from Autel Technical Support.

When a base station and NTRIP network are not an option, RTK is not an option as there would be nothing to connect to in real-time to provide your location data. When a base station and NTRIP network are not available, but you still need accurate location data for a flight, you would need to rely on a Cloud PPK program to provide you with location data from your flight.

The RTK Aircraft Feature slider turns the RTK capabilities of the aircraft on and off. If you would like to fly without using RTK, you would want to turn the slider to the Off position. If you are using RTK, you would want it in the On position. For your RTK connection options, users in the US should only be using 'None' or 'Custom'. The 'Network' option should not be used by US users as it is for a completely different area of service and not applicable within the US.

sorry but then if I take off and then activate the RTK even without having any correction service, the drone cmq records the position precisely (with the rtk). this is what they told you from the assistance of autel, because to me it doesn't seem like this in reality, unless a new fw has come out that corrects this problem.

 

[Malli35998]

I am new to RTK drones. What are “cmq” records? Are you suggesting that simply by having the RTK Aircraft Feature toggle set to “ON” that the drone records more accurate positioning vs RTK Aircraft Feature “OFF” (using GNSS GPS)?

 

[paolo]

I am new to RTK drones. What are “cmq” records? Are you suggesting that simply by having the RTK Aircraft Feature toggle set to “ON” that the drone records more accurate positioning vs RTK Aircraft Feature “OFF” (using GNSS GPS)?

("cmq records" = however it records)
from what I understand autel told you that the drone in flight if it does not have the correction by a third party service (ntrip or cloud) does not exploit the precision of the gnss (rtk). Which would be ******** but now autel has got us used to it. if you haven't bought a rtk yet, think carefully and take a good look around!

 

[Dave Pitman]

from what I understand autel told you that the drone in flight if it does not have the correction by a third party service (ntrip or cloud) does not exploit the precision of the gnss (rtk). Which would be ******** but now autel has got us used to it. if you haven't bought a rtk yet, think carefully and take a good look around!

If not connected to an NTRIP network, the drone can still write (uncorrected) precision gnss coordinates to image exif data if receiving sufficient satellite reception, RTK is "off". This is the setting you would use for a PPK workflow. It will write the rinex files in Mission Mode.

If it is not connected to a correction network, then it will not use the precision gnss for navigation.

 

[paolo]

If I set the RTK on none and after take off I activate it, it continually gives me the message that the RTK is not ready. I am referring to manual mode not with a scheduled mission. Now if Autel deigned to produce a damn instruction manual we would actually know what it can do and how and when there is a malfunction.
This is what happens to my drone which does not mean that it happens with everyone.

 

[Dave Pitman]

If I set the RTK on none and after take off I activate it, it continually gives me the message that the RTK is not ready.

Hi Paolo. The nagging lady voice is correct. "RTK" is not ready when set to "None" and no corrections are being used. Remember, RTK indicates that corrections are being received and applied which they are not. But, RTK is not needed for a PPK workflow.

I agree that documentation is missing in action which is exasperated the more technical the material becomes.

 

[paolo]

Hi Paolo. The nagging lady voice is correct. "RTK" is not ready when set to "None" and no corrections are being used. Remember, RTK indicates that corrections are being received and applied which they are not. But, RTK is not needed for a PPK workflow.

I agree that documentation is missing in action which is exasperated the more technical the material becomes.

if the rtk does not work the drone records the position as if it were a normal evo II and with the normal evo II you cannot work in PPK with centimeter accuracy. I am referring to the fact that in manual the RTK does not work, when it could and I do not know if it should. doubt that it is not necessary to know why there is no rtk manual. obviously autel does not publish it because maybe she has no idea either and what is happening with the fw and the app proves it. We hope well.

 

[Dave Pitman]

If the RTK module is installed, it should be recording positions using the precision gnss, not the standard receiver.

 

[paolo]

If the RTK module is installed, it should be recording positions using the precision gnss, not the standard receiver.

I am not sure, since if you have the RTK active and you have no correction it does not take off and you have to switch to gps mode. These doubts would be dissolved by a manual page. When I have time I try to take off and fixing myself on an altitude I take some photos in GPS mode and always in the same point with the RTK active and let's see what changes. Surely in the exif I will have to have a different accuracy between the photos, if it is the same and within 50 cm then it should work as you say. This test must be made.

 

[Dave Pitman]

When I have time I try to take off and fixing myself on an altitude I take some photos in GPS mode and always in the same point with the RTK active and let's see what changes. Surely in the exif I will have to have a different accuracy between the photos, if it is the same and within 50 cm then it should work as you say. This test must be made.

Hey Paolo,

I finally had time when it wasn't raining to conduct a test. I took 3 images.

1. The RTK module not installed.
2. The RTK module installed, but RTK not turned on in the App.
3. The RTK module installed, On, conntected to NTRIP with FIX.

As you can see in the EXIF, when the module is not installed, there is no value in the accuracy fields. If the module is installed but RTK is off, you get an accuracy value that is much better ( ~1m horiz. ~2.5m vert. ) than typical consumer GPS. And, with an NTRIP connection with FIX, the accuracy is survey accurate ( 3-5 cm ).

 

[paolo]

Hey Paolo,

I finally had time when it wasn't raining to conduct a test. I took 3 images.

1. The RTK module not installed.
2. The RTK module installed, but RTK not turned on in the App.
3. The RTK module installed, On, conntected to NTRIP with FIX.

As you can see in the EXIF, when the module is not installed, there is no value in the accuracy fields. If the module is installed but RTK is off, you get an accuracy value that is much better ( ~1m horiz. ~2.5m vert. ) than typical consumer GPS. And, with an NTRIP connection with FIX, the accuracy is survey accurate ( 3-5 cm ).

View attachment 12243

very interesting. well done. as it stops raining from me on the weekend I try to test it.