Positioning Principles and Technologies

In this subject, students will learn underlying theory and applications of state-of-the-art positioning technologies. The subject first introduces the concept of positioning, addressing why localisation requires user-defined coordinate systems as a benchmark. An overview of global and Australian geocentric coordinate systems such as ITRF and GDA2020 is given, with a discussion on the Australian Height Datum (AHD). Distinguished from their associated technologies, the following positioning principles are taught: 1) direct observation, 2) time-difference of arrival (TDOA), 3) surveying resection otherwise known as angle of arrival (AOA), 4) spatial correspondence (e.g., fingerprinting), and 5) interferometry. The subject focuses on high-precision positioning technologies such as 1) Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), 2) surveying digital measuring systems, 3) Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), 4) Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) localisation systems, and 5) Laser-scanning and vision-based systems. The subject is of broad relevance to students with an interest in technology or to those specifically wishing to establish a career in engineering, mining or cadastral surveying, but is also relevant to a range of mapping, spatial, civil and communication engineering disciplines where precise localisation of digital sensors should be considered. In detail, the subject will cover coordinate transformations and conversions, high precision GNSS and trigonometric surveying, LIDAR and camera-based indoor positioning, optimisation of positioning solutions via least squares computations, precise levelling, and height determination.

• 1Describe the relation of global and Australian reference coordinate systems, together with their respective transformations
• 2Discuss the mechanisms of state-of-the-art positioning technologies and their underlying principles, together with their corresponding merits and limitations.
• 3Use high-end GNSS receiver hardware to collect satellite measurements for real-time and post processed positioning.
• 4Use high-end GNSS processing software as well as open-source LIDAR processing software, to generate positioning solutions and undertake a rigorous analysis of the solution quality.
• 5Use a range of techniques for managing multi-sensor positioning errors and biases in indoor and outdoor environments.