Tech Chat | Setting Up a Base Station for Drone Operations via Receiver’s Caster

Ethan | SingularXYZ · June 18, 2024

In certain drone applications, like drone mapping or autonomous driving inspections, achieving centimeter-level accuracy is essential. This precision helps meet surveying requirements and prevents accidental collisions with obstacles such as poles and power grids, ensuring the safety of both drones and equipment.

This blog will guide you through setting up a base station when there is no available CORS account or NTRIP Caster to transmit RTK correction data. We will use the X1 GNSS receiver and a DJI drone as an example to demonstrate how correction data can be transmitted via the receiver's caster through a WiFi connection.

1. Setting Up the RTK Base Station

1.1 Enter the X1 WebUI

Connect your PDA (PC, smart phone or drone controller) to the X1's WiFi. The WiFi name corresponds to its SN number, and the password is 12345678.

Open broswer and visit IP 192.168.10.12 to enter the web page of X1 (Username: admin, Passwords: admin).

1.2 Start the Base Station

Navigate to: Device Configuration > Working Mode, click GET and select Start Base.

Setting receiver base coordinates and starting base mode in the web interface

1.3 Configure the Base Station

Navigate to: Work Management > Data Transmission for transmission settings.

Receiver data-transmission overview with NTRIP configuration entries

NTRIP Caster Configuration

Enter the Port, User, and Password (you can enter them at will).
Check Startup and click OK.

Configuring the receiver NTRIP caster port and credentials

NTRIP Server Configuration

Enter 192.168.10.12 for the Caster Address.
Use the same Port, User, and Password as the same you set in NTRIP Caster.
Fill in the Mount Point with any value.
Check Startup and click OK.

Receiver NTRIP Server settings and RTCM message intervals

2. DJI Drone Configuration

2.1 Connection

Connect the remote controller of the drone to the X1's WiFi (mentioned above).

2.2 Open RTK Settings

Enter the RTK settings interface, Select RTK Service Type as Custom Network RTK.

Selecting Custom Network RTK in the drone controller

2.3 RTK Configuration

Input the NTRIP Host, Port, User, Password, and Mountpoint as the same values you set above.

Entering NTRIP host, port and mountpoint on the drone controller

2. Click Save. The status will show RTK connected. RTK data in use.

Drone controller showing connected RTK and FIX positioning

Now, your drone is set up and ready for high-accuracy operations.

Learn more about SingularXYZ X1 GNSS Receiver,
X1 GNSS Receiver