Use case: construction and real estate
Machine guidance and surveying with GNSS
A GNSS receiver on a construction machine determines its position from satellite signals. Corrections from reference stations, used in real-time kinematic positioning (RTK), raise the accuracy to the centimetre level. Machine guidance shows the operator where to work, and machine control automates parts of the machine's operation. Surveyors use the same technology for precise measurements on site.
- Reference
- UC-17
- Technologies
- Challenge
- Connectivity, positioning and timing
- Updated
- Published by
- LETO SPACE
01Technology
How it works
GNSS stands for global navigation satellite systems such as Galileo and GPS Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu). A receiver on the machine determines its position from the satellite signals. Galileo improves positioning accuracy in urban canyons when used in multi-constellation receivers, because the additional satellites increase visibility and measurement redundancy Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu).
In construction, three components work together Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 2024EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, Issue 2, 20242024Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu):
- Positioning: GNSS receivers, supported by base stations as reference points, determine the exact position of the machine. Inertial sensors track its movements and add precision.
- Machine guidance: a display gives the operator real-time guidance and feedback, so the machine follows the design.
- Machine control: the system automates the operation of the machine based on GNSS data, for example the height of a blade.
EUSPA describes this combination as the 3D machine guidance system and names RTK positioning as the basis of precise heavy machinery operation Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 2024EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, Issue 2, 20242024Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu). Receivers built into heavy machinery enable precise operations during construction, and in the selection and planning phases GNSS RTK is the preferred solution because it saves costs through reduced field expenses Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 2024EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, Issue 2, 20242024Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu).
How satellite positioning works in general is explained in what is GNSS.
02Overview
Corrections: RTK, PPP and Galileo HAS
Correction data raise the accuracy of a receiver. The three main methods compare as follows:
| Method | How it works | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|
| RTK (real-time kinematic) | Corrections from a base station or a network of reference stations | Centimetre level |
| PPP (precise point positioning) | Corrections for satellite orbits, clocks and biases, without a local base station | Needs a longer convergence time for high precision |
| Galileo High Accuracy Service | Free PPP corrections worldwide, via the Galileo signal and the internet | Typically below 25 cm horizontally |
Sources: EUSPA market report for RTK and the convergence time of PPP Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 2024EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, Issue 2, 20242024Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu); EUSPA for the PPP corrections of Galileo HAS, in initial service since January 2023 Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 24 January 2023EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)Galileo High Accuracy Service goes live!24 January 2023Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu); European GNSS Service Centre for its status: the full service is still in preparation Source: European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), operated for EUSPA, accessed 7 October 2026European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), operated for EUSPAGalileo High Accuracy Service (HAS)accessed 7 October 2026Open source (opens gsc-europa.eu).
Galileo HAS provides free, global decimetre-level positioning without reliance on local correction networks; it does not replace RTK for centimetre-level work Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu).
- PositioningGNSS receiver on the machine
- Machine guidancedisplay for the operator
- Machine controlfor example the blade height
03Deliverables
What you get
- machines that follow the digital design, with guidance on the display or automatic control
- positions with centimetre-level accuracy when RTK corrections are available Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu)
- semi-automatic or fully automatic machine operation, with GNSS data fed directly into the hydraulic control Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu)
- precise surveying with the same receivers and RTK corrections Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu)
- the location, movement and performance of equipment for site managers, and designated areas that reduce the risk of accidents Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 2024EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, Issue 2, 20242024Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu)
- high-accuracy positions of construction assets that feed building information models Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu)
04Limits
Limits
Limit 01
Sky view needed
GNSS needs a clear view of the satellites. Buildings create urban canyons that degrade accuracy; systems that fuse GNSS with LiDAR, cameras and inertial sensors keep centimetre-level accuracy even there Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu). Inside tunnels and buildings, satellite positioning does not work on its own.
Limit 02
Corrections must be available
Centimetre accuracy depends on RTK corrections from a base station or a network Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu). Where there is no network coverage or no mobile link to receive the corrections, a site needs its own base station.
Limit 03
Signals can be disrupted
GNSS signals can be jammed or spoofed. For machine guidance in mining, EUSPA notes that Galileo's integrity monitoring and authentication protect against such attempts and can enhance safety Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu); its authentication service OSNMA has been operational since July 2025 Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 5 September 2025EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)From Testing to Operations: Galileo OSNMA Service Now Available to Users5 September 2025Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu). How to protect operations is the topic of protecting GNSS-dependent operations.
05Next steps
How we help
We help you write the requirements: accuracy per task, correction source, Galileo support, interfaces to your design and BIM data. In implementation we run a pilot on one site with KPIs such as time, material use and rework.
The marketplace on Spacegraph, our discovery platform, has an industry category for construction and engineering.
06Use cases
Related use cases
- Monitoring construction progressSatellite images that show how a site develops.
- Protecting GNSS-dependent operationsJamming, spoofing and how to keep positioning trustworthy.
- Construction and real estateAll use cases for construction, infrastructure and real estate.
Frequently asked questions
Q1How accurate is GNSS machine guidance?
With RTK corrections from a network of reference stations, GNSS reaches centimetre-level accuracy, which enables precise surveying and machine guidance Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 26 May 2026EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 126 May 2026Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu). The free Galileo High Accuracy Service raises the accuracy of Galileo to sub-metre levels, typically below 25 cm horizontally in nominal conditions Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 24 January 2023EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)Galileo High Accuracy Service goes live!24 January 2023Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu). It has been in initial service since January 2023, and the full service is still in preparation Source: European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), operated for EUSPA, accessed 7 October 2026European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), operated for EUSPAGalileo High Accuracy Service (HAS)accessed 7 October 2026Open source (opens gsc-europa.eu). That suits some tasks; work that needs centimetres relies on RTK.
Q2Do we need our own base station?
Not always. Correction data can come from a base station on site or from an RTK network. In Europe, most RTK providers have upgraded or have started to upgrade their services to Galileo Source: EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), 2024EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, Issue 2, 20242024Open source (opens euspa.europa.eu). Which option fits depends on the size and location of your sites and on the coverage of networks there.
Q3How do we start?
Start with one machine type and one task, for example grading, and compare time, material use and rework with a conventional crew. Check correction coverage on your typical sites before you buy. Our consulting overview shows the path from the problem to operation.
Sources (5)
- EU Space Market Report 2026, Issue 1 (opens euspa.europa.eu)
- EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, Issue 2, 2024 (opens euspa.europa.eu)
- Galileo High Accuracy Service goes live! (opens euspa.europa.eu)
- Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) (opens gsc-europa.eu)
- From Testing to Operations: Galileo OSNMA Service Now Available to Users (opens euspa.europa.eu)
Contact
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