Table of Contents

• What is GNSS receiver rental?

• Advantages of GNSS receiver rental

• Disadvantages and limitations of GNSS receiver rental

• Costs and rental periods for GNSS receiver rental

• Main uses and application scenes for GNSS receiver rental

• Comparison and how to choose: rental vs purchase

• A new alternative to rental: smartphone-integrated LRTK

• Summary

In construction and surveying sites, GNSS receivers (receivers for satellite positioning systems such as GPS) are indispensable for obtaining accurate coordinates of points. Dedicated high-precision positioning equipment can require investments of several million yen to purchase, making adoption a high hurdle for small companies and local governments. For this reason, GNSS receiver rental services, which allow users to borrow equipment only when needed, are widely used. People researching GNSS receiver rentals likely have various questions about rental fees, rental periods, and setup procedures. This article clearly explains the advantages and disadvantages of GNSS receiver rental, typical costs and uses, and key points for choosing equipment from a professional perspective. In addition, we introduce the smartphone-integrated high-precision GNSS receiver LRTK, a new option that eliminates rental limitations, and explain how this device enables single-person on-site completion.

What is GNSS receiver rental?

GNSS receiver rental is a service that allows users to borrow expensive surveying GNSS equipment for only the required period. This greatly reduces the cost of purchasing and maintaining equipment while enabling access to the latest high-precision positioning technology only when needed. GNSS positioning is increasingly used for a wide range of applications — such as construction site as-built management, land surveying, infrastructure inspection, and disaster response — and rental allows procurement when a company does not own dedicated equipment. Recently, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s promotion of ICT construction and i-Construction has increased demand for high-precision GNSS use on sites, driving higher demand for rental services. Through rental companies, users can borrow desired models from several days to several months, and many vendors offer nationwide delivery by courier and flexible arrangements for short-term use, making it easier to secure equipment quickly when needed.

Advantages of GNSS receiver rental

There are the following advantages to using rental GNSS receivers:

• Greatly reduced initial cost: Compared to purchasing, initial expenses are minimal, allowing you to start using high-precision equipment without preparing several million yen for the device.

• No maintenance burden: Inspections, calibrations, and repairs are handled by the rental company, so you avoid the time and cost of in-house maintenance and storage. Also, rental equipment is not recorded as an asset, so no fixed asset tax is incurred.

• Rent only the number and period you need: You can flexibly adjust the number of units between quiet and busy seasons and use equipment only for the required period, from short-term projects to long-term construction. For example, if you only need GNSS for a week, you can rent by the few days and avoid leaving equipment idle.

• Access to the latest models and diverse equipment: Rental companies stock receivers and peripheral devices from multiple manufacturers, allowing you to choose the optimal model for each purpose. While purchasing limits you to the models you own, rental lets you try the latest or higher-performance models as needed.

• Peace of mind in quality and support: Rental units are inspected and calibrated before shipment, ensuring consistent accuracy. Some vendors also provide operation briefings and data processing support for first-time users, allowing even beginners to adopt systems with confidence.

Disadvantages and limitations of GNSS receiver rental

On the other hand, renting GNSS receivers also has the following disadvantages and limitations:

• Expensive for long-term use: Rental fees are economical for short periods, but frequent or long-term rentals can lead to high cumulative costs. Continually paying rental fees per project may ultimately exceed the cost of purchasing your own equipment.

• Limitations in models and stock: The types and quantities of available rental equipment are limited; the latest model you want may not be available, or inventory may be insufficient during peak demand. You may not always be able to secure the exact equipment you want when you need it.

• Scheduling constraints: You must plan reservations and returns to match the times you need the equipment. Because others also use the gear, last-minute requests may fail to secure equipment, and extending the rental period incurs additional fees. It is important to schedule with some margin to match project timelines.

• Operational skills and data processing: Using GNSS surveying equipment well requires knowledge of positioning and operational skills. Rentals supply the equipment, but proper setup and data processing to obtain survey results are the responsibility of the user. If you lack a professional surveyor, prior training is essential to achieve sufficient accuracy.

• Risk of damage or loss: If rental equipment is accidentally damaged or lost, you are responsible for repair or replacement costs. Insurance may be available under rental contracts, but due to the high value of the equipment, careful handling is still required.

• Environmental requirements for high-precision positioning: Centimeter-level high-precision positioning requires not only a GNSS receiver but also a base station or network correction data via the internet. If you only rent a rover unit, you must either set up your own base station or use paid high-precision positioning services (such as VRS or electronic reference station data). Additionally, transmitting your own correction signals by radio may require licenses under radio law. Without preparing these environments, the equipment cannot achieve its designed accuracy, so prior checks and preparations are important.

Costs and rental periods for GNSS receiver rental

Estimated rental fees: Rental fees vary by model and duration, but as a general range, renting an RTK-capable high-precision GNSS receiver set (rover + base station) typically costs tens of thousands of yen to several hundred thousand yen for one week. Simpler single GNSS receivers (e.g., dedicated to network RTK) can be rented from around several tens of thousands of yen per day. Some rental companies offer package rates such as five-day or one-month plans, and daily unit costs often become cheaper the longer you rent.

Rental period: GNSS equipment rental is flexible, from several days to several months. Some vendors offer rentals for a minimum of one day, but standard plans are often in five-day or one-week increments. Long-term rentals may be billed monthly, with options to extend according to project duration. However, because peak seasons tend to fill reservations quickly, it is advisable to apply as soon as the required period is determined.

Main uses and application scenes for GNSS receiver rental

Typical situations where GNSS receivers are rented include:

• Construction and civil engineering sites: Using GNSS for layout (stakeout), as-built measurements, installing base stations for ICT earthworks machine guidance, and other construction management scenes.

• Surveying companies and design consultants: Cases where land surveying, topographic mapping, or infrastructure inspection temporarily require GNSS equipment. When a company does not own devices or needs additional units for projects with many survey points, rental is used.

• Local government operations and disaster response: When municipalities conduct road or river surveys or need to quickly survey damaged areas after a disaster. Even without equipment on hand during normal times, rental allows response when necessary.

• Equipment trials and backup: Trial use when considering purchasing new GNSS equipment, or as a substitute during owned-equipment malfunctions or inspections. Renting for a limited period enables evaluation prior to purchase or filling gaps in emergencies.

Comparison and how to choose: rental vs purchase

Considering the advantages and disadvantages of rental, it is important to decide whether rental or purchase is more appropriate when introducing GNSS equipment in your organization. The following summarizes guidance for making that choice.

Cases suitable for rental:

• GNSS use frequency is low, only a few times a year

• Mainly short-term projects lasting days to weeks

• You want to minimize initial investment or trial a new business

• Your company lacks surveying expertise and prefers outsourcing or ad-hoc rentals

• Required functions and performance vary by project and you want to use the appropriate equipment each time

Cases to consider purchasing:

• You use GNSS positioning routinely and frequently

• Large-scale or long-term projects where repeated rentals are likely to be more expensive than ownership

• You have an in-house surveying division or technicians who can manage and operate equipment

• Shortened schedules and rapid response are needed, making it more efficient to keep equipment on hand

• Company policy is to internalize surveying technology and use it continuously

A new alternative to rental: smartphone-integrated LRTK

Against the backdrop of these rental challenges, a new solution has emerged in recent years: the smartphone-integrated high-precision GNSS receiver. A leading example is LRTK. LRTK is an ultra-compact RTK-GNSS receiver that attaches to the back of a smartphone (e.g., iPhone or iPad) and delivers centimeter-level positioning accuracy while fitting in a pocket. Tasks that previously required dedicated equipment and multiple personnel can now be completed by a single field staff member using only a smartphone and LRTK, making it a truly revolutionary tool that makes GNSS receiver rentals unnecessary. Its main features are introduced below.

• Ultra-compact smartphone-integrated receiver: A compact device weighing about 150 g attaches to a smartphone for use. It fits in a pocket for easy transport to the site and eliminates the need to carry large tripods or external power supplies.

• Centimeter-level high-precision positioning: Supports multi-GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Japan’s Michibiki (QZSS)), and L1/L2 RTK positioning achieves horizontal and vertical accuracy within a few centimeters. This single device can meet the accuracy requirements for public surveying.

• Maintains high precision even outside communication coverage (CLAS support): Can receive the centimeter-class augmentation service (CLAS) signal provided by Japan’s QZSS Michibiki, enabling real-time centimeter accuracy even in mountainous areas where mobile signals do not reach. In areas with mobile coverage, it can also connect to network RTK via the NTRIP method.

• Simple setup and single-person operation: Attach to the smartphone and turn on the power with a single touch; RTK initialization completes in about several tens of seconds, and measurement can begin. The intuitive operation allows non-specialists to perform necessary positioning and measurements alone on site.

• Multiple surveying functions in one unit: Through a dedicated app, the device supports single-point coordinate measurement, 3D point cloud scanning in conjunction with the phone’s camera and LiDAR, stakeout guidance for design-based piling positions (layout), visualization of as-built data via AR, and capturing photos with high-precision location metadata. Tasks that formerly required separate devices and software are completed with just LRTK and a smartphone. Acquired data include geodetic coordinates (latitude, longitude, height) in the World Geodetic System, so they can be used directly for surveys in public coordinate systems.

• Integration with cloud services: Measurement results can be saved and shared instantly to a dedicated cloud, allowing office personnel to review point cloud data and coordinates in real time. Cloud-based analysis and comparison with drawing files enable seamless data sharing between the field and the office.

• Low-cost introduction model: A subscription model that integrates hardware and cloud services eliminates the need to assemble expensive surveying devices and software separately. Initial costs are greatly reduced, and monthly fees are set to be predictable. New features are delivered via software updates, enabling continual access to the latest surveying environment with low overhead.

By using LRTK, high-precision positioning that previously relied on rentals or outsourcing can be performed more easily by in-house staff alone. LRTK addresses rental-related constraints such as cost, personnel, and environmental preparation, and is attracting attention as a powerful tool for accelerating DX (digital transformation) of field operations.

Summary

GNSS receiver rental is an effective means to use high-precision equipment only when needed, offering many advantages for short-term use and budget-constrained situations. At the same time, there are cost and operational challenges for frequent or long-term use. The smartphone-integrated GNSS receiver LRTK introduced in this article solves those challenges and provides a new option that enables high-precision positioning by a single operator. An era is beginning in which affordable equipment can be owned and operated in-house without relying on rentals. When considering GNSS receiver adoption, in addition to traditional rental and purchase options, consider including these latest solutions as part of your decision set.