GNSS receiver rentals are no longer necessary! One-person on-site completion with a compact smartphone-integrated LRTK

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 between renting and buying GNSS receivers

• A new alternative to rental: smartphone-integrated LRTK

• Conclusion

At construction and surveying sites, GNSS receivers (receivers for satellite positioning systems such as GPS) are essential for obtaining precise coordinates of points. Dedicated devices for such high-precision positioning can require investments of several million yen to purchase, making adoption difficult 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 rental are likely to have various questions about rental costs, usage periods, and setup procedures. This article clearly explains, from a professional perspective, the advantages and disadvantages of GNSS receiver rental, typical cost estimates and use cases, and points to consider when choosing. In addition, we introduce the smartphone-integrated high-precision GNSS receiver, LRTK, which has emerged as a new option to overcome the limitations of rental and enables one-person on-site completion.

What is GNSS receiver rental?

GNSS receiver rental is a service that allows you to borrow expensive surveying GNSS equipment only for the period you need. This lets you use the latest high-precision positioning technology when required while greatly reducing purchase and maintenance costs. GNSS positioning is increasingly used for a wide range of applications, including construction site as-built control, land surveying, infrastructure inspection, and disaster response. Even if you do not own dedicated equipment, you can procure what you need through rental. Recently, with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism promoting ICT construction and i-Construction, the demand for high-precision GNSS use on sites has increased, and rental services have grown accordingly. Through equipment rental companies, you can borrow desired models for periods ranging from several days to several months; many providers offer nationwide delivery by courier and flexible handling for short-term use, making it easier to secure equipment quickly when needed.

Advantages of GNSS receiver rental

There are the following benefits to using GNSS receivers via rental.

• Dramatically reduced initial cost: Compared to purchasing, initial expenses are minimal, allowing you to start using high-precision equipment without preparing several million yen in equipment costs.

• No maintenance burdens: Inspections, calibrations, and repairs are handled by the rental company, so you do not incur the time or cost of in-house maintenance or storage. Also, rented equipment is not capitalized, so no property tax is incurred.

• Borrow only the period and number of units you need: You can flexibly adjust the number of units between busy and quiet seasons and use equipment only for the necessary period, from short projects to long-term construction. For example, if you only need GNSS "this week," you can borrow for several days, avoiding wasteful idle equipment.

• Access to the latest models and diverse equipment: Rental companies stock receivers and peripheral equipment from multiple manufacturers, allowing you to choose the optimal model for the application. Purchasing limits you to a few models, but rental lets you try the latest or high-performance models as needed.

• Reliability in quality and support: Rental units are inspected and calibrated before shipping, ensuring consistent accuracy. Some providers also offer operation briefings and data-processing support for first-time users, so even beginners can adopt the equipment with confidence.

Disadvantages and limitations of GNSS receiver rental

On the other hand, renting GNSS receivers comes with the following disadvantages and limitations.

• Expensive for long-term use: While short-term rental fees are cheaper than purchasing, continued frequent rental or long-term use can make cumulative costs high. Paying rental fees per project can, in some cases, result in higher expenses than buying equipment outright.

• Limitations in models and stock: There are limits on the types and numbers of devices available for rent; the latest model you want may not be available, or inventory may be insufficient during peak demand. You may not always secure the desired equipment when you want it.

• Scheduling around availability: You must plan reservations and returns to match when equipment is needed. Because other companies also use the equipment, last-minute requests may not secure devices, and extending the rental period can incur additional fees. It’s important to schedule with sufficient leeway for your project.

• Operational skills and data processing: Proper use of GNSS surveying equipment requires knowledge of positioning and operational skills. Rental can provide the device, but correct settings and data processing to obtain surveying results are the user’s responsibility. If you do not have a professional surveyor, pre-training is essential to achieve adequate accuracy.

• Risks of damage or loss: If rented equipment is accidentally damaged or lost, you must bear repair or replacement costs. Although some rental contracts allow insurance enrollment, the high value of the devices means careful handling is still required.

• Preparation for high-precision positioning: Centimeter-level high-precision positioning requires not only a GNSS receiver but also a base station (reference station) or network correction data via the internet. If you rent only the rover, you must either set up your own base station or use paid high-precision positioning services (such as VRS or data from continuously operating reference stations). If you plan to transmit correction signals by your own radio, radio licensing under the Radio Act may be required. Without these environments in place, the device cannot achieve its inherent accuracy, so prior checks and preparation are important.

Costs and rental periods for GNSS receiver rental

Typical rental fees: Rental fees vary by model and period, but as a general guideline, renting an RTK-capable high-precision GNSS receiver set (rover + base) costs several hundred thousand yen for one week. Simpler standalone GNSS receivers (e.g., network-RTK–only units) can be rented from tens of thousands of yen per day. Some rental companies offer package rates such as 5 days or 1 month, and the daily unit price often becomes cheaper for longer rentals.

Rental periods: GNSS equipment rental can flexibly accommodate periods from several days to several months. Some providers allow a minimum of 1 day, but the typical plans are 5-day or 1-week units. Long-term rental plans are priced monthly, and extensions are possible to match project duration. However, because reservations fill up during busy periods, it’s advisable to apply early once the required period is determined.

Main uses and application scenes for GNSS receiver rental

Typical situations where GNSS receivers are procured via rental include:

• Construction and civil engineering sites: Using GNSS for setting-out (stakeout) of buildings, as-built (finished shape) measurements, installing reference stations for ICT earthworks machine guidance, and other construction management tasks.

• Surveying firms and design consultancies: Temporary needs for land surveying, topographic mapping, or infrastructure inspections. Rental is used when the firm does not own equipment or when additional equipment is required for projects with many survey points.

• Municipal operations and disaster response: When local governments carry out road or river surveys or need to quickly survey affected areas after a disaster. Even without permanently keeping equipment, rental allows response when necessary.

• Device trials and backup: Trial use before purchasing new GNSS equipment or as a substitute during ownership equipment failures or inspections. Renting for a limited period enables evaluation before purchase or plugging gaps in emergencies.

Comparison and how to choose between renting and buying GNSS receivers

Considering the advantages and disadvantages of rental, it’s important to judge whether renting or buying GNSS equipment is suitable for your company. The following guidelines summarize how to choose.

Cases where rental is suitable:

• GNSS equipment use frequency is low, e.g., only a few times a year

• Main projects are short-term, from several days to a few weeks

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

• You lack in-house surveying expertise and prefer outsourcing or renting as needed

• Required functions and performance vary by project, so you want to use appropriate devices case by case

Cases where purchase should be considered:

• Your operations routinely utilize GNSS positioning and you use it frequently

• You have large-scale or long-term projects where repeated rentals are likely to be costlier

• Your company has a surveying department or engineers who can manage and operate equipment in-house

• Shortened construction schedules and quick responsiveness are required, making it efficient to have equipment on hand

• You plan to internalize surveying technology and use it continuously as a company policy

A new alternative to rental: smartphone-integrated LRTK

Against the backdrop of rental challenges, a new solution has recently appeared: the smartphone-integrated high-precision GNSS receiver. A representative example is LRTK. LRTK is an ultra-compact RTK-GNSS receiver that attaches to the back of a smartphone (for example, an iPhone or iPad). Despite its pocketable size, it achieves centimeter-level high-precision positioning (cm level accuracy, half-inch accuracy). Tasks that traditionally required specialized equipment and multiple personnel can now be completed by a single field operator using only a smartphone and LRTK, making it a truly revolutionary tool that renders GNSS receiver rental unnecessary. The main features are introduced below.

• Ultra-compact receiver integrated with a smartphone: A compact device of approximately 150 g is attached to a smartphone for use. It fits in a pocket for easy transport to sites, and there is no need to carry large tripods or external power supplies.

• Centimeter-level high-precision positioning: Supporting multi-GNSS such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS (Michibiki), LRTK uses RTK positioning on L1/L2 bands to achieve horizontal and vertical errors within a few centimeters (within a few inches). This single unit can meet the accuracy required for public surveying.

• Maintains high precision even outside communication coverage (CLAS support): It can receive the centimeter-class augmentation service (CLAS) signals provided by Japan’s QZSS, enabling real-time centimeter-level positioning even in mountainous areas without mobile coverage. In areas with communication, it can also connect to network RTK via the Ntrip method.

• Easy setup and one-person operation: Attach to a smartphone with a single touch and turn on the power; RTK positioning initializes and measurements can start in a matter of several tens of seconds. Intuitive operation allows non-specialist staff to complete the necessary positioning and measurements alone.

• Various surveying functions in one device: Through a dedicated app, it supports single-point coordinate measurements as well as 3D point cloud scanning in conjunction with the smartphone’s camera and LiDAR, stakeout guidance based on design coordinates (setting out), visualization of as-built data via AR, and photographing with high-precision geotags. Tasks that previously required separate devices and software can be completed with just LRTK and a smartphone. Acquired data include latitude, longitude, and height in the World Geodetic System, allowing immediate use for surveys in public coordinate systems.

• Integration with cloud services: Measurement results are saved and shared instantly to a dedicated cloud, enabling real-time review of point cloud data and coordinates in the office. Analysis and comparison with drawing files can be performed in the cloud, allowing seamless data sharing between field and office.

• Low-cost introduction model: A subscription model that integrates hardware and cloud services eliminates the need to assemble expensive surveying equipment and software separately. Initial introduction costs are greatly reduced, and monthly fees are set to be predictable. New features are provided via software updates, making it easy to keep the surveying environment up to date at low burden.

By using LRTK, companies can more easily perform the high-precision positioning that was previously achieved through rental or outsourcing, using their own staff. It resolves the cost, personnel, and environment-preparation constraints associated with GNSS receiver rental and is attracting attention as a tool that strongly promotes DX (digital transformation) of field operations.

Conclusion

GNSS receiver rental is an effective way to use high-precision equipment only when needed, offering many advantages for short-term use and budget-constrained situations. However, frequent use or a long-term perspective raises cost and operational concerns. The smartphone-integrated GNSS receiver LRTK introduced in this article addresses those challenges and offers a new option for simple, high-precision positioning by a single person. The era in which companies can carry and operate affordable equipment themselves without relying on rental has begun. When considering GNSS receiver adoption, in addition to traditional renting or purchasing, consider adding such cutting-edge solutions to your options.