How Survey Sites Change with 10Hz Continuous Logging: The Power of Real-Time Trajectory Recording

Table of Contents

• Introduction

• What Is 10Hz Continuous Logging?

• Benefits of Real-Time Trajectory Recording

• Use Cases on Survey Sites

• Comparison with Conventional Survey Methods

• Technologies That Support High-Precision Continuous Positioning

• Simple Surveying with LRTK

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Introduction

In recent years, a style of working in surveying and civil engineering sites where position information is acquired in real time while performing tasks has been spreading. One noteworthy approach is positioning by “continuous logging” that records positions at a high frequency of 10 times per second (10Hz). Whether walking or moving in a vehicle, it is now possible to continuously log your trajectory (movement path) with high accuracy, bringing many advantages to the field that conventional surveying methods could not provide.

This article explains what real-time trajectory recording with 10Hz continuous logging is, its concrete power, and how surveying sites will change. We will clearly introduce the benefits of high-frequency logging, use cases, differences from conventional methods, and the latest technologies that support it. At the end of the article, we will also touch on simple surveying using LRTK, a solution that enables anyone to easily achieve high-precision positioning, and introduce the latest tools that help drive on-site DX.

What Is 10Hz Continuous Logging?

“Continuous logging” refers to continuously recording your position obtained by a positioning device. While typical GNSS positioning updates about once per second (1Hz), 10Hz continuous logging measures and saves positions at a very high frequency of 10 times per second (10Hz). For example, at 10Hz positions are recorded every 0.1 seconds, so even while moving you can capture fine-grained trajectories without omission. At a human walking speed (about 1–2 m/s), 1Hz positioning yields points spaced 1–2 m apart, whereas at 10Hz points are recorded every 0.1 seconds at intervals of several tens of centimeters, enabling the actual travel path to be reproduced as a smooth line.

Real-time trajectory recording makes this high-frequency continuous positioning immediately visible on site. As the surveyor moves, the trajectory is drawn almost in real time on a map. It feels like drawing a line on a digital map with a pen that follows your movement, allowing you to visualize the measurement “trajectory” on the spot. This feature makes it possible to understand positioning results not only as points but as lines and areas.

Benefits of Real-Time Trajectory Recording

The benefits that 10Hz real-time continuous logging brings range widely from on-site work efficiency to data quality. The main advantages are summarized below.

• Immediate result verification: You can check the measured trajectory in real time on site, so you can grasp results immediately. There is no need to take acquired data back for processing each time, and you can instantly notice and correct measurement mistakes or omissions.

• Significant improvement in work efficiency: With continuous logging you do not need to stop and measure at each point. By simply walking around the site, measurement point data over a wide area are collected automatically, completing surveying in much less time than before. Because fewer people are required, it also leads to labor savings.

• Increased data density and accuracy: Acquiring positioning points at high frequency dramatically increases data density. Because the trajectory is recorded in detail, minute curves or position changes that single-point surveys might miss are captured. In addition, by averaging multiple points or detecting outliers, you can obtain overall highly reliable data.

• Prevention of missed measurements: Since your movement path is displayed in real time, it is immediately obvious where you have not measured (blank areas in the trajectory). This prevents “missed measurements” and ensures complete coverage.

• Ease of recording and reporting: The acquired trajectory data remain as digital records. After measurement, you can include the trajectory in drawings or reports to intuitively show what was measured and where. If you take photos and attach high-precision position tags, recording and sharing site conditions becomes easy.

By introducing real-time trajectory recording, on-site workflows are dramatically streamlined and the reliability of surveying data is greatly improved.

Use Cases on Survey Sites

Real-time trajectory recording with 10Hz continuous logging demonstrates power in various surveying scenarios. Here are several concrete use cases.

• Linear surveys of roads and rivers: Continuous logging shows its true value in long-distance surveys such as along roads or levees. By walking the route, a surveyor can obtain the centerline and height changes continuously. There is no need to measure at each point, and the entire alignment can be measured smoothly.

• As-built surveys of site boundaries and developed land: Walking around the boundary or the perimeter of developed areas and recording the trajectory makes it possible to grasp site shapes in a short time. Even complex sites can be acquired as continuous polygon data without gaps, aiding area calculations and boundary confirmation.

• 巡回点検 of structures and facilities: For infrastructure inspections and maintenance of structures, logging the route walked allows later verification of “which route was inspected.” It helps prevent inspection omissions, records patrol routes, and is convenient when multiple people share coverage areas.

• Quality control and progress recording: When checking work quality or recording progress on construction sites, walking around the site and leaving trajectories visualizes which areas were inspected. Linking high-precision coordinate trajectories with photos and notes produces useful on-site reporting materials.

As described above, 10Hz continuous logging can be used across diverse surveying tasks, greatly contributing to on-site labor savings and richer data.

Comparison with Conventional Survey Methods

Positioning via real-time continuous logging fundamentally differs from conventional surveying approaches. Here we compare it with traditional methods to highlight its innovativeness.

Conventional total station or older GNSS surveying typically relied on “point surveying,” where the instrument is set up and each point is measured one by one. A skilled surveyor operates the equipment, pressing the measurement button at necessary locations to record data, which meant many points had to be collected to survey a wide area. For example, to survey a 50 m (164.0 ft) square site in detail, you would need to set up and measure dozens of grid points, requiring significant time and effort.

In contrast, surveying using continuous logging allows a surveyor to acquire a large amount of point-cloud-like data simply by moving around the site. It is literally a “line survey” or “area survey,” covering the target area comprehensively with uninterrupted continuous data. In a single field visit you can collect thousands to tens of thousands of positioning points, and it is easy afterward to extract required points or create cross-sections. Because there is no need to interpolate between points, the raw trajectory itself can serve as survey results, reducing data-processing workload.

There are also major differences in personnel and equipment. Conventional methods required multiple people to set up instruments and targets or to transport expensive dedicated equipment to the site. However, with a compact RTK-GNSS receiver and a smartphone for continuous logging, one person can gather all necessary data. Equipment has become small enough to fit in a pocket, making transport to the site significantly easier. High-precision positioning that once required specialist knowledge and experience is becoming usable by anyone with digital gadgets.

Technologies That Support High-Precision Continuous Positioning

Real-time high-precision positioning with 10Hz continuous logging has been enabled by the融合 of advanced GNSS positioning technologies and communication infrastructure in recent years. Let’s look at the main technical elements that support high-precision continuous positioning.

First and foremost is RTK-GNSS (Real-Time Kinematic) technology. RTK transmits error-correction information from a base station to a rover in real time, achieving centimeter-level accuracy (cm level accuracy (half-inch accuracy)) positioning. This allows instantaneous high-precision positions even while moving. In the past, post-processing kinematic (PPK) processing was often necessary, but nowadays comparable accuracy can be obtained in real time, enabling the advantage of confirming results on site.

Next, communication technologies that ensure uninterrupted reception of satellite positioning signals and augmentation information are also important. Traditionally, RTK required a wireless or internet connection to a base station, but in Japan a Quasi-Zenith Satellite System “Michibiki” provides a centimeter-class augmentation service (CLAS). By using a CLAS-compatible receiver, you can receive correction signals directly from satellites and achieve centimeter-level positioning even in mountainous areas without mobile coverage. Network RTK services using the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan’s reference station network (e.g., VRS) are also widespread, allowing nationwide access to high-precision correction information via mobile networks. These infrastructures have greatly lowered the barrier to obtaining real-time high-precision positioning data on site.

Furthermore, the evolution of positioning devices themselves should not be overlooked. High-performance multi-GNSS chips allow use of not only GPS but also GLONASS, Galileo, and others simultaneously, improving positioning accuracy and satellite availability. Reception of multiple frequency bands speeds up RTK initialization and helps maintain stable high-precision solutions during movement. In addition, receivers have become smaller and more power-efficient, enabling long-duration battery-powered continuous positioning. Integration with smartphones and tablets has become easier, making it possible to display trajectories in real time on dedicated apps or save data to the cloud, creating a highly convenient user experience.

These technological elements combined have brought real-time high-precision positioning, including 10Hz continuous logging, to a level usable in everyday surveying operations. This aligns with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s i-Construction initiative and the trend of construction DX, forming a foundational technology that supports productivity revolutions in surveying and construction sites.

Simple Surveying with LRTK

Our company offers a handheld GNSS receiver series called “LRTK” as a solution that makes high-precision RTK positioning easy to use on site. LRTK is a compact device that works in conjunction with a smartphone or tablet and is a “versatile surveying tool” that field technicians can operate intuitively. What once required specialized surveying equipment and skilled technicians—RTK positioning—can now be performed by anyone with a smartphone-like experience using LRTK, achieving centimeter accuracy (cm level accuracy (half-inch accuracy)) in continuous positioning.

For example, using “LRTK Phone,” which attaches to an iPhone, the smartphone’s position information can be high-precision-corrected and trajectories drawn in real time. A palm-sized receiver with antenna and battery attaches to the phone, and by launching a dedicated app you can start 10Hz real-time logging without complicated setup. Acquired data can be saved and shared via the cloud, and simultaneously taking photos while recording positioning results is simple.

For more heavy-duty site work, we also offer the “LRTK Pro” lineup — fixed-installation models engineered for dust- and water-resistance and long operation. LRTK Pro integrates antenna, GNSS receiver, communication module, and battery in a rugged design, and can directly receive CLAS signals for standalone centimeter-level positioning (cm level accuracy (half-inch accuracy)) even where internet is difficult. In addition, it features tilt compensation that automatically corrects the antenna tip position when the survey pole is tilted, strongly supporting surveying in rough or obstructed terrain. A unique product, the “LRTK Helmet,” integrates receiver and antenna into a helmet so that workers can perform safe hands-free surveying simply by wearing the helmet and walking.

By leveraging the LRTK series, anyone can readily practice high-precision positioning and fully exploit the benefits of real-time trajectory recording with 10Hz continuous logging. Try these latest LRTK-based simple surveying solutions to dramatically improve on-site productivity and survey data quality.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can accuracy be maintained while moving?

A: Yes. With the RTK method, centimeter-level accuracy (cm level accuracy (half-inch accuracy)) can be maintained even while moving. If satellite visibility is good and correction information is properly received, you can often maintain a “fixed solution (Fix)” during walking or vehicle movement. Even if accuracy temporarily degrades to a float solution (Float), the real-time state is visible, so you can immediately re-measure on site or exclude problematic data later.

What equipment is required for high-precision continuous logging?

A: To perform centimeter-accurate continuous logging, you need an RTK-capable GNSS receiver (rover) and a reference station system that provides correction information. To receive corrections from a reference station, you can connect to a reference-station network (e.g., VRS) via the internet, or in environments like Japan where CLAS is available, use a compatible receiver to obtain corrections directly from satellites. Solutions like small RTK receivers such as LRTK make these setups easy—combining with a smartphone completes the necessary equipment.

Can a smartphone alone achieve high-precision positioning?

A: Standard smartphone GPS alone typically has errors on the order of meters, making centimeter-level high-precision positioning and stable 10Hz continuous logging difficult. Dedicated RTK-capable GNSS receivers are required for high-precision. However, by using an external receiver that attaches to the smartphone, high-precision positioning is possible. In practice, attaching devices like LRTK Phone enables commercially available smartphones to achieve professional surveying-grade accuracy.

How can acquired trajectory data be used?

A: Logged trajectory data can be used in many ways. For example, importing measurement trajectories into GIS or CAD software to display them on maps aids in creating survey drawings and managing construction processes. You can calculate segment distances from continuous trajectories or compute areas of enclosed polygons. The LRTK app’s cloud features also allow online storage and sharing of trajectory data and measurement points, enabling immediate office use of field data and easy team sharing.

Is real-time positioning possible at sites without network coverage?

A: Yes. There are methods to perform real-time positioning even without a communications network. A representative method in Japan is using the CLAS satellite augmentation. With a CLAS-compatible receiver, you can obtain high-precision correction information directly from satellites in mountain areas where mobile coverage is absent and perform real-time positioning. For example, our LRTK Pro series supports CLAS reception, enabling standalone centimeter-level continuous logging even without internet. Alternatively, you can deploy your own mobile base station (local reference point) to broadcast corrections by radio in communication-deprived areas.

Is long-duration continuous logging possible?

A: Yes, long-duration continuous logging on site is possible. Typical RTK-capable GNSS receivers can run on battery for several hours to about a day, and operation time can be extended easily with mobile battery packs. Data storage can typically hold tens of thousands of points, so running out of capacity during normal work hours is unlikely. Therefore, recording trajectories continuously from morning to evening is quite feasible.

Aren’t RTK-capable surveying instruments expensive?

A: RTK-GNSS surveying systems once required investments of several million yen, but recent technological advances have greatly reduced costs. Some affordable receivers are now available for less than a few hundred thousand yen, and low-cost products that pair with smartphones like LRTK are becoming popular. Initial acquisition barriers have lowered compared with the past, making RTK accessible to individuals and small-to-medium businesses.