GNSS Signal Obstruction Removal Tool for Evaluating and Improving Position Accuracy in Satellite Networks

The positioning accuracy of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is largely affected by the site's surroundings. However, the methods to simulate GNSS signal obstruction and the nature of signal obstruction have not yet been explored fully. In this research, we investigated a way to remove the signals received from a specific region by specifying azimuth and elevation from GNSS observation files and evaluating how the removal of signals affects GNSS positioning accuracy. In addition, we also investigated the signal blockage for buildings of certain dimensions and a mountain. Python was used as a programming language to develop a program for the signal removal. RTKPOST was used for the GNSS data processing, and RTKPLOT was used for the visualisation of processed data and analysis of positioning accuracy. We successfully developed a Python shell script to remove the signals in GNSS data file from specific region by specifying azimuth and elevation. It was also found that removing signals from azimuth 0 to 100 degree and elevation 0 to 30 degree increased the positioning accuracy within a low multipath dataset. However, when the maximum elevation angle was increased to 45 degrees, positioning accuracy degraded, indicating that the signal from certain elevations have a positive or negative impact on positioning accuracy. Further research avenues are explored as an extension of work done here.