Top 5 RTK GNSS Receivers for Forestry

Performance and price are 2 of the key ingredients of finding a good GPS receiver. Of course there are more components that play a role which we take in consideration as well. 

Here is our review process in detail:

1. Performance
2. Price
3. Connectivity
4. Compatibility
5. Features  

Top 5 Best RTK GNSS Receivers for Forestry in 2022

Below is a list of the top 5 best RTK GNSS receivers for the forestry business that we think are cost effective and work well in the environments common in the forestry industry.

Please note: As you probably know, a GPS surveying set is not complete without a good surveying software solution. Where the GNSS antenna determines the location its the software that allows you to determine what to do with this location. Wether this is uploading your DTM (digital terrain model) for staking out, or for point collection. In this review we focus on the GNSS antenna only because this is responsible for the performance. Please read the article below for a good software solution: 

• Software Help Guide – Best Land Surveying Software

For forestry we recommend the South Galaxy G2 RTK GNSS receiver. Its price compared to its performance is unmatched in the forestry surveying business. With the 60° IMU tilt sensor you can measure hard to reach points way more easily and if the trees interfere to much with the satellite signals a little tilt can make sure you still get that accurate fixed solution.

The South Galaxy G2 RTK GPS receiver is a multi-constellation GNSS receiver with 965 channels. With its highly intergrated and layered design the South Galaxy G2 GNNS receiver is smaller than most GPS receivers. It’s only 850g in weight and has a magnesium alloy body shell which makes it a robuust and strong GPS antenna with an IP68 rating. 

The 4G internet modem in the RTK GNSS receiver makes you connect to a RTK VRS correction network with ease, even if your data collector doesn’t have an internet modem. And even if you’re not able to connect with an RTK VRS correction network you can still get centimeter accurate with a base station. Thanks to the internal UHF radio with the Farlink protocol which achieves a typical working range of 8km, you can connect two RTK GNSS receivers with eachother to make your own rover and base set. 

The 6800mAh rechargeable and removable Lithium-ion battery let’s you work for 15 hours in rover mode. And if the battery runs dry while you’re on your surveying job you can switch the battery with new ones so you can keep on surveying with the South Galaxy G2 RTK GNSS receiver. 

Here are some possible South Galaxy G2 setups

The Comnav T300 is a very reliable RTK GNSS receiver. It is very compact and can track all the working satellite constellations. With its SinoGNSS QUANTUM technology and strong anti-interference design, the Comnav T300 GPS receiver will provice high-accuracy positioning even in difficult areas.

Its rugged housing and IP67 rating makes it dustproof and waterproof to a depth of 1 meter and a suitible GNSS receiver even in harsh conditions. It has a costumer-grade battery design compatible with Canon LP-E6 which is easy to purchase and replace in your local market. The batteries are also hot swappable to ensure a fluent workflow in the field. 

The 4G internet modem let’s you connect with any VRS or CORS network with ease. So getting centimeter accurate with this RTK GPS receiver isn’t a problem. 

The build-in UHF radio let’s you connect with another GPS receiver to make sure you’re still able to get centimeter accurate without being connected with an RTK VRS or CORS network. You just have to connect two GNSS receivers with eachother so you’re creating a rover and base set. Your base station will send corrected positioning data to your rover.

Here are some possible Comnav T300 setups

The RTK FIX G1 is on the 3rd place in this list. It is a RTK GNSS receiver and data collector in one. You have two options for this one: as tablet only option or rover set option. With the rover set you’ll get a GNSS antenna, surveying pole, antenna cable and pole mount. 

Here are some possible RTK FIX G1 setups

The Kolida K5 IMU is an RTK GNSS receiver with high performance. It uses intelligent voice technology which provides status indication and an operation guide. It has 555 channels and multi constellation tracking. The IMU tilt sensor which allows you to tilt up to 60° makes surveying in the forest much easier. If you need to measure a hard to reach spot the IMU tilt sensor can come in very handy to make sure those spots are better reached. 

The 4G internet modem in the GPS receiver allows you to connect with an RTK VRS correction network so you can get centimeter accurate in just a matter of seconds. Is there no internet connection or RTK VRS correction network available in the area you’re surveying? No problem! You can also easily set up a rover and base set with the Kolida K5 IMU RTK GNSS receiver and get corrected data from your own base station. The build-in UHF radio has a frequency range of 410-470MHz. 

This RTK GNSS antenna has an IP67 rating which makes it waterproof till 1 meter below surface and sealed against sand and dust. It has two Li-Ion batteries of 3400 mAh which allows you to work for 12 hours in rover mode.

Here are some possible KolidaK5 IMU setups

Here are some possible Stonex S900A setups

Things to consider when choosing an RTK GPS receiver for Forestry

1. Besides The GPS Antenna You Will Need Surveying Software As Well

With just a GNSS receiver you are not going to get far. Yes the GPS antenna provides you with the positioning data and the accuracy that you need but you’ll still need a place to process all of this. 

This is what land surveying software is for. Within the software you can attach data to your GPS positioning data. By uploading DTM (Digital Terrain Models) into your software you can stake out these points based on the positioning data your GPS system provides. 

The receivers listed above are all compatible with most of the GPS survey software packages so connecting should not be an issue. Now the questions remains, Which software package do I need? You can read the article below to find a good solution:

• Software Help Guide – Top 5 software for land surveying

 

2. Choose a Strong GNSS Receiver 

In the forestry business the environments can be very harsh, because of that it is important to have a strong and rugged GNSS receiver. That’s why we always recommend a GPS receiver with an IP67 rating or higher. If something may happen it will be strong enough to survive it. This is ofcourse for minor things, not if a truck or something like that runs over it.