Enabling precision farming with high-accuracy GNSS technologies

Centimeter-level accuracy is becoming the operating standard for agricultural automation and precision farming. Automated steering, field boundary mapping, and variable-rate input management all depend on high-accuracy GNSS. Each therefore demands positioning technologies that maintain accuracy across changing terrain, crop types, and connectivity conditions. Getting there requires the right choice of technology, correction methods, and deployment architecture. This Masterclass covers what that selection looks like in practice. It suits engineers specifying a new agricultural platform and product teams reviewing an existing configuration.

Selecting the right GNSS technology for precision farming

The webinar opens with the core demands driving specification decisions in GNSS for precision farming. These include accuracy thresholds, latency constraints, and the reliability expectations that distinguish field-grade GNSS from consumer-grade GPS. We then consider how to evaluate each technology option. Frequency bands, correction service options, signal quality, and system integration all factor into the decision.

Viewers then receive a structured comparison of multi-band RTK positioning and PPP correction techniques. RTK provides the highest accuracy using real-time corrections from a base station or correction network. The Galileo High Accuracy Service takes a different approach, broadcasting free PPP corrections via satellite, achieving sub-20cm horizontal positioning without any ground infrastructure. This makes it a strong choice for GNSS for precision farmingand remote agricultural deployments.

The Masterclass also covers deployment architectures for environments with limited cellular connectivity. This includes local base station setups where NTRIP correction services are unreliable or unavailable. Rural and remote operations particularly benefit from understanding these options early in the specification process. A direct comparison of each configuration follows, with practical guidance on when each suits best. The session closes with demonstrations from operational farming environments, showing measured accuracy and system behaviour under practical field conditions. Watch this Masterclass to see how GNSS for precision farming delivers in the field.

For a broader look at how our GNSS positioning technology can support innovation in connected farming, read our Precision Agriculture GNSS Guide.