topic Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy in ArcGIS Collector Questions

Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

KaylaFlamm — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 18:36:15 GMT

Does the Collector app support the centimeter level accuracy you can get with a Trimble R2? I have heard that it does not, that Collector currently only supports sub-meter accuracy such as with a Trimble R1. Can anyone confirm this or perhaps give an estimate on when such a functionality might be available if it isn't already?

Thanks!

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

RuiGe — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 19:30:29 GMT

Hi, Kayla,

Support for external GNSS receivers is included in our plan for future release. If you would like to participate in the Beta testing, please email Collector4ArcGIS@esri.com with information such as your name, organization and devices you want to use.

thanks,

Rui

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

AndrewMilanes — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 19:32:28 GMT

Trimble has a smartphone app called GNSS status that you use in conjunction with their R1 and R2 receivers. When you connect to the R1/R2 receiver using that app, it overrides the internal GPS on your smartphone. If you are using a real-time correction service such as a VRS network, you should get cm(ish) accuracy with whatever data collection app you use, including Collector. I have an R2 but have not tested it with Collector yet, but I see no reason it wouldn't work.

However, you will only get this type of accuracy with a VRS connection since currently Collector does not support post-processing. Also, this is for horizontal only as Collector does not have Geoid support yet either.

One more note, in order to get cm accuracy with the R2, you have to purchase one of the RTK variants of the receiver.

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

JeffreyNormandin — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 14:37:59 GMT

I inquired with a salesman about what equipment I could get that would allow high-accuracy data collection into Collector on an iPad. He told me the R2. We bought it and now I can see the high-level of accuracy in the Trimble GNSS Status app, but Collector isn't receiving any GPS signal from the R2 whatsoever - if you walk the iPad away from the R2, the position in collector follows the iPad. So obviously the position isn't being passed along to other apps.

I went back to the salesman, but he had obviously never actually tried it, and he came back to me with the answer that it was because Collector can't communicate with the Trimble, but the Beta version that Rui Ge referenced above would solve all my problems. Based on what I see in this discussion and elsewhere, I have a feeling my issue is all about setting the Trimble and iPad up properly to communicate, and that the Collector app alone isn't the reason for my total lack of communication between the two apps and pieces of hardware.

Can any of you confirm my suspicion, or offer guidance on how to resolve it? I am definitely interested in getting the highest level of positional accuracy that I can, but first I just want to see that my settings are squared away so everything can communicate properly.

Thanks,

Jeff

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

AndrewMilanes — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 17:41:34 GMT

Jeff, I tested my R2 with Collector and it worked like I expected. Here's what I did.

I setup my R2 outside my office on a bipod:

From inside my office I connected to my R2 via bluetooth using the GNSS Status app:

Then I opened Google Maps and Collector. Both showed my location in the correct spot outside of my office:

The dot didn't move even if I walked around. To ensure this was showing my location from the R2, I disconnected my bluetooth connection and my location changed:

One thing you may want to check is your NMEA output. I don't think this has anything to do with iOS or Android apps, but it is used with ArcPad on Windows Mobile.

That's pretty much all there is to it. If you follow these steps, I see no reason that it won't work.

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

JadeFreeman — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 18:56:03 GMT

Has anyone gotten this to work with the Trimble R10 receivers?

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

KaylaFlamm — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 19:12:39 GMT

I have been able to get the Trimble R1 to work just fine with the Collector app on the iPad. The dot follows the R1 rather than the iPad, and it seems to have the accuracy that is displayed in the GNSS Status App. So all good there.

When we inquired about purchasing a Trimble R2 (thinking that it would work the same way as the R1 and would get the cm-level accuracy by using the free RTK network offered by the Dept of Transportation in MO), the sales rep claimed that it is not currently possible to have this cm-level accuracy stream to the Collector App. Needless to say... this confuses me. Why would it work fine with the R1 but not the R2?

And yes, I am aware that the Collector app doesn't support post-processing nor does it give you the information you can get from the GNSS Status app. That's not the thing that's tripping me up here.... its the fact that I've been told the Collector app won't support the cm-level accuracy being "fed" to it via Bluetooth and the GNSS Status App.

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

AndrewMilanes — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 19:50:24 GMT

Kayla, based on my experience during the purchase process of my R2, I am not at all surprised that your sales rep was misinformed. I had to educate my Trimble rep on the capabilities and configuration I wanted in my R2.

So yes, as long as you setup your real-time configuration in the GNSS Status App, Collector will have no idea what the source or accuracy is. Unfortunately I don't have a VRS subscription to demonstrate this right now. In LA the service isn't free and I rented a subscription for a few weeks during a project but it has expired.

Since Collector does not have any GNSS accuracy or status reporting at this time, the only way to verify this would be an actual field test on a known monument. I'll likely purchase a VRS subscription within the next month, so I'll be able to test it out then.

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

AndrewMilanes — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 19:52:36 GMT

I don't think the R10 is supported via the GNSS Status App, which is what you need in order to override the internal GPS on smartphones.

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

JadeFreeman — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 21:51:31 GMT

Thanks...just the information I was looking for!

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

AndrewMilanes — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:35:52 GMT

I did some more testing with my R2 and an iPad Mini and iPhone 5S for a presentation last Friday. Getting an iOS device to "lock-on" to the external bluetooth GPS seems to be hit or miss. Without a way to disable the built-in GPS capabilities of an iOS device, and no way to determine where an app is getting the GPS signal, it's a hit-or-miss proposition. Sometimes it appears to work as it should and other times it seems the internal GPS is being used. I tested this with Google Maps as well. Hopefully once Collector officially supports high-accuracy GNSS receivers, we'll have more diagnostic tools to ensure connection to the proper device. Beta testing of the next version of Collector should start "soon".

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

AndrewMilanes — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:36:58 GMT

I'll also test with some Android devices and see what happens.

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

CliffHoeffner1 — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:38:12 GMT

Hi Kayla,

You can get CM accuracy from the R2 into Collector using the GNSS status app. This requires the following:

1. A CM version of the R2

2. A real-time base station correction service, preferably a VRS. A single base will work as long as you are within 18 miles of it.

3. The "High Accuracy NEMA" option activated on your R2

A. This is not a standard option. This option has to be requested by your Trimble rep from Trimble. They will need your R2's SN#. Trimble will provide back a option code to activate the option.

B. **Without this option enabled, the best you will see in collector is sub-meter** no matter what version of the R2 you have or correction source you are using, or accuracy the GNSS Status app is stating.

To check if you have this option or to install it, connect to your computer to your R2 using WiFi. Once you have done so, type 192.168.142.1 into the browser. You will be prompted for a Username (admin) and Password (password). Once logged into your receiver, go to Receiver Status -> Receiver Options. There you are looking for "High Accuracy NEMA" under Additional Features (See Screen Shot Below). At the bottom, you will see the option to paste in the install code and install it.

** The other thing to note is that Collector uses Web Mercator as the coordinate system referencing WGS 84. More than likely your base station corrections will be in NAD83. If this is the case you will see about a 3ft shift in your data as Collector doesn't support datum transformations until the next release. Here is a blog post ESRI put out that references using external GNSS Receivers using real-time corrections with Collector. Using GNSS Receivers with Collector for ArcGIS | ArcGIS Blog

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

DavisWildman — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 18:24:52 GMT

We have many clients using Eos Arrow 200's and iPads on RTK networks...getting centimeter accuracy without issues. And there's a NTRIP client from Eos that's very easy to use, too.

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

BillKinley — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 18:25:39 GMT

Ok...I purchased a RTX Satellite subscription in hopes that we could get <4cm accuracy with the R2. I have connected all types of devices such as iPad with 3rd party staking software, terraSync Pro, and now using the GNSS App. I am still not able to get the accuracy they advertise and we have the top of the line R2.

I can connect the R2 with the GNSS app but the best I can get is 4.5' accuracy.

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

CliffHoeffner1 — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 17:32:11 GMT

Hi Bill,

From what you are describing, it sounds like the service isn't initializing. To achieve 4cm accuracy, you need to be using the RTX CenterPoint service. This service takes about 30 minutes to initialize with the R2 CM Edition unit. In the GNSS Status App, you should see "RTX" in the bottom right hand circle when the service is "In Use" Ultimately, I would contact your local dealer for support.

If its available, a base station correction via internet would be a better solution as the initialization time is about 2-3 minutes.

Re: Collector + Trimble R2 cm level accuracy

JayRiester1 — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 16:33:15 GMT

Trimble RTX is not officially supported with Collector at this time. Since RTX is a Trimble Subscription via Satellite or IP Corrections it was designed for Trimble Supported software for Real-time Corrections.

Stay tuned to the Beta testing of Collector this Spring. RTX from Trimble might be supported along with other NTRIP VRS/RTN Real-time services as Collector is going to intergrate Datum Transformations.