New adapter board RAB4 from Rutronik System Solutions

This accuracy, coupled with its increasing cost-effectiveness, makes RTK increasingly attractive. In collaboration, the Rutronik Wireless Competence Centre and Rutronik System Solutions have introduced the Adapter Board RAB4. This innovation streamlines the evaluation of RTK's capabilities without the need for custom hardware design, expediting the pre-development stage and lowering costs to accelerate market entry for various applications.

Autonomous vehicles, drones, and agricultural machinery depend on exact real-time positioning. RTK refines the accuracy of satellite positioning through a base station broadcasting correction data to a mobile receiver, achieving precision within one to two centimeters, even for fast-moving objects.

Stephan Menze, Head of Global Innovation Management at Rutronik, elaborates: “RTK is not a new technology and has been used in some areas for a long time. However, the costs were very high until now. Nowadays, cheaper but nevertheless powerful modules are available. That makes the technology and its advantages interesting for other areas of application. With our RAB4, we offer a modern hardware solution to test RTK quickly and cost-effectively for various applications.”

The RAB4 incorporates state-of-the-art components from Rutronik's Linecard, including the high-precision UM980 RTK positioning module by Unicore Communications, which utilises the advanced NebulasIV GNSS SoC for superior navigation and positioning across all GNSS frequencies.

Zhang Bing, Vice President Marketing of Unicore, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership with Rutronik and the potential of the RAB4 to broaden the adoption of RTK technology: “We are among the top suppliers in the high-precision positioning modules industry and have established a robust partnership with Rutronik. We are thrilled to see the release of RAB4. We believe that integrating our high-performance UM980 module into the Adapter Board will significantly enhance awareness of RTK technology and demonstrate the capabilities of our module to developers.”

Additionally, the RAB4 is equipped with a 4G LTE module featuring an integrated standard multi-GNSS receiver from Telit Cinterion's LE910 series, allowing for direct comparison of GNSS and RTK data without requiring multiple development kits. The inclusion of a 100MB prepaid SIM card facilitates the download of NTRIP correction data from the Internet, eliminating the need for a proprietary reference station.

Its modular design makes the RAB4 compatible with various development projects. Thanks to its Arduino interface, it easily pairs with other boards, like the RDK3 Base Board from Rutronik System Solutions, enabling wireless connections through Bluetooth Low Energy. An application example from Rutronik System Solutions showcased the potential of this setup by developing a rover that can be precisely controlled via an app. This rover will make its debut at Rutronik's booth at Embedded World 2024 in Nuremberg.