u-blox has launched the company’s first multi-band high-accuracy timing solutions that support L1 and L5 GNSS signals. The ZED-F9T-10B and LEA-F9T-10B timing modules and the RCB-F9T-1 timing card provide the nanosecond-level timing accuracies required to synchronize cellular network base stations and smart power grids. The ANN‑MB1 L1/L5 multi-band antenna provides designers with easy evaluation of the performance of the timing modules for development of high-precision solutions for UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and other robotic platforms.
The timing modules’ multi-band capability allows them to compensate for ionosphere error from all GNSS satellite constellations, and reduce the timing error under clear skies to less than five nanoseconds without the need for an external GNSS correction service. The modules track signals from as many satellites as possible in order to provide maximum performance.
As satellites transmitting on the L5 band near completion, the L1/L5 signal combination is becoming a viable option to complement existing solutions based on L1 and L2 signals. The modernized L5 signals are expected to deliver improved performance, especially in difficult urban conditions, and as they fall within the protected ARNS (aeronautical radionavigation service) frequency band, they are also less subject to RF interference.
The LEA-F9T-10B module, featuring an extended -40 to +105 °C temperature range, will enable the development of robust, future-proof solutions that leverage these new signals in the L5 frequency band.
In addition to offering a differential timing mode for highly accurate local timing, the modules include a suite of advanced security features:
- Improved anti-jamming and anti-spoofing technologies to detect and flag malicious RF interference
- Secure boot ensuring that the modules can only boot with authentic firmware
- Secure interfaces to prevent intruders from tampering with the messages between the receiver and the host system
- Time-receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (T-RAIM) for the highest-level timing integrity
The u-blox ANN-MB1 L1/L5 multi-band antenna supports the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou GNSS constellations for maximum position availability. It addresses the scarcity of options in the nascent L1/L5 high precision antenna mass market, simplifying testing and deployment of L1/L5 multi-band GNSS solutions. Magnetic and fixed mounting options help meet the diverse installation needs of its target applications.
In addition to tracking GNSS signals in the L1 and L5 bands for new u-blox timing modules, the ANN-MB1 antenna targets developers in industrial navigation and robotics that are interested in high precision positioning technology to locate UAVs, ground robots, and agricultural equipment accurately and in real time.
