Abstract
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals reflected at the water
surface are received together with direct GNSS signals by two low-const
receivers deployed to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). From relative
delay of the reflected signals with respect to the direct ones, the
height of the UAV above the water surface can be determined by GNSS
Reflectometry (GNSS-R). The height estimation is originally conducted
independently for each epoch, but by forcing temporally continuous
constraints on differences of two receiver clocks, estimates of whole
epochs during the study period are then contributed in the recursive
estimates of the height. Applying the new method to GNSS-R altimetry
data during an approximately 3-min hovering period at around 120-m
altitude, the mean and RMS differences from the measured and estimated
heights become improved from 0.72 and 5.87 m to 0.35 and 3.74 m. The
accuracy of measurements is also found strongly depends on elevation
angles of GNSS satellites, and also is sensitive to contaminations of
unexpected reflections such as from lands or ships.