Precise Point Positioning (PPP) gives the ability to obtain accurate airborne GPS without the need for a GPS base station. The high precision of PPP has been made possible since the International GNSS Service (IGS) made readily available precise ephemeris data to correct GPS satellite orbits and clocks. Having accurate GPS without the need for a base station has substantial financial and logistical advantages, especially in remote and difficult survey locations.

In this paper we address the accuracies obtained from kinematic airborne GPS processed with PPP as well as the observation times required to achieve these accuracies. These accuracies in turn determine how and when this technology can be used in photogrammetric production, such as what scale may be suitable or what application the photogrammetry will be used for.

Precise Point Positioning technology has been used for many of our photogrammetric projects as both a checking tool for differential GPS base stations as well as a primary source of airborne GPS. We will demonstrate this use with examples of production projects.

Is Precise Point Positioning the universal CORS Network?