Tag: PointPerfect

U-blox and Nordian expand PointPerfect Flex further in South America

U-blox has expanded its partnership with Nordian to deliver its PointPerfect Flex (PPP-RTK) centimeter-level correction services across Argentina and Paraguay, building on existing coverage in Brazil as part of a broader regional expansion strategy.

The PointPerfect Flex GNSS correction service addresses growing demand from South America’s agriculture sector, while also serving drone operators, surveying and mapping professionals. The expanded coverage delivers centimeter-level accuracy at scale without requiring deployment of additional local base station infrastructure, enabling agricultural solution providers to implement precision automation solutions across remote areas where traditional RTK networks are not economically viable.

PointPerfect and u-blox GNSS receivers are developed in close conjunction with each other to achieve optimum results. The system supports both SPARTN data format optimized for u-blox receivers and RTCM format for non-u-blox GNSS RTK receivers, ensuring broad compatibility.

August 26, 2025
u-blox, Nordian introduce PointPerfect GNSS correction service to Brazil

Image: u-blox

u-blox has partnered with Nordian Positioning Solutions to expand coverage of the PointPerfect GNSS correction service to Brazil.

The collaboration aims to facilitate precise positioning for various applications, with a focus on high-precision agriculture, service robots, machinery automation, micro-mobility and emerging automotive applications, such as lane-accurate navigation and telematics.

PointPerfect is designed to provide centimeter-level accuracy and achieve convergence in seconds with 99.9% uptime reliability. The service ensures uniform coverage across the globe. Notably, PointPerfect’s recently introduced Localized Distribution feature is intended to reduce user data costs by using 90% less data than typical network real-time kinematic (RTK) services. This combination of low-bandwidth data stream and flexible service plans offers easy scalability for future needs.

January 18, 2024
U-blox to offer explorer kits for cm-level positioning designs
The development kits will bring together u-blox’s centimeter-level positioning and wireless communications expertise and services to support faster time-to-market for new products

The XPLR-HPG-1 high-precision GNSS explorer kit. (Photo: u-blox)

U-blox has announced new explorer kits to make it quicker and easier for engineers to design and evaluate products requiring centimeter-level positioning capabilities.

Set to launch in early 2023, the ready-to-use XPLR-HPG-1 and XPLR-HPG-2 solutions will combine u-blox’s unique offering across the key technologies required to achieve highly precise positioning.

As well as an open microcontroller unit (MCU), the kits will include high-precision GNSS positioning with real-time kinematic (RTK), dead-reckoning, cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth communications, along with the necessary antennas.

The kits are designed to integrate seamlessly with complementary u-blox services, such as PointPerfect GNSS augmentation service and the ubxlib software component.

The XPLR-HPG-2
High precision GNSS explorer kit. (Photo: u-blox)

The kits will assist engineers working in areas such as micro-mobility and low-speed robotics, helping them build, test and demonstrate early-stage proofs of concept more quickly, supporting faster overall time-to-market.

Both explorer kits will include the full gamut of u-blox technology and software required.
- The modular XPLR-HPG-1 kit will be based around the wireless MCU in the u-blox NORA-W106 , with its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE capabilities, and will give engineers flexibility to adjust their solutions to their precise needs, using MIKROE Click boards featuring a variety of u-blox modules. The kit will include three Click boards, which respectively incorporate the ZED-F9R high-precision RTK GNSS module, the LARA-R6001D LTE Cat 1 module (global coverage and with built-in MQTT client), and the NEO-D9S L-band correction data receiver module. Engineers can purchase others based on their application’s needs. The kit’s source code will include example software for the Espressif IoT Development Framework (ESP-IDF), based on ubxlib software components.
- The compact XPLR-HPG-2 will deliver an integrated solution, incorporating the ZED-F9R high-precision RTK GNSS, LARA-R6001D LTE Cat 1 (with global coverage and built-in MQTT client) and NEO-D9S L-band correction data receiver modules, as well as the NINA-W106 with its MCU, Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi capabilities.
October 7, 2022
U-blox and Geespace join on automotive high-precision positioning

The partnership will help to grow global adoption of the u-blox PointPerfect high-precision positioning service, in particular for automotive applications.

U-blox and Geespace have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the expansion of their respective augmentation services for high-precision applications.

Geespace is a provider of aerospace information and communications infrastructure and application solutions. Both partners will be able to extend their service offering to the U.S., European and Chinese markets, primarily in the automotive sector.

The rise of reliable and cost-effective high-precision positioning has improved the accuracy of GNSS solutions to the order of tens of centimeters, enabling a plethora of new applications in automotive, as well as industrial and robotics segments. Global adoption has, however, been hampered by a fragmentation of the augmentation services landscape, thee companies said.

For global adoption to become a reality, worldwide coverage is required, as is unified pricing and business models designed to serve mass-market high-precision solutions for automotive and industrial customers operating on a global scale. The resulting differences in technical specifications have also made development of such solutions requiring different services complex.

The MoU between u-blox and Geespace seeks to create a combined offering that will enable both companies to offer full-stack high-precision positioning software and hardware solutions to customers across the U.S., European and Chinese markets.

Also, it will enable Geespace, which provides automotive GNSS augmentation services to its parent company Geely Group, to use the u-blox PointPerfect GNSS augmentation service to grow its coverage to serve Geely’s automotive brands. Headquartered in Hangzhou, China, Geely Group brands include Geely Auto, Lynk & Co, Zeekr, Volvo Cars, Polestar, Lotus, London Electric Vehicle Company, Farizon Auto and CAOCAO Mobility.

The MOU also will enable u-blox to expand coverage of PointPerfect to offer customers a comprehensive high-precision solution for products sold in China, and benefit from simplified development and logistics efforts.

May 27, 2022
U-blox and Geespace partner to extend positioning solutions to US, Europe

U-blox and Geespace have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand their respective augmentation services for high-precision applications. Both partners will be able to extend their service offering to the U.S., European and Chinese markets, primarily in the automotive sector.

Geespace is provider of aerospace information and communications (AICT) infrastructure and application solutions.

The agreement between u-blox and Geespace seeks to create a combined offering that will enable both companies to offer full-stack high-precision positioning software and hardware solutions to customers across the United States, Europe and China. It will enable Geespace, which provides automotive GNSS augmentation services to its parent company Geely Group, to use the u-blox PointPerfect GNSS augmentation service to grow its coverage to serve Geely’s automotive brands.

Meanwhile, it will enable u-blox to expand the coverage of the PointPerfect service to offer customers a comprehensive high-precision solution for products sold in China, and benefit from simplified development and logistics efforts.

The rise of reliable and cost-effective high-precision positioning has improved the accuracy of GNSS solutions to the order of tens of centimeters, enabling new applications in the automotive, industrial and robotics industries. Global adoption has, however, been hampered by a fragmentation of the augmentation services landscape, the companies stated in a press release.

For global adoption to become a reality, worldwide coverage is required, as is unified pricing and business models designed to serve mass-market high-precision solutions for automotive and industrial customers operating on a global scale, the companies said.

Image: adamkaz/E+/Getty Images

May 6, 2022
SoftBank Corp., u-blox to collaborate on global GNSS augmentation services
Companies to develop common GNSS augmentation services for Japan, the United States and Europe

Image: the.epic.man/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

SoftBank Corp., ALES Corp. and u-blox AG have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in GNSS augmentation services for global markets.

SoftBank provides the “ichimill” GNSS augmentation service in Japan, its subsidiary ALES operates a business that generates and delivers positioning correction data, and u-blox is a global provider of positioning services for the automotive, industrial and consumer markets.

U-blox also provides electronic components for wireless communications and the PointPerfect GNSS augmentation service in Europe, the United States and other countries and regions.

Through this business collaboration, SoftBank, ALES and u-blox will construct GNSS augmentation infrastructure for Japan, Europe and the United States, develop GNSS receivers and devices, and expand service areas.

Collaboration Background

Since November 2019, SoftBank has been offering ichimill, a GNSS augmentation service that offers highly accurate positioning with a margin of error of a few centimeters in the Japan market. In addition to providing technology that enables the generation and delivery of correction data, ALES has been offering a centimeter-level positioning service to consumers in Japan since August 2020.

In July 2021, u-blox began providing PointPerfect, a PPP-RTK-based GNSS augmentation service, which is now available in the contiguous United States and Europe.

GNSS augmentation services like these are mainly offered separately by country and region. Client companies, which include global automotive manufacturers and agricultural machinery manufacturers, sign up for separate service contracts in each country and region, making GNSS receiver configuration more complex.

Collaboration Overview

To offer global GNSS augmentation services, SoftBank, ALES and u-blox will study the following initiatives.
1. Develop a global correction data delivery infrastructure. GNSS augmentation services use correction methods that differ by country and region, and there is a wide variety of correction signal formats. In 2022, the three companies will consider developing a correction data delivery infrastructure that delivers unified correction signal formats for use in any country or region. With this infrastructure, companies using ichimill or PointPerfect will be able to conduct GNSS augmentation if they are in range of both services, which will eliminate the need for separate service contracts by country or region.
2. Jointly develop global-compatible devices. In addition to correction data delivery, an environment that allows for the easy implementation of GNSS receivers and other devices is necessary for GNSS augmentation services. In conjunction with the launch of ichimill, SoftBank developed its own GNSS receivers and is offering them in Japan. The three companies will consider jointly developing GNSS receivers and modules that can be used globally.
3. Greater GNSS augmentation accuracy and service area expansion. The companies will collaborate closely to ensure that the performance of the services in all the regions covered are comparable. This is important to provide a consistent customer experience across all regions. Furthermore, the three companies plan to study service expansion into other areas, including Asia. SoftBank is promoting the deployment of non-terrestrial network (NTN) solutions that encompass satellite- and stratospheric-based telecommunication platforms to provide connectivity to the sea, the sky, developing countries and rural areas lacking internet infrastructure so everyone around the world has access to the internet. The three companies will consider the development of NTN-linked services, such as correction data delivery using small amounts of data in a way that is suitable for NTN bandwidths.
November 1, 2021
U-blox launches PointPerfect GNSS corrections for mass market

The GNSS augmentation service provides real-time, verified and scalable high-precision positioning to consumer, industrial and automotive applications.

U-blox has launched its new PointPerfect location service. PointPerfect delivers an advanced GNSS augmentation data service designed from the ground up to be ultra-accurate, ultra-reliable and immediately available.

The service enables the fast-growing demand for high-precision GNSS solutions including autonomous vehicles such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), service robots, machinery automation, micro-mobility and other advanced navigation applications.

Emerging automotive applications include automated driving (AD) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), lane-accurate navigation and telematics.

Delivered via mobile internet or L-band satellite signals, PointPerfect broadcasts on a continental scale with homogeneous coverage in Europe and the contiguous United States, up to 12 nautical miles off coastlines to any number of end-devices, delivering sub-10-centimeter positioning accuracy and convergence of seconds. It uses the SPARTN messaging format with the lightweight, secure MQTT internet of things (IoT) delivery protocol for a real-time, bandwidth-optimized, cost-efficient solution for mass-market applications.

PointPerfect cooperates smoothly with u-blox positioning and connectivity hardware, providing a one-stop-shop solution from silicon to cloud. Because it is based on the open SPARTN GNSS correction data format, its use is not restricted to a single hardware provider, allowing customers the flexibility to optimize solutions.

PointPerfect is delivered via the Thingstream IoT service delivery platform, an enterprise-grade cloud platform that supports billions of messages. Thingstream provides a self-serve environment where users can manage their device fleet, optimizing cost and performance through flexible and predictable pricing plans.

The service is backed by a full warranty, 99.9% uptime availability and 24/7 reliability. In-house development of all the technological building blocks ensures expert technical support while eliminating any external dependencies that could otherwise lead to delays.

“PointPerfect seamlessly integrates our advanced high accuracy GNSS augmentation service with industry-leading positioning and connectivity hardware,” said Franco de Lorenzo, principal product manager services, u-blox. “Designed for increased flexibility, PointPerfect lowers barriers to adoption and supports scaled-up high precision positioning solutions, even in segments where such solutions would previously have been considered impractical. Moreover, innovative delivery options fully integrated into our easy-to-use Thingstream IoT service delivery platform eliminate complexities and allow users to engage more efficiently, reducing time-to-market.”

July 6, 2021