Trimble has announced it has supplied Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) reference stations and VRSTM (Virtual Reference Station) software to establish a GNSS infrastructure network in Western Australia. Located in Perth, the high-precision network is built solely with Trimble NetR5 reference stations and is the first VRS network with GNSS capabilities. The GNSS network supports both the next-generation GPS L2C and L5 signals and GLONASS signals adding greater flexibility, fast initialization times and more robust signal tracking for positioning applications.

The VRS network provides a geo-spatial infrastructure for surveying, engineering and Geographic Information System (GIS) professionals. The Perth infrastructure will supply fast and accurate positioning information for a variety of applications including surveying, urban planning, urban and rural construction, environmental monitoring, resource and territory management, disaster prevention and relief, precision agriculture, scientific research and transportation management.

The Perth VRS installation follows more than 80 Trimble infrastructure networks throughout the world including: China, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, U.S., Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Australia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

The Perth VRS network is operated by GPSnetwork Perth and is the first privately-owned VRS network in Australia. Built with 5 Trimble NetR5 GNSS reference stations, Trimble GPSNetTM and RTKNetTM software, the network is available to geospatial professionals.

Covering the entire metro-Perth area, the network’s reference stations are installed from Two Rocks (60 km north of Perth) to Mandurah (100 km south of Perth) for a network area reach of 4,550 square km. The Perth VRS network provides high-accuracy positioning and surveying anywhere in the area without the need of an additional base station.

“The Perth VRS network is the Rolls Royce of GPS infrastructure,” Geoff Lockhart, director of GPSnetwork Perth says. “With its advanced GNSS capabilities, it can open up high accuracy positioning to more users in the area. Once people start using it and experiencing the benefits of increased productivity, reliability and accuracy, it will become the wave of the future for GNSS surveying and positioning in the Perth area.”