SparkFun
RTK Facet Centimetre-Grade GNSS Surveyor
· MPN: GPS-19984
The RTK Facet is an all-in-one high-precision GNSS surveying device designed to deliver centimetre-grade position measurements with a simplified field workfl...
The RTK Facet is an all-in-one high-precision GNSS surveying device designed to deliver centimetre-grade position measurements with a simplified field workflow. It combines the core electronics, antenna and logging hardware into a compact unit for geolocation, surveying and RTK projects.
For everyday use, it pairs with a smartphone over Bluetooth. Your phone can supply correction data from an NTRIP service via the internet while receiving the high-accuracy NMEA position output from the RTK Facet.
Inside the unit are an ESP32 WROOM, a u-blox ZED-F9P GNSS module, a LiPo fuel gauge and a microSD card slot for logging. The protective dome houses a surveyor-grade multi-band L1/L2 antenna with a precise Antenna Reference Point (ARP).
The RTK Facet is fully open-source hardware and is programmed in Arduino, with access to the electrical and mechanical design files. It can log NMEA, RAWX and SFRBX data directly to microSD for post-processing and research.
Specifications:
- Antenna Phase Center L1: 71.8mm
- Antenna Phase Center L2: 67.3mm
- Antenna Phase Center Average: 69.55mm
For a permanent base station, SparkFun recommends using an L1/L2/L5 surveying antenna with a protected reference station or a ZED-F9P breakout-based solution.
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- breakout
- A breakout is a small circuit board that makes a tiny or hard-to-solder component easier to connect to with standard pins. It matters because this OLED module can be wired into a microcontroller project without needing to solder directly to the display’s fine contacts.
- ESP32
- ESP32 is a family of microcontroller modules with built-in wireless features such as Bluetooth and WiFi. Knowing this product uses an ESP32-based module helps explain how it provides wireless serial communication and firmware update features.
- GNSS
- GNSS stands for Global Navigation Satellite System, covering positioning systems such as GPS and similar satellite networks. It matters here because high-precision GNSS modules can output lots of serial position data that this product can send wirelessly to a computer or phone.
- L5
- A modern GNSS signal band used by several satellite systems for more accurate and robust positioning. Dual-band receivers that include L5 can often perform better than single-band receivers, especially for RTK and areas with reflected signals.
- LiPo
- A lithium polymer rechargeable battery commonly used in portable electronics projects. It matters because LiPo batteries need correct charging circuitry and care, and this board includes hardware intended for that battery type.
- microSD card
- A microSD card is a small removable memory card used to store files such as audio tracks. For this product, the card is where the sound files live, so its capacity and formatting can affect how many sounds you can use.
- RTK
- Real-Time Kinematic positioning is a GNSS technique that uses correction data from a base station to greatly improve location accuracy. It matters if you need centimetre-level positioning for robotics, mapping, surveying, or tracking rather than ordinary metre-level GPS accuracy.
- ZED-F9P
- A u-blox GNSS receiver module designed for high-precision positioning, including RTK rover and base-station use. The exact module matters because it determines the supported satellite bands, update rates, correction formats and achievable accuracy.
Find this product in
Sensors & Input
Main Board Schematic
Schematic · 294.7 KB · Click any page to view full size
ZED-F9P GNSS Module Datasheet
Datasheet · 1.1 MB · Click any page to view full size
Display Board Schematic
Schematic · 112.7 KB · Click any page to view full size
ESP32-WROVER-E Datasheet
Datasheet · 1.4 MB · Click any page to view full size
Connector Board Schematic
Schematic · 98.4 KB · Click any page to view full size
