Contents

What is NAVsolve?
What's new?
Selecting files
Extracting the configuration
Previewing raw data
Working with multiple files
Adding base stations
Exporting a processed file
What's next?

What is NAVsolve?

NAVsolve is OxTS’s revamped post-processing software. It has been built from the ground up as a replacement for the current RT Post-Process application. It contains all the same functionality that RT Post-Process had along with some new features and an improved user interface.

NAVsolve allows users to process raw data collected with OxTS inertial navigation systems. Some of the features of NAVsolve include:

• Combine processing forwards and backwards in time to improve accuracy
• Add differential corrections from multiple base stations
• Change the INS configuration and reprocess with different settings to fix set-up errors
• Use tightly coupled GNSS/INS processing with gx/ix™ technology
• Export to different file formats, including CSV, POS, and 3DP
• *NEW* Preview raw data before processing to check quality

What's new?

NAVsolve has been built from the ground up so some things are a bit different or completely new compared to RT Post-process. Here are some tips to get you through NAVsolve and some highlights of the new features.

Selecting files for processing

You can now work on multiple files at the same time. Select a folder with the Browse button to display a list of all the RD files within that folder. Check the boxes of those files you wish to work on.

Selecting multiple raw data files from a folder

The Working folder is where the configuration and processing outputs will be stored. By default it will be the same as the folder selected containing the RD files, but can be changed if needed.

Extracting the configuration

When downloading an RD file from an INS, the configuration last committed to that INS is also automatically downloaded and stored in the OriginalConfiguration folder that is created in the working directory. NAVsolve also automatically extracts the configuration within the RD file, i.e. the one that was committed at the time the file was created, and stores it in the ExtractedConfiguration folder.

By default, NAVsolve will use the extracted configuration in the processing. You can choose to use the original configuration by selecting the option in Process > Advanced settings

Setting to use the OriginalConfiguration instead of the ExtractedConfiguration

Note that when loading an RD file from a folder on your computer, the OriginalConfiguration is empty so this option should be left unchecked.

Previewing the raw data

The Preview page is an optional step that can be useful for checking the quality of the raw data, looking for diagnostics, and finding general information about the system. 

Hardware configuration details shown in the Product information section of the Preview page

The Graph tab shows a plot of the raw data. Here you can see the data on a map, plot different raw measurements, and check the values throughout the data set.

The Graph tab on the Preview page shows a plot of the raw GNSS and IMU data before processing

To plot different measurements, scroll through the list and double click the one you want to see. Controls to zoom and pan on the graph can be accessed by clicking the > button to the side of the plot, or using the keyboard shortcuts Shift+drag to zoom and Ctrl+drag to pan.

Change views and plots of the Preview Graph

Working with multiple files

With NAVsolve, you can load in and work on multiple files at the same time. The Preview, Process, and Export pages have a drop-down bar at the top which shows the current file. If multiple files were selected on the Source page, you can switch which file to work on by selecting it from the drop-down.

Switch between the active RD file being worked on

Adding base stations

Like RT Post-Process, you can add one or multiple base station files to be used for differential corrections, increasing the accuracy of your data. With NAVsolve though, you don't need to specify whether it's an RTCM file, a single RINEX, or multiple RINEX files. Just browse to the folder that contains your base station files and they will be displayed in the file select box. 

For RINEX files, the name of the base station and the distance from the data set is displayed. You can also click the Edit... button to view the details of the station. Currently, changing the coordinates or datum doesn't do anything, but a future version of NAVsolve will allow you to change the base station location if you have more precise coordinates.

Add base stations from a folder for differential corrections

Exporting a processed file

After processing a file, or by loading a processed file on the Source page, the Export page can be used to configure the settings for exporting. The Select file drop-down bar at the top of the page will now display processed files (e.g. NCOM, MCOM, XCOM etc.) rather than RD files.

The Export page is quite similar to RT Post-Process. One new feature is the Graph tab which can be used to easily select the portion of the file you wish to export. Drag the tabs to the start and stop times you want. The middle tab can be used to view the measurements at different times in the same way as on the Preview page. 

Settings to export from a processed file

You can also now select from the full list of measurements to export, rather than the limited selection shown in RT Post-Process. Clicking the Add measurements button on the Measurements tab brings up the same list as in NAVgraph, allowing you to choose from all available measurements.

Choose which measurements to export with the Add measurements button

What's next?

There are still some things we're working on for NAVsolve. We're keen to hear your feedback on what you think is lacking, what you'd like to see, or what you think of our current ideas. Here's what we have planned so far:

• Moving the Preview page - since it's an optional step and not vital to the actual processing, we think it might be too prominent in the sidebar. It could be hidden by default or moved out to a different part of the window.
• Adding automatic RINEX download - we have created a database of thousands of public base stations around the world and plan on integrating this into NAVsolve so you can easily download RINEX corrections from the nearest base stations to your data.
• Edit base station locations - in situations where the RINEX header doesn't contain a precise position and the user wants to change it to a known precise position, this will be possible by editing the base station properties.
• Export raw data - you can now preview the raw GNSS and IMU data in NAVsolve, but we plan to add the capability to extract and export that raw data as well.

Those taking part in the NAVsolve closed beta can also help shape and improve the general workflow. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas for NAVsolve.