RTK Base Station

Project Overview

Portable GNSS RTK base station for drone-grade, centimeter-level positioning.

Status: Version I Completed — Version II in Progress

Hardware Power Wiring Gallery Ack Status

At a Glance

The RTK Base Station acts as a ground reference system transmitting RTK correction data to drones or mobile rovers to reach centimeter-level positioning accuracy.

The final design includes a 3-part modular enclosure (Top, Middle, Bottom), housing all electronics, a rechargeable 18650 Li-ion pack, and a metal power button with LED indicator. The unit mounts directly on a tripod via a standard thread adapter.

Main Features

GNSS Front-End

CubePilot Here4 Base (u-blox NEO-F9P) with external CS7624A antenna for high-precision multi-band reception.

LoRa Communication

Ebyte E220-900T22D module running at 900 MHz to broadcast RTCM corrections over long range.

Integrated Power

IP5310 (LX-LBC3.1) charger + boost module powering the system from 4 × 18650 cells with external USB-C and illuminated button.

Hardware

Controller

Arduino Nano manages UART communication and automatically triggers the Survey-In process on the Here4Base at startup.

Enclosure

Three 3D-printed parts: Bottom (Here4Base + radio), Middle (battery + charger), and Top (antenna mount). Quick tripod attachment underneath.

Power Components

IP5310 charger + boost module, LM2596 step-down (5 → 3.3 V), illuminated power button, and visible charge LEDs through the case window.

System Diagram

RTK Base Station functional wiring diagram with IP5310, LM2596, LoRa module, Arduino Nano, and Here4Base connections — Functional electrical diagram of the RTK Base Station (IP5310, LM2596, LoRa module, Arduino Nano, and Here4Base).

Power

The system is powered by four 18650 Li-ion cells connected to the IP5310 charger + boost board, providing 5 V output. The 5 V rail feeds both the Here4Base and Arduino Nano, while the LM2596 regulator generates 3.3 V for the LoRa radio.

The illuminated metal button toggles the 5 V boost output, and its LED ring is powered from the same rail.

USB-C for charging and data access
Integrated power-path allows operation while charging
Battery status visible through case window
USB port at base enables charging via powerbank

Wiring

Serial

Arduino Nano ↔ Here4Base (UART + GND)
Here4Base ↔ LoRa (E220) (3.3 V UART link)
Shared GND across all modules

RF

CS7624A antenna connected via 30 cm coax (TNC→SMA)
LoRa antenna mounted externally on bottom case
Ensure both antennas are connected before power-on

Notes

Button of IP5310 board removed to use external metal switch
LED ring wired to IP5310 load output
Verify LM2596 set to 3.3 V before connecting LoRa module

Components Summary

Here4 Base (u-blox F9P) receiver + CS7624A antenna
Arduino Nano
E220-900T22D LoRa module + external SMA antenna
IP5310 charger + boost (LX-LBC3.1)
LM2596 step-down converter (5 → 3.3 V)
4 × 18650 Li-ion cells + holder + metal power button
3D-printed enclosure (Top, Middle, Bottom case)

Status

Version I: fully assembled, validated, and tested during field experiments, achieving stable centimeter-level accuracy in real drone localization setups.

Version II: currently under development.

~70% — Version I complete, Version II design and planning ongoing.

Gallery

Final assembly — renders and real prototype photos.

RTK Base Station prototype front view on tripod — Front view — assembled prototype with GNSS antenna on tripod

RTK Base Station side view — Side view — base module and antenna connections

RTK Base Station internal electronics wiring — Internal view — wiring of Arduino Nano, Here4Base, and LoRa module

RTK Base Station battery compartment — Battery section — 4×18650 cells with USB-C charging module

Acknowledgment

The mechanical design of this RTK Base Station was inspired by Burks Builds — GNSS Base Station Prototype. The referenced project provided the original 3D design foundation, which was adapted for the CubePilot Here4Base integration, power system, and LoRa communication module.