Not all GNSS receivers offer the same accuracy, resilience, or upgrade path. Learn how to match the right positioning mode, form factor, and inertial integration to your specific defence, aerospace, or autonomous application.
July 12, 2026
A practical selection guide by WaldyTech
Selecting the right GNSS receiver is one of the most important decisions in any positioning system. The choice impacts accuracy, resilience, size, cost, and long-term upgradeability. This guide walks you through the key decision points, from accuracy requirements to form factor, helping you match the right NovAtel OEM7 receiver configuration to your specific application.
NovAtel OEM7 receivers support multiple positioning modes, each delivering a different level of accuracy. Your choice depends on the operational environment, available infrastructure, and budget.
| Positioning Mode | Typical Accuracy (Horizontal) | Infrastructure Required | Convergence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Point (SP) | 1.2 m RMS | None | Instant |
| DGNSS / SBAS | 40 cm RMS | SBAS satellites (free) | Instant |
| TerraStar-L | 50 cm (95%) | L-Band antenna + subscription | Minutes |
| TerraStar-C PRO | 2.5 cm (95%) | L-Band antenna + subscription | < 3 minutes (RTK From the Sky) |
| TerraStar-X Regional | 2 cm (95%) | L-Band antenna + subscription | < 60 seconds |
| RTK | 1 cm + 1 ppm | Base station or network | Seconds |
| RTK ASSIST | Maintains RTK accuracy | RTK + TerraStar subscription | Bridges outages up to 20 min |
| RTK ASSIST PRO | Maintains RTK + independent cm | RTK + TerraStar subscription | Indefinite cm-level without RTK |
RTK delivers the highest accuracy (approximately 1 cm) but requires a physical base station or connection to a third-party RTK network. This adds equipment cost, operational complexity, and a dependency on reliable data links between base and rover.
TerraStar-C PRO is the leading satellite-delivered correction service. With RTK From the Sky technology, it converges to centimetre-level accuracy in under three minutes globally, with no base station required. TerraStar-C PRO corrections are delivered via geostationary L-Band satellites with 99.999% uptime, making it ideal for remote, mobile, or wide-area operations.
TerraStar-X Regional provides the fastest convergence (under 60 seconds to 2 cm accuracy) and works seamlessly alongside TerraStar-C PRO to maintain continuous centimetre-level positioning at the edges of coverage areas.
DGNSS operates on L1 frequency with approximately 40 cm accuracy. It is fast, reliable, and cost-effective for applications where sub-metre accuracy is sufficient.
Single Point (SP) provides approximately 1.2 m RMS accuracy with no infrastructure at all. It is the fastest, simplest, and most affordable option.
A key consideration: A TerraStar-capable receiver provides full-capability operation during an active subscription on multi-constellation, multi-frequency signals. This means a receiver purchased with a basic model can be upgraded to TSCP service later, saving significant cost compared to purchasing a dedicated multi-frequency RTK receiver upfront.
If your application requires heading (direction of travel relative to true North) derived from GNSS rather than from motion, you need a dual-antenna receiver. NovAtel’s ALIGN technology computes heading from two antennas mounted at a known separation.
| Antenna Separation | Heading Accuracy |
|---|---|
| 0.5 m | 0.40° |
| 1.0 m (recommended minimum) | 0.20° |
| 2.0 m | 0.08° |
Single antenna receiver (PwrPak7): Use when heading is not required, or when heading will be derived from an IMU via SPAN.
Dual antenna receiver (PwrPak7D, OEM7720): Use when you need GNSS-based heading without an IMU, or to enhance SPAN INS alignment speed and long-term heading stability.
The PwrPak7D and OEM7720 contain the hardware for dual-antenna ALIGN without needing a second receiver. Greater antenna separation delivers better heading accuracy, so mount antennas as far apart as the platform allows, with 1 metre as the recommended minimum.
This is one of the most important decisions. A GNSS-only receiver provides position and velocity. SPAN adds an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that is tightly or deeply coupled with the GNSS solution, providing:
Choose SPAN when your application involves any of the following:
The accuracy of SPAN during GNSS outages depends primarily on the grade of the IMU. Higher-grade IMUs maintain better accuracy for longer periods without GNSS corrections. NovAtel SPAN supports a wide range of IMUs, from tactical grade to navigation grade.
Combined enclosure (CPT7, PwrPak7-E1/E2): The IMU and GNSS receiver are housed together in a single unit. This is the simplest integration path, with minimal wiring and a single mounting point. The CPT7 now includes 16 GB onboard memory, improved Honeywell IMU, LEDs, and wheel sensor input.
Separated (OEM solution): The IMU and OEM7 receiver card are physically separated. The OEM7 card is mounted in your own enclosure while the IMU is placed directly on the moving object. This requires some mechanical and electrical integration (a few wires), but provides flexibility when you need a compact IMU mounted in a specific location, such as an Epson EG370 or EG320 IMU on a gimbal or turret.
NovAtel offers two paths to integration:
OEM receiver cards (OEM719, OEM729, OEM7700, OEM7720, OEM7600): Compact circuit boards designed for integration inside your own enclosure. You provide the mechanical housing, power regulation, and connector interfaces. This saves space and weight, and is ideal for defence applications where the receiver is embedded inside a larger system. The OEM7600 is the most compact option with high-vibration rating, while the OEM7700 offers the widest interface options.
Ready-made enclosures (PwrPak7, PwrPak7D, CPT7): Fully enclosed, ruggedized receivers with built-in power conditioning, multiple communication ports (serial, USB, Ethernet, CAN), and environmental protection. Connect power, antenna, and communications and you are operational. The PwrPak7 is rated for demanding environmental conditions including high vibration and wide temperature ranges, making it popular for UAV, UGV, and autonomous vehicle applications.
For most defence and system integration applications, OEM cards offer the best trade-off between size, weight, and flexibility. For field-deployable systems, autonomous vehicles, and applications where rapid deployment matters, the PwrPak7 enclosures save significant integration time.
GNSS receiver performance is highly dependent on antenna selection. A critical point: NovAtel receivers can be firmware-upgraded to support additional frequencies and constellations, but antennas cannot. If you select an antenna that only supports L1/L2, you will not be able to take advantage of L5 or E6 signals even after a firmware upgrade.
When selecting an antenna, ensure it supports the frequencies your current and future GNSS configuration will use. For TerraStar services, the antenna must support L-Band reception. For best TerraStar performance, NovAtel recommends an antenna with full GNSS signal support: GPS L1/L2/L5, GLONASS L1/L2, Galileo E1/E5a/E5b/E6, and BeiDou B1C/B2a/B2b/B3.
WaldyTech also represents Antcom, a leading manufacturer of high-performance GNSS antennas for defence, aerospace, and commercial applications and other antenna manufacturers. We can help match the right antenna to your receiver and operational environment.
NovAtel OEM7 receivers support a comprehensive range of output formats and correction protocols:
NovAtel also provides drivers for multiple operating systems including Windows, Linux, and ROS (Robot Operating System), facilitating integration with autonomous platforms and robotic systems.
Defence: OEM7 cards and SPAN systems are widely deployed in guided munitions, UAVs, UGVs, naval systems, and soldier navigation. GRIT anti-spoofing technology and GAJT anti-jam antennas provide resilience against electronic warfare threats.
Aerospace: SPAN GNSS/INS systems provide attitude and trajectory data for flight testing, airborne survey, and space launch vehicle tracking.
Autonomous vehicles: PwrPak7 enclosures with SPAN and TerraStar provide the continuous, high-accuracy positioning required for autonomous driving, mining, and agricultural platforms.
Survey and mapping: RTK and TerraStar-C PRO deliver centimetre-level accuracy for mobile mapping, LiDAR, and photogrammetry applications.
Agriculture: NovAtel is the equipment of choice for precision agriculture guidance, with TerraStar corrections providing repeatable, base-station-free positioning across large fields.
Automotive: OEM7 receivers support ADAS and autonomous driving development with high-accuracy reference positioning and SPAN inertial integration.
Need help selecting the right configuration? WaldyTech has over 20 years of experience helping Israeli defence, aerospace, and technology companies choose and integrate NovAtel GNSS solutions. Contact us for a technical consultation tailored to your specific application.
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