10 GNSS Module Manufacturers in 2023
This section provides an overview for gnss modules as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 10 gnss module manufacturers and their company rankings.
Table of Contents
What Is a GNSS Module?
A GNSS module is a module for acquiring positional data using signals from satellites. GNSS is the generic name for GPS, which is the most popular positioning system, GLONASS, which is a Russian satellite-based positioning system, and Galileo, which is an EU system. By using signals sent from various satellite systems, it is possible to measure positional information with higher precision.
Uses of GNSS Modules
GNSS modules are used to measure the position, speed, and direction of travel of a vehicle or to acquire location information for smartphone mapping functions, etc. When selecting GNSS modules, it is necessary to consider the size and cost of the module and the processing size of the signals received from the antenna. Other factors to be considered include shock strength against dropping for smartphones and tablet PCs, and heat and vibration strength for GNSS modules used in vehicles.
Principle of GNSS Modules
GNSS modules consist of a low-noise amplifier, and a GNSS receiver. The principle of operation is that weak signals emitted from satellites are received by the signal receiver and amplified by a low-noise amplifier. The amplified signal is processed by the GNSS receiver and position information is calculated. The position information is then transmitted to the device connected to the GNSS modules and used for applications that utilize the position information.
The following is an explanation of how GNSS calculates position information. The position and time information sent from multiple satellites is received by the signal receiver. The distance between the satellite and GNSS is determined from the time the signal is received, the time the signal is transmitted, and the speed at which the signal is traveling. On the other hand, the signals sent from satellites are so weak that they cannot be received if there are obstructions, and noise may be introduced due to the influence of the surrounding environment. Therefore, products that implement advanced signal processing to determine accurate position information are also on the market.
Major Sources of Error in GNSS Modules
Although GNSS modules can provide high-quality position information by catching signals from satellites, errors can occur due to factors such as satellite orbit, satellite clock, ionospheric delay, tropospheric delay, receiver (antenna), and multipath. The reasons for errors caused by each factor are listed below.
- Satellite Orbit Factor
Positioning calculations are performed by receiving ephemeris data (satellite orbit data) and almanac data (satellite orbit history) from satellites. Ephemeris data is updated once every two hours, and almanac data once every six days. Therefore, during periods when the ephemeris and almanac data are not updated, it is necessary to estimate the position based on the most recent data, which may result in errors. - Satellite Clock Factor
In addition to ephemeris and almanac data, data from satellites also include satellite clock information. There is a lag time between when the satellite clock information is transmitted from the satellite and when the receiver catches the signal. - Ionospheric Delay Factor
The ionosphere is a territory between 50 km and 1000 km above the Earth's surface, where solar activity causes variations in the type and density of gases. When radio waves from satellites pass through the ionosphere, there is a delay in the transmission speed due to the principle of light refraction. - Tropospheric Delay Factor
The troposphere is the territory that exists between the ground and 11 km above the ground. When radio waves from satellites pass through the troposphere, as in the ionosphere, there is a delay in the transmission speed due to the principle of light refraction. - Receiver (Antenna) Factor
After satellite information is received by the antenna, various factors, such as cables, circuits, delays over radio waves, speed of positioning calculation operations and memory access speed, etc., affect the error. - Multipath Factor
Multipath refers to radio waves bouncing off reflective objects, which are delayed from direct incoming radio waves. In the case of radio waves from satellites, there are cases where the output of multipath radio waves is larger than that of directly incident radio waves. In such cases, the multipath with higher output may be used for positioning calculations.
Positioning Method of GNSS Modules
Positioning methods of GNSS modules can be roughly classified into two types: single positioning and relative positioning.
In single (stand-alone) positioning, signals from four or more satellites are received by a single receiver (antenna) to perform positioning. Due to the clock error factor and other factors, the quality of single-satellite positioning is limited to 10m~20m.
Relative positioning performs simultaneous single positioning at the reference point for which accurate coordinates are required and at the point to be measured. Relative positioning uses information from multiple receivers (antennas) and this enables higher quality positioning than stand-alone positioning.
List of 10 GNSS Module Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
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- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
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- Canada
- United States of America
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FURUNO ELECTRIC CO.,LTD.
GNSS Modules
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Linx Technologies
GNSS Modules
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Inertial Sense
GNSS
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TerrisGPS
GNSS
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everything RF
GNSS Modules
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Quectel
GNSS IoT Modules
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GNSS Module Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of March 2023 Globally
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inertial Sense | 33.3% |
| 2 | TerrisGPS | 33.3% |
| 3 | Avnet, Inc. | 33.3% |
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the gnss module page as of March 2023. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- Avnet, Inc.: 15,300
Newly Established Company
- Avnet, Inc.: 1921 (102 years ago)
Company with a History
- Avnet, Inc.: 1921 (102 years ago)
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