Ericsson and Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek claimed a world-first end-to-end test of high-precision outdoor positioning that demonstrated 5G's potential for unmanned operations in the field.

The demo utilized standardized 3GPP technology for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Real-Time Kinematic (RTK), a satellite navigation technique that enhances standard GNSS accuracy from meters to centimeters (cm) in real time. RTK correction data was integrated into Ericsson’s 5G infrastructure via the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) helping to power autonomous vehicles, drones, and industrial robots in outdoor settings with stable sub-30 cm outdoor accuracy.

The test was conducted using Ericsson 5G Core features including Ericsson Network Location (ENL), the recently unveiled 5G Advanced location services offering, and radio access network (RAN) for correction data (OSR/SSR) distribution through the network infrastructure. OSR delivers direct corrections, while SSR provides errors related to specific GNSS components.

Validation was performed on MediaTek’s 5G modem technology, said to allow real-time processing of advanced GNSS corrections through optimized power efficiency. With 5G splitting location-processing work between the network and the device, this effectively pushes the modem from simple baseband processing to compute-heavy realms expected with 6G such as integrated sensing, positioning, and communications using both terrestrial and non-terrestrial sources. Both firms previously collaborated on meeting the increased data requirements of AI and 6G-native devices through 6G signals sharing the same spectrum range.

With the latest demo specifically, MediaTek’s hardware had to handle signal processing, correction calculations, protocol handling, and power management simultaneously.

“This is a milestone for the 5G ecosystem. Together with MediaTek, we make high-precision location more accessible to device makers and enterprises, accelerating use in manufacturing, transport, and beyond,” Johan Hultell, head of product RAN software at Ericsson, noted.