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Title: Accuracy of Tracking Forest Machines with GPS
Author(s): Veal, M.W.; Taylor, S.E.; McDonald, T.P.; McLemore, D.K.; Dunn, M.R.
Date: 2001
Source: Transactions of the ASAE, Vol. 44(6): 1903-1911
Description: This paper describes the results of a study that measured the accuracy of using GPS to track movement offorest machines. Two different commercially available GPS receivers (Trimble ProXR and GeoExplorer II) were used to track wheeled skidders under three different canopy conditions at two different vehicle speeds. Dynamic GPS data were compared to position data established through precision surveying techniques. Maps from data collected by both receivers showed general travel patterns of the skidders. Mean position errors in data collected by the GeoExplorer (2.75 m) were significantly greater than those of the data collected by the ProXR (1.34 m). When tested under different canopy conditions, GPSposition accuracy showed a decreasing trend us the canopy changed from open to heavy. Finally, the machine speeds tested did not significantly affect the accuracy of GPS positions.
Key Words: Global Positioning System (GPS), Precision forestry, Vehicle trucking, Forest engineering
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