🗺️ Calian GNSS ROS 2 Driver

ROS 2 driver for Calian Smart GNSS Antennas. Supports single-antenna, moving-baseline, and static-baseline configurations with real-time RTK corrections via NTRIP or Ably.

Features

Feature	Description
Real-Time Positioning	High-precision RTK positioning via NTRIP or Ably RTCM streams
Three Configurations	Disabled (single antenna), Moving Baseline (dual antenna heading), Static Baseline (TruPrecision base + rover)
ROS 2 Integration	Publishes `sensor_msgs/NavSatFix`, custom `GnssSignalStatus`, `ReceiverHealthStatus`
Map Visualizer	Built-in HTTP server renders a Folium map of live GPS positions
Antenna Health Monitoring	Periodically publishes receiver health and satellite constellation status

Supported Hardware

Calian Smart GNSS Antennas with u-blox ZED-F9P chipset (required for moving-baseline base mode)
Any Calian antenna supported by pyubx2 for rover / disabled modes

Requirements

Requirement	Version
Ubuntu	24.04 (Noble)
ROS 2	Jazzy Jalisco
Python	3.12+
Hardware	Calian GNSS Smart Antenna connected via USB

⚠️ Clear-sky conditions are required for accurate RTK positioning.

Repository Structure

calian-gnss-ros2-drivers/
├── calian_gnss_ros2/             # Python ROS 2 package (main driver)
│   ├── calian_gnss_ros2/         # Source modules
│   │   ├── gps.py                # Main GPS node
│   │   ├── serial_module.py      # Serial communication & UBX parsing
│   │   ├── ntrip_module.py       # NTRIP client node
│   │   ├── remote_rtcm_corrections_handler.py  # Ably RTCM handler
│   │   ├── gps_visualizer.py     # HTTP map visualizer node
│   │   ├── unique_id_finder.py   # Antenna ID scanner utility
│   │   └── logging.py            # Shared logging helpers
│   ├── launch/                   # Launch files
│   │   ├── launch_common.py      # Shared launch helpers
│   │   ├── disabled.launch.py    # Single-antenna launch
│   │   ├── moving_baseline.launch.py   # Dual-antenna launch
│   │   └── static_baseline.launch.py   # TruPrecision + rover launch
│   ├── params/                   # YAML parameter files
│   │   ├── config.yaml           # Antenna unique IDs & correction flags
│   │   ├── ntrip.yaml            # NTRIP caster credentials
│   │   └── logs.yaml             # Logging level & file-save toggle
│   ├── setup.py
│   ├── package.xml
│   └── requirements.txt
├── calian_gnss_ros2_msg/         # Custom message definitions (C++)
│   ├── msg/
│   │   ├── GnssSignalStatus.msg
│   │   ├── NavSatInfo.msg
│   │   ├── CorrectionMessage.msg
│   │   └── ReceiverHealthStatus.msg
│   ├── CMakeLists.txt
│   └── package.xml
└── README.md

Installation

1. Create / navigate to your ROS 2 workspace

mkdir -p ~/ros2_ws/src && cd ~/ros2_ws/src

2. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/Calian-gnss/calian-gnss-ros2-drivers.git

3. Install Python dependencies

cd calian-gnss-ros2-drivers/calian_gnss_ros2
pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Build the workspace

cd ~/ros2_ws
colcon build

5. Source the workspace

source install/setup.bash

📌 Important: Source the workspace in every new terminal, or add the line above to your ~/.bashrc.

Configuration

All parameter files live in calian_gnss_ros2/params/.

`config.yaml` — Antenna settings

Each section maps to a node name used in the launch files:

calian_gnss:
  base:
    ros__parameters:
      use_corrections: true
      baud_rate: 230400
      unique_id: "<YOUR_BASE_UNIQUE_ID>"

Parameter	Type	Description
`unique_id`	string	Hex ID printed by the `unique_id_finder` node
`baud_rate`	int	Serial baud rate (default `230400`)
`use_corrections`	bool	Enable corrections

`ntrip.yaml` — NTRIP caster credentials

calian_gnss:
  ntrip_client:
    ros__parameters:
      hostname: "<YOUR_NTRIP_HOST>"
      port: 2101
      mountpoint: "<YOUR_MOUNTPOINT>"
      username: "<YOUR_USERNAME>"
      password: "<YOUR_PASSWORD>"

`logs.yaml` — Logging configuration

calian_gnss:
  base:
    ros__parameters:
      save_logs: false    # Write logs to file
      log_level: 20       # 0=NotSet, 10=Debug, 20=Info, 30=Warn, 40=Error, 50=Critical

Usage

1 — Discover Antenna IDs

Before running any configuration, find the unique ID of each connected antenna:

source install/setup.bash
ros2 run calian_gnss_ros2 unique_id_finder

Copy the printed IDs into params/config.yaml, rebuild, and source again.

2 — Disabled (Single Antenna)

A single antenna publishing GPS data with optional NTRIP corrections.

ros2 launch calian_gnss_ros2 disabled.launch.py

What starts:

Node	Purpose
`gps_publisher`	GPS node in Disabled mode
`ntrip_client`	NTRIP correction stream
`gps_visualizer`	Map at http://localhost:8080

Published topics:

/calian_gnss/gps_publisher/gps               # sensor_msgs/NavSatFix
/calian_gnss/gps_publisher/gps_extended       # calian_gnss_ros2_msg/GnssSignalStatus
/calian_gnss/gps_publisher/antenna_health     # calian_gnss_ros2_msg/ReceiverHealthStatus

3 — Moving Baseline (Two Antennas)

Two antennas: one base, one rover. The base generates RTCM corrections; the rover consumes them for centimetre-level heading.

ros2 launch calian_gnss_ros2 moving_baseline.launch.py

What starts:

Node	Purpose
`base`	GPS node in Heading_Base mode (ZED-F9P required)
`rover`	GPS node in Rover mode
`ntrip_client`	NTRIP correction stream
`gps_visualizer`	Map at http://localhost:8080

Published topics:

/calian_gnss/base/gps_extended         # calian_gnss_ros2_msg/GnssSignalStatus
/calian_gnss/base/antenna_health       # calian_gnss_ros2_msg/ReceiverHealthStatus
/calian_gnss/base/rtcm_corrections     # calian_gnss_ros2_msg/CorrectionMessage (remapped → rtcm_topic)
/calian_gnss/rover/gps                 # sensor_msgs/NavSatFix
/calian_gnss/rover/gps_extended        # calian_gnss_ros2_msg/GnssSignalStatus
/calian_gnss/rover/antenna_health      # calian_gnss_ros2_msg/ReceiverHealthStatus

4 — Static Baseline (TruPrecision + Rover)

A Windows TruPrecision base at a known location pushes RTCM to Ably; the rover receives it.

Set up a base using the TruPrecision application.
Note the Ably channel name and use the same API key.
Update params/config.yaml with the key and channel under rtcm_handler.

ros2 launch calian_gnss_ros2 static_baseline.launch.py

What starts:

Node	Purpose
`rtcm_handler`	Ably → ROS RTCM bridge
`rover`	GPS node in Rover mode
`gps_visualizer`	Map at http://localhost:8080

ROS Topics & Messages

Published Topics

Topic	Message Type	Description
`~gps`	`sensor_msgs/NavSatFix`	Latitude, longitude, altitude, covariance
`~gps_extended`	`calian_gnss_ros2_msg/GnssSignalStatus`	Full fix info: heading, accuracy, quality, satellite breakdown
`~antenna_health`	`calian_gnss_ros2_msg/ReceiverHealthStatus`	Antenna health string
`~rtcm_corrections`	`calian_gnss_ros2_msg/CorrectionMessage`	Raw RTCM byte stream (base → rover)
`corrections`	`calian_gnss_ros2_msg/CorrectionMessage`	NTRIP-sourced RTCM data

Custom Messages

`GnssSignalStatus.msg`

Extended GPS fix with heading, accuracy, quality string, and per-constellation satellite counts.

Field	Type	Description
`header`	`std_msgs/Header`	Timestamp + frame
`status`	`sensor_msgs/NavSatStatus`	Fix status
`latitude`	`float64`	Degrees (positive = north)
`longitude`	`float64`	Degrees (positive = east)
`altitude`	`float64`	Metres above WGS-84
`position_covariance`	`float64[9]`	ENU covariance (m²)
`position_covariance_type`	`uint8`	0=unknown, 1=approx, 2=diagonal, 3=known
`accuracy_2d`	`float64`	Horizontal accuracy (m)
`accuracy_3d`	`float64`	3-D accuracy (m)
`heading`	`float64`	Heading relative to base (°)
`length`	`float64`	Baseline length (m)
`quality`	`string`	Human-readable fix quality
`augmentations_used`	`bool`	RTCM / SPARTN corrections active
`valid_fix`	`bool`	Fix validity flag
`no_of_satellites`	`uint16`	Total satellites in solution
`satellite_information`	`NavSatInfo[]`	Per-constellation breakdown

`NavSatInfo.msg`

Field	Type	Description
`gnss_id`	`uint8`	Constellation (0=GPS, 1=SBAS, 2=Galileo, 3=BeiDou, 4=IMES, 5=QZSS, 6=GLONASS)
`count`	`uint8`	Satellite count for this constellation

`CorrectionMessage.msg`

Field	Type	Description
`header`	`std_msgs/Header`	Timestamp + frame
`message`	`uint8[]`	Raw RTCM byte payload

`ReceiverHealthStatus.msg`

Field	Type	Description
`header`	`std_msgs/Header`	Timestamp + frame
`health`	`string`	Receiver health status string

Nodes

Node	Executable	Description
GPS	`calian_gnss_gps`	Main node — configures antenna, publishes fix data
NTRIP Client	`ntrip_client`	Connects to NTRIP caster, publishes RTCM corrections
Remote RTCM Handler	`remote_rtcm_corrections_handler`	Receives RTCM from Ably, publishes to ROS
GPS Visualizer	`calian_gnss_gps_visualizer`	Serves Folium map of live positions
Unique ID Finder	`unique_id_finder`	One-shot scanner that prints antenna IDs

Parameters Reference

GPS Node

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`unique_id`	string	`""`	Antenna unique ID (hex string)
`baud_rate`	int	`230400`	Serial baud rate
`use_corrections`	bool	`true`	Enable SPARTN / RTK corrections
`save_logs`	bool	`false`	Persist logs to disk
`log_level`	int	`20`	Logging verbosity (10–50)

NTRIP Client

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`hostname`	string	`127.0.0.1`	NTRIP caster hostname
`port`	int	`2101`	Caster port
`mountpoint`	string	`mount`	Mountpoint name
`username`	string	`""`	Auth username
`password`	string	`""`	Auth password
`ntrip_version`	string	`""`	Protocol version header
`ssl`	bool	`false`	Use TLS
`cert` / `key` / `ca_cert`	string	`""`	Cert-based auth paths

Remote RTCM Handler

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`key`	string	`""`	Ably API key
`channel`	string	`""`	Ably channel name
`frame_id`	string	`rtcm`	Header frame_id

GPS Visualizer

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`port`	int	`8080`	HTTP server port

Architecture

┌────────────────┐        ┌──────────────┐
│  NTRIP Caster  │───────▶│ ntrip_client │──▶ /corrections
└────────────────┘        └──────────────┘
                                              │
┌────────────────┐        ┌──────────────┐    ▼
│ USB Antenna(s) │◀──────▶│   gps (base) │──▶ /rtcm_corrections ──▶ rtcm_topic
└────────────────┘        │              │──▶ /gps, /gps_extended, /antenna_health
                          └──────────────┘
                                              │
                          ┌──────────────┐    │
                          │  gps (rover) │◀───┘ (subscribes to rtcm_topic)
                          │              │──▶ /gps, /gps_extended, /antenna_health
                          └──────────────┘
                                              │
                          ┌──────────────┐    │
                          │ gps_visualizer│◀──┘ (subscribes to /gps)
                          │  :8080       │
                          └──────────────┘

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Cause	Fix
`Package 'calian_gnss_ros2' not found`	Workspace not sourced	Run `source install/setup.bash`
`No ports connected`	Antenna not plugged in or no USB permissions	Check USB cable; add user to `dialout` group: `sudo usermod -aG dialout $USER`
Unique ID returns error at all baud rates	Wrong cable or antenna not powered	Try a different USB port; ensure antenna has power
NTRIP: `401 Unauthorized`	Bad credentials	Verify `username`, `password`, and `mountpoint` in `ntrip.yaml`
NTRIP: `SOURCETABLE 200 OK`	Invalid mountpoint	Check available mountpoints with your provider
GPS quality shows `"No Fix"`	Obstructed sky	Move to an open-sky location
Visualizer page blank	No fix data yet	Wait for satellite lock; check `/gps` topic with `ros2 topic echo`
`_frame_id` AttributeError in static baseline	Old code version	Rebuild the workspace after pulling latest

Viewing Live Data

# List all active topics
ros2 topic list

# Echo GPS fix
ros2 topic echo /calian_gnss/gps_publisher/gps

# Echo extended info (heading, quality, satellites)
ros2 topic echo /calian_gnss/gps_publisher/gps_extended

# Echo antenna health
ros2 topic echo /calian_gnss/gps_publisher/antenna_health

# View map
xdg-open http://localhost:8080

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request on GitHub.

Purchase

For inquiries or to purchase Calian GNSS antennas, contact gnss.sales@calian.com.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 14 Commits
calian_gnss_ros2		calian_gnss_ros2
calian_gnss_ros2_msg		calian_gnss_ros2_msg
.gitignore		.gitignore
LICENSE		LICENSE
README.md		README.md

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🗺️ Calian GNSS ROS 2 Driver

Table of Contents

Features

Supported Hardware

Requirements

Repository Structure

Installation

1. Create / navigate to your ROS 2 workspace

2. Clone the repository

3. Install Python dependencies

4. Build the workspace

5. Source the workspace

Configuration

config.yaml — Antenna settings

ntrip.yaml — NTRIP caster credentials

logs.yaml — Logging configuration

Usage

1 — Discover Antenna IDs

2 — Disabled (Single Antenna)

3 — Moving Baseline (Two Antennas)

4 — Static Baseline (TruPrecision + Rover)

ROS Topics & Messages

Published Topics

Custom Messages

GnssSignalStatus.msg

NavSatInfo.msg

CorrectionMessage.msg

ReceiverHealthStatus.msg

Nodes

Parameters Reference

GPS Node

NTRIP Client

Remote RTCM Handler

GPS Visualizer

Architecture

Troubleshooting

Viewing Live Data

Contributing

Purchase

License

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`config.yaml` — Antenna settings

`ntrip.yaml` — NTRIP caster credentials

`logs.yaml` — Logging configuration

`GnssSignalStatus.msg`

`NavSatInfo.msg`

`CorrectionMessage.msg`

`ReceiverHealthStatus.msg`

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