ppm GmbH, a leading provider of positioning solutions, supplies the Bavarian State Tax Office (BayLfSt) with its innovative ppm10xx zero GNSS receivers. This satellite receiver will be used in the soil assessment department in the future to assess the productivity of agricultural land throughout Bavaria.
BayLfSt uses the ppm10xx zero for soil assessment
Soil assessment is the basis for taxes in agriculture
ppm 10xx zero determines position data via satellite technology
Easy handling enables efficient use
“With the ppm10xx zero, we have developed a satellite receiver that delivers highly accurate position data and is at the same time extremely user-friendly, so that very large amounts of data can be recorded in a very short time,” says Michael Singer, Managing Director of ppm GmbH.
“The use of the ppm10xx sensor puts soil assessment in Bavaria on a modern, technological basis,” adds Mr. Wolfgang Stier from the State Tax Office in Weiden. “With this technology, we are able to update the database highly efficiently and integrate it seamlessly into our systems in order to consistently advance digitalization.”
Modernize soil assessment
The Bavarian State Tax Office will use the sensor to update the soil assessment database. This involves the assessment of agricultural land in accordance with the Soil Assessment Act (BodSchätzG), which dates back to the Reich Soil Assessment of 1934. The goals of soil assessment are a uniform tax assessment of agricultural land and a planned design of land use. Environmental aspects also play a role, such as flood protection based on infiltration properties, erosion protection or the impact assessment of pollutant inputs.
Exact position data even with oblique measurements
Precise geodata is a prerequisite for achieving these goals. The Bavarian State Tax Office was convinced that the ppm10xx sensor can determine positions with centimeter-level accuracy. The device uses the signals from the most important global satellite navigation systems, which means that there is sufficient signal strength almost everywhere.
The sensor is attached to the antenna rod for measurements. The IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) integrated in the ppm10xx zero records all movements of the rod in space. This gives users precise data even when the measuring rod is held at an angle, which makes using the system much easier in practice.
Maximum ergonomics
In addition to accuracy, the solution scores points for its ergonomic design, which makes the measurement process as easy as possible. While comparable systems often impair the measurement due to their top-heavy nature, all heavy components in the ppm10xx zero have been moved to the middle of the measuring rod. Satellite reception is via a lightweight helix antenna, which, in addition to being lightweight, also offers the advantage of high multipath suppression. The ppm10xx thus reduces one of the most critical sources of error for GPS measurements, which is due to reflective surfaces in the vicinity of the receiving antenna. As a result, reliable measurements are possible with the device even on house walls or under trees.
The connection between the ppm10xx zero and the recording device works wirelessly via an internal, power-saving Bluetooth Low Energy module. Any tablet or smartphone with an Android operating system can be used as the recording device, so that users can use their existing hardware. The ppm Commander then ensures direct integration into almost any GIS software.