An Open-Source Gazebo Plugin for GNSS Multipath Signal Emulation in Virtual Urban Canyons

A robust GNSS positioning fix is essential for safe he Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is being widely used for numerous modern transportation and and secure navigation in a multitude of civil and military applications. With the advent of urban air mobility (UAM), such accurate positioning capability becomes paramount to the safe operation of aerial vehicles, whether unmanned or passenger-carrying. The accuracy of GNSS receivers is affected by several factors, for example, ionospheric errors, satellite clock errors, and multipath errors. By using differential techniques, ionospheric effects can be mitigated [1]. However, the effects of multipath errors are site and time dependent and urban environments are particularly impacted by GNSS multipath. There are two major challenges for GNSS operations in an urban canyon.