Hural, a Brazilian company specializing in autonomous robots for agriculture, faced serious challenges in delivering precise positioning in complex environments. After testing conventional RTK GNSS solutions and encountering issues with infrastructure, cost, and reliability, Hural partnered with Nordian to deploy PointPerfect Flex, the industry-leading PPP-RTK correction service from u-blox.

With this new approach, Hural achieved centimeter-level positioning accuracy and robust heading data without the burden of traditional RTK infrastructure, paving the way for more efficient, scalable agricultural robotics in Brazil and beyond.

Challenges

Precision agriculture demands highly accurate, real-time positioning for robotic systems operating across large and often obstructed fields. Hural initially looked to traditional RTK systems, but faced critical limitations:

Challenge #1: Infrastructure Dependency

RTK solutions required local base stations, complicating deployment and ongoing operations

Challenge #2: Signal Reliability

RTK’s reliance on radio signals meant frequent dropouts due to physical obstacles in the field

Solution

To complement the correction service, Hural integrated the u-blox ZED-F9P GNSS module via the advanced OEM board from Nordian into its robotic platform. This high-precision board is designed for seamless integration, offering an industry-standard form factor, support for both PPP-RTK and RTK corrections, and plug-and-play compatibility with PointPerfect Flex via L-band and IP.
This setup allowed Hural to streamline development, reduce hardware complexity, and accelerate time to market—all while maintaining centimeter-level accuracy and robust performance in the field.

The PointPerfect Flex correction service from u-blox, is delivered via two integrated smart antennas on each robot. This dual-antenna system provides both:
●    High-precision positioning, with centimeter-level accuracy
●    Robust heading data, even when the robots are stationary or maneuvering through dynamic environments
Because PointPerfect Flex is delivered over cloud and L-band satellite, the system eliminates the need for local base stations, offering instant scalability across any region.

Conclusion

The collaboration between Hural and Nordian, powered by u-blox PointPerfect Flex, demonstrates how next-generation GNSS correction services can overcome the limitations of traditional RTK. For agricultural robotics manufacturers, this approach opens the door to affordable, scalable, and high-performance automation, without the infrastructure headaches.Learn more about Nordian's RTK-as-a-Service offerings at Nordian.com