Surveying Without a Signal: How the CHCNAV ViLi i100 Changes the Game in GNSS-Denied Areas
Every surveyor and site engineer knows that sinking feeling. You’re on-site, the weather is actually holding up, and your deadline is looming - then your GNSS receiver starts jumping around like it’s possessed.
Maybe you’re tucked into a narrow alleyway between Victorian brickwork. Perhaps you’re under a dense summer tree canopy. Or you’ve just walked into the "urban canyon" of a new high-rise that has turned your satellite connection into digital confetti.
For decades, the industry answer to GNSS-denied environments has been "the long way round": break out the total station, establish control points, and watch your productivity plummet. But what if your receiver simply kept working when the satellites vanished?
The CHCNAV ViLi i100 aims to do exactly that. After getting hands-on with this Visual-LiDAR GNSS RTK receiver, it’s clear this isn't just an incremental update, it’s a genuine shift in how we handle "impossible" sites.
The GNSS Problem We Don’t Like to Talk About
Let’s be honest: traditional GNSS receivers have a massive blind spot. They are flawless in an open field, but the moment you step under a bridge, into a forest, or near a glass-fronted skyscraper, things get dicey.
Multipath errors, where signals bounce off buildings to create "ghost" positions, can ruin a dataset before you even realise there’s an issue. In fully obstructed areas, most receivers simply give up. This isn't just a minor annoyance; it’s a logistical nightmare for urban construction, infrastructure inspections, and woodland topography. Usually, this means more gear, more man-hours, and more budget.
The ViLi i100 takes a different path.
How the ViLi i100 Holds Accuracy Without Satellites
The "magic" under the hood is CHCNAV’s SFix 2.0 engine. It’s a sophisticated bit of sensor fusion that blends data from:
-
A 1,408-channel GNSS receiver
-
A 96-line LiDAR scanner (firing 860,000 points per second)
-
A 200 Hz IMU for tracking tilt and movement
-
An array of high-res cameras
When the sky is clear, it’s a standard high-precision RTK rover (±30mm). But when you walk into a "black spot," the system doesn't lose its cool. It references its last known "good" position and uses the LiDAR and IMU to "dead reckon" your movement.
The LiDAR creates a real-time 360° map of your surroundings to fix your location. You get 5 cm accuracy within a 20-metre radius, even with zero satellite visibility. In plain English? You can walk under a motorway bridge, map the abutments, and walk out the other side without ever losing your fix.
Total Isolation: No GNSS, No Mobile Signal, No Problem
Most "hybrid" units still scream for a phone signal to get NTRIP corrections. The ViLi i100 is a different beast. Thanks to internal SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) technology, it can work completely offline.
Whether you’re in a deep basement, a remote Scottish glen, or a rural site where 4G is a myth, the i100 maintains its precision locally. It’s genuine surveying freedom-no more holding your phone in the air praying for a single bar of signal.
Visual-LiDAR: Capturing Points You Can’t Reach
One of the most practical features we found was contactless surveying. Usually, if you want a point, your pole has to touch it, or you have to get the total station out. That’s fine until you need to measure a live dual carriageway, a feature behind security fencing, or a high-level utility connection.
The ViLi i100 uses an 8 MP telephoto camera to extract points from photos. You snap the image, pick your points in the software, and the system calculates 3D coordinates with 5 cm accuracy from up to 15 metres away. It’s a massive win for safety and site access.
Real-Time 3D Clouds and Instant Volume Calcs
The i100 isn't just a rover with a backup plan; it’s a handheld SLAM laser scanner. It builds a 3D point cloud as you walk.
For earthworks, this is a game-changer. You can calculate stockpile volumes on-site with 99.98% accuracy. No waiting to get back to the office to process data—you get the numbers while you’re still standing in the mud.
Is It Actually Faster?
CHCNAV claims a 50% boost in workflow efficiency. While that sounds like marketing fluff, the maths actually holds up when you look at the "hidden" time-wasters:
-
Zero setup time for GNSS-denied zones (no total station tripod dance).
-
Faster stakeouts using the dual-camera AR (Augmented Reality) view—you literally see the design point overlaid on the ground through your screen.
-
Fewer re-visits because you can capture "unreachable" points the first time.
Who Is This For?
If your work is 100% open farmland, this might be overkill. But the ViLi i100 is a "must-have" for:
-
Urban Site Teams dealing with high-rise shadows.
-
Infrastructure Engineers working in tunnels or under bridges.
-
Utility Surveyors in heavily wooded residential areas.
-
Earthworks Contractors needing instant volume checks.
Making the Right Choice
At PQS Tech, we know that gear is only as good as the problems it solves. The surveying market is flooded with options, but the ViLi i100 sits in that "sweet spot": advanced enough for the toughest environments, but intuitive enough for daily use.
Would you like to see how the ViLi i100 handles your most challenging site? Get in touch with our team today to arrange a hands-on demo or to chat about our flexible hire options.
0 comments