Vertical Component of Satellite Navigation Systems

The altitude is one of four coordinates of the user's position obtained from Satellite Navigation System (SNS) measurements. The distributions (in per cent) of VDOP coefficient value for different constellations of three SNS - GPS, GLONASS and Galileo - for different masking elevation angles for different user's latitudes are presented in the paper. The results of the measurements of GPS position and vertical accuracy in mode "3D" and position accuracy in mode "2D" for different GPS receivers and different receiver's antenna heights are demonstrated also. Additionally the use of vertical component of SNS in maritime navigation like the determination highly accurate sea-floor depths is presented.