10/29/2026
The installation team needs to track a monopile’s descent all the way to its target elevation. But GNSS visibility at the hammer can become restricted as the pile moves lower.
Cranes, slings, spreader bars, and other deck equipment can obstruct satellite signals. On a floating vessel, the measurements also need to account for vessel motion.
The team still needs to know: how quickly is the pile descending, and how close is it to the intended elevation?
Zupt’s iRTS keeps the GNSS positioning reference high on the vessel and uses robotic total stations to track prisms on the hammer or gripper. An integrated inertial measurement unit accounts for vessel motion.
This provides real-time elevation and penetration-rate data without relying on GNSS reception at the hammer, helping the team monitor for pile run and follow the approach to final elevation.
Read more about the measurement approach and offshore results: https://zupt.com/news/monitoring-monopile-descent-when-gnss-visibility-restricted?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=irts_monopile_monitoring