What a GNSS RTK rover really costs to own
The receiver is usually well under half of what an RTK rover costs to own over three years. The lines that decide your real cost are corrections, the field controller and its software, the radio path, training, and support and repair. Two quotes for the same receiver can differ substantially, and the difference is almost always in those lines rather than the hardware.
Start with corrections, not the receiver
A rover is useless without a correction source, and how you get corrections is the single biggest fork in the cost of ownership. There are three routes, and they price completely differently.
A network RTK subscription gets you corrections over the internet from a commercial or public network. Some are commercial and recur annually; some are genuinely free, such as NYSDOT's NYSNet in New York. Running your own base station means no subscription but a second receiver to buy, plus a radio path to maintain. Post-processing with a free service such as NRCan's CSRS-PPP costs nothing but is not real-time, so it does not suit stakeout.
Before you compare receivers, find out which networks operate where you actually work and what they charge. In some markets a free public network makes a cheaper receiver the obvious answer. In others, a receiver that can be configured as a base changes the arithmetic entirely, provided you budget for the second receiver the rover role needs.
The controller and software are not accessories
A receiver quote may or may not include the field controller, the field software licence, and the office software. These are substantial, they are where quotes diverge most, and a receiver without them does not do work.
Ask three specific questions of any quote: is the field software a perpetual licence or a subscription, is the office processing software included or extra, and do the licences transfer if you change receivers later. Perpetual and subscription licensing produce very different three-year numbers for the same headline price.
Radio, and the licence nobody mentions
If you run base and rover rather than network corrections, you need a UHF radio path, and the rules differ by country. In the United States, operating a UHF base radio generally requires an FCC licence under Part 90. In Canada, radio spectrum is administered by ISED, which maintains its own licence-exempt categories.
This matters at purchase time because not every receiver transmits. Some receive UHF only, which means they cannot act as a base at all; others transmit and receive, so the same model can be set up as the base. You still need a second receiver as the rover. That capability is worth real money if you work outside network coverage, and worth nothing if you are always on a network. Confirm which one you are buying.
Training, support and the cost of downtime
The line that gets cut from quotes first and costs most later is training. A crew that never learned the tilt workflow, the coordinate system setup or the correct base setup procedure will produce data that has to be redone, and rework is more expensive than any accessory on the quote.
Ask what support actually means: who answers the phone, what the warranty covers, where the unit goes for repair, how long a typical turnaround is, and whether a loaner is available. A receiver in a repair queue for three weeks in your busy season costs more than the price difference between most models.
What actually moves the number
Configuration drives price far more than model choice. The same receiver quoted bare, quoted with a controller and field software, and quoted as a full base-and-rover kit with radio and poles are three very different numbers for the same box.
This is why we quote itemised rather than publishing a single figure. It lets you see each line and remove the ones you do not need, which is not possible when a price is presented as one number with everything bundled invisibly inside it.
Three ways to get corrections, and what each really costs
| Network RTK subscription | Your own base station | |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | Lowest, receiver only | Higher, second receiver plus radio |
| Recurring cost | Annual subscription, unless the network is public and free | None |
| Coverage | Only where the network reaches | Anywhere you can set up |
| Cellular needed | Yes, for NTRIP corrections | No, UHF radio path |
| Licensing | None beyond the subscription | FCC Part 90 in the US; ISED rules in Canada |
| Receiver requirement | Any RTK rover | A receiver that can transmit UHF, not receive-only |
| Best for | Urban and suburban work inside coverage | Remote sites, and control you own |
Limitations and trade-offs
- This guide deliberately publishes no prices. Configuration, region and currency move the number too much for a figure here to be honest, and we quote itemised instead.
- Correction-network availability and pricing change. Confirm coverage and terms with the operator for the areas you actually work in.
- Radio licensing rules are summarised, not advised. Confirm current requirements with the FCC or ISED before operating a base radio.
- Compatibility between a given receiver and a given network should be confirmed, not assumed. We check it before quoting.
Questions buyers ask
Why do you not publish a price for GNSS receivers?
Pricing is sent by quote. The final price depends on the accessories, software licences and support included with the unit, so we send an itemised quote rather than one number. Most quotes go out within one business day.
Is a network subscription cheaper than buying a base station?
Up front, almost always. Over several years it depends on whether your market has a free public network, how much of your work falls inside coverage, and whether you need to work where there is no cellular signal. A receiver that can be configured as either base or rover gives you both options.
Do I need a licence to run an RTK base radio?
In the United States, operating a UHF base radio generally requires an FCC licence under Part 90. In Canada, ISED administers spectrum and maintains licence-exempt categories. Check current requirements with the relevant authority before operating.
What should I ask for on a quote?
Ask for the receiver, controller, field software, office software, correction source, radio and antenna, poles and accessories, training, and warranty and support terms as separate lines. If any of those are bundled invisibly you cannot compare two quotes.
Sources: NRCan: real-time GNSS networks in Canada · NYSDOT NYSNet CORS network · TxDOT RTN · ISED: radio licence exemptions (Canada) · NRCan CSRS-PPP post-processing service
Equipment this guide covers
The units referenced in this guide
CHCNAV i89
Pocket-sized visual IMU-RTK receiver: 750 g, IP68, 16.5 h, configurable as base or rover.
CHCNAV i93
All-constellation IMU-RTK GNSS rover with tilt compensation.
CHCNAV ViLi i100
Visual-LiDAR RTK rover: keeps positioning without GNSS to ±5 cm over 20 m, outputs LAS with no post-processing.
Still deciding? Tell us the job.
Describe the deliverable, the site conditions and the tolerance you have to hit. A ScanSupply specialist recommends a configuration and sends an itemized quote, typically within one business day.
- Itemized pricing & configuration help
- Canada & US shipping, tax & support handled
- Spec sheets, demos, and financing on request
The people specifying your configuration have run this equipment on real sites, not just sold it. That is why a quote comes back with a recommendation and a reason, rather than a line item.
- Authorized CHC Navigation dealer for Canada and the United States.
- North American stock, so availability is a real answer and not a transatlantic guess.
- Every specification sourced. Where a figure is a manufacturer claim under their own test conditions, we say so.