Unexpected Receiver Mode Change with DriveWorks NovAtel Decoder

[atharv.sharma]

Please provide the following info (tick the boxes after creating this topic):
Software Version
DRIVE OS 6.0.10.0
DRIVE OS 6.0.8.1
DRIVE OS 6.0.6
DRIVE OS 6.0.5
DRIVE OS 6.0.4 (rev. 1)
DRIVE OS 6.0.4 SDK
other

Target Operating System
Linux
QNX
other

Hardware Platform
DRIVE AGX Orin Developer Kit (940-63710-0010-300)
DRIVE AGX Orin Developer Kit (940-63710-0010-200)
DRIVE AGX Orin Developer Kit (940-63710-0010-100)
DRIVE AGX Orin Developer Kit (940-63710-0010-D00)
DRIVE AGX Orin Developer Kit (940-63710-0010-C00)
DRIVE AGX Orin Developer Kit (not sure its number)
other

SDK Manager Version
2.1.0
other

Host Machine Version
native Ubuntu Linux 20.04 Host installed with SDK Manager
native Ubuntu Linux 20.04 Host installed with DRIVE OS Docker Containers
native Ubuntu Linux 18.04 Host installed with DRIVE OS Docker Containers
other

Issue Description

@SivaRamaKrishnaNV We are integrating a NovAtel GPS+IMU (PwrPak7, single antenna) with our NVIDIA Drive Orin platform via USB. We observed unexpected behavior during testing:

1. Using the NovAtel Application Suite on an x86 machine, we configured the receiver to operate in Standalone mode. In this configuration, positioning and SPAN output appeared correct.

2. However, after running ./sample_gps_logger on the Drive Orin (DriveWorks 5.20.24), several decoder errors appeared, while the IMU data stream with error: errorID(1) error messages: [IMU Alignment status error,]

3. Upon reconnecting to the NovAtel Application Suite, we noticed the receiver had switched to RTK mode, despite no explicit configuration on our part.

We suspect the DriveWorks NovAtel decoder might be modifying the receiver configuration—possibly forcing it into RTK mode. We would like to confirm:

• Is this behavior expected from the gps.novatel driver in DriveWorks?
• Does the decoder modify receiver operational mode or settings upon startup?
• What would be the solution to get the gps data?

./sample_gps_logger logs(after changing back to standalone mode after it was changed to rtk mode):

pomo@tegra-ubuntu:/usr/local/driveworks/bin$ ./sample_gps_logger --driver=gps.novatel --params=connection-type=usb

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Platform: Detected Drive Orin P3710

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Adding variable DW_Base:DW_Version

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Added variable DW_Base:DW_Version

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Platform: number of GPU devices detected 1

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Platform: currently selected GPU device 0, Resource Data Dir: trt_08_06_12_04, Arch: ga10b

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Platform: currently selected GPU device integrated ID 0

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] CUDLAEngine:getDLACount: CUDLA version is = 1004000

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] CUDLAEngine:getDLACount: Number of DLA devices = 2

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Context::mountResourceCandidateDataPath resource FAILED to mount from './resources': VirtualFileSystem: Failed to mount './resources/resources.pak'

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Context::mountResourceCandidateDataPath resource FAILED to mount from '/usr/local/driveworks-5.20/bin/data': VirtualFileSystem: Failed to mount '/usr/local/driveworks-5.20/bin/data/resources.pak'

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Context::findDataRootInPathWalk data/DATA_ROOT found at: /usr/local/driveworks-5.20/bin/../data

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Context::mountResourceCandidateDataPath resource FAILED to mount from '/usr/local/driveworks-5.20/bin/../data': VirtualFileSystem: Failed to mount '/usr/local/driveworks-5.20/bin/../data/resources.pak'

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Context::findDataRootInPathWalk data/DATA_ROOT found at: /usr/local/driveworks-5.20/data

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Context::mountResourceCandidateDataPath resource FAILED to mount from '/usr/local/driveworks-5.20/data': VirtualFileSystem: Failed to mount '/usr/local/driveworks-5.20/data/resources.pak'

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Context::findResourcesPackageInPathWalk: Could not find ./resources/resources.pak in upto 7 parent directories from /usr/local/driveworks-5.20/bin/../lib/libdw_base.so.5.20

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Context::findResourcesPackageInPathWalk: Could not find ./resources/resources.pak in upto 7 parent directories from /usr/local/driveworks-5.20/targets/aarch64-Linux/lib/libdw_base.so.5.20

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] SDK: No resources(.pak) mounted, some modules will not function properly

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] [22-07-2025 20:06:50] Initialize DriveWorks SDK v5.20.24

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] [22-07-2025 20:06:50] Release build with GNU 9.3.0 from buildbrain-branch-0-gb4c0b405b15 against Drive PDK v6.0.10.0

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] SensorFactory::createSensor() -> time.nvpps, nvpps-device=/dev/nvpps0

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Found driver: time.nvpps

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Can not create time sensor: DW_HAL_CANNOT_OPEN_CHANNEL: EndpointNVPPS: cannot open NVPPS device with name: /dev/nvpps0

Error: Permission denied

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] SensorFactory::loadPluginLibraryHelper:Succeed to load dynamic lib - /usr/local/driveworks-5.20/bin/../lib/libsensor_plugin_public_radar.so

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] SensorFactory::createSensor() -> gps.novatel, connection-type=usb

[22-07-2025 20:06:50] Found driver: gps.novatel

[22-07-2025 20:06:52] EndpointNovatel: started for device 0

[22-07-2025 20:06:52] DecoderNovatel: fwMode DDNRNNTBNP1,fw version OM7CR0902RN0000,boot version OM7BR0301RB0000,compileDate 2024/Mar/18

GPS[0] - 1753214812200917 gps utc time: 1753274787024000 errorID(1) error messages: [GPS sensor working in wrong modes,]

[22-07-2025 20:06:53] DecoderNovatel: packet exceeds maximum length

[22-07-2025 20:06:53] DecoderNovatel: failed to request an entire message from decoder queue.

[22-07-2025 20:06:53] DecoderNovatel: message misaligned, discarding bytes

[22-07-2025 20:06:54] DecoderNovatel: packet exceeds maximum length

[22-07-2025 20:06:54] DecoderNovatel: failed to request an entire message from decoder queue.

[22-07-2025 20:06:54] DecoderNovatel: message misaligned, discarding bytes

[22-07-2025 20:06:55] DecoderNovatel: packet exceeds maximum length

[22-07-2025 20:06:55] DecoderNovatel: failed to request an entire message from decoder queue.

[22-07-2025 20:06:55] DecoderNovatel: message misaligned, discarding bytes

[22-07-2025 20:06:56] DecoderNovatel: packet exceeds maximum length

[22-07-2025 20:06:56] DecoderNovatel: failed to request an entire message from decoder queue.

[22-07-2025 20:06:56] DecoderNovatel: message misaligned, discarding bytes

^C[22-07-2025 20:06:56] EndpointNovatel: stopped for device 0

[22-07-2025 20:06:56] Sensor Health Signal for gps[0] gps.novatel, connection-type=usb

timestamp: 0 sourceID: 7

Sensor notifications:

[22-07-2025 20:06:56] Sensor statistics for: gps[0] gps.novatel, connection-type=usb

[22-07-2025 20:06:56] Statistics for DW_SENSOR_STATE_DELTA_HOST_AND_HOST_TIME

Events: 306304

Errors: 1

CRC Errors: 0

Drops: 0

minDelta: 56.0000 us

maxDelta: 10298.0000 us

meanDelta: 3548.5242us

Standard deviation: 2843.5366

[22-07-2025 20:06:56] Sensor statistics for: gps[0] gps.novatel, connection-type=usb

[22-07-2025 20:06:56] Statistics for DW_SENSOR_STATE_DELTA_CURRENT_AND_HOST_TIME

Events: 306304

Errors: 1

CRC Errors: 0

Drops: 0

minDelta: 56.0000 us

maxDelta: 10298.0000 us

meanDelta: 3548.5242us

Standard deviation: 2843.5366

[22-07-2025 20:06:56] [22-07-2025 20:06:56] Releasing Driveworks SDK Context

[SivaRamaKrishnaNV]

@atharv.sharma

Does that mean, You notice Operating mode value in Positioning changed to RTK from Standalone in Novatel application suite GUI after running sample_gps_logger?
Also, Is the Orin inside a moving car now?

[atharv.sharma]

Yes that’s right. We noticed that the mode was automatically changed to rtk mode after running the sample GPS logger. Also the orin and novatel GPS+imu were placed in a moving car.

[SivaRamaKrishnaNV]

Dear @atharv.sharma ,
This error ID(1) means the Novatel GPS sensor is not working in RTK_FIXED mode(the most precise mode for GNSS measurements)

From the shared screenshots, Novatel sensor is working in SINGLE satellite mode, which is much coarse than RTK or PPP mode w.r.t GNSS measurements. Can you first do some calibration driving and see if the sensor can go into RTK or PPP mode(given you have installed RTK software license) - move the car to open air and drive for some distance and observe again.

Basically this errorID(1) simply means the GNSS measurements(coordinates) are not very precise but the Novatel sensor as a GPS sensor is basically working.

Also, could you use ethernet instead of USB port?