First introduced by the US Army in the 1970s, the Global Positioning System was designed only for military use. But in the 1980s, the restriction was lifted and this incredibly useful system was made available to civilians worldwide. The GPS had been a huge success for the military and had encouraged technology development in civilian applications as well, along with major innovations in satellite navigation and GPS tracking device solutions.
The GPS can be used anywhere on our planet, either on land and on the sea or in the air. 24 active GPS satellites orbit our planet every 12 hours, four of them in each of six orbital planes, and each one of them transmits a radio signal. Through these signals, the localization is determined by the GPS receivers and through localization, the speed and the direction of travel.
The accuracy of the GPS localization strongly depends on the power of the radio signal transmitted by the satellites. So if the sky is clear and there is nothing between the GPS receiver and the satellites, the signal will be the strongest. To travel from the satellite to Earth, this radio signal requires about 60 to 80 milliseconds, but to work accurately, your GPS device requires at least three satellite signals. In conclusion, to effectively use your GPS tracker, you need to be in an open area and have a little patience for the satellites’ radio signal to be acquired.
The GPS technology is a major step forward for mankind. Today, it can be a small gadget like a mobile phone or it can be mounted into your vehicle as a widget. Millions of people worldwide use this technology everyday. GPS technology has a large number of applications and next, we will give you a short review about them.
1. Aviation
This technology is a lifeline for aircraft pilots. The GPS tracking devices, along with their software, allow pilots to safely and accurately navigate around the world and keep an eye out for airport approaches.
2. Fleet tracking
There are numerous solutions for the GPS tracking systems that allow automatic vehicle location and navigation. They are a great tool for managing vehicle fleets, to lower costs and to provide asset surveillance.
3. Environment
The GPS tracking devices are crucial after a natural disaster. They can help survey the affected areas by mapping phenomena like oil spills, storms or forest fires.
4. Rail
For locating trains, maintaining smooth movements, minimizing delays or preventing collisions, the GPS tracking solution is instrumental.
5. Surveying
Locating a precise point of reference can be very time consuming in the traditional way of surveying. With GPS technology, defining property lines or building infrastructure in highly populated areas can be an easy task and a more accurate one.
These are just a few of the many GPS technology applications. It is an extremely useful technology for public safety, recreation, agriculture and marine activities. If you want to learn more about personal GPS tracking visit the GPS Tracker App blog. (Sorry! No longer in existence!)
Citations: Read more about GPS
Author Josuha Scheid is a passionate blogger and contributor to Driver Watch Systems. He likes to write about the latest navigation gadgets on the market.
