GPS technology was initially developed by the United States defense system to aid in its military operations. The technology’s navigational feature proved to be very useful to military personnel that are out on the field, and to pilots who patrol the airspace.
There are about 27 GPS satellites orbiting the Earth, 24 are operational while the other 3 act as reserves in case one fails, and they travel at speeds of 7,000mph. These satellites feed information to GPS devices and let you know different information such as bearing, accurate time, distance from one point to another, route, track, trip distance, sunrise and sunset time, and so on.
The U.S. Department of Defense developed and maintains the GPS technology and therefore it is safe to say that the U.S. owns the technology.
How GPS Works?
In a nutshell, a GPS device gathers information from satellites, actually 3 satellites, and then tells you where you are, the exact time, altitude, if you are flying or hiking, etc…
The device performs what we call a “Trilateration” in order to pinpoint your exact location. Trilateration is a process wherein the device calculates its distance from 3 orbiting satellites and then creates imaginary spheres, based on the information gathered, that intersect with each other. Where the spheres intersect on Earth is your exact location.
Who Uses GPS?
Law enforcers – It is now standard for law enforcers and their vehicles to have GPS devices. This enables them to respond to any situation in an efficient manner. The operator can simply mark a location and the cops will be able to know where to go.
GPS is also very useful in tracking vehicles, especially of those who are under surveillance or under protection.
Big companies that own a number of vehicles – There are companies that rely on vehicles in order to keep their business going, like delivery companies and manufacturing companies that constantly deliver goods to customers.
With the aid of GPS technology, they can simply set up a vehicle monitoring system that will help them maintain their vehicles. The system will not only tell them where the vehicles are, at any given time, it will also help in preventing breakdowns by providing real time diagnostics.
Farmers – Gone are the days where farmers have to rely on age old knowledge, transferred by their ancestors, to determine where to plant their crops and how to generate more yield.
With GPS technology, farmers can plan their actions by mapping out fields. With this map, they can determine which part of the field need more fertilizers and which ones don’t. They can also easily identify areas with weed infestation and take appropriate action.
Ordinary people – It is very common to see people with hand-held GPS devices in their pockets, especially those who travel constantly and those whose hobbies take them to unfamiliar places. Hikers, Trail bikers, Mountaineers, all use GPS to aid them on their way to their destination and back.
It is also very common for vehicles to have GPS devices mounted on the dashboard. This enables drivers to map out the best route to a given destination before leaving the garage.
GPS technology benefits people and business in more ways than one; some, in ways that we didn’t even imagine possible. The technology is still evolving and developments are continuous so we can expect more from GPS technology in the years to come.
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