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What is GPS?

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system that consists of 24
orbiting satellites, each of which makes two circuits around the Earth every 24 hours. The
satellites transmit three bits of information the satellites number, its position in space, and the
time the information is sent. These signals are picked up by the GPS receiver, which uses this
information to calculate the distance between it and the GPS satellites.

With signals from three or more satellites, a GPS receiver can triangulate its location on the
ground (i.e., longitude and latitude) from the known position of the satellites. With four or more
satellites, a GPS receiver can determine a 3D position (i.e, latitude, longitude, and elevation). In
addition, a GPS receiver can provide data on your speed and direction of travel. Anyone with a
GPS receiver can access the system. Because GPS provides real-time, three-dimensional
positioning, navigation, and timing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all over the world, it is used in
numerous applications, including GIS data collection, surveying, and mapping.

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The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of at least
24 satellites. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day, with
no subscription fees or setup charges. The U.S. Department of Defense (USDOD) originally put
the satellites into orbit for military use, but they were made available for civilian use in the
1980s.

How GPS works

GPS satellites circle the Earth twice a day in a precise orbit. Each satellite transmits a unique
signal and orbital parameters that allow GPS devices to decode and compute the precise location
of the satellite. GPS receivers use this information and trilateration to calculate a user's exact
location. Essentially, the GPS receiver measures the distance to each satellite by the amount of
time it takes to receive a transmitted signal. With distance measurements from a few more
satellites, the receiver can determine a user's position and display it electronically to measure
your running route, map a golf course, find a way home or adventure anywhere.

To calculate your 2-D position (latitude and longitude) and track movement, a GPS receiver
must be locked on to the signal of at least 3 satellites. With 4 or more satellites in view, the
receiver can determine your 3-D position (latitude, longitude and altitude). Generally, a GPS
receiver will track 8 or more satellites, but that depends on the time of day and where you are on
the earth. Some devices can do all of that from your wrist.

Once your position has been determined, the GPS unit can calculate other information, such as:
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Speed

Bearing

Track

Trip distance

Distance to destination

Sunrise and sunset time

And more

Other GPS Systems

There are other similar systems to GPS in the world, which are all classified as the Global
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). GLONASS is a satellite constellation system built by
Russia. The European Space Agency is creating Galileo, while China is creating BeiDou. Most
Garmin receivers track both GLONASS and GPS, and some even track BeiDou. You can expect
a more reliable solution when you track more satellites. You could be tracking nearly 20 with
newer Garmin products.

Applications of GPS
1. AVIATORS: Aviators throughout the world use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to
increase the safety and efficiency of flight. With its accurate, continuous, and global capabilities,
GPS offers seamless satellite navigation services that satisfy many of the requirements for
aviation users. Space-based position and navigation enables three-dimensional position
determination for all phases of flight from departure, en route, and arrival, to airport surface
navigation.

2. MARINE: The Global Positioning System (GPS) has changed the way the world operates.
This is especially true for marine operations, including search and rescue. GPS provides the
fastest and most accurate method for mariners to navigate, measure speed, and determine
location. This enables increased levels of safety and efficiency for mariners worldwide.

It is important in marine navigation for the ship's officer to know the vessel's position while in
open sea and also in congested harbors and waterways. While at sea, accurate position, speed,
and heading are needed to ensure the vessel reaches its destination in the safest, most economical
and timely fashion that conditions will permit. The need for accurate position information
becomes even more critical as the vessel departs from or arrives in port. Vessel traffic and other
waterway hazards make maneuvering more difficult, and the risk of accidents becomes greater.

3. ROADS AND HIGHWAYS: It is estimated that delays from congestion on highways,

streets, and transit systems throughout the world result in productivity losses in the hundreds of
billions of dollars annually. Other negative effects of congestion include property damage,
personal injuries, increased air pollution, and inefficient fuel consumption.
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The availability and accuracy of the Global Positioning System (GPS) offers increased
efficiencies and safety for vehicles using highways, streets, and mass transit systems. Many of
the problems associated with the routing and dispatch of commercial vehicles is significantly
reduced or eliminated with the help of GPS. This is also true for the management of mass transit
systems, road maintenance crews, and emergency vehicles.

GPS enables automatic vehicle location and in-vehicle navigation systems that are widely used
throughout the world today. By combining GPS position technology with systems that can
display geographic information or with systems that can automatically transmit data to display
screens or computers, a new dimension in surface transportation is realized.

4. AGRICULTURE/ FARMING: The development and implementation of precision

agriculture or site-specific farming has been made possible by combining the Global Positioning
System (GPS) and geographic information systems (GIS). These technologies enable the
coupling of real-time data collection with accurate position information, leading to the efficient
manipulation and analysis of large amounts of geospatial data. GPS-based applications in
precision farming are being used for farm planning, field mapping, soil sampling, tractor
guidance, crop scouting, variable rate applications, and yield mapping. GPS allows farmers to
work during low visibility field conditions such as rain, dust, fog, and darkness.

5.SURVEYING AND MAPPING: The surveying and mapping community was one of the first
to take advantage of GPS because it dramatically increased productivity and resulted in more
accurate and reliable data. Today, GPS is a vital part of surveying and mapping activities around
the world.

When used by skilled professionals, GPS provides surveying and mapping data of the highest
accuracy. GPS-based data collection is much faster than conventional surveying and mapping
techniques, reducing the amount of equipment and labor required. A single surveyor can now
accomplish in one day what once took an entire team weeks to do.

GPS supports the accurate mapping and modeling of the physical world from mountains and
rivers to streets and buildings to utility lines and other resources. Features measured with GPS
can be displayed on maps and in geographic information systems (GIS) that store, manipulate,
and display geographically referenced data.

6. RECREATION: The Global Positioning System (GPS) has eliminated many of the hazards
associated with common recreational activities by providing a capability to determine a precise
location. GPS receivers have also broadened the scope and enjoyment of outdoor activities by
simplifying many of the traditional problems, such as staying on the correct trail or returning
to the best fishing spot.

7. ENVIRONMENT: To sustain the Earth's environment while balancing human needs requires
better decision making with more up-to-date information. Gathering accurate and timely
information has been one of the greatest challenges facing both government and private
organizations that must make these decisions. The Global Positioning System (GPS) helps to
address that need.
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8. PUBLIC SAFETY AND DISASTER RELIEF: A critical component of any successful

rescue operation is time. Knowing the precise location of landmarks, streets, buildings,
emergency service resources, and disaster relief sites reduces that time -- and saves lives. This
information is critical to disaster relief teams and public safety personnel in order to protect life
and reduce property loss. The Global Positioning System (GPS) serves as a facilitating
technology in addressing these needs.

GPS has played a vital role in relief efforts for global disasters such as the tsunami that struck in
the Indian Ocean region in 2004, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that wreaked havoc in the Gulf of
Mexico in 2005, and the Pakistan-India earthquake in 2005. Search and rescue teams used GPS,
geographic information system (GIS), and remote sensing technology to create maps of the
disaster areas for rescue and aid operations, as well as to assess damage.

Prepared by: Zahid Ah