GPS as a tracking device

The GPS system is wonderful – it allows a simple piece of electronics to be able to estimate, to within 3 meters, its’ location on the surface of the planet. It does this by tracking signals from up to 12 satellites, and then using the relationship between itself and them to triangulate it’s position. Clearly, this is done with the sole purpose of tracking itself on an internal representation of the planets surface.

This also makes GPS the perfect technology for tracking other things – vehicles, people and so forth. In fact, one does not even have to have a sophisticated piece of portable equipment to be able to do this. Since the representation, for many applications, only requires that the system knows where it is in relation to another location, it can be very simple.

In fact, all the sophisticated tracking of where the device is with relation to physical features such as roads, fields and so on can be done by a central site which has access to computerized maps. In fact, to reduce the cost of providing this service across multiple devices, doing it centrally is probably the best idea.

By tracking centrally, in a police, or fire department, on reception of the GPS location via radio waves, co-ordination between different units can be made much easier. They will still need to be in contact via radio, but it will give the controllers an opportunity to know where everybody is at a given time, and co-ordinate accordingly.

The same approach can also be used for tracking rescue teams in extreme conditions, as well as prison inmates (on day release) and even maritime vessels.

For more information on related products and services, please choose from the following menu of items.

GPS
Maps / Software
Tracking

About The Author:

Guy Lecky-Thompson is a successful author and publisher at www.1st-at-gps-tracking.com. Recommending gps equipment and associated products
03-07-04