Practical Uses for GPS
Technology
by: Jeremy Maddock
Since the US Department of Defense established the worldwide Global
Positioning System (GPS) network, it has been put to a very wide variety
of uses by governments, corporations, organizations, and individuals
alike.
It has been put to good use for many years in its original, and most
obvious, purpose of coordinating military operations. In fact, if it
weren't for GPS, many modern military operations and practices would
simply not be possible. It is also frequently used in search-and-rescue
missions as well as disaster relief efforts.
In addition to this, GPS technology has proven to be instrumental in
numerous scientific research expeditions, especially in very remote
regions such as mountain ranges and the north and south poles.
The other side of GPS functionality, which is sometimes forgotten, is
the many uses it can be put to by individual consumers. Handheld GPS units
(
http://www.gpsdevices.info/gps-handhelds.php ) and other GPS devices (
http://www.gpsdevices.info/ ) are available for sale through many
ordinary retail channels, and can be very useful for a variety
recreational purposes. For example, having a GPS device handy when
camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, or boating can be an excellent way to
ensure that you don't get lost, even if you somehow manage to wander off
course.
Another common consumer use of GPS technology is for safety security
purposes. Using a GPS tracking system (
http://www.gpsdevices.info/gps-tracking-system.php ) can be an
excellent way to combat crimes such as theft and kidnapping. |