The Evolution of GPS Data Loggers: From Basic Tracking to Advanced Telemetry

In the modern world, the use of GPS technology is widespread, from individuals using them for basic tracking to businesses using them for advanced telemetry. But how have GPS data loggers transformed into their modern form? In today’s blog we will be looking at the evolution of GPS data loggers and their applications for modern users.

The Evolution of GPS Technology

The Global Positioning System (GPS) has its beginnings with the US Department of Defense, which started the project in 1973 to improve navigation. It was made available for civilian use in 1988 in response to the shooting down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 after it accidentally entered Soviet Airspace.

The accuracy of civilian GPS tracking was intentionally limited through the use of the selected availability, until it was discontinued in the year 2000. This limited the usefulness of GPS technology as under selective availability GPS signals were only accurate to within 100 meters. GPS Technology was also extremely expensive when it was first available for civilian use, with early GPS receivers costing as much as $2900 per unit, limiting who was able to take advantage of the technology. Following the elimination of selective availability, GPS trackers were able to determine location within 5 meters. In more recent times GPS trackers using the L5 Band are able to track accuracy to within 30cm with some specialized systems being accurate to within 2 cm. GPS devices have also gotten a lot cheaper and smaller as time goes on.

Modern Applications

Improved accuracy and reduced cost have led to exponential growth in the field of GPS devices taking them beyond simple trackers to indispensable devices for assisting both individuals and businesses. For example, one of the most notable uses of modern GPS data loggers is in the field of vehicle fleet management. Modern Businesses are able to equip their vehicles with GPS data loggers which can allow them to analyze many different elements of the vehicles’ day-to-day operation such as where the vehicle has been, how long the vehicle spends on stops, the average speed the vehicle travels at, the amount of fuel the vehicle has used and more. They also have applications outside of business such as allowing runners to analyze their routes or tracking the use of family vehicles.

As you can see GPS Data Loggers have come a long way since their initial development, becoming an invaluable tool when you need tracking data. If you have any questions about GPS Data Loggers, please feel free to contact us.

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