GPS or Global Positioning Satellite (System) got its start in the United States with the military. Today, the GPS market is one of the hottest markets in consumer electronics. Most people understand the benefits of GPS tracking and are curious about the technology, but the fact is that very few people really understand how it works. GPS is commonly used in vehicles to help drivers arrive at their destinations, but this technology is also used in a wide variety of other ways as well.
The U.S. military devised GPS as an effective way to track military personnel and as a way to pass directions on to soldiers. Satellites were launched to support the system and it is these satellites that we use today.
Each satellite continuously transmits its location via a radio frequency that can penetrate clouds and to an extent, buildings. The receiver on the ground takes the signal and triangulates its position here on earth. GPS takes the guesswork out of navigation and it works in nearly every geographic region on earth. An exception could be when someone is in a cave or a deep canyon, so the system is not foolproof.
It is thought that GPS could replace radar for air traffic control purposes. This would make air travel much safer and could save governments millions of dollars every year. The development of such a system is still decades away, according to the FAA, but the potential is definitely there.
