Many people know what a GPS device is and does, but far fewer have heard of GNSS receivers. This is mostly because of America-centric thinking; GPS is simply the American term for the local GNSS system. GNSS stands for Global Navigational Satellite System; it is an umbrella term used to describe all manner of global positioning systems. This includes GPS, as well as GLONASS, Galileo and Beidou.
How These Technologies Touch Our Lives
If you’ve ever been lost and used your smart phone or other device to find your way home, you’ve used GNSS technology. Likewise, if you’ve used a mobile navigation system in your car to find a new location, you were relying on GNSS. It’s remarkable how common these technologies have become!
There are many other ways that GNSS data is used to enhance our everyday lives. Land surveyors have been using some form of GNSS technology since the 1980’s to create reliable, accurate maps and models of the world around us. This doesn’t just benefit the world of science and education, it also helps millions of people find the places they’re looking for every day.
If you’ve ever seen a brand new high-rise building or a bridge being constructed, you’ve witnessed GNSS use in action. Creating the plans for these larger-than-life structures is another function of GNSS technology and one that makes modern life possible.
Other Applications
Survey equipment retailers don’t only offer GNSS receivers to be used in the projects mentioned above. They’re an important part of the scientific community’s understanding of our planet, and they help us create accurate and detailed maps of underwater areas, deep cave territories and more that was never before possible to survey. In many ways, our very understanding of the earth we live on is derived from the use of GNSS technologies. They’re likely to continue playing a key role in our lives as we discover and develop more territory for the world’s growing populations, and continue needing to navigate the spaces we create. Visit online for more information!
