A Companion: Gps

It might not be known, but the Global Positioning Satellite System was first developed for military application. It first started out around 1994 when it saw activity during America's Operation Desert Storm. One could say that if not for the GPS system, the success of the war would have been marked with a lot more casualties that when it was before. The GPS system allowed vision during night time. Military could see through the desert night where the local rebels could not. They could sweep mines with little casualty, deliver smarter bombs, and navy ships were able to give support fire accurately. Even after everything, GPS is still being used by the military for satellite and spacecraft monitoring.

But without us, anyone of us, realizing about it, the GPS system has slowly snuck itself into our daily lives. We may not be waging a war as grand as Operation Desert Storm, we may just be heading to our office, but every day is a war in the urban jungle. Sometimes, we do notice it, but we don't give as much attention. You just have to look a little closer to see where GPS is being used.

In example, our commercial airplanes and jets that we fly on. Yes, the radio tower's function is to assist and provide an eye for the airplane, but the GPS system is an invaluable feature for airplanes, or in areas where radio towers could not see. The chances of airplanes crashing onto one another has lessened. Nor aircraft that have mysteriously vanished or disappeared from the radar. GPS has become an invaluable tool for tracking missing, lost and crashed aircraft.

GPS is also seeing use in the field of construction. With as much accuracy as possible needed in works that require delicate measurements, GPS is able to provide linear tracking even with the disability of lasers (in the case of tunnel digging for example). When you are miles underneath the earth with little bearings, it is easy to get lost especially in a maze of tunnels. The only thing you can rely on is on a GPS device.

But mostly cars. Cars are the one of the top users of GPS devices. The device is usually installed in the dashboard and is made for easy access. This application helps lost drivers. Trucking companies also use GPS to monitor all of their units and give a synchronized update to their clients. Lost campervans and cars that go off road are more easily recovered thanks to GPS.