The many uses of GPS Tracking Devices

GPS Tracking is now a part of our day to day lives.  Like it or not, if you have one of the latest smart-phones you are probably now also carrying equipment that is capable of pinpointing your exact position, with the right software installed on it.

Over the last decade, technologies have improved and manufacturing of GPS devices has reduced in cost, so the equipment is now much more readily available to the public.

GPS Tracking was originally intended for military use, and you can see its benefits.  Being able to track the location of troops on the ground, or expensive military equipment is a massive advantage over any opposition forces, however in todays world we see GPS being used for what might be classed as more trivial things.

For example, Pet Tracking devices are now very common, if not in my opinion and little unsightly.  Attached to the collar of your beloved cat or dog, the device allows you to keep tabs on their whereabouts - useful if the dog springs his lead or if you are simply curious as to where you cat might go on an evening.

The tracking of expensive assets such as cars, trailers and boats is also big business in the GPS tracking world.  Some modern cars are even coming with the technology built in.  Did you know that in some cases this might even save you money on your insurance?  Fitting devices to expensive assets is great for peace of mind and also helps the police to recover and return your property efficiently.

Believe it or not, tracking people is a very common use of GPS devices, and whilst this may scare some people who are not comfortable with the big brother approach this can be extremely useful for keeping tabs on younger children.  Todays world is very different to that of say two, or even one decade ago, and the knowledge that your child is safe and sound and where they are supposed to be is a huge weight of anyones shoulders.

Finally... Sports.  GPS Tracking is huge in modern sport. Not only in the 'big' events such as orienteering and marathon running but also in professional sports training.  GPS can be used for much more than tracking the position of someone or something.  Taken that one step further, with the right software, you can measure distances and even speeds.  This is a huge advantage for the modern athlete as it allows them to manage their training schedules in more detail than they have ever been able to before.

So in summary, for one small unit, GPS Tracking Devices can have many different uses, not all of which will be listed here, but this article gives you a small insight into just what is possible.

5 uses of GPS Technology for Consumers

GPS Technology is now widely used in consumer devices. The technology allows us to pinpoint the exact location of anything that it is attached to. The biggest use for this is technology is assets that move or tracking people (for legitimate reasons of course!)

More consumers are using GPS Tracking Devices each and every day. The range of applications that the devices are used in seems to be growing, although the general trend is that it is attached to non static objects, generally of value.

Here are 5 different consumer uses for GPS Tracking Technology :

Cars and Vehicles

One of the most common uses of GPS Technology is vehicle tracking. With a small device fitted to any vehicle it is easy to monitor the exact location of the asset. This means that if you vehicle is lost or stolen you can easily retrieve it. In some circumstances it may even help you locate your parked car if you have forgotten where you left it - it does happen!

Tracking Loved Ones

Kids out playing around the estate or at the local playground? With a discrete GPS Tracking device you can monitor the location of their whereabouts which keeps your peace of mind at rest. WIth certain GPS Tracking systems you can also set up boundaries so if the GPS Tracking devices passes the boundary it signals an alarm or alert.

Tracking Pets

GPS Technology can be used both on dogs and cats. How often have you wondered where your cat gets to at night? With a GPS Tracking device you can monitor its exact location and map out its nightly route. If you have a dog that you often let off the lead, you know how quickly they can react to a scent and often forget about who they are with or where they are. Its easy for them to get lost quickly. With a GPS Tracking device fitted to the collar of the dog you can easily locate and retrieve your best friend!

Remote Assets

Remote Assets are ideal candidates for GPS Tracking devices. Do you own a boat or a Caravan that is often left unoccupied for large parts of the year? With a GPS Tracking device fitted you can keep a third eye on any unexpected movement of the asset which helps to you to react quickly and track down the exact location of its whereabouts.

Sports Events

OK, not all sports events benefit from the use of GPS Tracking devices, but remote sports such as orienteering or mountain trekking certainly can! If your loved one or family member is taking part in a remote trek around a mountain range what better way to keep in touch than knowing exactly where they are. Whats more, some GPS devices also come with the ability to communicate with each other, although these are generally more expensive than standard tracking devices.

All in all, GPS Tracking technology can be used to trace anything that moves. Usually consumers will attach the technology to something of value. There are many more potential uses than the 5 mentioned above, but these are generally the most common.

Why a Vehicle Tracking Device is a sound investment

Vehicle Tracking Solutions are designed to enable you to keep tabs on the exact location of your vehicle or fleet of vehicles. When you sit back and think about the different things that you could actually use your tracking device for you start to realise that rather than being a cost, these devices can actually be seen as a very sound investment.

For example, thinking about the day to day uses of the device. Say you park your car in a large, unfamiliar city and walk into town, perhaps to do a spot of shopping. After a few hours of walking around you realise that you have lost your bearings and not sure which is the right way back to the car. If you have a smart phone with Internet access you could very quickly find out where the last recorded GPS points were and easily make your way back to the car - no fuss, no stress - as easy as that!

The biggest reason that people invest in GPS tracking devices is for reasons of theft. With a discrete GPS Tracking device fitted to the car, even if your pride and joy is stolen you will be able to keep track of its current location, and with the right software even its current estimated speed. GPS Tracking devices in vehicles are a great help to the police and enable them to recover your vehicle quickly before its too late. Having a GPS Tracking device installed in the car may even reduce your insurance costs, which automatically offsets the cost of the equipment in the first place.

Of course, tracking devices aren't just designed for single car solutions. If you run a large business or corporation you may have a large fleet of cars, vehicles or vans. GPS can play a huge part in maintaining the wear and tear cost of your fleet whilst also assisting with the health and safety aspect of your drivers, by making sure they are not driving during 'down time'. Whilst some employees might frown at the idea of being 'tracked' whilst on the road it is also a great way of providing evidence that speed limits were being adhered to and that employees were where they said they were should an incident happen.

In terms of managing fuel costs GPS tracking can also help. With the device fitted your employees are less likely to be using company vehicles for social purposes which would not only cost in terms of fuel but also the wear and tear of the vehicle itself.

So in summary, for a relatively small investment, a Vehicle Tracking device could actually save you money in the long term either through insurance costs or misuse of company vehicles.

5 things that you can keep track of using a GPS device.

GPS Tracking is a brilliant use of technology. As part of a satellite tracking system, a small device can be used for so many different things from tracking a person to vehicle tracking! As long as the device is somewhere on the planet, with reasonable coverage of the above skys, you can track it!

So how do they work? GPS Tracking Devices relay a constant stream of coordinates, via a network of satellites that orbit the earth, back to a central computer that decodes the data and presents it to the end user. The end user can often see this information on a map overlay, such as Google Earth for example. As the Tracking device is always communicating with the satellites, telling them where it is, it is possible to map out the route that the device is taking. This is called real-time tracking.

Real Time Tracking is a great way to keep track of people or assets of value. As GPS technology has become more affordable over the last few years it is now available to consumers, aswell as businesses and the military. You can literally tracking anything you want - even your cat!

Here are 5 things that you can keep tabs on using a GPS Tracking Device :

1. Vehicles


For people who have a car, its probably one of their most important assets. Not only in terms of its value but in terms of how much we rely on them to carry out our day to day tasks. So if you car is unfortunately stolen (or even if you have just forgotten where you parked it!) GPS Tracking devices can help.

2. People!

It might sound daft but GPS Tracking devices are perfect for tracking people, especially during sporting events such as orienteering.

3. Pets

Ever wondered where your cat has strayed to? Or maybe you have a dog who keeps escaping. GPS Tracking devices are now small and discrete enough to sit on the collar of mans best friend.

4. Assets.

Did you know that your mobile phone might already have GPS technology installed? If you have access to a mapping application and it can tell you where you are, you can probably also get applications that tell you where you phone is if you were to lose it.

5. Marketing(!)

Some companies offer GPS Tracking devices to willing participants who are happy to be tracked over an agreed period of time. There is usually some reward for this and the company carrying out the market research can end up with some valuable data.

There are plenty of different applications were GPS Tracking devices can be used. There are the standard day to day scenarios but then also some more 'out-of-the-box' thinking ways of applying the technology.

The many faces of GPS Tracking Devices

GPS Tracking Devices are becoming more and more common. The reason? The technology is becoming more affordable. This means we are seeing consumer devices hit the market that allow us to keep track of people and assets. Consumers are probably most familiar with GPS navigation systems in their cars. This technology works by 'knowing' where they currently are and working out where they need to go to get to their destination.

GPS Tracking devices work in a similar fashion. Using Satellite technology they virtually pin-point the exact location of the device and are able to record this information back to a central system. This system can then be accessed by software that can analyse the coordinates and present it to an end user on a map overlay on the screen. As the information is stored it is able to map out a path of the route taken by the device and its owner.

GPS Tracking Devices can take many different forms. They can be used for many different tracking applications from people to planes! Here is a quick overview of the different types of tracking devices available:

Personnel. Personnel Tracking is becoming a more and more important part of life these days, especially with Blue Force Personnel traveling overseas to hostile environments. The personal tracking devices are small and discrete and allow central management teams to keep track of their employees and monitor their health and welfare.

Asset Tracking. Wether you need to keep track of a military or personal asset, GPS Tracking is the perfect solution. By attaching a discrete device to the asset you can monitor movement or location in the event that it might go missing.

Maritime Tracking. Own a boat? Why not keep peace of mind by monitoring its exact location. The ocean is a large and lonely place and GPS technology can help to keep an eagle eye on your prize asset at all times

Vehicle Tracking. If it moves - track it! Vehicle Tracking is now common place both for the consumer and military. Vehicles are the perfect application for GPS Tracking technology as they are constantly on the move. GPS Tracking on a vehicle might even bring down your insurance cost and play an important part in the recovery of the vehicle in the tragic event that it is stolen.

Sports. Sports? Yes, GPS Tracking is also very common when it comes to sporting events such as mountaineering and orienteering. Trekking the Himalayas? Don't leave base with your GPS Tracking device. If the unthinkable happens and you stray off track it might just save your live.

Many of these GPS applications can be considered for the consumer market, but there is also a wider field - even going as far as the military and defence sectors. GPS Tracking technology is not only priceless when it comes to the recovery of expensive assets, it can also save lives.