Global Positioning System

GPS Fundamentals
and Applications
 What is GPS?

GPS, which stands for Global Positioning

System, is the only system today able to
show you your position on the Earth
anytime, in any weather, anywhere.

The three parts of GPS are:

Space Segment
Control Station(s)
User Segments
Component of GPS?
GPS Communication and Control
 Space Segment

There are quite a number

of satellites out there in
space.

They are used for a wide

range of purposes: satellite
TV, cellular phones, military
purposes and etc.

Satellites can also be used

by GPS receivers.
 GPS Satellites

The GPS is a Operational

Constellation.

It consists of 24 satellites

that orbit the Earth.

They orbit twice a day.

GPS satellites emit

continuous navigation
signals.
Control Station(s)
Control Station(s)
User Segments
Handheld GPS receivers
 How GPS works

This can be summarized by five individual processes:

1. Triangulation from Satellites is the basis of
the system

2. To triangulate, GPS measures distance using the travel

time of a radio signal.

3. To measure travel time, GPS needs very accurate clocks.

4. Once you know distance to a satellite, you then need to

know where the satellite is in space.

5. Finally you must correct for any delays the signal

experiences as it travels through the atmosphere.
Measuring Distance from the
Satellite
The GPS system works by timing how
long it takes a radio signal to reach us
from a satellite and then calculating the
distance from that, it means

Distance = (Speed of light) * (Time)

 To make life easier

 In a 2D Co-ordinate system we require 3 points to locate our self

 We are 5 unit far from point a and 10 unit far from point b
 Drawing an arc from point a of radius 5 unit and of 10 unit from b
would intersect at point P which might be desired location.
 There are such two points of intersection R- plane
 A third point will fix the ambiguity
P

 a
b
 GPS Measurements

GPS is based on satellite

ranging, measuring distance
from Satellite
Two measurements puts us
somewhere on this circles

Three measurements puts

us at one of two points
Out of which only one is true another
have high velocity or is far from
Earth
Knowing where a satellite is in space

To calculate our position we need precise

distance, for precise distance we need to know
where our satellites are in space
GPS satellites are so high up, their orbits are very
predictable.
Minor variations in orbits measured constantly by
the Department Of Defense and that data is
transmitted from the satellites themselves
 Satellite Signaling and Orbital Details

 Global Coverage : Minimum 4 Satellites in view

from any place of the Earth
 Operational in All Weather Conditions
 Distributed in 6 Orbital Plane each Plane have 4
Satellites
 12 Hours Circular Orbit
 20,200 km orbit at 55 deg.
 Operates on L band Frequency.
 Messaging is Pseudo Random Code (PRC)
 Receivers and Satellites

GPS units are made to

communicate with GPS
satellites.

They have a much better

view of the Earth.

It helps to find out exactly

where they are on the
global scale of things.
 GPS Signals

Each GPS satellite

transmits data that indicates
its location and the current
time.
Physically the signal is just a
 All GPS satellites complicated digital code, or
synchronize operations so in other words, a
that these repeating signals complicated sequence of
are transmitted at the same “on” and “off” pulses.
instant of time.
 Time Difference

The GPS receiver

compares the time a
signal was transmitted
by a satellite with the
time it was received.

The time difference tells

the GPS receiver how far
away the satellite is.
 Calculating Distance

Velocity x Time = Distance

Radio waves travel at the speed of light
3,00,000 kms per second (kmps)

If it takes 0.06 seconds to receive a signal

transmitted by a satellite floating directly
overhead, use the following formula to find the
distance from the satellite.

3,00,000 kmps x 0.06 seconds = 18,000 km

 Triangulation

Geometric Principle:
You can find one
location if you know
its distance from
other, already-
known locations.
 Triangulation

If distances from
two points
representing
satellites are
known, then there
are two possible
points (shown red)
 Triangulation

If the distance
from a
third point is
known, then the
unique point
can be determined
(The red)
 3-D Trilateration
1 Satellite 2 Satellites

3 Satellites
 Atomic Clocks
GPS satellites use Atomic Clocks for
accuracy, but because of the cost, most
GPS receivers do not use Atomic
Clocks. Time uncertainty results in
location uncertainty.
 Line of Sight Transmissions

Line of sight is the ability

to draw a straight line
between two objects
without any other objects
getting in the way.

GPS transmission are line-

of-sight transmissions.
Obstructions such as trees, buildings, or natural
formations may prevent clear line of sight.
 Light Refraction

Sometimes the GPS

signal from the
satellite doesn’t follow
a straight line.

Refraction is the
bending of light as it
travels through one
media to another in
the atmosphere.
 Signal Refraction
Signals from satellites are light waves. When they
hit some interference (air patterns in the
atmosphere, uneven geography, etc.) they
sometimes bend a little.
 Signal Interference

Sometimes the
signals bounce off
surfaces before
they hit the
receivers.
 Satellite Distribution
When the satellites are all in the same part
of the sky, readings will be less accurate.
 PDOP
PDOP = Positional Dilution of Precision

All of this combines

to make the signal
less accurate, and 11,000 miles

11,000 miles
gives it what we call 11,000 miles

a high “PDOP.”
11,000 miles

 A PDOP of <4 is excellent

 A PDOP of 4-8 is good
 A PDOP of >8 is poor
GIS-DATA & Sources:
The most important and expensive component of the
Geographic Information System is Data which is
generally known as fuel for GIS.

GIS data is combination of graphic(Spatial Data ) and

tabular data(Non Spatial Data)
Perhaps the most important component of a GIS is in
the part of data used in GIS. The data for GIS can be
derived from various sources.
A wide variety of data sources exist for both spatial
and Non Spatial data.

People can use topo maps, aerial photographs,

satellite images, data of ground surveys, readily
available reports and government or research
Publications,Department maps.
The most common general sources for spatial data in
GIS are:

1)Hard copy maps;

2)Aerial photographs;

3)Remotely-sensed imagery;

4)Point data

5)Samples from surveys

6)Existing digital data files.

 Application of GPS

 GPS Applications can be categorized

under five areas:
 Navigation - getting from one location
to another
 Location - determining the position
 Tracking - monitoring the movement of
people and objects
 Mapping - creating different kinds of
geographic maps
 Timing - determining the exact time
 Application of GPS

Who Uses GPS?

Some of the applications that GPS systems are
currently being used for around the world include
mining, aviation, surveying, agriculture, marine,
recreation, and military. These days doctors, scientists,
farmers, soldiers, pilots, hikers, delivery drivers, sailors,
fishermen, dispatchers, athletes, and people from many
other walks of life are using GPS systems in ways that
make their work more productive, safer, and easier
Application of GPS
Application of GPS
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Application of GPS
Application of GPS
Application of GPS
 Applications & Future Aspects
Location based Services
 Vehicle Tracking System
 Creating Database for Transport Engineering
Disaster Monitoring System
 Earthquake Monitoring
Surveying
Building Spatial Infrastructure
 Building Transportation Network
Resource Utilization
 Agriculture and GPS
Application

Image a farm

Harvesting Land Leveling & Drainage

Mapping, Scouting & Sampling, Planning

Field Preparation, Planting & Cultivating

Fertilizing & Crop Protection
 Conventional Navigation Systems
LandMarks: Works in local area , subjected to
Enviorenmenal factors.
Celestial : Works at night and in good
Weather

Global Positioning System

World Wide Navigation: Sattelite based System
Visible from whole earth

Accurate Positioning: Atomic Clocks and

Microprocessors are used
Questions

Thank You