It is hard to believe how far technology has come over the past 50 years. Scientists from less than a century ago may not believe how far we’ve come if they were plopped into our society today. Some of their wildest dreams have already come true and are largely taken for granted in this day and age. Just take global positioning system (GPS) technology as an example.
GPS is everywhere you look. It can be found in your smartphone as well as in your car. The idea of using a map or road atlas or ” heaven forbid ” wandering aimlessly until finding what you’re looking for are foreign concepts to younger generations.
We often don’t think about the many other hidden uses of GPS that impact our lives on a regular basis. Take GPS technology in aviation, for instance. It has become a highly valued aspect of navigation while in the air, and regular updates and advancements are always on the horizon.
GPS in Aviation
The use of GPS in aviation first took place in the late 1970s but didn’t really become highly accurate or mainstream until the 1990s when additional satellites were launched. Since that time, GPS in aviation has taken off. It is used in nearly every aspect of flight from take off to in-flight navigation to landing.
Prior to GPS in aviation, getting lost was not wildly uncommon and pilots spent a great deal of time training in lost procedures. One of the pilot’s main skills was the ability to determine where exactly they were by using VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) with distance measuring equipment (DME), non-directional beacons (NDBs), radar, and a lot of experienced gut feelings, especially when flying through clouds. Nowadays, the idea of being lost in the air for a long period of time seems almost insane.
Many modern satellites support wide area augmentation navigation systems (WAAS) and the majority of airports have incorporated them as well. The primary benefit of the technology for aviation is the ability to provide highly accurate information for both horizontal and vertical locations for approach operations. Of course, this is just one of many uses; others include en-route navigation and accurate departure/arrival time estimates.
Future Advancements
These days, experts in the GPS technology communities are excited about any number of major advancements. You may think GPS tech has reached its pinnacle, but think again! New advancements are breaking every day including increases in accuracy of receivers to mere centimeters and advances in GPS technology in self-driving cars.
Within aviation, advancements are set to be equally as grand. The biggest one that is currently taking place is the integration of ADS-B coverage in many locations. ADS-B allows for greater precision in location accuracy and can reach many remote locations that radar cannot. Although the process is likely to be slow and may be cumbersome for some pilots, it will produce many long-term benefits all around.
In addition, technology advances could offer a plethora of new training opportunities for young pilots. For example, some researchers are developing augmented reality simulations to help practice risky maneuvers and landings prior to being in the plane. This can give young pilots the opportunity to work with GPS technologies in a simulator and get comfortable before becoming airborne.
Possible Risks
Of course, as with every form of technology, there are a number of risks involved with trusting it completely. Although it is not likely to play a major role in your day-to-day navigating, the majority of GPS receivers have some level of error associated with them. This means your location could be off by a few inches or a few meters, depending on how advanced your GPS device is.
It may also come as a surprise to some, but by depending fully upon GPS to navigate, we are putting ourselves at some level of risk. Firstly, there is the very real possibility of the technology taking a dive and being forced to navigate with nothing. Secondly, GPS technologies and satellites are surprisingly easy to hack.
For pilots, this can be a serious issue that leads to them getting lost or into an accident either in-flight or on the runway. Whether accidental or intentional, interference in a GPS system could have devastating consequences. Fortunately, many researchers and tech experts are working to shore up the security of the tech we have all become so dependent upon.
For pilots and aviation in general, GPS technology has been a significant revolution that completely changed the course and safety associated with flight. There are many new advancements across the realm of GPS tech on the horizon, but for aviation specifically, one of the big ones is in ADS-B coverage per FAA regulations. Although many of us depend upon GPS for a lot of day to day activities, there are some associated risks with the technology that can be mitigated with general know-how and some caution.
