No line of work receives so many technological updates than that of a soldier. In most cases, especially in today’s battle zones, it’s what gives them the edge over their obstacles. They stay on the cutting edge, and by comparing a soldier from 40 years ago to the one who takes the field now, you’d think the modern soldier came from science fiction.
One of the most important gadgets each one of them carries on the field is a GPS receiver, and considering where soldiers end up, it’s severely lacking. Despite being military-grade, a soldier’s GPS basically work like the GPS on any other smartphone. It relies on the feedback on satellites, so when the signal is cut, there’s not much a soldier can do but rely on his honed skills.
When you’re out there, however, that’s just isn’t enough. When your life is on the line, nothing but the most effective, immaculately dependable equipment will do. A GPS combined with an inertial sensor will go a long way in helping soldiers counter threats and get out when necessary.
Looking at Long-Term and Short-Term
In navigation talk, long-term and short-term mean a little different. It’s about accuracy, and how long can a soldier rely on the device before obstacles prevent reception. A GPS is effective 60% of the time, and though that’s more than half, it’s an insufficient number. Forget threats; navigation means being able to complete the mission.
This is where top-class GNSS simulation equipment comes into play. If it’s not about developing a prototype that will replace the current system, it can help in real-world applications. Some units are already on the market anyway, like the ones over at Castnav.com, and it’ll be as close to a perfect solution to implementing the proposed combination of GPS and an inertial sensor.
A Look at the Future
The hope is that technology isn’t too far away from an absolute complete step-up from GPS; at least, ensuring 100% coverage. With a joint venture by the government and the private sector, there is a big possibility that this will become an applicable device sooner than later.
It’s hard to see a military future without GPS and the equipment that will support its advancement. Whether you’re building a prototype or you’re looking for a solution that you can deploy as soon as possible, there’s this idea and many others that will give soldiers wider visibility on the field.
