Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

Most people think of global positioning systems (GPS) as portable devices that give driving directions, but behind that device in the dashboard is a complex worldwide radio-navigation system — a constellation of 24 satellites and their ground systems. GPS uses these manmade stars as reference points to calculate exact positions.

Initially designed for military use, GPS is still widely used in intelligence and security, and also in battle scenarios to locate targets, but now it has countless everyday uses as well. It's begun to make its way into laptop computers, airplanes, boats, machines, and building equipment.

GPS's companion technology is GIS, geographic information systems. GIS takes information, or data, from things like sonar and GPS systems and creates maps of specific, often inaccessible locations. Together, GIS and GPS produce detailed, layered maps of underground environments. In agricultural industries, for example, GIS and GPS provide information to farmers about how to grow the crops best suited to a given patch of soil. In marine industries, they help create images of the ocean floor and maps of the underwater world. GPS and GIS are quickly becoming vital tools in every industry connected to land and ocean environments, from resource management to communications systems.

Additional resources:
AgKnowledge: The National Center for Agriscience & Technology Education
http://www.agrowknow.org



Common Jobs:
- GIS Mapping Technician
- Data Manager
- Environmental Analyst