A company in South Africa puts a stop to gravestone robberies with GPS tracking.

Of all the things GPS tracking is being used for, stolen gravestones may be the most surprising. But in South Africa, where gravestone robberies are becoming a problem, it is now a necessity.

In Johannesburg, there are 36 cemeteries and approximately 20 marble and granite tombstones are stolen from these cemeteries every month. The gravestone material is sold on the black market, typically to dishonest stonemasons.

The GPS transmitting system is called Memorial Alert, and includes a transmitter that is placed inside the headstone. It can detect anyone tampering with the gravestone, setting off the internal sensor. Not only is the owner of the memorial and local authorities alerted through text message by this sensor, but an alarm sounds to deter the attempted thief. Read the rest of this entry »

Navigation has come a long way since its early days of providing services to military services before civilians had access to it. Most modern systems use satellite navigation, which provides positioning and coverage through satellites. These satellites send signals to electronic receivers, and are used in multiple types of navigation systems, including GPS and GLONASS. Here are some main differences and similarities between the two systems.

GPS

Global positioning system (GPS) is the USA’s satellite navigation system. It has very high accuracy, able to get up-to-date information regardless of the current weather condition. It is one of the oldest navigation systems, originally being introduced in 1973. Until it became public in the 2000s, GPS was used primarily for the U.S. Department of Defense.

GLONASS

Russia also has a satellite navigation system, called GLONASS, or Global Navigation Satellite System. It is also a space-based system, similar to GPS, and operated by the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces. GLONASS was developed just two years after GPS and went through a large restoration in the 2000s. As of 2010, it became the Russian Federal Space Agency’s most expensive program. Read the rest of this entry »

Rescue teams plan to use GPS tracking to help find and rescue entangled whales in Monterey Bay, California.

For the second time in less than a week’s time, a humpback whale has been caught in a crab fisherman’s net out in the waters of Monterey Bay. The search teams spotted this second whale and returned to the area in order to continue their search efforts.

After spotting the whale, it looked like the whale was in bad shape. It was wrapped around commercial fishing line at the Moss Landing coastline. The fishing line appeared to be so tight that the whale’s rib cage was visible. Read the rest of this entry »

Some businesses are reluctant to incorporate fleet tracking management tools into their businesses out of fear that doing so will alienate their best drivers. What they fail to realize is that by making the switch to GPS fleet tracking and fleet tracking management tools, they’re able to make working conditions, and pay, better all around.

This helps to not only keep talented drivers happy and content with the working conditions, but also to attract talented drivers to their organizations. Here are a few specific benefits that can help to attract and retain the best drivers through GPS fleet tracking. Read the rest of this entry »

As the state of Florida may expect a very active year for fires, the Florida Forest Service is protecting its firefighters with GPS tracking devices so supervisors can track their location and keep them safe.

It is no secret that firefighters are exposed to a wealth of dangers. This time, though, firefighters are getting a little help of their own. GPS tracking technology is coming to firefighters rescue.

Using GPS for local firefighters was a decision made after previous fatalities occurred among firefighters in Florida and Arizona. In Arizona, 19 firefighters lost their life after a blaze in the wilderness during the summer, while two rangers died in North Florida when attempting to put out a forest fire in 2011.

Part of the problem in these cases was lack of proper tracking and communication between the firefighters and their supervisors. Read the rest of this entry »