Difference between GPS and GLONASS.

Such "toys" as navigators have entered our life recently, but until now users are familiar with them only at the philistine level, based on inaccurate and irrelevant data, speculation and rumors. However, the difference between the two existing types of geolocation systems should be understood already because this knowledge will help you choose the best of the available and strengthen the information already acquired.

Definition

GPS - navigation system developed by the US Department of Defense in 1993.

GLONASS is a domestic navigation system. The first developments began in 1982, however, due to the project being frozen in the 90s due to funding difficulties, GLONASS was put into operation in 2009.

Comparison

Of course, accuracy is paramount in such matters. Differences in measurement errors by both systems are small, but they do exist: for GLONASS this figure is 3-6 meters, for GPS - 2-4 meters. That is, in theory, GPS is almost 2 times more accurate than its competitor, but in practice it does not matter.

It is also worth turning to history, which will show us that GLONASS has a longer and more complex history due to the fact that in 1991 the USSR collapsed, and with it disappeared and funding, so GLONASS appeared 16 years later than GPS. The physical and geographical characteristics of the systems are also different. GPS satellites are located in an orbit with an altitude of 20.2 km, GLONASS - 19.1 km. In addition, GPS satellites have an orbital tilt, in which the reception quality of GPS antennas in the circumpolar regions of the globe is significantly lower than GLONASS.

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

  1. GPS has slightly higher positioning accuracy.
  2. GPS appeared before GLONASS.
  3. The orbit of GPS satellites is higher than the orbit of GLONASS.
  4. In the polar regions, the quality of GPS reception is lower.
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