Today, GPS units are very common, but there was a time when they were only used by the government. GPS has a longer history than most people believe. Here is how the U.S. government has changed GPS navigation over the years.

1. The Early Years

According to NASA, during the 1970s, a concerted effort by the Department of Defense was initiated to develop global positioning systems for use in the military. By the 1980s, the systems were ready to launch. However, the signals from GPS were purposely degraded for civilian use.

The Selective Availability system kept certain GPS out of the hands of non-military users. This was done in the interest of protection. While GPS units became common in the military, most civilians at the time were unaware that they existed.

2. The Early 2000s

Selective Availability remained in full force for over 30 years. According to GPS.gov, President Bill Clinton ended Selective Availability in May 2000. He initiated this step to ensure that civilians and commercial entities would have availability to this technology. This step brought the biggest changes to how GPS is used. In the early 2000s, GPS became far more available, and more people began using GPS for personal use.

3. The Evolution Period

The government has invested in upgrading satellites, developed the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) for aviation purposes, made block upgrades to the system, and more. The evolution of GPS thanks to the United States government has included developing the L5 and L2C signals to improve accuracy. The government has initiated efforts towards interoperability with other global positioning systems like Europe’s Galileo GPS.

GPS has come a long way since its inception. The U.S. government has made GPS accessible to anyone who wants to take advantage of it. Of course, GPS units have evolved right along with the changes to ensure accurate data.

While the systems are widely available to take advantage of, it is still critical to have a unit that can deliver accurate information. Investing in a unit that is designed for accuracy, ease of use, durability, and more ensures that you can take advantage of all the progress that has been made with global positioning systems. Rent a unit that is highly rated for dependability and accuracy by contacting GPS Rental today!