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The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s), who is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Any inclusion of manufacturer names, trade names, or trademarks is for identification purposes only and is not to be considered an endorsement.

Title:

Use of Global Positioning System for the Capture of Environmental Data

Authors:

G. Michael Fitch

Year:	1995

VTRC No.:	95-R18
Abstract:	The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using the Global Positioning System (GPS), composed of 24 NAVSTAR satellites emitting individually coded radio signals with accurate timing and ephemeris information, to capture environmental field data. The accuracy of data collected in diverse environments and the practicality of transferring the data into a geographic information system (GIS) or computer aided design system (CADD) were tested. Three different data sets were collected: point, line, and area data. A Trimble GeoExplorer mapping grade GPS was used as the rover for data collection tests. Trimble base stations in North Carolina were used as the source of postprocessing data. Data collection was accurate and conversion of the data into GIS or CADD formats was practical. GPS technology is a highly feasible way to capture environmental location data.