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Dr. Moose@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.worldEnglish · 4 months ago

FCC chair says we’re too dependent on GPS and wants to explore ‘alternatives’ (read: multi billion contract with Musk)

www.theverge.com

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FCC chair says we’re too dependent on GPS and wants to explore ‘alternatives’ (read: multi billion contract with Musk)

www.theverge.com

Dr. Moose@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.worldEnglish · 4 months ago
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FCC chair says we’re too dependent on GPS and wants to explore ‘alternatives’
www.theverge.com
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The FCC is also set to vote on proposals regarding 911 technology.
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  • FiskFisk33@startrek.website
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    4 months ago

    America is too dependent on tech developed owned and operated by the american military?!

    the fuck?

    • some_designer_dude@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      But Elon doesn’t own the American Military (yet) so this makes sense. Its just vertical integration, really.

  • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    4 months ago

    GPS? You mean the technology that we as a country collective maintain? And have continued to maintain since it’s immediate inception?

    Yeah, ok.

    Call me when you start using glonass.

  • TommySoda@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    GPS isn’t just for google maps. I’m a land surveyor and we literally use GPS every single day. Without it we’re basically fucked. We do hydrographic surveying and without GPS we’d have to basically go back to analog as 90% of the equipment on our boat would be useless. Good luck figuring out how much water is left in the Colorado river without it.

    Im not exactly an expert on this, but i am very familiar with what my job requires. The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) will be completely fucked without it as it’s built on decades of data and monitoring. You can’t just look for “alternatives.” Whatever Elmo has is not robust enough for the precision that is required for what we use GPS for. And without shit like that you couldn’t hit the broad side of a city.

    https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/

    • metaldream@sopuli.xyz
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      4 months ago

      These guys don’t care. They’re a bunch of gangsters trying to profit by dismantling the government and selling corporate replacements for its services.

      We’re either headed towards long term fascism or a massive civil backlash.

    • IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      3 months ago

      deleted by creator

  • RobotToaster@mander.xyz
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    4 months ago

    Most receivers already use GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and beidou.

  • IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    • Goodmorningsunshine@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Sounds like the FCC chair is taking his orders from Musk

  • stoy@lemmy.zip
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    4 months ago

    And this is why the EU should have ignored the US when they whined that our Gallileo system used different frequencies from GPS.

    As it stands now Gallileo was built to using frequencies that the US can jam using GPS.

  • BradleyUffner@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    I’m kind of surprised that Musk hasn’t proposed turning Selective Availability back on.

  • ABetterTomorrow@lemm.ee
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    4 months ago

    I hope I’m not reading into this too much and thinking he just wants to use Russias standard of satellite technology. L5 GPS is better accuracy. Also if you look at 3GPP’s future planning and goals, the game is to utilize all RF technology together. 5G broadcast and LoRaWAN will make sensors happens within cities and highways and that working together with GPS and cell, you can get readings about a foot or less.

    • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      4 months ago

      this is just some autistic shit from musk most likely.

  • QuadratureSurfer@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    One interesting alternative would be the Visual Positioning System (VPS) that Niantic has built from Pokemon go player data. Basically you can take a picture outside and your phone will know exactly where you are:

    https://www.nianticspatial.com/locate#vps

    https://arstechnica.com/ai/2024/11/niantic-uses-pokemon-go-player-data-to-build-ai-navigation-system/

    Too bad they’re getting close to being bought out by a company that’s notorious for squeezing out every penny from their player base.

    Edit: Correction, Pokemon Go is being bought from Niantic… The company itself is not being bought.

  • hansolo@lemm.ee
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    4 months ago

    I really hope this means another attempt to use the magnetosphere itself. MAGNAV might actually be possible at this point.

    https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automation/article/21145842/electronic-design-magnetic-field-navigation-as-an-alternative-gps

    Edit: better article. AI advancements make MAGNAV a real possibility now. https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3408951/magnav-project-successfully-demonstrates-real-time-magnetic-navigation/

    • thog78@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      How does that handle high tension lines and the like, doesn’t it disturb the magnetosphere far too much? Kinda the reason even compasses don’t work anymore in town?

      • hansolo@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        No idea. I think there’s a lot of machine learning - enabled mapping up front.

      • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        4 months ago

        this would also be susceptible to magnetic field switching as well, shouldnt be a huge technical limitation, but im not sure accuracy is going to be quite as good.

  • potatopotato@sh.itjust.works
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    4 months ago

    There’s already a startup trying to get the FCC to give them half of the 915mhz band (meshtastic, smart home stuff, ELRS, ham radio) for a pay to win GPS alternative.

    • stopdropandprole@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      first time hearing about this, any more details you can provide or link to a news release? is this Ubiik?

      • potatopotato@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        Nextnav

        https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-24-776A1.txt

  • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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    4 months ago

    That’s weird, I always viewed GPS as a form of American Imperialism. Sure, it’s a bit extreme maybe, but America does own and operate it and jam it when enemies try to use it.

    • ReluctantMuskrat@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Calling GPS part of imperialism is a stretch. It was put in the air at no cost to another country and can be used without cost by anybody, but nobody has to use it. Other countries can launch their own satellites if they want, but they don’t because that’s expensive and GPS is free. The US isn’t making money off of it or exploiting another country with it.

      Yes, the US can jam it regionally when in conflict but of course why wouldn’t we? No reason to help the enemy.

      • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        4 months ago

        technically, originally the GPS system was private, until made public, where it had error obfuscation, until semi recently it was released fully.

        It was originally funded by the US government, still is, it’s just publicly accessible now.

        (the original usecase being for shit like ICBMs and what not, obviously)

      • IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        3 months ago

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