2w ago

GPS Tracking - consumer GPS systems are limited to prevent usage in ballistic missiles

ravtrack.com

COCOM GPS Tracking Limits - GPS Tracking - RavTrack Complete Real Time Tracking

What does the actual real time computation? The phone or the GPS chipset?

9 comments

The local hardware is limited (That's the export control).
But I believe the consumer-accessible signal from satellites is also limited on accuracy.
- https://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/
  Bottom two sections are most relevant
Domestic GPS is plenty accurate to use in weapons. It must be accurate to <1M to be useful for navigation. If google maps can find your iphone in your house a missile can too.
I suspect that the Government has plans to make the signal less accurate or even turn it off in the case of an emergency.
GPS is also trivial to jam or spoof since the signals are weak anyway. In Ukraine the EW space is so flooded that they use wired drones, and old rockets with inertial navigation are popular.
- I saw some videos about those drones with controlled via fiber cables, crazy tech
- The built-in GPS limits are for speed and height, not accuracy.
Seems some people think accuracy is limited. That's not the case. From the article:
Immediate access to satellite measurements and navigation results is disabled when the receiver’s velocity is computed to be greater than 1000 knots, or its altitude is computed to be above 18,000 meters. The receiver continuously resets until the COCOM situation is cleared.
The limitations are enforced by the GPS receiver itself. You can buy "unlocked" GPS modules without these limitations, but they're harder to get ahold of.
I’m pretty sure that if a missile landed 30 feet away from me, it would still kill me
- Not sure why you are being downvoted. I’m wondering the same thing. If you’re launching a goddamn ballistic missile, I’m pretty sure you’re ok with being within a few extra yards of your target.
  I can see other reason the government might limit gps for non-military use, but if you’re claiming it’s ballistic missiles I call bullshit.
- The question is that if the consumer GPS is used on a missile, it will enter a deactivated mode, it's not just limiting accuracy

9 comments