Which technology provides global positioning data via satellites?

• A. INS
• B. GPS
• C. Lidar
• D. Radar

Answer: (B)

GPS delivers global positioning data via satellites. A drone’s GPS receiver collects time-stamped signals from a constellation of satellites and uses the travel time of those signals to determine the distance to each satellite. With distance measurements from multiple satellites, the receiver can compute the drone’s exact 3D position and the clock bias of the receiver. The satellite network provides global coverage, which is why GPS is the go-to source for location and timing in drone navigation. Other technologies operate differently: an inertial navigation system uses onboard sensors and can drift without external updates; lidar measures distances to nearby objects with lasers; radar detects objects and range but does not provide satellite-based global positioning data.