A Comparison of GIS and GPS
A Geographic Information System (GIS) and a Global Positioning System (GPS) both deal with geographic data, but they do so in very different ways. GPS is a means of acquiring locations on the ground, whereas GIS is used for organizing and analyzing spatial information.
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Global Positioning System
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A GPS is a three-part system that includes at least 24 satellites that orbit the Earth, monitoring and control stations on the ground and GPS receivers that range in complexity from GPS-enabled mobile phones to high-precision, survey-grade instruments. GPS satellites transmit their position and the time, which are interpreted by the receiver to determine the receiver's location and elevation.
Geographic Information System
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A GIS includes hardware and software that are capable of storing, processing and displaying data that have been referenced to a geographic location. A GIS is used in many disciplines to examine spatial patterns and relationships; its utility for decision-making comes from the ability to analyze the interactions between many different types of data in a single location.
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Integration of GPS and GIS
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A GIS uses spatially-referenced information from many sources, including aerial photos, satellite imagery and a GPS. In this way, data collected from a GPS can be used in a GIS to represent features of interest in a GIS analysis. GIS features, such as map and road layers, can also be used in GPS receivers to provide spatial context for users of hand-held GPS units.
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- Photo Credit satellite image by photlook from Fotolia.com
