Market Snapshot
Key Players
Broadcom Inc.
Hexagon AB
Trimble Navigation Limited
MiTAC Digital Technology Corporation (Navman)
TomTom N.V
Global Statistics Representing Positioning System Market Scenario
A Global Positioning System is a network of satellites that distributes a signal used for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT). This signal is free, ubiquitous, reliable, accurate, and extremely precise. GPS infrastructure comprises space, control, and user. Space satellites contain four atomic clocks, a radio transmitter, and two antennas to transmit orbital data to ground control stations. The control segment consists of 15 global monitoring stations, and a Master Control Station. The user segment consists of military, finance, electricity, mining, and telecommunications. The global positioning system is economically beneficial and useful for the innovation of new signals. It increases productivity by reducing costs, saving time, enabling improved production processes, increasing health and well-being, reducing injury and loss of life, and increasing security. It has enabled innovators to develop a host of applications, products, and services for increased productivity, and personal enjoyment. Millions of users rely on GPS for navigation and positioning. Be it traveling to a new place or carrying out complex logistics services. The ability to measure time intervals and frequencies accurately is what allows GPS users to detect location any time, and anywhere in the world.
GPS Notes Varied Applications in Multiple Industries
Global Positioning System was originally launched for use in the military. The national laboratories, with the support of the Department of Defense (DoD), took the lead role in the research and development of enabling technologies. The first military GPS test was carried out in the vast expanse of the Iraqi desert during Operation Desert Storm in 1990. Over time GPS became a common name for use in every sector and has significantly flourished over the period of the 1990s to present. It has been widely deployed for specific applications, such as surveys, smartphone users, economic modeling tools, and national statistics. Sectors such as Telematics and telecommunications have widely witnessed the use of the Global Positioning System in the last decade, garnering a benefit of USD 325,182 and USD 685,990 respectively. The economic significance of GPS is growing. About 90% of GPS’s advantages were started to be incorporated in use since the 2010s. The Global Positioning System has been fully operational since 1995. It was used by several industries in the 1980s and 1990s, but its widespread application underwent a significant shift during the late 1990s. It took time for innovators to leverage the service. Presently, there have been rapid advances in information technology and GPS has become more transformative. Owing to its widespread usage in multiple sectors, as well as personal use, the market is said to be in the maturity phase
Enhanced Accuracy and Easy Accessibility of GPS Propel Market Growth
Reduced operational costs and improved efficiency are the major factors driving the growth of the Global Positioning System market. Easy installations in smartphones to guide in unknown locations and the growing use of passenger vehicles with built-in GPS are some of the advantages that are significantly propelling GPS market growth. It can also be used to improve response time in emergency situations, thereby increasing the safety of resources in remote locations. Stringent regulatory policies, licensing concerns, initialization costs, safety standards, and directional accuracy of currently available systems are some of the factors that can restrain the market growth during the forecast period. However, the rising adoption of 4G and other high-speed mobile data technologies, backed by the early adoption of 5G and fiber optics by many countries, will further propel GPS market growth in the forthcoming years. Furthermore, growing demand in the aviation industry and increasing global defense budget are expected to positively impact market growth during the forecast period. The use of navigation in surgical precision applications in the automotive industry and in commercial self-driven vehicles is anticipated to fuel market growth.
End-Users of the Global Positioning System
The target end-users of the Global Positioning System market include the mining, aviation, surveying, agriculture, marine, and defense industries. The increase in world trade and growth in marine traffic has helped the market to grow significantly over the past few years. GPS is used in open-pit mining to guide loaders, dozers, drills, and draglines. In the aviation sector, it is used for navigation and monitoring aircraft positions. GPS is also a primary source of navigation for aircraft equipped with Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP). In surveying, it is used for the collection and processing of data across multiple industries, and to greatly reduce the costs of products that rely on it. In agriculture, it is used to monitor fields and farmlands, to provide crop data to farmers for enhanced productivity. It is also used for forecasting solutions. In marine transportation, GPS is used for navigation, collision avoidance, and situational awareness and for monitoring and communications. GPS is used in the defense sector for national security and spaceflight capability. The military segment is expected to witness a high growth rate during the forecast period.
High Military Expenditure to Drive GPS Market in North America
The United States is expected to register a significant growth rate in the Global Positioning System market during the forecast period. The United States’ Global Positioning System (GPS) consists of 24 satellites that provide critical competencies to the military, civil, and commercial users worldwide. Increasing demand for connected, autonomous and self-driving cars is driving the adoption of synchronized radar, LIDAR, GPS, other sensors, and technologies across the region. The automotive industry of North America is rapidly adopting automation, which is spurring the GPS market growth. Furthermore, significant military expenditure by governments and the high penetration of smartphones in the region is further propelling the market growth. Thus, the regional market is projected to register a high growth rate during the forecast period.
Enhanced Technology Demand Drives GPS Market in Asia-Pacific
The Global Positioning System market in Asia-Pacific is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. Owing to rising GDP figures, countries such as China and Japan are expected to contribute to market growth. The incorporation of new high-tech vehicles by the automotive industry is on the rise in these regions. This will increase the demand for telematics functionalities, such as tracking devices, which is envisioned to bolster the growth of the Asia-Pacific GPS market. Furthermore, rising adoption of GPS based tracking systems by the Indian and Chinese military forces, two of the most largely populated countries, for the purpose of national security as well as the incorporation of GPS navigation and tracking systems in consumer electronics is projected to propel the demand for GPS during the forecast period. The region also witnesses a significant growth rate due to a large penetration of smartphones in China, India, and Japan, among others. The region also hosts some key manufacturers of semiconductor devices, which is anticipated to further propel market growth.
Allocated Government Budgets Show Promise for GPS Market in Europe
Europe is expected to portray a considerable growth rate in the Global Positioning System market. Countries such as the U.K., Italy, Spain, and Germany, among others, are projected to contribute to market growth. This is attributed to the high adoption rate of GPS tracking devices across various industry verticals and increasing sales of consumer goods in the region. Germany is estimated to witness exponential growth due to the rapid proliferation of smartphones. Government initiatives and budgets allocated for defense purposes will witness strong demand for GPS in the upcoming years. The region also has some leading market players, such as Queclink Wireless Solutions Co., Ltd., that recently launched an advanced tracking device, the GV300 Series, in order to support a wide variety of external accessories.
GPS Incorporated Vehicles to Drive GPS Market in Latin America
Latin America is projected to demonstrate robust growth in the Global Positioning System market in the upcoming years. An increase in sales and production of GPS-incorporated vehicles and telematics functionalities is expected to propel market growth. Regions such as Mexico and Argentina are leading countries, which are noticing an increasing demand for GPS in Latin America.
Consumer Awareness to Propel GPS Market Growth in the Middle East and Africa
The Middle East and Africa are witnessing rapid advancement in the development of technological infrastructure in the last few years. Also, consumer awareness has grown significantly in the region, with Dubai, Nigeria, and Israel, among others, contributing to the regional Global Positioning System market growth.
Recent Developments
- In the first half of 2020, India plans to make NavIC (Navigation using Indian Constellation), available for civilian use. It is an autonomous regional satellite navigation system that provides accurate real-time positioning and timing services. NavIC is approved as part of the conference report by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2020, and has designated the U.S. as an “allied system” and Russia's GLONASS and Chinese Beidou as a “non-allied system.” This means that the U.S. satellite navigation system will not co-operate or exchange data with these two satellite navigation systems
- In May 2019, Honeywell International received a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense aimed at providing high-speed connectivity for the U.S. Air Force’s fleet of C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, for the Fixed Installation Satellite Antenna program
- In October 2018, Trimble Inc., a service technology company, acquired Veltec, a Brazil-based fleet management provider, to deliver fleet management solutions for transportation. The acquisition was aimed at enhancing market footprint and overall profitability
- In October 2018, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission announced that it would allow the U.S. devices access to the European global navigation satellite system, Galileo
- In May 2018, Hexagon AB, a global technology group launched PIM7500 GNSS receiver, integrated with artificial intelligence technology, specially designed for use in autonomous buses
Positioning System Market: Key Players
Prominent market players in the Global Positioning System market include Qualcomm Inc., Broadcom Inc., Hexagon AB, Trimble Navigation Limited, MiTAC Digital Technology Corporation (Navman), TomTom N.V, Texas Instruments Inc., Rockwell Collins Inc., Garmin Ltd., Avidyne Corporation, FEI-Zyfer, Inc., Furuno Electric Co., Ltd., and Mio Technology Corporation.
Positioning System Market Segmentation
By Deployment
- Standalone Trackers
- Portable Navigation Devices
- Automotive Telematics Systems
By End-User
- Mining
- Aviation
- Surveying
- Agriculture
- Marine
- Defense Industries
By Region
- North America
- Europe
- Asia Pacific
- South America
- Middle East and Africa
