Location

DOD Not Prioritizing Development of GPS Alternatives, GAO Says

Despite known vulnerabilities with GPS tech, the department treats developing other position, navigation and timing technologies as an “afterthought,” officials said. 

House Bill Would Direct Feds to Use Drones, Remote Sensors in U.S. Reforestation Efforts

The legislation calls for a five-year pilot program aimed at removing carbon from the atmosphere.

What Trump Got Wrong About Protecting GPS Users and America

The Global Positioning System has become the world’s most widely used tech utility.

CBP Attempts to Mitigate Privacy Risks Created by New Customs App

CBP One will become the primary public-facing portal for a number of customs programs and services. But any new data collection effort brings privacy risks.

NIST Issues ‘Foundational Profile’ for Secure GPS Use

An executive order instructed the Commerce Department to produce profiles—plural—that sector-specific agencies could use to develop contractual language on the issue. 

COVID-Cleaning Robots, GPS Abnormality Detectors Top DOT’s Small Business Wishlist

The agency is now accepting applications for the first phase of its 2021 SBIR program. 

NGA Looking for Broker to Manage Its Commercial Data Buys

The “trusted broker” will be expected to help find and acquire datasets on gravity data, among others.

Inside the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Contemporary Quantum Pursuits

The early quantum adopter is making strategic moves to develop on-the-rise capabilities—and manage the hype around them.

NGA Offers Cash Prizes for Tech that Can Identify a Location By Its Sound

The agency intends to figure out whether specific locations can be distinguished using sound-based machine learning methods.

Google Offering Near Real-Time Maps of Wildfire Boundaries

The company’s announcement comes as destructive fires are burning in a number of western states.

White House Council Seeks Input on Plan to Invest in Alternatives to GPS

The request for information flows from an executive order on the responsible use of positioning, navigation and timing services.

The Air Force’s Latest GPS Alternative: Earth’s Magnetic Fields

Officials just launched a public challenge to help create the artificial intelligence needed to turn the planet’s magnetic fields into readable maps.

Pokémon Go Wants to Make 3D Scans of the Whole World for 'Planet-Scale Augmented Reality Experiences.' Is that Good?

A new feature within the game will encourage players to create and upload 3D scans of real-world locations.

NIST Seeks Input on Position Navigation and Timing Services 

The agency is tasked by an executive order to develop profiles for the technology based on its cybersecurity framework to inform agencies’ procurement. 

Survey: Americans Trust Big Tech Over Government in Contact Tracing

More than 75% of Americans feel their privacy is at risk due to measures being taken to combat COVID-19.