Making a tiny GPS position recorder
Where in the World
© Lead Image © Zoya Fedorov, 123RF.com
Design and construct a battery-powered GPS receiver and recorder in a compact package, with firmware and a Linux-based GUI application for visualizing the data recorded.
A variety of solutions are available for tracking the location of things, such as locating "lost" items (e.g., smart dog collars) or locating your luggage (e.g., Apple AirTags). All these devices have to balance functionality, size, weight, and time of battery life (rechargeable or otherwise). A mobile phone makes a pretty good location device, because it has a GPS receiver and a radio transmitter. However, they are relatively large, are expensive, have unnecessary components (e.g., displays), and rely on a cellular network that might not be available in remote areas.
Apple AirTags rely on Bluetooth communication with other Apple devices in the vicinity to provide position information and relay that data to iCloud, which the user can access with the Find My app. This useful function allows the tags to be very small and operate from a small button cell battery. The drawback to this method is its reliance on other devices and, again, the presence of a cell network.
The device presented here is completely autonomous; the size of a matchbox, weighing less than 50g (<2oz), and has its own GPS receiver, a LiPo battery providing several days of operation, and flash memory to store the acquired GPS data. Because GPS coverage is worldwide in its various forms, no other infrastructure is required for operation.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Digital Autonomy
• The Answer Was Already on the Shelf
• Changing the Chip Industry: How Public Investment Has Grown Open Silicon
• United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
• EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
• France Says “Au Revoir” to Microsoft
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Dutch Government Turns to Open Source for Digital Sovereignty
Following in the footsteps of European countries, the Netherlands is looking to increase its sovereign digital infrastructure with open source software.
-
Linux May Soon Work on Snapdragon X2-Based PCs
If you're thinking about buying a Snapdragon X2-based desktop or laptop, Linux may soon be an option.
-
KDE for People Initiative Calls for AI Ban in Plasma
A new community of KDE wants the project to adopt a strict no-AI policy for KDE Plasma.
-
KDE Sets Ambitious Goals for 2026 and Beyond
KDE Connect reveals the goals for the Linux desktop darling, with one of those goals long overdue.
-
It’s Time to Test Fedora 45 Beta
Fedora 45 beta has been released with updated Gnome, KDE Plasma, and kernel.
-
Ubuntu Stonking Stingray Gets Even Rustier
Ubuntu 26.10 has completed its migration to the Rust-based coreutils.
-
AI Fixes Linux Bottlenecks Using “Hideous” Code
A Linux developer used AI to fix bottlenecks that caused problems when building the kernel. The resulting AI-generated code needed a lot of work.
-
Advanced Video Coding Still Under Patent
Brazilian patent BRPI0109962B1 has expired, which means that DivX and Xvid are no longer problematic for Linux, but it doesn’t mean that video is all of a sudden fully unleashed.
-
2,000 Vulnerabilities per Linux Release
Thanks to AI bug hunters, the Linux kernel is seeing record numbers of vulnerabilities, and it's overwhelming developers.
-
Linux Exempt from California’s Age Verification Law
So long as Linux is distributed under the GPL, MIT, BSD, and Apache licenses, the OS is exempt from being required to verify the age of its users in California.