GPS vs. Active RFID: What Are the Main Differences?

Combining GPS and Active RFID Technology​

When people think about GPS technology, they usually think of GPS devices in cars or smartphones. However, using GPS technology for asset tracking is becoming increasingly common. GPS tags or receivers are now used in applications involving large asset tracking, such as cargo, shipping containers, and industrial machinery.

Active RFID cannot provide the extreme read range offered by GPS tags, but it performs very well in applications that involve tracking items within a fixed area, such as warehouse yards or across multiple warehouses.

In the past, GPS and RFID technologies have been combined. This combination gives businesses the enhanced visibility provided by GPS while also benefiting from the unique identification capabilities of RFID. To track assets effectively, both technologies require software systems to generate the desired results. To compare these two technologies, refer to the chart above.

Active RFID tags with built-in GPS receivers can provide GPS location coordinates as part of their regular beacon payload. This type of tag can be read by active RFID readers or transmitted directly to satellites through beacon signals. Satellite base stations can then receive these signals, and software applications can query the data to retrieve location information.

Conclusion​

To learn more about GPS or active radio frequency identification technology, please contact us.

If you would like to learn more about RFID technology, please visit our website or explore additional RFID resources.