Data collection in field-based environments with alternative mobile devices using mobile geographic information systems and services for quality flexible platforms

Abstract

The study of various facets of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) integration has been ongoing since the early 1990s. Mobile GIS followed closely behind this with a lag in technological developments for mobile devices such as size, computing power, cost and accessibility. Once mobile technologies caught up to the integration of GIS and GPS through the advent of smart mobile devices of the 21st century, the capabilities were nearly limitless. The integration of GIS and GPS functionality in smart devices started a new era of mobile GIS. This study analyses GPS horizontal positional accuracy for selected smart mobile devices under ideal GPS data collection conditions in reference to National Geodetic Survey benchmark sites within central Arkansas. For the study, smart devices are denied network connectivity to ascertain the robustness of autonomous GPS compared to these same device's assisted-GPS modes and selected dedicated GPS devices. The study area provides many field-based environments that one might typically encounter when collecting location and attribute information such as no connectivity to cellular service, canopy density, urban canyons, and rural and idyllic conditions. Observed differences between study GPS readings and benchmark data are examined statistically to determine each device's effectiveness.