GPS receivers operate on the World Geodetic System (WGS) global geocentric reference system, or datum. It is global because, unlike other datums that only apply to certain regions, WGS can be used over the entire Earth.
It is geocentric because, unlike other datums that use arbitrary points within the Earth as their origin, the origin of WGS is at the actual center of the globe. Most military and commercial receivers allow the user the capability to select the reference datum, but the receiver will default to WGS if none is selected.
In other words, WGS 84 can be explained as:
Leave a Comment