GPS Tracking LandAirSea

If satellite technology had been in existence 75 years ago, notorious bank robbers like Bonnie and Clyde might have gotten a more serious run for their money!

Originally developed by the United States Department of Defense for such military applications as navigation, target tracking, and searches and rescues,  GPS tracking systems have been heralded as the new method with which to fight crime and ensure public safety.  They are increasingly finding their way into America’s courtrooms as an effective means of producing certain evidence that was not available even ten years ago.

Global positioning systems (GPS) are able to identify a suspect’s physical location using the numerous satellites that orbit the earth.  Offenders wearing GPS tracking devices enable law enforcement officials to track the whereabouts and movements of these offenders almost second by second.

GPS Tracking Key Instrumental in Arrest of Armed Robbery Suspect

In Colusa County,  California, last winter, a GPS Tracking Key installed in the vehicle of an armed robbery suspect ultimately led to his arrest and conviction, thereby ending the outbreak of convenience store holdups that had been taking place.  During one such escapade, a man wearing a ski mask and carrying a sawed off firearm, entered the convenience store portion of a gas station and began threatening the store’s owner.  Prior to that time, the Tracking Key had detected the arrival of the suspect’s vehicle two blocks away from the crime scene and recorded the departure of the vehicle shortly thereafter.  Coupled with DNA evidence and findings from a search warrant, the Tracking Key provided the Colusa County Sheriff’s Department with enough conclusive data to make an arrest.

GPS Tracking Key Leads to Murder Investigation

A charge of reckless endangerment quickly changed to one of murder based on information provided by a GPS Tracking Key that had been placed in the truck of the accused.

In Chenango County, New York, last month, George Ford claimed to have accidentally killed his 12 year-old passenger while driving her home after babysitting.  However, the Tracking Key, surreptitiously installed in the vehicle by his suspicious wife, gave evidence to the contrary by determining Ford’s first stop to be at an abandoned house rather than a pasture as he had initially stated.  To test the reliability of the tracking device, NBC news correspondents purchased their own tracking key from LandAirSea Systems and were amazed to learn that it had followed their every move.

Personal protection and security or unconstitutional invasion of privacy?

Because the Global Positioning System (GPS) allows law enforcement officials to closely monitor an individual’s precise movements, it poses many questions regarding the constitutionality of satellite based tracking as an investigative tool.  To officially search the property of an individual requires a warrant; must GPS tracking be defined as a search, thereby requiring a preauthorized warrant as well?

Or is the right to information greater than the right to privacy when it comes to solving crimes, especially those that are the greatest threat to public safety and security?

GPS Serves as Deterrent to Criminal Behavior

GPS is still a relatively new tool, an emerging experiment that promises numerous benefits to the field of law enforcement and the criminal justice system.  While its technology cannot actually prevent a crime from taking place, it has been proven to be critical in placing a suspect near or at the scene of a committed crime.  When GPS technology is applied to law enforcement strategies, police officers are able to perform their duties more efficiently and with a greater degree of safety.

With GPS Tracking, Good Judgment Must Prevail

“Don’t get caught” is the maxim under which most teens have lived roughly since the beginning of time, and apparently Brock Eddins, a 16 year-old from Theodore, Alabama, was no exception.

Love and concern collided with anger and resentment when, as part of an experiment by their local television news station, Brock’s parents, Donna and Glenn Eddins agreed to have a magnetic, GPS tracking device installed in their son’s truck. Unbeknown to Brock, his parents were able to access just about every detail of his whereabouts on a particular weekend—where he went, how long he was gone and how fast he was driving.

The discovery made by the couple and the consequences suffered by their son could be deemed alarming or typical, depending upon one’s experiences and point of view: Lying, partying, drinking and driving at a dangerously excessive speed – these are not revelations that even the most dauntless of teenagers want to be confronted with, and especially not by their parents!

With the GPS Tracking Key, privacy and protection walk a fine line. Technology has obviously changed the way American society lives. Some might argue that in a world of diminishing values, increasing temptations and seemingly limitless boundaries, parents need to have a tighter rein on their teens. Used sensibly and with an open mind, GPS tracking devices can help prevent injuries, even fatalities, while still promoting trust and respect.

Cary, Illinois, August 15, 2008.  LandAirSea Systems, Inc., recently divulged that the placement of its GPS Tracking Key in the vehicle of an armed robbery suspect ultimately led to his arrest and conviction.

On the evening of February 26, 2008, at approximately 7:30 p.m., an incident occurred at a Valero gas station at Bridge and Market Streets in Colusa.  A man, reported to have been wearing a ski mask and carrying a sawed-off firearm , entered the convenience store portion of the gas station and began threatening the station’s owner.  Just prior to that time, the Tracking Key had detected the arrival of the suspect’s vehicle two blocks away from the crime scene, and recorded the departure of the vehicle shortly thereafter.  At a subsequent stop also recorded by the Tracking Key, DNA evidence was collected;  additionally, a deputy search warrant in the city of Colusa and the suspect’s home, revealed a ski mask, gloves and an “imitation firearm”, providing the Colusa County Sheriff’s Department with enough incriminating evidence to make an arrest.  The arrest was made on March 6, 2008.

On March 14, 2008, following a string of convenience store robberies, a Colusa County Sheriff contacted LandAirSea Systems Vice President, Steve Moehling, seeking additional information on his company’s product, the GPS Tracking Key.  Police believed that the information stored on the Tracking Key held valuable evidence that would link their suspect to the number of armed robbery incidents that had taken place over the past several weeks.

After extensively reviewing the data file, including second by second raw data, Moehling informed the Colusa County Sheriff’s Office that the Tracking Key was, in his opinion, a fully functional unit.  Police arrested the suspect and a trial date was set for June.  Early that month, Moehling was given a subpoena to appear in late July as an expert witness.  The date was pushed back to August 12^th and on the following day, Moehling testified, giving validation to the accuracy of the GPS Tracking Key.   Detective work combined with evidence produced by DNA testing and GPS tracking culminated in the arrest and conviction of a man guilty of at least four attacks on small stores since the beginning of this year.

About LandAirSea:

Located in Cary, IL, LandAirSea Systems, Inc. has been a pioneer in the realm of GPS based surveillance technology for nearly fifteen years.  From individuals and large and small businesses to government and law enforcement agencies, Land AirSea has provided its customers with accurate, affordable tracking solutions designed to meet their specific needs.  For more information, please visit www.landairsea.com.

Source

We’re all familiar with that old adage, “Time is money”.

With rampant inflation gouging your profits, this was never more applicable than now. 

“We have some good news and some bad news…”

The bad news is that skyrocketing fuel, maintenance and insurance costs have become an accepted way of life for owners and managers in the service, delivery and transportation industries.  The good news is that there’s a proverbial light at the end of that long , dark, financially depleting tunnel.

Technology has created a way for businesses to significantly reduce fuel and maintenance costs, lower insurance rates, increase productivity  and even generate happier employees! 

For over a decade, GPS vehicle tracking systems have proven to be effective in determining the precise location of a vehicle or asset.  GPS tracking uses a system of satellites orbiting the earth to find an approximate placement of the receiver within a few meters of its actual location.  Systems range from the “passive”, battery operated tracking key , to the highly sensitive, “active”or “real time” systems with various installation options.  Both are designed to enhance fleet efficiency  and profitability by monitoring driver location, speed and status.  Passive GPS tracking  means that the GPS receiver stores all location information to be accessed or downloaded at a later time.  Passive systems are generally limited to vehicle tracking only and are useful to individuals and businesses which typically do not need to view information in real time.  Real time GPS systems employ wireless networks that accurately determine the exact location of a vehicle.  The user instantly receives location data from the GPS receiver while the vehicle is still in motion.  Real time systems are most widely used by companies who wish to monitor fleet vehicles and other “heavy” assets.

Reports indicate that GPS fleet tracking  has successfully enabled companies to:

·         Audit employee hours, thereby insuring better utilization of vehicles.

·         Reduce mileage and fuel costs by monitoring private use of vehicles.

·         Improve fuel efficiency by reducing average speed of vehicles.

·         Increase productivity through better budgeting of time and resources.

Unnecessary mileage means wasted fuel, the consequence being a costly misuse of valuable funds.

Among the top ways for companies to squander fuel and weaken profits are by simply allowing drivers to:

·         Travel the slowest, most complicated route, one that is full of stop signs and maybe lots of construction work.

·         Abuse the time spent on multiple stops so that they must exceed the posted speed limit to stay on schedule.

·         Sit in traffic jams which, with proper research, could have been avoided.

·         Randomly select any gas station for refueling, regardless of its price per gallon.

·         Rapidly accelerate from stops.

·         Use company vehicles for undocumented personal business and recreation.

GPS vehicle tracking systems help companies regain control!

Imagine you’re the owner of a large commercial landscaping business.  You oversee ten trucks that each carry expensive landscaping equipment, plus one driver and three other workers.  Each truck averages about 150 miles per day at 15 miles per gallon as they travel to and from various corporate locations.  At the conservative estimate of $4.00 per gallon for gasoline, you are spending a total of $400.00 per day in fuel alone to operate your landscaping vehicles!  By detecting the routes and locations of each vehicle through GPS tracking, you are able to reduce excessive mileage; through online reports of mileage, stops and starts, you can observe your employees’ driving habits and rate of productivity.  Imagine!  A savings of even $40.00 per day totals $9,600.00 per year PER VEHICLE!—a more than generous return on the initial cost of your investment!

 “A penny saved is a penny earned”

Reducing operating costs produce higher revenue for companies in transportation and other related industries.  Subscribing to the “trickle down” theory, these savings benefit not only companies, but  their employees and customers as well.   An adequately paid employee is more likely to be motivated and productive, and satisfied customers are the key elements in the growth of any successful, long  term business relationship.

Powerful and accurate, GPS vehicle tracking systems point companies in the right direction.

To say that cell phones have turned the concept of worldwide mobile communication into a 21^st century reality is a definite understatement.

What has its origins in primitive 19^th century technology under the combined  craftsmanship of Alexander Graham Bell and Guglielmo Marconi, has transformed into a little gadget with a tremendous capacity for growth and development.  Besides putting us in touch with virtually anyone in just about any location, most cell phone models are now equipped with far-reaching propensities such as text messaging, obtaining and storing information, sending and receiving e-mail and integrating other devices like PDAs, MP3 players and GPS receivers—which are just to name a few.

As GPS (global positioning system) modernization infiltrates more and more industry sectors, many new cell phones are now manufactured with some GPS receiving capability.  Yet they continue to remain ineffective compared to more sophisticated GPS tracking systems and devices designed for personal and business use.

Consider these factors:

·         A cell phone can move out of range of cell towers.  

·         GPS functionality can be disabled on a cell phone.

·         The GPS in a cell phone is not as accurate.  Cell phones use inexpensive, low power GPS chips to save money and battery life.                       

·         Cell phones can be “forgotten” or “lost”.

·         Cell phone batteries are always running low.

·         Cell phones are subject to interference.

·         Cell phones do not provide historical data.

The original intent of cell phone tracking was to assist emergency personnel in locating a cell phone user within 100 meters.  Subsequent cell phone companies devised a new revenue stream:  charge for locator services—help users find local establishments such as restaurants, gas stations, small retailers, etc.—and for this, they only required neighborhood accuracy.

For serious tracking of employees…teenagers…vehicles/assets…

Customers rely more on traditional GPS tracking systems and devices.

Why?  Because unlike cell phone tracking with its limited boundaries,  GPS tracking units use the Global Positioning System modules to target the exact location of a vehicle, person or other asset to which its unit is attached and then transmits the position of the asset at regular intervals.  And with GPS tracking, vehicle information can be viewed on electronic maps via the Internet or specialized software.

GPS tracking systems , such as those manufactured by LandAirSea Systems, Inc., offer a variation of models with features tailored to each consumer’s need.  They are generally classified as Passive or Active, the latter also known as Real Time.  Passive units store GPS location, velocity, and distances traveled, which are then downloaded to be viewed once the vehicle is stationary.  Active or “Real Time” allows the user to observe the vehicle “en-route” via computer access.  Depending on one’s preference,  each provides accurate, innovative and affordable vehicle tracking solutions.

Cell phones perform a vast array of functions, from the simple and practical to the wacky and whimsical and are used worldwide by people of varying ages and abilities. 

Traditional GPS tracking systems are designed for serious vehicle tracking.  Customers range from concerned parents of teen drivers…to cost conscious employers…to government and law enforcement agencies in need of specialized, covert surveillance.

GPS tracking the conventional way:

Simple.   Straightforward.   Affordable.   Reliable.

LandAirSea 8100 UTW Software - Version 1.0.5.7
This version update provides changes specific to reporting capabilities. In the “Setup” tab, you can now modify the frequency of positions that appear on the daily/weekly driving and daily/weekly text reports. Users can identify updated positions between 10 and 300 seconds. The previous versions of the UT Wireless software provided 300 second (5 minute) positions as standard. This will provide additional value to those tracking faster than 5 minute updating. Once downloaded, all historical reports can be recreated with this update

Teen driving have caused the highest fatality for teenagers in a number of years.  Recently ABC’s Good Morning America published an article related to teen driving.   One of the many causes of poor teen driving are distractions.  “Eighty-seven percent of the 6,000 teens that die every year die because of driving with distractions,” Allstate Insurance spokeswoman Megan Brunet said. 

According to a study by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance, driving without a seatbelt or driving high speed with another teen proved to be one of the deadliest situations for teen driving.  In the research study, out of 10,000 teen drivers who were killed, 50% of them were with another teen and over 75% of them occur in speed limits above 45mph.

With the information from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance, ABC Good Morning America decided to do a teen driving test and here’s the results.

Teen Driving Test

Correspondent David Kerley and his teen daughter Devan, who has been driving for one year, took the challenge.

The pair used the Allstate Insurance practice course and Devan got all the basics, like aggressive braking and collision avoidance.

Once she got the hang of it, distractions were added to the equation. First, texting was brought into the mix. As Devan read a text, she jerked the wheel and hit the course cones. When friends were brought in as backseat passengers, the distraction proved too much for Devan, who hit more cones.

Even eating brought problems. As Devan handed cookies to her passengers, she hit additional cones on the course.

“It was kind of like panic [because] I was trying to listen to them and I wasn’t looking ahead,” she said after completing the course.

“Those cones could have been people, and when you’re distracted, you aren’t able to avoid those cones or whatever they may be,” she said.

Devan said she found the course extremely useful.

“I think this would be a cool course, standard procedure, for teens trying to get their licenses,” she said.

Cary, Illinois and Reston, Virginia – March 25, 2008 – LandAirSea Systems, the leading provider of mass market GPS-based tracking devices, announced today the launch of a miniature, battery-powered, GSM-based real-time vehicle tracking unit featuring u-blox 5 GPS technology from Swiss GPS technology provider, u-blox.

LandAirSea’s new 8100G tracking device incorporates the latest in GPS and wireless technology to accurately determine the exact location of a vehicle, and can be used to track individual vehicles or entire fleets. Based on the highly successful CDMA-based 8100, the innovative 8100G now additionally offers GSM network operability. As the prevalent mobile communications standard worldwide, GSM operability significantly widens the device’s geographical reach.

The much-anticipated 8100G will provide fleet managers, government agencies, business owners, as well as consumers real-time vehicle and asset tracking device that uses the immensely popular Google Earth program for high-resolution satellite imaging. Since GSM is the most prevalent mobile communications standard worldwide, the new 8100G will allow LandAirSea to expand its customer base beyond the USA and Canada.

“We have been working with u-blox GPS technology for more than 6 years and have always been extremely pleased with the quality and performance of their receivers”, said Rob Wagner, CEO of LandAirSea. “For our new tracker we did extensive testing of other available GPS technology and found u-blox’ new u-blox 5 receivers to be clearly superior, both in price and performance”.

The 8100 tracking unit features a u-blox GPS receiver boasting 2-meter position accuracy and -160dBm sensitivity, which enables accurate, reliable tracking, even in difficult signal environments.

“We are very proud that LandAirSea decided to use u-blox 5 for the 8100G,” said Nikolaos Papadopoulos, President of u-blox America. “LandAirSea’s customers require ultra-fast, accurate position availability, even in covert installations. Our innovative Kickstart and SuperSense technologies were developed to respond accurately and reliably to those needs”.

The self-contained device measures approx. 1″ x 2″ x 3¾” (2.5cm x 5cm x 9.5cm), and is battery-powered and completely portable. It also can be hard-wired for permanent applications. Other key features of the 8100G include live 1-second updates, a built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery, a motion sensor, a wiring harness for permanent installation, in and out of zone geo-fencing with text message and/or e-mail notification and a data logging features that enables remote downloads.

8100G samples are available from LandAirSea’s website. Volume shipments are scheduled for Q2 2008.

About LandAirSea Systems

Headquartered in Cary, IL, LandAirSea Systems, Inc. has been a pioneer providing GPS-based tracking technology since 1994. Developers of the world’s smallest GPS tracking key, LandAirSea today has hundreds of thousands GPS tracking systems in operation worldwide, making it an industry leading provider of effective, cost-efficient tracking solutions for government, consumer as well as businesses. For more information, please visit www.landairsea.com.

About u-blox

u-blox is an international company headquartered in Switzerland. u-blox has subsidiaries in the USA, Singapore and Hong Kong and additional representative offices in China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. Founded in 1997, u-blox develops leading positioning technology, products and services based on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including GPS and Galileo, for the automotive and mobile communications markets. For more information, please visit www.u-blox.com.

LandAirSea Systems Contacts

Rob Wagner, CEO
phone: +1 847 462 8100, e-mail: rwagner@landairsea.com

Steve Moehling, Vice President Sales
phone: +1 847 462 8100, e-mail: steve.moehling@landairsea.com

u-blox Contacts

Brad Sherrard, Vice President Sales, u-blox America Inc.
phone: +1 (703) 483 3182, e-mail: brad.sherrard@u-blox.com

Alicia Montoya, Communications Manager
phone: +41 (44) 722 74 86, e-mail: alicia.montoya@u-blox.com

Source: u-blox

The GPS Tracking Key was recently reviewed by www.gadgetking.com and they made this great video.  The GPS Tracking is that quick and easy to install.  When you want to retrieve the GPS data, just plug the GPS Tracking Key into your computer and you’ll see GPS data in Google Earth.  Enjoy the video!

LandAirSea Systems, the leading manufacturer of GPS-based surveillance technology, has announced that it recorded record sales for its GPS tracking products in 2007.  With the continued success of the passive Tracking Key and 3100 series, along with the next generation 8100 real-time unit, LandAirSea Systems delivered more than 25,000 systems worldwide. The growing popularity of GPS tracking transcends numerous applications and industries.  This fact ushers in a new era for this technology as quality retailers recognize these opportunities and look to LandAirSea to fill this need.  With all PepBoys Auto Parts stores nationally as well as 250+ Radio Shack Dealers, this represents more than 1,000 retail stores carrying the Tracking Key within the United States alone.

“We have expanded international operations by developing distribution channels throughout Europe, Indonesia, and Australia. This decision was built upon the success of the U.S. market share as well as the long anticipated GSM-based international real-time unit launching in the summer of 2008.”, said Steve Moehling, VP Sales & Marketing.  

About LandAirSea Systems -

Headquartered in Cary, IL, LandAirSea Systems, Inc. has been a pioneer manufacturing GPS-based surveillance technology since 1994.  Government, consumer, as well as small to large businesses have selected LandAirSea products as the systems of choice based upon superior design, ease of use, and quality customer service.