ISRO Navic GPS App is now available to download at google play store for android users and apple app store for iphone iOS users. This IRNSS GPS app APK has been developed by the Indian Space Research Organization agency under Department of Space of Central Goverment. Full form of NavIC is NAVigation with Indian Constellation and is alternately known as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
All those persons who still uses Global Positioning System (GPS) on apps like Navigator or any other app can now check India’s own ISRO NAVIC GPS App. While GPS is more commonly used worldwide, NavIC can offer more accurate positioning in India and its neighboring regions.
Read this article till the end to know how to download ISRO NavIC mobile application for android / iOS users.
NavIC is the regional geo-positioning system has been designed in India by ISRO to provide accurate positioning in India and around the Indian mainland. NAVIC GPS App in India can be used for the following things:-
Terrestrial, Aerial and Marine Navigation
Usage in Disaster Management Activities
Tracking of vehicles and fleet management
Integration with mobile phones
Precise Timing
Mapping and Geodetic data capture
Terrestrial navigation assistance for hikers and travellers
Visual and voice navigation for drivers
As per the official statement, ISRO is working with mobile companies to integrate NavIC GPS App in all android smartphones as well as iphones by this year’s end. So there would be no need to separately download and install NavIC app on android / iphones, it would come as an inbuilt function in upcoming mobile phones.
Services Offered by NavIC Satellites
NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is India’s own satellite navigation system developed by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). It is similar to GPS (Global Positioning System), but specifically designed for the Indian region and its surrounding areas. The NavIC satellites provide two types of services:-
Standard Positioning Service: It is for general and commercial use, and
Restricted Service: It is meant for the defence forces – over the Indian landmass and neighbouring regions.
Benefits of ISRO NavIC GPS App
The indigenous ISRO’s Satellite Navigation Program provides positioning data “at all times with position accuracy better than 20 metres during all weather conditions, anywhere within India and a region extending about 1,500 km around India on dual frequencies in L5 and S band”.
Need for Indian NavIC GPS Application
A primary reason to develop an indigenous satellite navigation system like the IRNSS despite the existence of global systems such as the GPS (US), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (Europe), Beidou (China), and QZSS (Japan), is the reliability that it offers in defence use.
Since the first Global NSS systems (GPS and GLONASS) were primarily developed for military purposes, the military applications are one of the drivers for these systems. GPS offers encrypted Precise Positioning Service which is available only to the US military and its allies. GNSS is used for different types of military applications such as military navigation and target acquisition.
Background of NaVIC GPS App Initiative
The IRNSS was conceived in 1999 following the war in Kargil, during which India’s military could not use the American Global Positioning System (GPS) in the conflict zone (Washington, US has now approved the system). The first satellite, IRNSS 1A under 2250 crore NavIC was launched on July 1, 2013.
For NavIC to become ubiquitous in the Indian subcontinent, ISRO will have to sell its capabilities to general positioning service providers such as mobile phone and vehicle manufacturers, etc.
