What is GLONASS?

If you've looked at the detailed specification of an Android or GPS device, you may have seen another term next to the GPS tag and didn't know exactly what it represents. Well,  GLONASS is a global navigation system that was started by the USSR in 1976, so this project could be taken over by Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The system is designed as a network of 24 geostationary satellites that use trilateration to define the position of an object on the Earth's surface and send data on its position to the receiver.

What is the advantage of GLONASS?

First of all, let's clarify what the abbreviations GLONASS and GPS are:

• GPS stands for Global Positioning Systems, a satellite navigation system operated by the US Air Force. GPS consists of 31 active satellites.
• GLONASS is an abbreviation for the Global Navigation Satellite System (Глобальная Навигационная Спутниковая Система) is also a satellite navigation system but is owned by Russia and consists of 24 active satellites.

So the advantage of GLONASS is? You can conclude, with the support of both systems, that the number of satellites increases from 31 to 55, so the accuracy is much higher than with devices that have only GPS. For example, a test was performed in the San Francisco area and it was shown that positioning is 50% more efficient when the device supports GLONASS.

In the image above, you can see an example of how additional satellites help locate the device.

GLONASS and GPS test

If you want to check if your device supports GLONASS, simply install a GPS test for free and check. If satellites with numbers from 65 to 88 appear in the results, your device supports GLONASS. You will get the most accurate results if you take the test by the window or even better if you go outside.