Navigation system

A navigation system is a (usually electronic) system that aids in navigation. Navigation systems may be entirely on board a vehicle or vessel (on the ships bridge, or they may be located elsewhere and communicate via radio or other signals with a vehicle or vessel, or they may use a combination of these methods.

Navigation systems may be capable of:

• containing maps, which may be displayed in human readable format via text or in a graphical format
• determining a vehicle or vessel's location via sensors, maps, or information from external sources
• providing suggested directions to a human in charge of a vehicle or vessel via text or speech
• providing directions directly to an autonomous vehicle such as a robotic probe or guided missile
• providing information on nearby vehicles or vessels, or other hazards or obstacles
• providing information on traffic conditions and suggesting alternative directions

Types of navigation systems

• Automotive navigation system
• Marine navigation system
• Global Positioning System, a group of satellites and computers that can provide information on any person, vessel, or vehicle's location via a GPS receiver
  • GPS navigation device, a device that can receive GPS signals for the purpose of determining the device's location and possibly to suggest or give directions
• Surgical navigation system, a system which determines the position of surgical instruments in relation to patient images such as CT or MRI scans.
• Inertial guidance system, a system which continuously determines the position, orientation, and velocity (direction and speed of movement) of a moving object without the need for external reference
• Robotic mapping, the methods and equipment by which an autonomous robot is able to construct (or use) a map or floor plan and to localize itself within it
• XNAV for Deep Space

See also

• Navigation (disambiguation)
• System (disambiguation)
• Guidance, navigation and control