RFID FAQ
Now my animal or asset is chipped, can I track it?
RFID is a proximity technology used for identification. It is not a GPS-type location technology. You have to be quite close to the animal/asset/person to scan and detect an RFID tag. Tags can be quite tiny: as small as a grain of rice. Trovan tags are passive, meaning they do not contain a battery, and consequently can be exposed to a wide range of temperatures.
GPS:
GPS is used to track or locate the position of an item. GPS got its start in 1978 when the U.S. Defense Department began launching 24 satellites into space. The satellites, which circle the Earth twice a day in a precise synchronous orbit, emit signals that can be picked up by GPS readers on board ships, planes, tanks. GPS transmitters are active, meaning they contain a battery, and are substantially larger than TROVAN passive transponders. The smallest GPS transmitters are pocket-size gadgets about the size of a small MP3 music player. Depending on the make/model, stand-alone GPS transmitters can typically cost between US$80 and US$200. GPS calculates position via triangulation, which means there has to be unobstructed line of sight to 3 satellites. GPS cannot be read through buildings, walls and roofs (or in cylinders stacked in trucks).
For this reason, our tracking solutions are based on RFID in combination with a software “chain of custody/accountability” solution.
If you would like to discuss further, please get in touch.