Modern Navigation

Overview

This course introduces the concepts and applications of navigation techniques using celestial bodies and satellite positioning systems such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). Topics include astronomical observations, radio navigation systems, the relationship between conventional navigation results and those obtained from GPS, and the effects of the security systems, Selective Availability, and anti-spoofing on GPS results. Laboratory sessions cover the use of sextants, astronomical telescopes, and field use of GPS. Application areas covered include ship, automobile, and aircraft navigation and positioning, including very precise positioning applications.

Skills you'll practise

Civil Engineering Engineering Geography Social Sciences

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

The real MIT course: lecture notes, problem sets and exams, often with solutions.
Free, with no sign-up or deadlines.
Taught by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the strongest names in its field.
Completely free.
Self-paced: start any time.

Disadvantages

No certificate, no grading and no forum: you need to be self-driven.
Many courses are recordings of past semesters and some have notes only, no videos.
No certificate.

Some points apply to every course of this kind; see how we rank.

Free to learn

Free: All the materials are free to use, with no sign-up. MIT OpenCourseWare gives no certificate.

Taught by

Prof. Thomas Herring

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is in Tier 1: world-leading universities and India's top institutes of our institution ranking (98/100). OpenCourseWare is the gold standard for free university material.