Garmin
Encyclopedia
Garmin Ltd. incorporated in Schaffhausen
, Switzerland
, is the parent company of a group of companies founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell
and Min Kao
(hence the name GarMin), that develops consumer, aviation, and marine technologies for the Global Positioning System
. Its subsidiary Garmin International, Inc. serves as headquarters for the Garmin Limited companies and is located in Olathe, Kansas
in the United States
. The largest operating subsidiary and primary production facility of Garmin Limited is Garmin (Asia) Corporation (Chinese: 台灣國際航電股份有限公司), located in Sijhih City, Taiwan
, a suburb of Taipei
.
, born in 1937, earned a degree in Electrical Engineering
from Wichita State University
and a graduate degree from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
. He went to work for King Radio, a manufacturer of aviation radios in 1963 just six years after that company was started by Edward King, Jr. in a farmhouse in Olathe. A certificated pilot
, Burrell led development on some of King’s most successful navigation and communications products. The King Radio company went on to supply Boeing
with aircraft radio equipment starting in 1969.
By 1989, Burrell had spent nearly his entire professional career — with the exception of a brief stint at Lowrance Electronics
— working for King Radio. During these years the company went through many corporate changes. In 1983 King was acquired by the Allied Corporation and combined with the former Bendix Corporation
to form Bendix-King. Allied later went on to merge with the Signal Companies in 1985 to form AlliedSignal
which acquired Honeywell
in 1999 and then assumed the Honeywell name.
Min H. Kao
(Name in Chinese: 高民環), was born in 1949 in the small town of Jhushan
in Nantou
in Taiwan
(南投縣). After serving in the Taiwanese Navy
Kao attended National Taiwan University
and moved to the United States
to attend the University of Tennessee
where he obtained advanced degrees in Electrical Engineering
. As a graduate student he performed research for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the United States Army
. He later went on to work for American defense contractors Teledyne
and Magnavox
.
Burrell hired Kao to join his division at Allied’s King subsidiary in 1983. Kao had been working at Magnavox developing military
navigation system
s using the Global Positioning System
constellation of satellites, at that time known as NAVSTAR. During his years working with Burrell, Kao led the team that developed the first GPS navigation system that was to be certified for use in airplanes
by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
.
At the time the satellite constellation
was still being assembled. The 1986 explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger
had set the system’s construction back by 24 months. The satellites had to be redesigned to fit aboard a Delta II
rocket
. The system was declared operational in April 1989, and went on to prove a decisive strategic advantage to U.S. and Allied forces in the 1991 Gulf War
.
Kao had been thinking of starting a company, and had recently visited old school friends in Taiwan, one of whom was an investment banker, who assured Kao that if he wanted to launch a company, launch money would be available. Within weeks of their meeting, Burrell and Kao were on a plane to Taipei, Taiwan. Within months, they had raised $4 million, including the combined contents of their personal savings account
s. The capital was sufficient to hire a dozen engineers and to rent office and work space in Lenexa, Kansas
. They named the new company ProNav, but changed it to Garmin in 1991 when a competitor, using the name NavPro on one of its GPS receivers, sued for trademark infringement
. “Garmin” is a combination of the founders’ names, Gary and Min.
By 1995 Garmin’s sales had reached $105 million, and had achieved a profit
of $23 million. By 1999 sales had reached $233 million and profit of $64 million. Garmin reported a 2006 total revenue of $1.77 billion, up 73 percent from $1.03 billion in 2005.
By 1999 the company’s products had captured about half of the North America
n market share
of GPS receivers used in marine and outdoor recreation markets, according to a market study conducted by Frost and Sullivan. Its own internal estimates showed that its aviation retrofit products had 59% market share, and that its portable aviation GPS products had 76% of the market.
Burrell retired in 2003 as Garmin’s Chief Executive Officer
and in 2004 retired as Chairman of its Board of Directors
. He is now Chairman Emeritus
. Kao became CEO in 2003, and Chairman in 2004.
In 2005 Forbes Magazine estimated Kao’s net worth
at $1.5 billion. He has donated $17.5 million to the University of Tennessee. The same year Forbes estimated Burrell’s net worth as $940 million.
.
The company began public trading on NASDAQ
on 8 December 2000. At that time Burrell owned 19,911,155 shares. Kao owned 20,352,803 shares. Together their holdings accounted for 45 percent of the stock in Garmin. Kao’s brother, Ruey-Jeng Kao, an attorney
in Taipei, owned another 7,984,109 shares, which when combined with Burrell’s and Kao’s shares constituted 54.22 percent of the shares outstanding.
, expanding its product line of panel-mounted GPS/NAV/COMM units and integrated cockpit systems for private and commercial aircraft. The acquired company changed its name to Garmin AT, Inc. and continued operations as a wholly owned subsidiary of Garmin International, Inc.
Garmin has acquired Dynastream Innovations, EME Tec Sat SAS (EME), and Digital Cyclone. Dynastream, located in Cochrane, Alberta
, Canada
, is a leader in the field of personal monitoring technology (ANT+
) — such as foot pods and heart rate monitors for sports and fitness products — and is also a leading provider of ultra-low-power and low-cost wireless connectivity solutions for a wide range of applications (ANT
). EME Tec Sat SAS (EME) is the distributor of Garmin's consumer products in France; following the acquisition, EME will change its name to Garmin France SAS. Digital Cyclone Inc (DCI), located in Chanhassen, Minnesota
, provides mobile weather solutions for consumers, pilots, and outdoor enthusiasts. Garmin also bought Nautamatic Marine Systems, an Oregon-based company that makes autopilot systems for boats. In July, 2011, Garmin finished its acquisition of the German satellite navigation company Navigon
. Also in 2006, Garmin introduced a new corporate logo, and the opening of its first retail store on Michigan Avenue
in Chicago, Illinois.
. The product was an instant hit and generated a backlog of orders for 5,000 units. In response to the demand thus created, Kao traveled (January 1991) to Taipei to set up manufacturing facilities.
and Saudi Arabia
during the 1991 Gulf War
.
In the early 2000s, Garmin launched a series of personal GPS devices aimed at recreational runners
called the Forerunner
. A similar wrist-worn GPS device with two dimensional GPS tracking
and waypoint
projection called the Garmin Foretrex is popular among day hikers, off-road mountain bikers, and sailboat racers.
One of the most popular of the Garmin handheld GPS receivers, the compact eTrex series, was introduced in 1998. Within the eTrex line are several models packaging several different features and options. The original eTrex, commonly nicknamed "eTrex Yellow", was a sensation when it first appeared, as it offered a lightweight (5.3 oz/150 g), waterproof, palm-sized 12-channel GPS receiver to backpackers, hikers, and others afoot in remote areas, along with a battery life of up to 22 hours on just two AA-size batteries. The eTrex 'Yellow' was replaced in 2007 by the eTrex H, which added a high-sensitivity receiver. Other more advanced eTrex models include the Summit, Venture, Legend, and Vista, each with various additional features such as WAAS, altimeter, digital compass, city database, and highway maps. Many models come in color and expandable-memory versions.
The Geko series is a later compact line of handheld GPS receivers aimed at the budget or lightweight hiking market.
In 2004 Garmin introduced its 60C line of handheld GPS mapping receivers, featuring increased sensitivity and storage capacity along with a battery life of up to 30 hours in battery-save mode. This was followed by the 60Cx and 60CSx with improved color map displays. The 60Cx and 60CSx have been used as primary navigational tools on several adventure and exploration trips to remote areas around the world, including a rafting expedition down the entirety of the Amazon River in 2008.
With the GTM-11, GTM 20 and GTM 25, a Garmin GPS device receives and uses Traffic Message Channel
(TMC) information. Also, some Garmin nüvi (1690, 1490T, 1450T, 1390T, 1390, 1350, 1260, 1250 and 265WT, 265T, 265W, 265, 255w and 255) comes with an integrated TMC receiver.
line of integrated PDA
-GPS receivers. On 31 October 2005 the iQue M4 became the first PDA that did not require a PC to preload the maps. The American version came with built-in maps of North America, while the UK version was supplied pre-loaded with maps of Western Europe.
, and Bluetooth support.
In October 2006, Garmin began shipping the nüvi 660, a pocketsize widescreen successor to their nüvi 300 series. The 660 added bluetooth, FM transmitter, enhanced screen brightness and screen size, all in a small "flat" size.
Additionally, Garmin's Zumo line is designed specifically for motorcycles. The Zumo 550 and StreetPilot 2610 with slightly different feature sets have been marketed as an OEM offering by BMW for their motorcycles as the BMW Zumo and BMW Navigator III.
Garmin's Zumo Motorcycle line is also marketed as OEM by Harley-Davidson as their Road-Tec. This includes the Zumo 500 and 600 series.
Lately Garmin has released its 1000 series which includes the 1690 which incorporates the ability to use Google Local Search to have more up to date Points of Interest and has the ability tap into the 3G network. Garmin has furthered its technology in this field to make one of the thinnest models in the 3700 series as well.
Garmin released 2000's series in 2010, which includes 2200(3.5 inch display), and 2300(4.3 inch display).
fishfinder
s, including some units that also have GPS capability.
Garmin offers mobile apps for Android, Windows Phone, and for iPhone. On July 25, 2011, Garmin International, Inc. released Garmin StreetPilot Onboard N. America Version 1.0 for the iOS operating system 4.0 or later. It's compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation) and GPS-enabled iPads. The iPhone app is 1.61 GB and has In App Purchases available including Traffic, and Fuel Prices. Map coverage includes North America (United States, Canada, Mexico, plus Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthelemy, and Jamaica).
in cooperation with Asus
. Called the Garmin-Asus nüvifone G60, the United States release on AT&T was scheduled for 4 October 2009. Four other models in this line have since been released—two Windows Mobile
-powered models for the European and Asian market, and two Android models, one for the Europe/Asia market and another for T-Mobile USA
.
Garmin has a dedicated division for aviation products, such as integrated cockpits, panel mount displays, multi-function displays (MFD), transponders, radar and other related avionics
. For example, the G1000
is an all-glass avionics suite for OEM aircraft. The G900X is similar to the G1000 but designed for use in experimental aircraft
, and the G600 is a retrofit solution for several certificated aircraft.
Garmin entered the aviation market in 1991 with the GPS-100AVD panel-mounted receiver. Their first portable unit, the GPS-95, was introduced in 1993. In 1994, the GPS-155 panel-mounted unit was the first GPS receiver on the market to receive full FAA certification
for instrument approach
es.
In 1998 Garmin introduced the GNS-430, an integrated GPS navigation receiver/communications transceiver.
In April 2007 the Oregon-based aircraft company Epic AIR (subsidiary of Aircraft Investor Resources (AIR) LLC
— United States) announced that it would use Garmin glass panel cockpits and related avionics in all of its certified and experimental very light jet
s and turboprop aircraft. The Garmin G900X will be used in the company's owner-built airplanes
, while the Garmin G1000
will be used in certified Epic aircraft
.
in 1982 as a manufacturer of LORAN C
Marine and General Aviation products. In 1982 their first true aircraft navigator, the 602 LORAN C receiver, permitted point to point navigation. Examples of their popular LORAN units are the Apollo II 616B Aviation LORAN panel mount (1886) and the II Morrow Apollo 604 Loran Navigator (1987). One of their more popular early GPS units was IImorrow's Apollo 820 GPS Flybuddy which was shipping in 1991. In 1986, United Parcel Service
(UPS) purchased the company to expand the use of electronic technology in the package delivery and tracking business. (Some claim that this departure from the General Aviation marketplace, really enabled Garmin, and gave them a vacuum to fill)
IImorrow soon phased out of the marine business and focused on development of technology for taking UPS from paper into the computer era, vehicle management systems, automated high speed package sorting systems, as well as delivery and tracking systems. In 1999 with this done, IImorrow was re-named to UPS Aviation Technologies, and they were re-focused towards modernizing UPS's Boeing 7xx series Heavy Iron Transport Category Aircraft fleet, as well they also re-entered the General Aviation marketplace. This company (UPS Aviation Technologies) certified the first Gamma 3 WAAS GPS engine for FAA Certified Precision GPS approaches (basically, precision landing of aircraft by GPS). The new certified WAAS engine enabled vertical and horizontal accuracy of 1 meter RMS, for precise guidance into airports without existing ILS approaches. Their new GPS technology even met the FAA's stringent TSO-C146a primary navigation standards for en route, terminal and approach phases of flight- with WAAS augmentation as "sole means" navigation. Further it enabling vertical and lateral approach guidance into thousands of U.S. airports previously inaccessible in IFR conditions. This unique first of kind, GPS "sole source" (not supplementary) navigation capability was integrated into the CNX-80. The CNX-80 WAAS GPS/COM/NAV integrated navigator was the first product in the industry approved for primary (not supplemental) GPS navigation. It also enabled LPV "glidescope" approaches without reference to ground-based nav aids of any kind, as well as new LNAV (GPS) approaches providing the accuracy and safety of an ILS – without the ground-based localizer and glideslope equipment. Later, the CNX-80 was re-named the GNS-480, under Garmin.
As UPS Aviation Technologies, this subsidiary was also fundamentally involved with development, engineering, and manufacturing functional products for the FAA's Capstone program, which also included ADS-B transponder (UAT and FIS), datalink services, and the MX-20 Multi Function Display that in addition to NAV, it displayed terrain, real-time weather, Jeppeson plates, other ADS-B aircraft, and a variety of other functions in 2000.
Under the FAA Capstone Phase I program, a fleet of small commercial aircraft were equipped for an evaluation of the safety benefits stemming from the use of advanced technologies during day-to-day operations in Alaska's high-risk operating environment. The aircraft are fitted with IFR capable global positioning system (GPS) receivers, a Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) data-link system that enables Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and Flight Information Services (FIS) including real-time weather, and a multifunction display (MFD) depicting terrain, other ADS-B aircraft, and weather graphics and text data. The bundle of avionics was installed on some 200 aircraft used for commuter, charter and mail flights in southwest Alaska. The avionics improved the pilot's situational awareness with the primary goal of preventing controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and mid-air accidents.
Due to the reduction in accidents as well as credited saving the life of a downed pilot whose ELT had failed, the new system developed traction through several phases, and in December 2006, the FAA announced that it would integrate Capstone into the FAA’s Surveillance and Broadcast Services (SBS) program office tasked with implementing ADS-B across the national airspace system.
This advanced GPS technology was later rolled into the 430/530 by Garmin-AT (Salem), creating the 430W/530W. To this day, the "IImorrow" division is still located at the same 2345 Turner Rd. SE, Salem, Oregon address as Garmin-AT.
Project and hosted on Mapcenter or individual websites. The quality of the maps varies greatly. It is also possible to create a map from various vector or raster resources. Software tools for custom maps creation are available on the Internet.
The maps used by Garmin products are currently provided by Navteq
. Map errors are handled using NAVTEQ Map Reporter. Errors can be reported using Garmin's report a map error page, or by using the NAVTEQ map reporter.
season, done to the tune of Carol of the Bells
.
Premier League football club Middlesbrough
in a one-year deal that was carried into a second year for the 2008/09 season. In 2008 Garmin began sponsorship of cycling team
to promote its Edge line of bicycle computers.
Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of the same name; it has an estimated population of 34,587 ....
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, is the parent company of a group of companies founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell
Gary Burrell
Gary Burrell is an American businessman, co-founder and chairman emeritus of Garmin, makers of popular Global Positioning System devices.-Biography:...
and Min Kao
Min Kao
Min H. Kao is the co-founder of Garmin Corporation with Gary Burrell. As of January 2010, his personal wealth was estimated at $1.6 billion.-Biography:He was born in 1949 in a small town in Taiwan called Jhushan in Nantou....
(hence the name GarMin), that develops consumer, aviation, and marine technologies for the Global Positioning System
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
. Its subsidiary Garmin International, Inc. serves as headquarters for the Garmin Limited companies and is located in Olathe, Kansas
Olathe, Kansas
Olathe is a city in and the county seat of Johnson County, Kansas, United States. Located in northeastern Kansas, it is also the fifth most populous city in the state, with a population of 125,872 at the 2010 census. As a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, Olathe is the fourth-largest city in the...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The largest operating subsidiary and primary production facility of Garmin Limited is Garmin (Asia) Corporation (Chinese: 台灣國際航電股份有限公司), located in Sijhih City, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, a suburb of Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
.
Founding
Gary BurrellGary Burrell
Gary Burrell is an American businessman, co-founder and chairman emeritus of Garmin, makers of popular Global Positioning System devices.-Biography:...
, born in 1937, earned a degree in Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from Wichita State University
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
and a graduate degree from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
. He went to work for King Radio, a manufacturer of aviation radios in 1963 just six years after that company was started by Edward King, Jr. in a farmhouse in Olathe. A certificated pilot
Pilot certification in the United States
Pilot certification in the United States is required for an individual to act as a pilot of an aircraft. It is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration , a branch of the Department of Transportation...
, Burrell led development on some of King’s most successful navigation and communications products. The King Radio company went on to supply Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
with aircraft radio equipment starting in 1969.
By 1989, Burrell had spent nearly his entire professional career — with the exception of a brief stint at Lowrance Electronics
Lowrance Electronics
Lowrance Electronics is a manufacturer of consumer sonar and GPS receivers, as well as digital mapping systems. Lowrance is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma and employs approximately 1,000 people....
— working for King Radio. During these years the company went through many corporate changes. In 1983 King was acquired by the Allied Corporation and combined with the former Bendix Corporation
Bendix Corporation
The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60 year existence made brake systems, aeronautical hydraulics, avionics, aircraft and automobile fuel control systems, radios, televisions and computers, and which licensed its name for...
to form Bendix-King. Allied later went on to merge with the Signal Companies in 1985 to form AlliedSignal
AlliedSignal
AlliedSignal was an aerospace, automotive and engineering company that acquired and merged with Honeywell for $15 billion in 1999, after which the new group adopted the Honeywell name.AlliedSignal was created through a 1985 merger of Allied Corp...
which acquired Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
in 1999 and then assumed the Honeywell name.
Min Kao
Min H. Kao is the co-founder of Garmin Corporation with Gary Burrell. As of January 2010, his personal wealth was estimated at $1.6 billion.-Biography:He was born in 1949 in a small town in Taiwan called Jhushan in Nantou....
(Name in Chinese: 高民環), was born in 1949 in the small town of Jhushan
Jhushan, Nantou
Zhushan Township is an urban township in the southwest part of Nantou County, Taiwan, and off the south shore of Zhuoshui River . Pop. about 50,000-Stays:*Sun Link Sea Forest Recreational Area*Xiaping Natural Education Park...
in Nantou
Nantou County
Nantou County is the second largest county of Taiwan. It is also the only landlocked county in Taiwan. Its name derives from the Hoanya Taiwanese aboriginal word Ramtau. Nantou County is officially administered as a county of Taiwan....
in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
(南投縣). After serving in the Taiwanese Navy
Republic of China Navy
The Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Armed forces of the Republic of China . The ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend ROC territories and the sea lanes that surround Taiwan against a blockade, attack, or possible invasion by forces of the People's Republic of China...
Kao attended National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
and moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to attend the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
where he obtained advanced degrees in Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
. As a graduate student he performed research for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He later went on to work for American defense contractors Teledyne
Teledyne
Teledyne Technologies Incorporated is an industrial conglomerate primarily based in the United States but with global operations. It was founded in 1960, as Teledyne, Inc., by Henry Singleton and George Kozmetsky....
and Magnavox
Magnavox
Magnavox is a US electronics company founded by Edwin Pridham and Peter L. Jensen, who invented the moving-coil loudspeaker in 1915 at their lab in Napa, California. They formed Magnavox in 1917 in order to market their inventions....
.
Burrell hired Kao to join his division at Allied’s King subsidiary in 1983. Kao had been working at Magnavox developing military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
navigation system
Navigation system
A navigation system is a system that aids is navigation. Navigation systems may be entirely on board a vehicle or vessel, 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...
s using the Global Positioning System
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
constellation of satellites, at that time known as NAVSTAR. During his years working with Burrell, Kao led the team that developed the first GPS navigation system that was to be certified for use in airplanes
Air navigation
The basic principles of air navigation are identical to general navigation, which includes the process of planning, recording, and controlling the movement of a craft from one place to another....
by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
.
At the time the satellite constellation
Satellite constellation
A group of artificial satellites working in concert is known as a satellite constellation. Such a constellation can be considered to be a number of satellites with coordinated ground coverage, operating together under shared control, synchronised so that they overlap well in coverage and...
was still being assembled. The 1986 explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger was NASA's second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia having been the first. The shuttle was built by Rockwell International's Space Transportation Systems Division in Downey, California...
had set the system’s construction back by 24 months. The satellites had to be redesigned to fit aboard a Delta II
Delta II
Delta II was an American space launch system, originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas. Delta II is part of the Delta rocket family and was in service from 1989 until November 1, 2011...
rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
. The system was declared operational in April 1989, and went on to prove a decisive strategic advantage to U.S. and Allied forces in the 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
.
Kao had been thinking of starting a company, and had recently visited old school friends in Taiwan, one of whom was an investment banker, who assured Kao that if he wanted to launch a company, launch money would be available. Within weeks of their meeting, Burrell and Kao were on a plane to Taipei, Taiwan. Within months, they had raised $4 million, including the combined contents of their personal savings account
Savings account
Savings accounts are accounts maintained by retail financial institutions that pay interest but cannot be used directly as money . These accounts let customers set aside a portion of their liquid assets while earning a monetary return...
s. The capital was sufficient to hire a dozen engineers and to rent office and work space in Lenexa, Kansas
Lenexa, Kansas
Lenexa is a city in the central part of Johnson County, located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 48,190. As a satellite city of Kansas City, Kansas, Lenexa is included in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
. They named the new company ProNav, but changed it to Garmin in 1991 when a competitor, using the name NavPro on one of its GPS receivers, sued for trademark infringement
Trademark infringement
Trademark infringement is a violation of the exclusive rights attaching to a trademark without the authorization of the trademark owner or any licensees...
. “Garmin” is a combination of the founders’ names, Gary and Min.
Company growth
Profit (accounting)
In accounting, profit can be considered to be the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market whatever it is that is accounted as an enterprise in terms of the component costs of delivered goods and/or services and any operating or other expenses.-Definition:There are...
of $23 million. By 1999 sales had reached $233 million and profit of $64 million. Garmin reported a 2006 total revenue of $1.77 billion, up 73 percent from $1.03 billion in 2005.
By 1999 the company’s products had captured about half of the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n market share
Market share
Market share is the percentage of a market accounted for by a specific entity. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 67 percent responded that they found the "dollar market share" metric very useful, while 61% found "unit market share" very useful.Marketers need to be able to...
of GPS receivers used in marine and outdoor recreation markets, according to a market study conducted by Frost and Sullivan. Its own internal estimates showed that its aviation retrofit products had 59% market share, and that its portable aviation GPS products had 76% of the market.
Burrell retired in 2003 as Garmin’s Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
and in 2004 retired as Chairman of its Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
. He is now Chairman Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
. Kao became CEO in 2003, and Chairman in 2004.
In 2005 Forbes Magazine estimated Kao’s net worth
Net worth
In business, net worth is the total assets minus total outside liabilities of an individual or a company. For a company, this is called shareholders' preference and may be referred to as book value. Net worth is stated as at a particular year in time...
at $1.5 billion. He has donated $17.5 million to the University of Tennessee. The same year Forbes estimated Burrell’s net worth as $940 million.
Public offering
By 2000 Garmin had sold three million GPS devices, and was producing 50 different models. Its products were sold in 100 countries and carried by 2,500 independent distributors. As of 22 August 2000, the company held 35 patents on GPS technology. By the end of June 2000, the company employed 1,205 people: 541 in the United States, 635 in Taiwan, and 29 in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The company began public trading on NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
on 8 December 2000. At that time Burrell owned 19,911,155 shares. Kao owned 20,352,803 shares. Together their holdings accounted for 45 percent of the stock in Garmin. Kao’s brother, Ruey-Jeng Kao, an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in Taipei, owned another 7,984,109 shares, which when combined with Burrell’s and Kao’s shares constituted 54.22 percent of the shares outstanding.
Worldwide companies
Garmin operates in several other countries besides the UK, USA and Taiwan. It operates as Formar (Belgium), Garmin AMB (Canada), Belanor (Norway), and Trepat (Spain).Acquisitions
In August 2003 Garmin completed acquisition of UPS Aviation Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of United Parcel Service, Inc.United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
, expanding its product line of panel-mounted GPS/NAV/COMM units and integrated cockpit systems for private and commercial aircraft. The acquired company changed its name to Garmin AT, Inc. and continued operations as a wholly owned subsidiary of Garmin International, Inc.
Garmin has acquired Dynastream Innovations, EME Tec Sat SAS (EME), and Digital Cyclone. Dynastream, located in Cochrane, Alberta
Cochrane, Alberta
Cochrane is a town in the Canadian province of Alberta. The town is located 18 km west of the Calgary city limits along Highway 1A. With a population of 15,424 , Cochrane is the second largest town in Alberta and one of the fastest growing communities in Canada...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, is a leader in the field of personal monitoring technology (ANT+
ANT+
ANT+ is an interoperability function that can be added to the base ANT protocol...
) — such as foot pods and heart rate monitors for sports and fitness products — and is also a leading provider of ultra-low-power and low-cost wireless connectivity solutions for a wide range of applications (ANT
ANT (network)
ANT is a proprietary wireless sensor network technology featuring a wireless communications protocol stack that enables semiconductor radios operating in the 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical allocation of the RF spectrum to communicate by establishing standard rules for co-existence,...
). EME Tec Sat SAS (EME) is the distributor of Garmin's consumer products in France; following the acquisition, EME will change its name to Garmin France SAS. Digital Cyclone Inc (DCI), located in Chanhassen, Minnesota
Chanhassen, Minnesota
Chanhassen is a city in Carver and Hennepin counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is southwest of Minneapolis. The population was 22,952 at the 2010 census....
, provides mobile weather solutions for consumers, pilots, and outdoor enthusiasts. Garmin also bought Nautamatic Marine Systems, an Oregon-based company that makes autopilot systems for boats. In July, 2011, Garmin finished its acquisition of the German satellite navigation company Navigon
Recent corporate activity
In 2006, Garmin released all of its software for Mac OS XMac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
. Also in 2006, Garmin introduced a new corporate logo, and the opening of its first retail store on Michigan Avenue
Michigan Avenue (Chicago)
Michigan Avenue is a major north-south street in Chicago which runs at 100 east south of the Chicago River and at 132 East north of the river from 12628 south to 950 north in the Chicago street address system...
in Chicago, Illinois.
Marine GPS
The company’s first product was the GPS 100, a panel-mounted GPS receiver aimed at the marine market, priced at $2,500. It debuted at the 1990 International Marine Technology Exposition in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The product was an instant hit and generated a backlog of orders for 5,000 units. In response to the demand thus created, Kao traveled (January 1991) to Taipei to set up manufacturing facilities.
Handheld GPS
Another early product, a handheld GPS receiver, proved popular with military personnel serving in KuwaitKuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
during the 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
.
In the early 2000s, Garmin launched a series of personal GPS devices aimed at recreational runners
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
called the Forerunner
Garmin Forerunner
The Garmin Forerunner series is a selection of sport watches produced by Garmin. Most models use the Global Positioning System , and are targeted at road runners and triathletes...
. A similar wrist-worn GPS device with two dimensional GPS tracking
GPS tracking
A GPS tracking unit is a device that uses the Global Positioning System to determine the precise location of a vehicle, person, or other asset to which it is attached and to record the position of the asset at regular intervals...
and waypoint
Waypoint
A waypoint is a reference point in physical space used for purposes of navigation.-Concept:Waypoints are sets of coordinates that identify a point in physical space. Coordinates used can vary depending on the application. For terrestrial navigation these coordinates can include longitude and...
projection called the Garmin Foretrex is popular among day hikers, off-road mountain bikers, and sailboat racers.
One of the most popular of the Garmin handheld GPS receivers, the compact eTrex series, was introduced in 1998. Within the eTrex line are several models packaging several different features and options. The original eTrex, commonly nicknamed "eTrex Yellow", was a sensation when it first appeared, as it offered a lightweight (5.3 oz/150 g), waterproof, palm-sized 12-channel GPS receiver to backpackers, hikers, and others afoot in remote areas, along with a battery life of up to 22 hours on just two AA-size batteries. The eTrex 'Yellow' was replaced in 2007 by the eTrex H, which added a high-sensitivity receiver. Other more advanced eTrex models include the Summit, Venture, Legend, and Vista, each with various additional features such as WAAS, altimeter, digital compass, city database, and highway maps. Many models come in color and expandable-memory versions.
The Geko series is a later compact line of handheld GPS receivers aimed at the budget or lightweight hiking market.
In 2004 Garmin introduced its 60C line of handheld GPS mapping receivers, featuring increased sensitivity and storage capacity along with a battery life of up to 30 hours in battery-save mode. This was followed by the 60Cx and 60CSx with improved color map displays. The 60Cx and 60CSx have been used as primary navigational tools on several adventure and exploration trips to remote areas around the world, including a rafting expedition down the entirety of the Amazon River in 2008.
With the GTM-11, GTM 20 and GTM 25, a Garmin GPS device receives and uses Traffic Message Channel
Traffic Message Channel
Traffic Message Channel is a technology for delivering traffic and travel information to drivers. It is typically digitally coded using the FM-RDS system on conventional FM radio broadcasts...
(TMC) information. Also, some Garmin nüvi (1690, 1490T, 1450T, 1390T, 1390, 1350, 1260, 1250 and 265WT, 265T, 265W, 265, 255w and 255) comes with an integrated TMC receiver.
iQue PDA receivers
In 2003 Garmin launched the iQueGarmin iQue
iQue was a line of Garmin devices which combined personal digital assistants with integrated Global Positioning System receivers. It was discontinued by mid-2008.- Description :...
line of integrated PDA
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
-GPS receivers. On 31 October 2005 the iQue M4 became the first PDA that did not require a PC to preload the maps. The American version came with built-in maps of North America, while the UK version was supplied pre-loaded with maps of Western Europe.
On The Road GPS
In October 2005, Garmin released the StreetPilot i-Series, compact GPS navigators which come in three models, i2, i3, i5. The i2 has a monochrome display, and maps need to be loaded on a Transflash card. The i3 is similar to the i2, except it has a color screen. The i5 has a color screen and the maps come preprogrammed into the device. More advanced versions of the StreetPilot include the c-Series, some of which sport large colour touchscreens, FM traffic notifications, support for weather and information updates from MSN DirectMSN Direct
MSN Direct is an FM radio-based digital service which allows 'SPOT' portable devices to receive information from MSN services. Devices that support MSN Direct include wristwatches, desktop clocks, in-car GPS satellite navigation units, and even small appliances such as coffee makers...
, and Bluetooth support.
In October 2006, Garmin began shipping the nüvi 660, a pocketsize widescreen successor to their nüvi 300 series. The 660 added bluetooth, FM transmitter, enhanced screen brightness and screen size, all in a small "flat" size.
Additionally, Garmin's Zumo line is designed specifically for motorcycles. The Zumo 550 and StreetPilot 2610 with slightly different feature sets have been marketed as an OEM offering by BMW for their motorcycles as the BMW Zumo and BMW Navigator III.
Garmin's Zumo Motorcycle line is also marketed as OEM by Harley-Davidson as their Road-Tec. This includes the Zumo 500 and 600 series.
Lately Garmin has released its 1000 series which includes the 1690 which incorporates the ability to use Google Local Search to have more up to date Points of Interest and has the ability tap into the 3G network. Garmin has furthered its technology in this field to make one of the thinnest models in the 3700 series as well.
Garmin released 2000's series in 2010, which includes 2200(3.5 inch display), and 2300(4.3 inch display).
Fishfinders
Garmin also manufactures a line of sonarSonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
fishfinder
Fishfinder
A fishfinder is an instrument used to locate fish underwater by detecting reflected pulses of sound energy, as in SONAR. A modern fishfinder displays measurements of reflected sound on a graphical display, allowing an operator to interpret information to locate schools of fish, underwater debris,...
s, including some units that also have GPS capability.
Laptop GPS and Mobile Apps
In April 2008 Garmin launched Garmin Mobile PC, a GPS navigation software program for laptop PCs and other computers, based on the Microsoft Windows operating system.Garmin offers mobile apps for Android, Windows Phone, and for iPhone. On July 25, 2011, Garmin International, Inc. released Garmin StreetPilot Onboard N. America Version 1.0 for the iOS operating system 4.0 or later. It's compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation) and GPS-enabled iPads. The iPhone app is 1.61 GB and has In App Purchases available including Traffic, and Fuel Prices. Map coverage includes North America (United States, Canada, Mexico, plus Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthelemy, and Jamaica).
Nüvifone
In early 2009 Garmin announced it would be manufacturing a location-specific cellular telephoneMobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
in cooperation with Asus
ASUS
ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated is a multinational computer technology and consumer electronics product manufacturer headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. Its product range includes motherboards, desktops, laptops, monitors, tablet PCs, servers and mobile phones...
. Called the Garmin-Asus nüvifone G60, the United States release on AT&T was scheduled for 4 October 2009. Four other models in this line have since been released—two Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
-powered models for the European and Asian market, and two Android models, one for the Europe/Asia market and another for T-Mobile USA
T-Mobile USA
T-Mobile USA, Inc. is an American mobile-network operator, headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, that provides wireless voice, messaging and data services in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company is the fourth-largest wireless carrier in the U.S. market with 33.73...
.
Personal trainers
The Garmin Edge and certain models of Garmin Forerunner is a suite of GPS-enabled devices for use while running or cycling.Avionics
Avionics are electronic systems used on aircraft, artificial satellites and spacecraft.Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to meet individual roles...
. For example, the G1000
Garmin G1000
The Garmin G1000 is an integrated flight instrument system manufactured by Garmin typically composed of two display units, one serving as a primary flight display, and one as a multi-function display...
is an all-glass avionics suite for OEM aircraft. The G900X is similar to the G1000 but designed for use in experimental aircraft
Experimental aircraft
An experimental aircraft is an aircraft that has not yet been fully proven in flight. Often, this implies that new aerospace technologies are being tested on the aircraft, though the label is more broad....
, and the G600 is a retrofit solution for several certificated aircraft.
Garmin entered the aviation market in 1991 with the GPS-100AVD panel-mounted receiver. Their first portable unit, the GPS-95, was introduced in 1993. In 1994, the GPS-155 panel-mounted unit was the first GPS receiver on the market to receive full FAA certification
Type certificate
A Type Certificate, is awarded by aviation regulating bodies to aerospace manufacturers after it has been established that the particular design of a civil aircraft, engine, or propeller has fulfilled the regulating bodies' current prevailing airworthiness requirements for the safe conduct of...
for instrument approach
Instrument approach
For aircraft operating under instrument flight rules , an instrument approach or instrument approach procedure is a series of predetermined maneuvers for the orderly transfer of an aircraft under instrument flight conditions from the beginning of the initial approach to a landing, or to a point...
es.
In 1998 Garmin introduced the GNS-430, an integrated GPS navigation receiver/communications transceiver.
In April 2007 the Oregon-based aircraft company Epic AIR (subsidiary of Aircraft Investor Resources (AIR) LLC
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
— United States) announced that it would use Garmin glass panel cockpits and related avionics in all of its certified and experimental very light jet
Very Light Jet
A very light jet, entry-level jet or personal jet, previously known as a microjet, is a category of small jet aircraft approved for single-pilot operation, seating 4-8 people, with a maximum take-off weight of under...
s and turboprop aircraft. The Garmin G900X will be used in the company's owner-built airplanes
Homebuilt aircraft
Also known as amateur-built aircraft or kit planes, homebuilt aircraft are constructed by persons for whom this is not a professional activity. These aircraft may be constructed from "scratch," from plans, or from assembly kits.-Overview:...
, while the Garmin G1000
Garmin G1000
The Garmin G1000 is an integrated flight instrument system manufactured by Garmin typically composed of two display units, one serving as a primary flight display, and one as a multi-function display...
will be used in certified Epic aircraft
Type certificate
A Type Certificate, is awarded by aviation regulating bodies to aerospace manufacturers after it has been established that the particular design of a civil aircraft, engine, or propeller has fulfilled the regulating bodies' current prevailing airworthiness requirements for the safe conduct of...
.
Garmin expanded its presence in the aviation market in 2003 through acquisition of UPS Aviation Technologies, thereby acquiring the latter's II Morrow Apollo line of aircraft MFD/GPS/NAV/COMM units, complementing its existing aviation product line. II Morrow was founded in Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
in 1982 as a manufacturer of LORAN C
LORAN
LORAN is a terrestrial radio navigation system using low frequency radio transmitters in multiple deployment to determine the location and speed of the receiver....
Marine and General Aviation products. In 1982 their first true aircraft navigator, the 602 LORAN C receiver, permitted point to point navigation. Examples of their popular LORAN units are the Apollo II 616B Aviation LORAN panel mount (1886) and the II Morrow Apollo 604 Loran Navigator (1987). One of their more popular early GPS units was IImorrow's Apollo 820 GPS Flybuddy which was shipping in 1991. In 1986, United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
(UPS) purchased the company to expand the use of electronic technology in the package delivery and tracking business. (Some claim that this departure from the General Aviation marketplace, really enabled Garmin, and gave them a vacuum to fill)
IImorrow soon phased out of the marine business and focused on development of technology for taking UPS from paper into the computer era, vehicle management systems, automated high speed package sorting systems, as well as delivery and tracking systems. In 1999 with this done, IImorrow was re-named to UPS Aviation Technologies, and they were re-focused towards modernizing UPS's Boeing 7xx series Heavy Iron Transport Category Aircraft fleet, as well they also re-entered the General Aviation marketplace. This company (UPS Aviation Technologies) certified the first Gamma 3 WAAS GPS engine for FAA Certified Precision GPS approaches (basically, precision landing of aircraft by GPS). The new certified WAAS engine enabled vertical and horizontal accuracy of 1 meter RMS, for precise guidance into airports without existing ILS approaches. Their new GPS technology even met the FAA's stringent TSO-C146a primary navigation standards for en route, terminal and approach phases of flight- with WAAS augmentation as "sole means" navigation. Further it enabling vertical and lateral approach guidance into thousands of U.S. airports previously inaccessible in IFR conditions. This unique first of kind, GPS "sole source" (not supplementary) navigation capability was integrated into the CNX-80. The CNX-80 WAAS GPS/COM/NAV integrated navigator was the first product in the industry approved for primary (not supplemental) GPS navigation. It also enabled LPV "glidescope" approaches without reference to ground-based nav aids of any kind, as well as new LNAV (GPS) approaches providing the accuracy and safety of an ILS – without the ground-based localizer and glideslope equipment. Later, the CNX-80 was re-named the GNS-480, under Garmin.
As UPS Aviation Technologies, this subsidiary was also fundamentally involved with development, engineering, and manufacturing functional products for the FAA's Capstone program, which also included ADS-B transponder (UAT and FIS), datalink services, and the MX-20 Multi Function Display that in addition to NAV, it displayed terrain, real-time weather, Jeppeson plates, other ADS-B aircraft, and a variety of other functions in 2000.
Under the FAA Capstone Phase I program, a fleet of small commercial aircraft were equipped for an evaluation of the safety benefits stemming from the use of advanced technologies during day-to-day operations in Alaska's high-risk operating environment. The aircraft are fitted with IFR capable global positioning system (GPS) receivers, a Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) data-link system that enables Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and Flight Information Services (FIS) including real-time weather, and a multifunction display (MFD) depicting terrain, other ADS-B aircraft, and weather graphics and text data. The bundle of avionics was installed on some 200 aircraft used for commuter, charter and mail flights in southwest Alaska. The avionics improved the pilot's situational awareness with the primary goal of preventing controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and mid-air accidents.
Due to the reduction in accidents as well as credited saving the life of a downed pilot whose ELT had failed, the new system developed traction through several phases, and in December 2006, the FAA announced that it would integrate Capstone into the FAA’s Surveillance and Broadcast Services (SBS) program office tasked with implementing ADS-B across the national airspace system.
This advanced GPS technology was later rolled into the 430/530 by Garmin-AT (Salem), creating the 430W/530W. To this day, the "IImorrow" division is still located at the same 2345 Turner Rd. SE, Salem, Oregon address as Garmin-AT.
Maps
Most current Garmin devices can display the current location on a map. The maps are vector-based and stored in the built-in memory or loaded from additional flash media. The built-in (or 'basemap') displays all country borders and major cities. Garmin offers a wide variety of maps for purchase, including detailed road maps, topographic maps and nautical maps. Non-commercial maps are also available and can be displayed on most Garmin GPS devices. The open map directory "Maps 'n Trails" lists all freely available maps created by many individuals, often based on data from the OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap is a collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world. Two major driving forces behind the establishment and growth of OSM have been restrictions on use or availability of map information across much of the world and the advent of inexpensive portable GPS devices.The...
Project and hosted on Mapcenter or individual websites. The quality of the maps varies greatly. It is also possible to create a map from various vector or raster resources. Software tools for custom maps creation are available on the Internet.
The maps used by Garmin products are currently provided by Navteq
NAVTEQ
Navteq is a Chicago, Illinois-based provider of Geographic Information Systems data and is a dominant company in providing the base electronic navigable maps...
. Map errors are handled using NAVTEQ Map Reporter. Errors can be reported using Garmin's report a map error page, or by using the NAVTEQ map reporter.
Advertising
In recent years, Garmin has created television commercials during the ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
season, done to the tune of Carol of the Bells
Carol of the Bells
"Carol of the Bells" is the common English language title of a Christmas carol of Ukrainian origin, which has in recent years grown in popularity, particularly in English-speaking countries. The work was originally a choral miniature composition by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych based on...
.
Sport sponsorships
In 2007 Garmin began sponsorship of EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Premier League football club Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in a one-year deal that was carried into a second year for the 2008/09 season. In 2008 Garmin began sponsorship of cycling team
Cycling team
A cycling team is a group of cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle races whether recreational or professional - and the supporting personnel...
to promote its Edge line of bicycle computers.
See also
- Open Handset AllianceOpen Handset AllianceThe Open Handset Alliance is a consortium of 84 firms to develop open standards for mobile devices. Member firms include Google, HTC, Sony, Dell, Intel, Motorola, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, T-Mobile, Nvidia, and Wind River Systems.-History:The OHA was...
- Automotive navigation systemAutomotive navigation systemAn automotive navigation system is a satellite navigation system designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit's map database. Using the road database, the unit can give directions to other locations...
- Magellan NavigationMagellan NavigationMagellan Navigation, Inc. is a producer of consumer and professional grade global positioning system receivers. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with European sales and engineering centers in Nantes, France and Moscow, Russia, Magellan also produces aftermarket automotive GPS units,...
- MapKingMapKingMapKing is an automotive navigation systems and mapping solution brand focus in Asia Pacific. MapKing products include both stand-alone units, web map solution, software for personal digital assistants, and mobile telephones...
- NavigonNavigonNavigon GmbH is a Hamburg, Germany-based manufacturer of GPS devices and GPS navigation software. It is privately owned, however in June 2011 it was announced that Navigon is to be acquired by a subsidiary of Garmin...
- NDriveNDriveNDrive Navigation Systems, SA is a worldwide provider of navigation services to mobile platforms. Founded in 2001, the company has a staff of 60 people and is headquartered in Porto, Portugal with sales offices on all continents....
- Spanner (Garmin program)Spanner (Garmin program)Spanner is a free program provided by Garmin for PCs running Windows 2000 or XP. It ‘translates’ live positional data from Garmin’s proprietary interface into NMEA 0183. Garmin’s proprietary interface data is only provided via USB whereas NMEA data is provided via serial port...
- Garmin-Slipstream
- TomTomTomTomTomTom NV is a Dutch manufacturer of automotive navigation systems, including both stand-alone units and software for personal digital assistants and mobile telephones. It is the leading manufacturer of navigation systems in Europe. TomTom's customer service is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands...