Which type of system uses satellites for precise positioning?

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is designed to provide accurate positioning information to users all over the globe through a network of satellites. GNSS utilizes signals transmitted from a constellation of satellites orbiting the Earth. By receiving these signals, a GNSS receiver can determine its precise location in terms of latitude, longitude, and altitude.

The accuracy of GNSS is due to the measurements of the signals' travel times to the receiver, along with the knowledge of the satellites' locations at any given time. Various GNSS systems, like the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), Russia's GLONASS, and the European Union's Galileo, fall under this umbrella, allowing for global coverage and high precision in positioning.

In contrast, other types of systems such as geospatial navigation systems might refer more broadly to technologies that integrate various data types, including maps and geographic information systems, rather than relying solely on satellite data. Ground navigation systems typically use terrestrial reference points and may not involve satellites, while guided navigation systems suggest mechanisms that could involve guided pathways but lack the comprehensive positional accuracy offered by GNSS. Therefore, the emphasis on satellite technology distinctly categorizes GNSS as the system associated with precise positioning.