Satmap

Satmap Systems Limited was a United Kingdom navigation-technology company founded on 19 October 2005 and based in Leatherhead, Surrey. The company focused on standalone handheld GPS satellite-navigation devices rather than smartphone software or general-purpose consumer electronics. Its products were designed for walkers, cyclists, mountain-rescue teams, emergency services and military users, combining positioning hardware with detailed digital maps displayed on a dedicated portable unit. Satmap's principal product family was the Active series. The Active 10, available from 2007, was offered in several configurations intended for different use cases. The standard package included the device, a protective case, a lanyard and three lithium AA batteries. The Active 10 BIKE added a bicycle mount and an external power pack with adaptors and a 2,700 mAh lithium-polymer rechargeable battery. The Active 10 PLUS GB paired the device and rechargeable power equipment with a United Kingdom 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey map, while the Active 10 PLUS EU included a Europe map. The company expanded the range with the Active 12 in 2014. This model retained the general appearance of the Active 10 but introduced a higher-resolution 320-by-488-pixel HVGA display, twice the RAM, Bluetooth connectivity and a barometric altimeter. It was supplied with a high-resolution United Kingdom 1:50,000 map and could be distinguished visually by its orange buttons. These features strengthened Satmap's positioning around robust, map-centric navigation for outdoor and professional users. Satmap also supported its devices with accessories and an extensive map ecosystem. Accessories included vehicle mounts, silicone protective cases and screen covers. Users could change the power source by replacing the battery caddy, and detailed maps could be loaded through an SD-card slot. The available map catalogue covered roughly 350 titles across 13 countries and included Ordnance Survey maps at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scales, Harvey Maps, A-Z street maps for London and other United Kingdom cities, marine maps, and mapping for the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe and Morocco. The company closed in 2022. Publicly available reference material identifies the closure but does not provide a detailed account of its causes, ownership changes, financial performance or executive leadership. Satmap's historical significance lies in its emphasis on dedicated, map-loaded GPS hardware for outdoor and specialist navigation during a period when handheld navigation devices competed with emerging smartphone-based mapping applications.

Satmap Systems Limited was established in the United Kingdom on 19 October 2005 and operated from Leatherhead, Surrey. Its business was centered on dedicated GPS satellite-navigation equipment for users who required portable location information and detailed cartography away from conventional road-navigation settings. The intended audience included walkers, cyclists, mountain-rescue organizations, emergency services and military users. Satmap brought its first major product, the Active 10, to market in 2007. Unlike a general-purpose computer or a navigation application, the Active 10 was a standalone handheld unit designed to display map data in the field. Satmap sold the device in a number of bundles. The basic package contained the unit, a case, a lanyard and three lithium AA batteries. A bicycle-oriented version added a bike mount and rechargeable power equipment, while the PLUS GB and PLUS EU packages included regional map coverage for Great Britain and Europe respectively. The Active 10 platform was supported by interchangeable power and mounting accessories. Satmap offered vehicle mounts, silicone cases and screen protectors, and users could change the power arrangement by swapping the caddy that held the batteries. Maps were installed or exchanged using an SD card. The company's catalogue covered approximately 350 map titles from 13 countries. This included United Kingdom Ordnance Survey mapping at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scales, Harvey Maps, A-Z urban mapping for London and other British cities, marine charts or maps, and coverage for North America, Australia, Europe and Morocco. In 2014 Satmap introduced the Active 12. The new device preserved much of the Active 10's physical design while adding a 320-by-488-pixel HVGA display, doubled RAM, Bluetooth and a barometric altimeter. It was supplied with a high-resolution United Kingdom 1:50,000 map. The orange buttons provided a visible way to distinguish the Active 12 from the visually similar Active 10. The model represented a technical update to the company's dedicated-navigation proposition rather than a change into smartphone software or online mapping. Satmap's products occupied a specialist position in the handheld navigation market alongside other GPS and navigation-device makers. Its differentiation came from dedicated hardware, removable map storage, outdoor-oriented mapping and accessory support. The available reference material does not establish detailed sales figures, ownership history, leadership appointments, major partnerships or financial results. It records that Satmap closed in 2022, after which the company was no longer active as an operating brand. No documented scandal or major corporate transaction is identified in the supplied reference material.

• 2022

  Company closes

  [1]Satmapen.wikipedia.org

  Satmap Systems Limited closed, ending the company's operations.

• 2014

  Active 12 introduced

  [1]Satmapen.wikipedia.org

  The Active 12 added a higher-resolution display, more RAM, Bluetooth and a barometric altimeter to Satmap's handheld GPS range.

• 2007

  Active 10 becomes available

  [1]Satmapen.wikipedia.org

  Satmap began producing and selling the Active 10 standalone handheld GPS mapping device in several equipment and map bundles.

• 2005

  Satmap Systems Limited founded

  [1]Satmapen.wikipedia.org

  Satmap Systems Limited was founded in the United Kingdom on 19 October 2005 and based its operations in Leatherhead, Surrey.

Dedicated, map-centric GPS navigation for outdoor recreation, cycling and professional field operations, with support for detailed regional and specialist maps.

• Handheld GPS navigation device · 2007

  Active 10

  The Active 10 was Satmap's principal handheld GPS mapping device, available from 2007. The standard bundle included the device, a case, a lanyard and three lithium AA batteries. The platform supported detailed maps loaded through an SD card and was intended for outdoor and specialist navigation.

• Cycling GPS navigation device · 2007

  Active 10 BIKE

  The Active 10 BIKE was a cycling-oriented bundle built around the Active 10 device. It included a bicycle mount and a power pack with adaptors and a 2,700 mAh lithium-polymer rechargeable battery, making it better suited to mounted use on bicycles than the standard package.

• Map-bundled handheld GPS · 2007

  Active 10 PLUS GB

  The Active 10 PLUS GB combined the Active 10 hardware with a case, lanyard, rechargeable power pack and a United Kingdom 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey map. It was configured for users seeking an integrated British outdoor-navigation package.

• Map-bundled handheld GPS · 2007

  Active 10 PLUS EU

  The Active 10 PLUS EU included the Active 10 device, protective and carrying equipment, rechargeable power accessories and a Europe map. It extended the product's intended use beyond the United Kingdom.

• Advanced handheld GPS navigation device · 2014

  Active 12

  Introduced in 2014, the Active 12 was a technical successor to the Active 10. It featured a 320-by-488-pixel HVGA display, doubled RAM, Bluetooth and a barometric altimeter, and was supplied with a high-resolution United Kingdom 1:50,000 map. Its orange buttons distinguished it from the otherwise similar Active 10.

• Digital mapping

  Satmap map catalogue

  Satmap supported its devices with approximately 350 map titles from 13 countries. Coverage included Ordnance Survey maps, Harvey Maps, A-Z city maps, marine maps and regional mapping for the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe and Morocco.

1. 1Satmapen.wikipedia.org