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You’ve certainly heard of using GPS tracking to locate landmarks, but how about using it to create them? One of the noblest uses for this innovative technology is surveying land and settling disputes between those who need assistance in dividing it. This occurs on a regular basis not only in the United States, but also all around the world, on a regular basis.

In Kenya, land is a priceless commodity. A recent development proved exactly how priceless, as a group of 18 Kenyans issued each other death threats over the improper division of a 128-acre farm. The men, who had jointly purchased the farm, had no knowledge about how to equally divide it. They were ready to kill each other due to the lack of a resolution.

To solve the land dispute, a Kenyan surveyor was brought on the scene. Using a GPS tracking device designed for such a task, Noah Kertich was able to determine the perimeter of the farm and equally divide the land into 18 equal plots in a matter of just a few hours. The land owners, who formerly brandished crude weapons ready to strike, were thrilled with the ease and speed of the job. After viewing their newly surveyed land, they shook hands and laughed with joy.

Land is one of the world’s most rare and treasured commodities – and so is peace. In a world full of anger and strife, a device which is capable of diffusing anger and creating peace is worth far more than its market value. GPS is capable of quickly analyzing a plot of land, interpreting its size and shape, and indicating its borders. Dividing up a farm is thus an easy task for any tech-savvy land surveyor. He needs only walk around the area, input all of the available information, and let GPS work its magic. How’s that for modern peacekeeping?

There have been countless uses assigned to GPS technology in recent years. Some of them may be labeled trivial, but in cases like these, GPS tracking is nothing less than miraculous. If it were not for modern technology, this land dispute may have ended up like many others in Kenya – with bloodshed, lost husbands and fathers, and jagged borders dug with the tip of a gun barrel. GPS made the difference in this case, and it does so on a regular basis all around the world.

Article Written by Janice Grover