Pokémon Go players unwittingly contributed to tech with military drone uses
Summary
A company called Niantic Spatial, created from the maker of Pokémon Go, used billions of images collected by players to build advanced navigation technology. This technology helps delivery robots and could also assist military drones by improving position tracking in places where GPS does not work well.Key Facts
- Niantic Spatial was formed in May 2025 after spinning off from Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go.
- The company used over 30 billion images taken by millions of Pokémon Go players to create a 3D map of real-world locations.
- Players voluntarily provided short videos of public places, which helped train the company’s AI to recognize physical environments.
- The AI technology can find a device’s location and direction by comparing camera images to detailed 3D maps.
- This technology works well in cities or indoors where GPS often fails or is blocked.
- Niantic Spatial partnered with Coco Robotics to help delivery robots navigate streets.
- Niantic Spatial also teamed up with Vantor, a company linked to US government and military contracts, to develop positioning systems for drones and ground vehicles.
- Testing of the joint system showed a 70% improvement in accuracy, achieving location precision within 1.5 meters.
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