Understanding Location Data in Ecobot

Accurate location data is critical for reliable fieldwork and reporting. Ecobot records and displays the location information your device provides, whether from your mobile device’s internal GPS chip or an external GPS/GNSS receiver. This article explains how location data is handled in Ecobot, how to check accuracy, and why photos sometimes upload without GPS information.

How Ecobot Records Location Data

Ecobot relies on your device’s GPS hardware. This may be:

• The internal GPS chip in your mobile device, or

• An external GPS/GNSS receiver connected to your device (see our article on compatible devices for details).

When using an external GPS receiver, Ecobot’s Location Data View displays a full set of GNSS metadata in-app.

Checking Location Accuracy

In Collector

1. When creating a point
2. When editing a point
3. When taking photos
4. When looking at the map and adding features

In Manager

1. Exporting your survey as a CSV file.

2. Opening the file and locating the accuracy field, which reports values in meters.

👉 Learn more about downloading survey files.

If you’re using an external device, refer to the manufacturer’s specifications for expected field accuracy.

For independent testing resources, the USDA Forest Service publishes a free database comparing GPS/GNSS receivers under different field conditions. (Note: Ecobot does not endorse these results or recommend one manufacturer over another.)

Calibrating Your Device

Keeping your mobile device properly calibrated ensures:

• More accurate GPS coordinates in Ecobot Collector.

• Reliable direction and heading information.

• Higher confidence in field data accuracy.

Perform regular calibration steps on your mobile device to improve overall reliability of your field data.

Why Photos Sometimes Upload Without Location Data

When you upload photos into Ecobot Manager, you may notice missing details such as latitude/longitude, compass direction, or elevation. This is typically not an issue with Ecobot itself, but rather with how your device stores EXIF metadata and whether that data is preserved during transfer.

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) metadata is embedded in photos by most modern cameras and mobile devices and may include:

• Date/time

• Device type

• GPS coordinates (if location services were enabled)

Two Common Reasons Metadata May Be Missing

1. The Device Used to Capture the Photo

   • Newer devices: Most smartphones and cameras automatically include GPS data.

   • Older devices: Some may not support GPS tagging.

   • Privacy settings: If location services are disabled, metadata will not be stored.

2. The Transfer Method Used to Move Photos Into Ecobot

   • Recommended methods (preserve metadata):

     • Email (send as an attachment)

     • Airdrop (Mac only)

   • Methods that strip metadata:

     • Slack (unless photos are zipped first)

     • Text messages (SMS/MMS)

     • Taking photos directly through third-party apps (e.g., Google Drive, OneDrive, some gallery/photo apps) instead of your device’s native camera app

Best Practice for Photos

Always capture photos with your device’s native camera app, and transfer them to your computer via email (as attachments) or Airdrop (Mac). This ensures EXIF metadata — including GPS information — is preserved when uploading into Ecobot Manager.

Summary:

• Ecobot displays the location accuracy provided by your device’s GPS hardware.

• Calibration and proper transfer methods ensure more reliable GPS data.

• Use recommended workflows to preserve photo metadata (lat/long, direction, elevation).