Non-geodetic

Referring to something that does not adhere to the principles or methods of geodesy. Geodesy is the science of accurately measuring and representing the Earth's size, shape, gravity field, and their variations over time. 'Non-geodetic' implies a deviation from or absence of these geodetic standards, typically in the context of positioning, surveying, mapping, or other spatial data acquisition and analysis. This term highlights the lack of rigorous mathematical models and techniques employed by geodetic science, often resulting in lower accuracy and precision in the spatial representation of features or locations. It can also indicate a system or method that intentionally ignores or simplifies geodetic considerations for specific application needs.

Non-geodetic meaning with examples

• The survey data used to construct the initial street maps was deemed non-geodetic. As a result, the precise location of certain features in this dataset became inaccurate when compared to a modern GPS-based geodetic survey. This lack of precision hindered precise property assessments, a clear consequence of the chosen approach.
• In this software, the coordinate system of the map of this region is non-geodetic. The conversion between the different projections isn't properly handled and thus the transformation may not be reliable for long-range measurements. This made cross-referencing data from global positioning systems impractical when combined with the other local data.
• The simplified model used for estimating the distances in the initial application used non-geodetic calculations. The calculations for the round Earth were disregarded to improve computational speed, causing errors in long-distance measurements. While quick, this simplification was a significant design trade-off.
• The aircraft navigation system utilized a non-geodetic reference system, a design choice to improve the processing speed of the system. This simplified approach, in theory, allowed for faster calculations, even if it meant a reduction in overall accuracy. The trade-off prioritized response time over precision.