PinPoint GPS

- Overview
- Features
- Photos
- Specifications
- Product Sheet
- Publications
Now available with SWIFT fixes for many more locations.
Accurate, automated locations now available from a GPS tag weighing just 1g. Now you can save on fieldwork time and effort, with even smaller species.
With the fully programmable schedule you can choose the days and times that locations are recorded, to meet the specific requirements of your study.
Great for:
- Much more accurate locations during migration
- Habitat use
- Home range
Please see the features, specifications and product sheet tabs (above) for more information, and contact us to discuss your requirements.
- Fully user-programmable schedule
- Limited recharges, depending on deployment
- Optional end tube for harness attachment
- Optional VHF beacon to aid tag recovery
- Other customizations (e.g. extra protection) available on request


Customized to suit your project and species, the PinPoint GPS tags are made to order and available in a range of weights/configurations.
Below are the specifications for the current configurations.
Model | PinPoint 10 | PinPoint 50 | PinPoint 75 | PinPoint 120 | PinPoint 240 |
Standard Weight (g)† | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.5 | n/a | n/a |
Heavy Weight (g) | 1.5 | 2.2 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 10 |
Potential number of location attempts* Number of location attempts are schedule dependent - for a better estimate for your application, please contact us. |
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High Intensity schedule** STANDARD FIXES | 50 | 260 | 570 | 860 | 1700 |
High Intensity schedule** SWIFT FIXES | 130 | 400 | 1100 | 1700 | 3400 |
Low Intensity schedule** STANDARD FIXES | 13 | 60 | 130 | 170 | 350 |
Low Intensity schedule** SWIFT FIXES | 80 | 400 | 710 | 550 | 1100 |
Dimensions (mm)† | 21 x 13 x 5 | 22 x 13 x 9 | 25 x 13 x 10 | 30 x 15 x 10 | n/a |
Scheduling | Spread fixes over days, months or even a whole migration (see example fix schedule) | ||||
Battery | Limited recharges, depending on deployment | ||||
Operating temperature | -10°C to +35°C | ||||
Antenna† | 5cm - lightweight & flexible | ||||
Waterproofing | Standard & Heavy duty models: Splash tolerant Marinised Models: Depth proof to 80m |
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Warranty*** | 80% of estimated life, to a Maximum Warranty Period of 6 months |
† Tags can be customized to be more robust or include tubes for fitting harnesses. Please note that these options will add weight. Larger versions with more fixes are available.
* Locations may be attempted but the bird’s behaviour can prevent GPS communication. Fewer locations will be attempted at temperatures below 10°C.
** The number of location attempts for long-term studies has been calculated with four locations per day
** All PinPoint Tags are Warrantied to be free of defects in materials and workmanship under Normal Use for a period of 80% of Estimated Life for the first deployment schedule, unless otherwise specified, to a specified Maximum Warranty Period. The Tags should function (meaning to charge and take fixes) for the entirety of the Tag’s Maximum Warranty Period.
Full PinPoint GPS product sheet (PDF)
Publications using the PinPoint GPS tags
Birds
Miniaturized GPS Tags Identify Non-breeding Territories of a Small Breeding Migratory Songbird
Michael T. Hallworth & Peter P. Marra
Scientific Reports 5, Article number: 11069 (2015) doi:10.1038/srep11069
GPS-tracking reveals non-breeding locations and apparent molt migration of a Black-headed Grosbeak
Rodney B. Siegel, Ron Taylor, James F. Saracco, Lauren Helton & Sarah Stock
J. Field Ornithol., 87: 196–203. doi:10.1111/jofo.12149
Determining fine-scale migratory connectivity and habitat selection for a migratory songbird by using new GPS technology.
Fraser, K.C., Shave, A., Savage, A., Ritchie, A., Bell, K., Siegrist, J., Ray, J.D., Applegate, K. & Pearman, M.
J Avian Biol. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/jav.01091
Megafires: an emerging threat to old-forest species
Gavin M Jones, RJ Gutiérrez, Douglas J Tempel, Sheila A Whitmore, William J Berigan and M Zachariah Peery
Front Ecol Environ 2016; 14(6): 300–306, doi:10.1002/fee.1298
Bats
First Direct Evidence of Long-distance Seasonal Movements and Hibernation in a Migratory Bat
Weller TJ, Castle KT, Liechti F, Hein CD, Schirmacher MR & Cryan PM.
Scientific Reports. 2016;6:34585. doi:10.1038/srep34585.
Using sutures to attach miniature tracking tags to small bats for multimonth movement and behavioral studies
Kevin T Castle, Theodore J Weller, Paul M Cryan, Cris D Hein, & Michael R Schirmacher
Ecology and Evolution. 2015;5(14):2980-2989. doi:10.1002/ece3.1584.