LandAirSea LAS-1505 GPS Vehicle Tracking System
Pros:
- Software easy to install
- Signal is strong throughout vehicle, even through metal
- Strong magnet for attachment
- Long battery life: 2+ weeks regular driving
- Complete data includes route, speed, time of stops, and playback
- Reports integrate with Google Earth
- Plugs directly into USB port
- No on-off switch means drivers can’t disable without screwdriver
- Uses standard AAA batteries
- Small and easy to conceal
Cons:
- Not a live tracking device: must detach and plug in to computer to retrieve data
- Must unscrew to change battery and turn off device: tiny screws easy to lose
- Software and included maps are outdated: most users prefer Google Earth
- Only supports Windows (Mac and Linux not supported)
- Occasional signal delay has skewed some owners’ reports
Review
The LAS-1505 GPS Tracking Key from LandAirSea is designed to affix to a vehicle to help track the routes that vehicle has travelled. LandAirSea markets Tracking Key as a way to keep track of teenage drivers, company vehicles, and spouses.
It’s important to note that this is not a vehicle location device: you cannot go on your computer and find out where the vehicle is located at that moment. Rather, the Tracking Key records a vehicle’s path while it is in motion. Then, you remove the device from the car, plug it into a computer, and download the data from the device into your computer.
LandAirSea says that their products receive signals from 24 different GPS satellites operated by the Department of Defense, and that the device reports accuracy within 2.5 meters of the vehicle’s location. Users say it’s a little less precise, but is usually within 3 or 4 houses of the recorded street address.
The data recorded by the LandAirSea Las-1505 Tracking Key includes the course a vehicle took, how long it took to get there, how fast the vehicle travelled, and the length and location of any stops along the way. Stops lasting shorter than 7 minutes sometimes are not logged in the report as a full stop, but the software’s route playback feature does allow users to identify shorter stops that occurred.
Users complain of outdated and somewhat “clunky” software, but the data is automatically imported into Google Earth, which most find to be perfect for their needs. NOTE: This product does not work with Mac and Linux operating systems, only Windows.
One of the common praises of the LandAirSea LAS-1505 GPS Tracking Key is the strength of its signal. Owners have placed it behind metal and under upholstery and find the signal to be strong and consistent no matter where they put the device.
Battery life is also good; most users find that standard AAA batteries last for around three weeks, although a few do report faster battery drain.
The only consistent complaint is that the Tracking Key does not have an on-off switch: the battery compartment must be unscrewed and the batteries removed for the device to shut off. While some view this as an advantage (teenagers cannot simply flick the device off), the logistics of frequently removing tiny screws is time consuming and makes the screws easy to lose.
Bottom line: The LAS-1505 GPS Tracking Key from LandAirSea is a small, affordable, effective vehicle tracking system that keeps a strong signal and has competitive battery life despite the lack of an on-off switch. This tracking system plugs into a USB port to download the recorded data, but is only compatible with Windows operating systems. The software is a bit outdated, but the comprehensive data it records works well with Google earth.