Location Sharing
When you turn on location sharing in a group, your live GPS position appears as a labeled dot on every group member's map. This lets your whole team see where everyone is at a glance.
Turn location sharing on or off​
Location sharing is controlled per group. You can share your location in one group without sharing it in others.
- Open the group's map
- Tap Menu (☰) in the command bar, then tap Settings
- Scroll to the Privacy section
- Toggle Appear on Map
Your dot appears on teammates' maps within a few seconds. Toggle it off to stop sharing and your dot disappears immediately.
What teammates see​
When your location sharing is on, other members see:
- A colored dot at your current position
- Your display name as a label next to the dot
- Your dot moves as you move, updates happen roughly every 5 seconds when the app is active
Privacy​
- Location sharing is off by default for every group
- Only members of your group can see your location
- You are in full control, turn it on and off anytime
- If you turn it off, your dot disappears from teammates' maps immediately
Location accuracy​
Flaresat uses your device's GPS for location data.
| Situation | Expected accuracy |
|---|---|
| Outdoors, clear sky | 3–10 meters |
| Indoors or dense urban | 10–50 meters |
| Web browser (no GPS chip) | 10–100+ meters (uses Wi-Fi triangulation) |
On mobile, make sure Flaresat has Location permission set to While Using or Always in your device settings for best results.
Background mode and Live Share​
By default, location updates pause when you leave the app. Live Share keeps your position broadcasting continuously, even with Flaresat in the background or the screen locked.
Enable Live Share​
- Open the group's map
- Tap the LIVE button in the Command Grid
- Choose a duration:
- 15 minutes
- 1 hour
- 8 hours
- Confirm
A countdown timer appears on the LIVE button while it's active. Tap it again at any time to stop broadcasting early.
Live Share persists across app restarts, if you close and reopen Flaresat before the timer runs out, it resumes automatically.
Permissions required for background mode​
- iOS, Location permission must be set to Always (Settings → Flaresat → Location → Always)
- Android, Location permission must be set to Allow all the time
A system indicator appears in your notification bar while background location is active so you're always in control.
Location in Radio groups​
In Radio groups, location updates travel over the radio mesh instead of the internet. Updates are throttled to roughly every 8 seconds to conserve LoRa bandwidth. Enable Appear on Map in Group Settings → Privacy just like an online group, then stay connected to your radio device.