ruby - How to calculate the distance between two GPS coordinates without using Google Maps API?

Question

I'm wondering if there's a way to calculate the distance of two GPS coordinates without relying on Google Maps API.

My app may receive the coordinates in float or I would have to do reverse GEO on the addresses.

Answer 1

Distance between two coordinates on earth is usually calculated using Haversine formula. This formula takes into consideration earth shape and radius. This is the code I use to calculate distance in meters.

def distance(loc1, loc2)
  rad_per_deg = Math::PI/180  # PI / 180
  rkm = 6371                  # Earth radius in kilometers
  rm = rkm * 1000             # Radius in meters

  dlat_rad = (loc2[0]-loc1[0]) * rad_per_deg  # Delta, converted to rad
  dlon_rad = (loc2[1]-loc1[1]) * rad_per_deg

  lat1_rad, lon1_rad = loc1.map {|i| i * rad_per_deg }
  lat2_rad, lon2_rad = loc2.map {|i| i * rad_per_deg }

  a = Math.sin(dlat_rad/2)**2 + Math.cos(lat1_rad) * Math.cos(lat2_rad) * Math.sin(dlon_rad/2)**2
  c = 2 * Math::atan2(Math::sqrt(a), Math::sqrt(1-a))

  rm * c # Delta in meters
end

puts distance([46.3625, 15.114444],[46.055556, 14.508333])
# => 57794.35510874037