Converting Longitude and Latitude into Meters

[Solistics]

Hi, I'm trying to convert latitude and longitude into meters (x,y). I was thinking of UTM however I don't understand the equations as the ones I've seen just go on forever. Could somone help me understand how to use these equations?

heres the website that I've been trying to understand: http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/UsefulData/UTMFormulas.HTM

Thanks

 

[NobodySpecial]

How accurately do you need to do it and over what area?
It may be enough to just use the X,Y position (in your chosen coord system) of a nearby lat/long point and just do differences from there assuming the Earth is flat

 

[Solistics]

The area is fairly small as I'm using this for an autonomous robot application so the accuracy I'm trying to reach is as presice as I can (a few meters). I'm giving it points that it has to go to and it has a GPS to give it longitude and Latitude. By converting longitude and latitude to meters would make my life a lot easier to work.

 

[awkward]

Choose a latitude $$\phi_0$$ and longitude $$\theta_0$$ as the origin of your local coordinate system, then

$$y = R \; \Delta \phi$$
and
$$x = R \; \Delta \theta \; \cos(\phi_0)$$

where R = the radius of the Earth in your chosen units, with latitude and longitude in radians.

 

[blue_raver22]

for reaching out for help with understanding how to convert longitude and latitude into meters. UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) is a commonly used coordinate system for converting geographic coordinates into meters. The equations on the website you provided can seem daunting, but with a little explanation, they can become more understandable.

First, it's important to understand that longitude and latitude are used to describe a location on the Earth's surface in terms of its angular distance from the prime meridian (longitude) and the equator (latitude). In contrast, meters are a unit of measurement for distance. So, in order to convert from one to the other, we need to use some mathematical equations.

The UTM system divides the Earth's surface into 60 zones, each 6 degrees of longitude wide. This allows for a more accurate representation of locations on the Earth's surface. The equations on the website you provided are used to convert longitude and latitude into the x and y coordinates within a specific UTM zone.

One important thing to note is that the equations require the input of the longitude and latitude in radians, rather than degrees. Radians are another unit of angular measurement, where 2π radians is equal to 360 degrees. So, before using the equations, you will need to convert your longitude and latitude from degrees to radians.

Once you have your coordinates in radians, you can use the equations on the website to calculate the x and y coordinates in meters. These equations involve trigonometric functions, such as sine and cosine, which are used to calculate the distances between the location and the central meridian (a line of longitude that runs through the middle of the UTM zone).

In summary, converting longitude and latitude into meters involves using the UTM coordinate system and some mathematical equations. It may seem complex at first, but with some practice and understanding of the underlying principles, you can successfully convert between these two systems. I hope this explanation helps you better understand the process.