| Ancient Times (c. 2000 BCE) | Celestial Navigation | Early sailors used the positions of the sun, moon, and stars to determine their direction. |
| c. 1200 BCE | Dead Reckoning | Method that involves estimating one’s current position based on a previously determined position, speed, time elapsed, and course. |
| c. 200 BCE | Magnetic Compass | Ancient Chinese developed the first magnetic compasses, later adopted by European navigators. |
| 15th Century | Astrolabe | Instrument used to measure the altitude of a star above the horizon, providing latitude. |
| 16th Century | Cross-staff and Backstaff | Tools used to measure the angle between two visible objects, such as a celestial body and the horizon. |
| 18th Century | Sextant | Device that measures the angle between two objects, vital for determining latitude and longitude. |
| 18th Century (1763) | Marine Chronometer | Precision timepiece used to determine longitude by comparing the time at a known location (like Greenwich) with the local time at sea. |
| 19th Century | Echo Sounder | Acoustic system used to measure underwater depth by sending sound waves and timing their return. |
| Early 20th Century | Radio Direction Finder (RDF) | Uses radio signals to find the direction from which they are received, assisting in position fixing. |
| 1920s | Radar | Uses radio waves to determine the range, angle, or velocity of objects, useful for detecting other ships and landmasses. |
| 1940s | LORAN (Long Range Navigation) | Radio navigation system using pulsed signals to determine the location of a receiver. |
| 1960s | Omega | First global-range radio navigation system, based on very low-frequency signals. |
| 1970s | Satellite Navigation (TRANSIT) | First satellite-based navigation system providing accurate position data for submarines and ships during the Cold War. |
| 1993 | Global Positioning System (GPS) | Satellite-based system providing precise location and time information globally, revolutionizing nautical navigation. |
| 21st Century | AIS (Automatic Identification System) | Automated tracking system used on ships for identifying and locating vessels electronically. |
| Present | Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) | Computer-based navigation information system integrating GPS with electronic navigational charts. |
| Present | GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) | Global term for satellite navigation systems like GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou, offering enhanced precision and reliability. |
