Indoor positioning without beacons: camera vs BLE
Indoor positioning without beacons uses the phone camera instead of radio hardware: the phone recognizes where it is by comparing what the camera sees with a 3D map of the building.
Camera positioning (VPS) at a glance
- Hardware in the venue
- None
- Typical accuracy
- Centimeter-level
- Phones
- Any phone with a camera, in the browser
- Upkeep
- Update the 3D map when the space changes a lot
BLE, UWB, Wi-Fi and camera positioning side by side
Swipe sideways to compare every column →
| Criterion | Camera (VPS) | BLE beacons | UWB anchors | Wi-Fi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mapping + mobile AR + web map + kiosks in one service | Yes, with OVER Wayfinding Suite | Not by itself | Not by itself | Not by itself |
| Hardware in the venue | None | Battery beacons on walls or ceilings | Powered anchors | Access points, often existing |
| Typical accuracy | Centimeter-level | About 1 to 3 m | Decimeters | Several meters |
| Phones and apps | Any phone with a camera, in the browser | Bluetooth on, usually an app | UWB phones only, an app | Usually an app |
| Upkeep | Update the 3D map when the space changes a lot | Batteries and replacements | Powered hardware | Accuracy shifts with network changes |
| AR directions on the real floor | Yes | No | With an app | No |
Typical figures by technology category, based on publicly available information as of October 2026.
How does camera based indoor positioning work?
The venue is mapped once in 3D. When a visitor points the phone, a visual positioning system compares the camera image with that map and calculates where the phone is and which way it faces, in under 100 ms. GPS, beacons and Wi-Fi are not used, so nothing is installed in the building.
- 01
A QR code opens the link
It only opens the web page. It is not a positioning marker.
- 02
The camera looks around
The visitor holds up the phone for a moment.
- 03
The VPS matches the 3D map
Position and direction in under 100 ms, centimeter-level.
- 04
AR arrows on the floor
Directions update as the visitor walks, across floors.
Is beaconless indoor navigation accurate enough for large venues?
Yes. Camera positioning is centimeter-level, which is more precise than the few meters typical of Bluetooth beacons, and it is what lets AR arrows sit on the real floor. It is live at Città Fiera, a 150,000 m² mall with multiple floors and 230+ stores, where visitors navigate every day.
What does it take to maintain a beacon network?
A beacon network needs hardware on walls or ceilings, a survey to place it, batteries that run down, and checks when units fail or get moved. In a large venue that is ongoing work for facility teams. Camera positioning removes that layer: upkeep is limited to updating the 3D map when the space changes a lot.
When do beacons still make sense? For asset tracking, or when you need to detect presence without the visitor holding up a phone. For visitor wayfinding, the camera does the job with no hardware.
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