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

Answer 1

Just a little shorter & separated parameter version of @Lunivore's answer

RAD_PER_DEG = Math::PI / 180
RM = 6371000 # Earth radius in meters

def distance_between(lat1, lon1, lat2, lon2)
  lat1_rad, lat2_rad = lat1 * RAD_PER_DEG, lat2 * RAD_PER_DEG
  lon1_rad, lon2_rad = lon1 * RAD_PER_DEG, lon2 * RAD_PER_DEG

  a = Math.sin((lat2_rad - lat1_rad) / 2) ** 2 + Math.cos(lat1_rad) * Math.cos(lat2_rad) * Math.sin((lon2_rad - lon1_rad) / 2) ** 2
  c = 2 * Math::atan2(Math::sqrt(a), Math::sqrt(1 - a))

  RM * c # Delta in meters
end