Magellan is a high-technology firm specializing in designing, manufacturing and marketing low-cost satellite communications and navigation products for consumer and commercial applications. The company is a pioneer in developing positioning and navigation systems using the United States government's Global Positioning System (GPS). Users of Magellan's GPS receivers can plot their positions anywhere on Earth within meters of their true location, helping them navigate from point to point and perform other navigation, location, tracking, mapping, plotting and timing functions.

The company is also at the leading edge in developing end-user products for the emerging satellite communications market. In 1996, Magellan introduced the portable microCOM-M global telephone for worldwide voice, fax and data communications via the Inmarsat satellite system. The microCOM-M is the smallest, lightest and most economical satphone of its type. The company is also engineering innovative two-way digital data communications products for global use on the ORBCOMM worldwide low-Earth-orbit satellite network, the world's first personal communications satellite system.

Key markets include aviation, marine, geo-sciences, mapping, survey, vehicle tracking and navigation, outdoor recreation and systems integration. Magellan focuses its efforts at designing application-specific products targeted to these markets. The company's products are sold throughout the United States and in more than 70 foreign countries. Foreign sales of Magellan GPS products account for about 40% of the company's total annual sales.