Drivers and pilots across Northeast Florida should be aware that GPS signals may be unreliable or completely unavailable this week due to military testing taking place right here in our backyard at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center.

The Bradford County Sheriff's Office has shared a warning from the FAA that GPS interference testing is scheduled at Camp Blanding from March 10–13, 2026, running daily from 9 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. During those hours, GPS signals across a wide area of Northeast Florida may be disrupted, degraded, or completely unavailable.

How Far Does It Reach?

The FAA advisory outlines the affected radius by altitude:

• 259 nautical miles at higher altitudes
• 212 nautical miles at 25,000 feet
• 145 nautical miles at 10,000 feet
• 100 nautical miles at 4,000 feet
• 41 nautical miles at 50 feet above ground level

At ground level the affected area shrinks to roughly 41 nautical miles — but Bradford County sits essentially at ground zero since Camp Blanding is located right on the Bradford-Clay County line near Starke.

What Does This Mean for Drivers?

Drivers relying on GPS navigation apps like Google Maps, Waze, or built-in car navigation systems may experience signal loss, incorrect positioning, or sluggish rerouting during testing hours. The disruption is temporary — your GPS will return to normal once testing concludes each day at 6 p.m., and permanently after March 13.

If your GPS acts up this week while driving through the area, don't panic and don't assume your phone is broken. Be prepared with a backup plan, know your route ahead of time, and be aware testing runs 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Thursday.

What About Pilots?

Pilots operating under GPS-based navigation in the region should consult the FAA NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) for full technical details and plan alternate navigation methods for flights during the affected hours. The advisory covers a large portion of Northeast and North Central Florida.

About Camp Blanding

Camp Blanding Joint Training Center is a Florida National Guard installation located on the Bradford-Clay County line near Starke. It serves as the primary training facility for the Florida National Guard and regularly hosts military exercises including live fire, electronic warfare, and communications testing. GPS jamming and spoofing exercises are a standard part of modern military electronic warfare training.