Niantic Spatial Clarifies No Data Sharing with Drone Company for Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go has a well-documented history of data collection, particularly through the AR scans players generate while enjoying the game. While players opted into this feature, many have voiced concerns about how these in-game elements are utilized for data gathering. This unease has intensified following revelations that Niantic Spatial, the company that now owns the original scans after Niantic’s acquisition by Scopely, has partnered with Vantor, a spatial intelligence provider aiming to create a positioning solution for air and ground platforms to navigate in GPS-denied environments.
The initial announcement highlighted that this collaboration seeks to address challenges like GPS unavailability, spoofing, interference, and jamming in drone operations. By combining Niantic Spatial’s ground data with Vantor’s aerial data, the goal is to establish a coordinated system that allows sensors to determine their location even when GPS signals are compromised. This means drones could potentially share their coordinates with ground pilots without relying on GPS.
Vantor has a background in working with defense and intelligence sectors, raising concerns among Pokémon Go fans about the potential military applications of technology that could guide drones in jamming situations. While Vantor has denied using Pokémon Go data to develop this model, Niantic Spatial has indicated that the game’s scans contributed to an “early version” of its navigation system.
Reports from various sources suggest that a U.S. defense contractor, Vantor, is preparing to implement the navigation model developed with the approximately 30 billion scans generated by Pokémon Go players into military drones and robots. These claims have gained traction on social media, prompting inquiries to Niantic Spatial for clarification. The company issued statements asserting that Pokémon Go data is not part of its agreement with Vantor and that the game’s data is not shared with Niantic Spatial since the company was spun off after the Scopely acquisition.
A spokesperson for Niantic Spatial emphasized, “Now as part of Scopely, Pokémon GO data is not shared with Niantic Spatial. AR scans collected through Pokémon GO were submitted voluntarily by players who opted into the feature and were subject to the applicable Terms of Service and Privacy Policy at the time. The discontinuation of AR scanning and the end of data sharing with Niantic Spatial were part of the transition planning associated with Pokémon GO’s move to Scopely.”
In another statement, the company elaborated on its scanning processes and models, reiterating that Pokémon Go, in its current form, does not share data with Niantic Spatial.
While the agreement with Vantor was announced last December and is still in its early stages, sharing data is not included in this partnership. The ground scans were one aspect of training Niantic Spatial’s real-world foundation models—AI systems designed to recognize and interpret physical spaces. These models are the result of that training, not a direct copy of the underlying scans, which were taken from public points of interest like statues and fountains.
These models are being utilized across various sectors to enhance AI’s understanding and navigation of the physical world. As part of Scopely, Pokémon GO data is not shared with Niantic Spatial.
Whether this reassures players about data handling by Niantic, now a subsidiary of a company owned by the Saudi government, remains a matter of personal perspective.
