Stuff like that exists - Google's Plus Codes, the old and reliable Maidenhead Locator system, etc. The business model here seems to be "we need to market the sy

Stuff like that exists - Google's Plus Codes, the old and reliable Maidenhead Locator system, etc. The business model here seems to be "we need to market the system aggressively (see article) - if we make the system open, we can no longer profit from it". In other words, an open system will IMHO languish in obscurity due to lack of marketing funding.