# Radio-Frequency Identification

*Last updated: 2026-06-22*

> Freight forwarders, warehouse operators and customs authorities use RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) to track pallets, containers and individual units automatically, without requiring line of sight.

Freight forwarders, warehouse operators and customs authorities use RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) to track pallets, containers and individual units automatically, without requiring line of sight. The system pairs transponders – tags attached to goods or load carriers that store identification and status data – with readers that retrieve this information via electromagnetic waves. Unlike barcodes, RFID scans multiple objects simultaneously and supports two-way communication, considerably speeding up goods receipt, stocktaking and sortation. Passive tags with no onboard power are low-cost; active tags with a battery and extended read range carry a significantly higher price. Where GPS tracking covers long-distance location data, RFID excels at seamless capture within warehouses and transshipment terminals.

**Source:** [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | Radio-Frequency Identification |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 110 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-22 |
| Source | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification |

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