geodetics
Geodetics are the shortest paths between two points on a curved surface, most commonly the surface of the Earth. Unlike straight lines in Euclidean geometry, geodetics account for the curvature of the space they traverse. On a sphere, the geodetic is a segment of a great circle, which is a circle on the sphere whose center coincides with the center of the sphere. For example, the shortest flight path between two cities often follows a geodetic.
The concept of geodetics is fundamental in geodesy, the science of measuring and understanding the Earth's
In differential geometry, geodetics are defined as curves whose tangent vectors remain parallel when parallel transported