SkieWhy does Skie need background location permission on managed devices?
Skie needs permission to read location while the app is not on screen, or a request for where a device is would go unanswered. Skie is the device owner, so the permission is granted automatically during setup. It is used for live location, fresh location requests, geofences, and lost mode, within the consent and policy you set.
Android separates location permission into while-in-use and all-the-time. A tablet in a bag or a pocket has Skie running in the background, so the all-the-time kind, called background location, is what makes a request like where is this device right now actually work.
Because Skie holds device owner status, it grants this permission itself during provisioning. Nobody has to find the right settings screen on each device, and a student cannot revoke it later. If a locate request cannot be answered, the dashboard shows a reason, for example the device is off, has no network or location services are unavailable.
The permission supports several features: live location on the device page, request fresh location, geofences attached to a group, the go to directions button, and lost mode with its location trail. If a device loses its connection, rules continue to work and location pauses until it reconnects.
A condition that matters: Skie provides the controls, and the organisation provides the notice. Tracking a person's device needs clear consent and a written policy that says who sees what and why. This is general information, not legal advice, and Skie does not make an organisation compliant by itself. Page access per role lets you limit which staff can see location at all.
Practical tip: publish a short location notice before you switch tracking on for a group, and keep location visibility to the roles that need it.