Is subscribing to a cellular service needed for GPS reception with a WiFi+Cellular model?

I have been told that, even with a WiFi+Cellular model of iPad, I would have to "activate it" by subscribing to a cellular service. I do not need any cellular service. What I do need is to have GPS location data included in photo and survey meta-data and also have it provided for a moving-map display. All of this in very remote locations with no cellular towers within a hundred miles. "Inferred data" would not be of use even if available. So, do I need to subscribe to a cellular plan to receive and interpret GPS satellite data?