Tracking Satellite

[Green.rabbid.rabbit]

I am unsure of what exactly the tracking satellite is supposed to do, and how you are supposed to use it. I've built one, and have multiple places upgraded around the map, some with guard towers that show an extended field of view/influence  - but I've never been able to successfully get any resource from the "collect resource" button under its heading in the "my lands" tab. It always says "there are no  resources around to pick up." 

[Ruvox]

The Tracking Satellite allows you to collect resources remotely with the button you already found. You will then collect all resources which spawned on your land connected to the base where you used the satellite. The Guard Tower has nothing to do with this.
The message  "there are no resources around to pick up." states that there are no resources on any of your lands connected to this base so nothing to collect for you.

[Republic of America]

Also I built one early on and now with several 100s lands I finally understand them, they really aren't all that helpful until you have large amounts of land claimed in one area. For a complete answer see Ruvox's answer