Is a GPS Accurate?

The military was the first user of the Global Positioning System or GPS technology until it was made available to the public in the 80’s. This is navigation system that is satellite based and uses a network of satellites that orbit the Earth. The GPS systems in the market these days are more portable and have better accuracy, but there are times when its efficiency can be hampered. There are dozens of GPS device manufacturers now that advertise and claim to have the best accuracy, but for a consumer that has no idea about the device’s technical details, it can be difficult to tell which one is the most accurate.

1. Time factor in a location. Most GPS devices are accurate but since there many different manufacturers, accuracy of a GPS device may vary from one manufacturer to the other. Some manufacturers produce GPS devices that require you to stay in one spot for a period of time before you can get an accurate reading. Some devices may require you to be stationary for a few minutes while others can achieve accuracy in less than a second.
2. Environmental conditions. The condition of the environment you are in can play a factor in the accuracy of a GPS device. There are GPS devices that work efficiently in dense areas more than others. On some devices you’ll need to be in an open location where there are lots of wide open spaces so nothing can block the signal from the satellites. A dense geographic location such as a forest or a mountainous area with deep valleys or an urban environment with tall buildings may affect the GPS device’s accuracy. The signal from the satellite could bounce of structures like rock formations or buildings before getting to the GPS device so an error in accuracy may occur.
3. Satellite positions. The position of satellites in orbit can be a factor in getting an accurate reading on the GPS device. The satellites must be further apart so you can get signals from a wide range. The number of satellites you are receiving information from is also a factor in accurate reading; you should be receiving signals from more than 5 satellites to get an accurate result.
4. Quality of the GPS device. Since there are many manufacturers of GPS devices, you will be getting differences in the standard of quality. Manufacturers that use more sophisticated materials on their devices can deliver a more accurate signal. Those with consumer quality equipment may not be as accurate.

The accuracy on some GPS devices may differ by a few meters depending on the quality of the device and the geographical conditions you are in.