How reliable are pet GPS trackers?

Are dog GPS trackers trustworthy? How to choose a reliable GPS dog tracker?

Background Knowledge

Before answering this question, let's take a brief look at the composition of the current mainstream GPS trackers.

GPS trackers are mainly composed of two parts: GPS module, which is used to obtain location coordinates; and communication module, which is used to transfer coordinate data.
The communication module determines the way of data transmission, which also determines the application environment and power consumption of the tracker.
For example, if the communication module of cellular network is used, it determines that the tracker needs to pay a monthly fee and depends on the cellular signal, but the advantage is that it can be used basically wherever there is a network signal; another example is that if other wireless communication technology is used, then the advantage is that it does not depend on the cellular signal and there is no subscription fee, but the characteristics of the adopted wireless communication technology need to be considered to select the usage scenario.

The hardware design such as GPS module and supporting antenna, as well as software algorithms determine the positioning accuracy.

The reliability of GPS tracker depends on

1) Accuracy of GPS positioning:

Except for Airtag and other near-field communication technologies such as Bluetooth, the vast majority of trackers on the market are based on cellular networks, which means they require a monthly fee. (Why are most of them based on cellular networks?) The pet's location data is transmitted to a server on the Internet, and then the user can check the pet's location through a computer or mobile app.
Cellular network-based trackers, like other GPS locators, rely primarily on GPS (there are also trackers that also support other GPS-like systems such as Glonass) modules to ensure location accuracy. However, cellular network-based trackers can use cellular network base stations for auxiliary positioning, so relatively speaking, the accuracy of positioning will be slightly better.

2) Waterproof and dust-proof of Dog GPS Tracker:

Plush friends than I humans like to adventure anywhere and anytime, so waterproof and dustproof becomes extremely important, even more important than standby time. The higher the waterproof level, the more durable the tracker will be. Preferred better waterproof and dustproof level is definitely better.
However, it should be reminded that any waterproof and dustproof device does not mean that it can be used in environments higher than normal temperature (bathing), high salt (seawater), strong acid and alkali, because these environments can quickly destroy the sealing performance of the waterproof rubber ring.

3) Use scenario/use environment

First of all, GPS signal is affected by the environment, so in places with poor GPS signal, the tracker effect will be greatly reduced; secondly, if the place where you and your dog are active and adventurous have better cell phone network coverage, then you can consider Tractive and Whistle and other products that require monthly subscription; but if, the place where you and your dog live or go out to play has no cell phone signal or the signal is not However, if the place where you and your dog live or play has no cellular signal or is not stable, then you can consider a product like Aorkuler, which does not rely on any cellular network and has no subscription fee.

4) Battery life:

Battery life represents the length of time the tracker will continue to track the location of your furry friend. The supply of endurance comes from the battery capacity and the consumption comes from the rated power consumption of the product, power saving algorithm, usage environment and usage habits. However, usually the battery capacity is usually not large because the size of the dog tracker cannot involve too much. If you need to use LIVE Tracking, a real-time tracking feature, frequently, then it is a challenging thing for GPS trackers that need to rely on cellular networks (i.e., require monthly subscriptions).

5) Size and weight:

This is an indicator of the comfort level of a pet tracker that will ensure that it is not uncomfortable or burdensome for your pet to wear. Generally speaking, the smaller the size and the lighter the weight, the more pet-friendly it is. However, it is also important to consider the function and performance of the product and not to sacrifice other aspects for lightness.