GPS navigation systems use a network of geosynchronous satellites that orbit the earth to determine the location of people or objects within a few feet of their location. GPS systems were first used to help the military in target location and in navigation. More recently the cost of GPS hardware has fallen, allowing accurate civilian use; this is also due to the enhancement of signal quality by the military.

The technology of GPS has been of great benefit to companies for keeping track of the vehicles within their fleets and also providing a way for drivers to be more efficient in making deliveries and estimating time of delivery. GPS tracking systems for vehicles have even been useful for finding the best way for drivers to get to their locations.

A potential down-side to increasing use of these devices is the invasion of privacy some see these devices as presenting. Already, commercial drivers have their daily trips catalogued and analyzed. Similarly GPS tracking device technology has already been shown to be effective at allowing the tracking of individuals as these devices have been implemented in espionage for years.

GPS has also made significant inroads into the consumer market, allowing individuals to use GPS to lay out waypoints for hikes, set locations for camping or fishing, and allow individuals to navigate in unfamiliar territory. A new form of recreation called "geocaching" has also developed, involving a hide-and-seek game involving a container and a set of latitude and longitude coordinates.

GPS tracking systems can now be purchased from an automotive dealer as an additional feature to a new car. They can be mounted directly into the dash of the car for easy access to the driver. These devices provide searches which include restaurant and hotel mapping. It is nearly impossible to get lost with one of these devices in the car.

GPS devices are likely to become increasingly common as the cost of GPS devices decreases. GPS technology is quite flexible, and it is not difficult to envision it completely replacing current technologies such as paper maps. Nor is it difficult to imagine it playing an important role in new technologies. Who knows, perhaps one day GPS tracking will make loss and theft a thing of the past by providing real time information about the location of all our possessions.

A network of orbiting geosynchronous satellites enable a gps tracking device to pinpoint the location of a range of objects and people, with accuracy to within a few feet. Previously used extensively by the military, gps tracking systems have become cheaper and more commonplace with new uses like recreational activities such as hiking, camping and fishing because it allows GPS users to better navigate new areas. A collection of gps vehicle tracking systems can be invaluable to companies to track vehicles within their fleet of delivery vehicles and all allows their drivers to use the devices to make deliveries more efficiently, and allowing estimation of time of arrival.