Some of the best pet trackers available on the market belong to the category of pet GPS trackers. They are reliable, they boast great coverage and communication range, and they are usually small and lightweight, which makes them suitable for most dogs and cats. However, before you get a pet GPS tracker, it is important to understand how this type of pet trackers functions.
In this article, we will explain how a pet GPS tracker works in general and point to the differences between 2 major types of pet GPS trackers.
How All Pet GPS Trackers Work
What all pet GPS trackers have in common is that they use GPS technology to determine the location of the pet. They are equipped with GPS chips, which enable their communication with GPS satellites.
Normally, a pet GPS tracker consists of a tracking unit that is attached to the pet’s collar or harness. The tracking unit constantly keeps track of the pet’s whereabouts by establishing connections with no fewer than 4 GPS satellites. It receives the coordinates from the satellites and then passes on the information to the pet’s guardian.
All pet GPS trackers use at least 2 types of technologies. They all obtain location information via GPS, but they differ in terms of the technology used to make location information available to the pet’s guardian. According to the technology used for transferring location information, pet GPS trackers are divided into 2 major categories: cellular pet GPS trackers and mixed or multi-tech pet GPS trackers.
Cellular Pet GPS Trackers
Cellular pet GPS trackers contain SIM cards and use cellular networks to send location information to the guardian’s smartphone. The information is made available in a dedicated app that normally comes free of charge. Usually, there is a handy map that allows you to view your location, your pet’s location, and the distance between you and your pet.
Since cellular pet GPS trackers rely on cellular networks, they only work within cellular coverage. They can operate on only one network or multiple networks and they can work in one country or a number of countries around the world.
What makes cellular pet trackers great is that they can work over any distance, as long as there is a cellular network available and the tracker is able to establish connections with GPS satellites.
Multi-Tech Pet GPS Trackers
Multi-tech pet GPS trackers do not use cellular networks to transfer location information but instead usually rely on proprietary technologies and Bluetooth. Just like with cellular pet GPS trackers, location information is available in a smartphone app that lets you search for your pet using an interactive map.
Multi-tech pet trackers cannot work over any distance and their communication range is usually limited to a couple of miles. On the other hand, their greatest advantage is that they can work anywhere on the globe because they do not depend on cellular coverage.
One of the best pet trackers in the world, Findster Duo+, belongs to the category of multi-tech pet trackers. It allows you to keep track of your pet’s location in any place in the world, with the average communication range of 3 miles and the maximum range of 5 miles in open spaces.
Bottom Line
To sum up, pet GPS trackers are pet trackers that use GPS technology to obtain the pet’s location information. They communicate with GPS satellites via GPS chips and provide the owner with accurate information about the pet’s location.
There are 2 major types of pet GPS trackers: cellular and mixed or multi-tech. Cellular pet GPS trackers use cellular networks while multi-tech pet GPS trackers use proprietary technologies and Bluetooth to make the pet’s location information available to the pet’s guardian. They differ in terms of coverage and communication range, with cellular pet GPS trackers boasting greater range and multi-tech pet GPS trackers offering worldwide coverage.
No matter which type of pet GPS trackers you choose, you can track your pet easily and quickly via a dedicated app, with location information displayed on a handy map.