Dilution of precision (navigation)

Dilution of precision (DOP) is a measure of how accurate a navigation system can be. It can tell you how well a device like a GPS can measure things. The lower the DOP number, the more accurate the system will be. GPS devices can send signals to satellites in space that can measure things like your location, speed, and direction. Those satellites send signals back to the device to help it figure out where you are. If lots of other signals are around (like from cell phones or other satellites), those signals can interfere with the ones from the GPS. This interference can make the GPS less accurate, and DOP will go up. DOP can also go up if there are fewer satellites in view, like when you’re in a city surrounded by tall buildings. Having a low DOP will make sure that your GPS is accurate and can help you get to where you need to go.