GNSS

GPS Distance and IMU Balance on ESP32 Measure Different Things

A GPS module and an IMU can both feed an ESP32 with numbers that describe motion, but they observe different physical quantities. Treating them as interchangeable sensors creates bad measurements quickly. A GPS receiver estimates geographic position from satellite signals. Two position fixes can be converted into an approximate distance across Earth’s surface. An IMU such as the MPU-6050 measures acceleration and angular rate along its axes. Those measurements can be used to estimate tilt, rotation, and short-term motion.