Components

	ESP-12E ESP8266	x 1
	NEO-6M GPS Module	x 1
	OLED Display Module	x 1
	FP6291 Boost Converter IC	x 1
	TNPV1206499KBEEN Vishay Dale	x 1

Tools, APP Software Used etc.

Fritzing

Description

IoT GPS Tracker with NodeMCU and Google Maps

Overview

This project demonstrates how to build an IoT-based GPS tracking system using a NodeMCU (ESP8266) and a GPS module. The system captures real-time location data (latitude and longitude) and uploads it to Google Maps via the internet. It is ideal for applications like vehicle tracking, asset monitoring, and personal safety devices.

Key Features

Real-time GPS location tracking
Wireless data transmission using Wi-Fi
Automatic logging of coordinates to Google Maps
Low-cost and easy-to-build solution
Compact and scalable for multiple applications

Components Required

NodeMCU (ESP8266)
GPS Module (such as NEO-6M)
Jumper wires
Breadboard or PCB
USB cable for programming and power
Power supply (optional for standalone use)

Working Principle

The GPS module receives satellite signals and determines the current location in terms of latitude and longitude. This data is sent to the NodeMCU via serial communication.

The NodeMCU processes the coordinates and connects to a Wi-Fi network. It then uploads the location data to an online platform like Google Sheets, which is integrated with Google Maps. This allows users to view and track the device’s movement in real time from anywhere.

Circuit Connections

Connect the GPS module’s TX pin to the NodeMCU RX pin
Connect the GPS module’s RX pin to the NodeMCU TX pin (if required)
Provide power to the GPS module (3.3V or 5V, based on module specifications)
Ensure a common ground between all components

Software Setup

Arduino IDE Configuration

Install the ESP8266 board package

Select NodeMCU as the board

Install required libraries for GPS and Wi-Fi

Code Functionality

Initialize serial communication with the GPS module
Read and parse GPS data
Extract latitude and longitude
Connect to Wi-Fi network
Send data to Google Sheets using HTTP requests

Google Maps Integration

Use Google Sheets as a backend to store coordinates
Create a Google Apps Script to receive data from NodeMCU
Automatically log incoming GPS data into the sheet
Use Google Maps to visualize logged locations

Applications

Vehicle tracking systems
Personal safety and tracking devices
Fleet management
Delivery tracking solutions
Outdoor navigation and logging

Advantages

Affordable and easy to build
Real-time monitoring capability
Wireless and scalable system
Integration with widely used Google services

Future Improvements

Add a GSM module for tracking without Wi-Fi
Integrate battery backup for portability
Include geofencing alerts
Develop a mobile app interface for better visualisation

Conclusion

This IoT GPS Location Tracker project provides a simple yet powerful way to monitor location in real time. By combining NodeMCU, GPS technology, and Google Maps, you can create a reliable tracking system suitable for various real-world applications. Explore 100+ IoT projects with complete code, circuits, and real-world applications using Arduino, ESP8266, Raspberry Pi, and more. Discover a wide range of DIY PCB projects with downloadable Gerber files, practical circuit designs, and hands-on electronics builds to enhance your PCB design skills.

Code

Source code

C/C++

#include <TinyGPS++.h>
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>
#define SCREEN_WIDTH 128 // OLED display width, in pixels
#define SCREEN_HEIGHT 64 // OLED display height, in pixels
// Declaration for an SSD1306 display connected to I2C (SDA, SCL pins)
Adafruit_SSD1306 display(SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT, &Wire, -1);
TinyGPSPlus gps;  // The TinyGPS++ object
SoftwareSerial ss(2, 0); // The serial connection to the GPS device
const char* ssid = "Galaxy-M20";
const char* password = "ac312124";
float latitude , longitude;
int year , month , date, hour , minute , second;
String date_str , time_str , lat_str , lng_str;
int pm;
//int numreadings = 10;
String latarray[20];
String lngarray[20];
//String current_latarray[10], current_lngarray[10], previous_latarray[10], previous_lngarray[10] ;
unsigned int i = 0;
const unsigned long Interval = 13000;
unsigned long previousTime = 0;
WiFiServer server(80);
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(115200);
  ss.begin(9600);
  delay(2000); // Pause for 2 seconds
  Serial.println();
  Serial.print("Connecting to ");
  Serial.println(ssid);
  WiFi.begin(ssid, password);
  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED)
  {
    delay(500);
    Serial.print(".");
  }
  Serial.println("");
  Serial.println("WiFi connected");
  server.begin();
  Serial.println("Server started");
  // Print the IP address
  Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
  if(!display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C)) { // Address 0x3D for 128x64
    Serial.println(F("SSD1306 allocation failed"));
    for(;;);
  }
}
void loop()
{
  unsigned long currentTime = millis();
  display.clearDisplay();
  display.setTextSize(1);
  display.setTextColor(WHITE);
  while (ss.available() > 0)
    if (gps.encode(ss.read()))
    { 
     if (currentTime - previousTime >= Interval) { 
      if (gps.location.isValid())
      {
        //Serial.print("Getting Data");
        latitude = gps.location.lat();
        lat_str = String(latitude , 6);
        longitude = gps.location.lng();
        lng_str = String(longitude , 6);
        latarray[i] = lat_str;
        lngarray[i]= lng_str;
        i++;
        Serial.print(i);
        if (i>=20)
       // {
          i=0; //reset to beginning of array, so you don't try to save readings outside of the bounds of the array
        // } 
        Serial.println("Latitude:");
        Serial.println(latarray[i]);
        Serial.println("Longitude:");
        Serial.println(lngarray[i]);
        Serial.println();
        display.setCursor(0, 20);
        display.println("Lat:");
        display.setCursor(27, 20);
        display.println(lat_str);
        display.setCursor(0, 40);
        display.println("Lng:");
        display.setCursor(27, 40);
        display.println(lng_str);
        display.display(); 
        }
        previousTime = currentTime;
       }       
      //}
      if (gps.date.isValid())
      {
        //Serial.print("Getting Time");
        date_str = "";
        date = gps.date.day();
        month = gps.date.month();
        year = gps.date.year();
        if (date < 10)
          date_str = '0';
        date_str += String(date);
        date_str += " / ";
        if (month < 10)
          date_str += '0';
        date_str += String(month);
        date_str += " / ";
        if (year < 10)
          date_str += '0';
        date_str += String(year);
      }
      if (gps.time.isValid())
      {
        time_str = "";
        hour = gps.time.hour();
        minute = gps.time.minute();
        second = gps.time.second();
        minute = (minute + 30);
        if (minute > 59)
        {
          minute = minute - 60;
          hour = hour + 1;
        }
        hour = (hour + 5) ;
        if (hour > 23)
          hour = hour - 24;
        if (hour >= 12)
          pm = 1;
        else
          pm = 0;
        hour = hour % 12;
        if (hour < 10)
          time_str = '0';
        time_str += String(hour);
        time_str += " : ";
        if (minute < 10)
          time_str += '0';
        time_str += String(minute);
        time_str += " : ";
        if (second < 10)
          time_str += '0';
        time_str += String(second);
        if (pm == 1)
          time_str += " PM ";
        else
          time_str += " AM ";
      }
    }
  // Check if a client has connected
  WiFiClient client = server.available();
  if (!client)
  {
    return;
  }
  // Prepare the response
  String s = "HTTP/1.1 200 OK\r\nContent-Type: text/html\r\n\r\n <!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <title>Location Tracking with NodeMCU</title> <style>";
  s += "a:link {background-color: YELLOW;text-decoration: none;}";
  s += "table, th, td {border: 1px solid black;} </style> </head> <body> <h1  style=";
  s += "font-size:300%;";
  s += " ALIGN=CENTER> Locatoin Tracking with NodeMCU</h1>";
  s += "<p ALIGN=CENTER style=""font-size:150%;""";
  s += "> <b>Location Details</b></p> <table ALIGN=CENTER style=";
  s += "width:50%";
  s += "> <tr> <th>Latitude</th>";
  s += "<td ALIGN=CENTER >";
  s += lat_str;
  s += "</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Longitude</th> <td ALIGN=CENTER >";
  s += lng_str;
  s += "</td> </tr> <tr>  <th>Date</th> <td ALIGN=CENTER >";
  s += date_str;
  s += "</td></tr> <tr> <th>Time</th> <td ALIGN=CENTER >";
  s += time_str;
  s += "</td>  </tr> </table> ";
   if (gps.location.isValid())
  {
    // s += "<p align=center><a style=""color:RED;font-size:125%;"" href=""http://maps.google.com/maps?&z=15&mrt=yp&t=k&q=";
     s += "<p align=center><a style=""color:RED;font-size:125%;"" href=""https://www.google.com/maps/dir/";
 //https://www.google.com/maps/dir/26.8172985,75.8286322/26.8181889,75.830…;         
    for (int j=0; j<20; j++)
    {
    s += latarray[j];                           
    s += ",";
    s += lngarray[j];
    if (j<10)
    s += "/"; 
    }
    s += """ target=""_top"">Click here!</a> To check the location in Google maps.</p>";
  }
  s += "</body> </html> \n";
  client.print(s);
  delay(200);  
 }

Schematic and Layout

Schematics

image_1775724836124.png

Download Gerbers

Apr 09,2026

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IoT GPS Tracker with NodeMCU and Google Maps

Build a real-time GPS tracking system using NodeMCU and log locations directly to Google Maps

Published: Apr 09,2026

Standard PCB

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