What hazard is associated with using a hand-held GPS unit?

Hand-held GPS units can vary significantly in their capabilities, and one of the critical features that some may lack is the ability to provide RAIM (Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring) alerts. RAIM is essential for ensuring the integrity and reliability of the GPS signals being used for navigation. Without RAIM alerting capability, pilots may not be aware when the GPS is not providing accurate position information, which could lead to navigation errors. This absence of alerts can compromise safety, especially in situations where precision navigation is crucial. Therefore, recognizing that some hand-held GPS units might not have this feature helps in understanding the safety limitations associated with their use during flight operations.