Ground power units both are employed in the military and civilian aviation sectors, where they permit tasks to be done that require a steady and prepared supply of outdoors electricity. Civilian applications may include parking and hangar transfers, resupplying of aircraft fuel, cargo or material administration, and traveler compartment maintenance job. They are easily located or be constructed for convenient transport. They often come equipped with the necessary equipment and tools for power transfers and generation such as cables, inverters and converters, switch gears, mobile generators, high-power batteries, and electrical management and protection mechanisms.

GPUs, as stated earlier, can either be mobile or stationary, based on the requirements of the airport or airbase they are servicing. Those used for commercial airlines and comparable amenities are typically effective at low voltage result; those used for army airbases and aviation set ups, however, turn out higher voltages which allow them to deal with any electricity problems that might occur.Usually, ground power units are run by batteries, although there are diesel-powered versions which are intended for heavy duty purposes (mainly in the army and by airports with higher traveler capacities).