In　view　of　the　huge　amount　of　calculation　of　the　spectral　peak　search　module　in　the　propagation　operator　(PM)　algorithm,　it　is　often　necessary　to　sacrifice　direction　finding　accuracy　in　exchange　for　direction　finding　real-time　performance　in　engineering　practice.　A　propagation　operator　angle　of　arrival　(DOA)　estimation　algorithm　combining　Fast　Fourier　Transform　(FFT)　and　golden　section　method　is　proposed.　The　proposed　algorithm　firstly　divides　the　covariance　matrix　and　then　performs　linear　operation　to　obtain　the　noise　vector　matrix,　and　then　performs　fast　Fourier　transform　on　it　to　roughly　estimate　the　direction　of　arrival　angle,　Then,　the　golden　section　method　is　used　to　iteratively　obtain　the　extreme　value　of　the　pseudospectral　function　within　the　estimated　angle　range　to　achieve　accurate　estimation　of　DOA.Theoretical　analysis　and　simulation　results　show　that　the　improved　algorithm　greatly　reduces　the　computational　complexity　and　execution　time　of　the　algorithm,　and　the　direction　finding　accuracy　is　improved　to　a　certain　extent　compared　with　the　classical　PM　algorithm　with　1°　scanning　step.In　the　environment　of　multi-signal　coexistence　and　low　signal-to-noise　ratio,　the　direction　finding　stability　is　good.The　improved　algorithm　can　replace　the　spectral　peak　search　module　in　the　classic　PM　algorithm,　and　realize　high-precision　real-time　direction　finding　while　reducing　the　complexity　of　the　PM　algorithm,　which　has　good　practical　value.　©　2022　ACM.