Inertial Navigation & guidance

system
For Grad & Post grad Avionics students
Part One
M S Prasad

Inertial navigation is a self-contained navigation technique in which

measurements provided by accelerometers and gyroscopes are used
to track the position and orientation of an object relative to a known
starting point, orientation and velocity.
Inertial measurement units (IMUs) typically contain three orthogonal
rate-gyroscopes and three orthogonal accelerometers, measuring
angular velocity and linear acceleration respectively. By processing
signals from these devices it is possible to track the position and
orientation

Inertial sensors measure rotation rate and acceleration and both are
vectors.

Gyroscopes are sensors for measuring rotation: rate gyroscopes

measure rotation rate, and integrating gyroscopes measure rotation
angles (also called wholeangle gyroscopes)
Accelerometers
are sensors for measuring acceleration. However, accelerometers
Cannot measure gravitational acceleration.
That is, an accelerometer in free fall (in orbit) has no detectable input.

= + dw/dt X R + 2wXdR/dt + wx(wxR)= A + g

Acce.

integrati
on

integrati
on

gravity

Attitude Determination IN N E D axis System

Assume the acceleration frame origin at center of earth so that

g = - GM / R ^2 with components as
gx = - GM/R^2 . x/R where R = sqrt ( X^2+ Y^2+z^2) and the mechanisation I
INS could be as shown :
Case 2 . Flight is short range near earth surface . We have Z axis which is vertical
and center is at the center of flight plane.
In such case we can approx g as :
g x = GM x/ [ ( Ro+z)^2 + x^2 + y ^2] ^ 3/2 ~= g0/R0 x
d2x/dt2+ g0/R0 x = Ax
Taking constant acceleration zero initial condition
x/R0 = Ax/g0[ 1- cos sqrt go/Ro .t
T = 1/2pi sqrt r0/g0 ` = 84 mins known a s Schuler period

Stable Platforms

Strapdown System

A gimbal is a rigid with rotation bearings for isolating the inside of th

e frame from external rotations about the bearing axes. At least thre
e gimbals are required to isolate a subsystem from
host vehicle rotations about three axes, typically labeled roll, pitch, a
nd yaw axes.
In external gimbal system instruments are mount is surrounded by a series of
gimbal rings . Inner most pivoted to instrument along one axis and t to the next
ring at right angles to the first axis. The second ring is pivoted to third ring along
an axis perpendicular to both axes on the first ring. Sometimes 4 rings rae used
coincident with second and pivoted to body.
4 gimbal provides Isolation of disturbing torques
Unlimited angular motion
Gimbal Lock solution

Gimbal system : External and Internal

Stable Platform Systems

In stable platform type systems the inertial sensors are mounted on a platform which is
isolated from any external rotational motion. In other words the platform is held in
alignment with the global frame.
This is achieved by mounting the platform using gimbals (frames) which allow the
platform freedom in all three axes,The platform mounted gyroscopes detect any
platform rotations. These signals are fed back to torque motors which rotate the gimbals
in order to cancel out such rotations,

Mechanisation INS

Tangent Plane : Gyros are torqued at fixed earth rate to a fixed point known as Base Point .
Platform always remains parallel to base point and rotate with earth .
Adv :a. Torque : Constant rate . No need to generate variable rates.
b. Earth rates can be supplied accurately
DisAdv
a. It is not a local level system . Attitude information is not directly available. Problem in
Integration with other systems. Maps are required in Grid systems
Latitude & Longitude
Adv : Natural output. Bearing can be found out easily. Local level hence vertical
attitude could be read out easily .
Dis : Latitude near 90 deg then Vy becomes indeterminate ( near Polar area)
Wander azimuth ( free Azimuth )It is locally level but rotated by an angle ( wander angle)
About azimuth in relation to co ordinate axis.

Errors in system and sensors

Platform errors
a. Friction b. Mass Unbalance c. Non Orthogonality of gimbals
d. Inter axis coupling
e. Random Drift
f. G sensitive drift
Sensor error
a.
b.
c.
d.

Gyro drift
Bias Uncertainty
Scale factor linearity
Cross coupling of accelerations

Inertial sensor Errors

Accelerometers Errors

Msp/ts