Precision Navigation
Abstract
(U) The Precision Navigation program goal is to provide compact, rugged, low-power and extremely accurate means for determining position. The resulting systems will provide accurate tools for GPS-denied vehicle operation, on-foot cave and building exploration, precision munitions delivery and many other applications where previous options were too heavy, inaccurate, large or power-hungry. In order to achieve this, sensors will be developed to use internal and external reference information to maximum advantage. One component of the internal type is the development of a new class of microsystems capable of measuring the absolute angle of rotation with the ultra high precision, effectively operating as a mechanical integrator of rotation (MIR). The MIR will not rely on any absolute reference, but will define the reference itself in the absolute inertial space. The device will measure angle of rotation at an unprecedented precision of arc-seconds and a bandwidth in tens of kHz (all characteristics are at least 3 orders of magnitude better than the state-of-the-art). Another component of the program is the development of navigation grade integrated micro gyroscopes with the goal of achieving 0.01 deg/hr bias drift in very compact form factors (less than 1 cm3) and a total power consumption less than 5 mW per sense axis. Another key goal of this program is to harness external references where possible, which can be fused with internally referenced navigation signals to greatly improve performance. One approach to be pursued is the development of miniaturized atomic gradiometer arrays (AGA). Reducing previously bulky and high power AGA’s to micro-scales will entail the use of nuclear magnetic resonance phenomena in extremely compact packages for timekeeping, rotation and magnetic field measurements. The AGA’s will be deployed in arrays on the order of 10,000 individual sensors, each with the unprecedented target sensitivity of 0.1 femtoTesla (fT). This level of performance will yield not only highly capable navigation instruments making use of local gravitational variations, but also portable devices that are able to detect unexploded bombs/IEDs, camouflaged/faked military assets from platforms such as UAV’s. When combined in systems, these new technologies will yield unprecedented navigational capabilities and help deny any advantage for adversaries who might interfere with GPS availability. Technology is expected to transition through industry.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2011
- Source ID
- 8e0f01778236f95f9acf9f9bc853d6d6