Inertial Navigation Sensors

Abstract

For many navigation applications, improved accuracy/performance is not necessarily the most important issue, but meeting performance at reduced cost and size is. In particular, small navigation sensor size allows the introduction of guidance, navigation, and control into applications previously considered out of reach (e.g., artillery shells, guided bullets). Three major technologies have enabled advances in military and commercial capabilities: Ring Laser Gyros, Fiber Optic Gyros, and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) gyros and accelerometers. RLGs and FOGs are now mature technologies, although there are still technology advances underway for FOGs. MEMS is still a very active development area. Technology developments in these fields are described with specific emphasis on MEMS sensor design and performance. Some aspects of performance drivers are mentioned as they relate to specific sensors. Finally, predictions are made of the future applications of the various sensor technologies.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA581016

Entities

People

  • Neil M. Barbour

Organizations

  • Charles Stark Draper Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Air Platforms
  • Sensors
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accelerometers
  • Accuracy
  • Aircrafts
  • Cost Reductions
  • Detectors
  • Guidance
  • Inertial Measurement Units
  • Inertial Navigation
  • Inertial Navigation Systems
  • Light Sources
  • Magnetometers
  • Measurement
  • Microelectromechanical Systems
  • Navigation
  • Optical Fibers
  • Standing Waves
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Inertial Navigation Systems.
  • Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems