Gyro-Free INS Theory

Meir Pachter, Troy C. Welker and Richard E. Huffman, Jr.

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	A Gyro-Free Inertial Measurement Unit (GF-IMU) uses a configuration of accelerometers only to measure the linear and angular acceleration of a rigid body in 3-D space, where from the mechanization equations are integrated to yield the navigation state. Where as in the past attempts were made to design microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based high-accuracy acceleration measurements. Thus, in this paper, the Gyro-Free Inertial Navigation System (GF-INS) theory is developed. The Mechanization equations for a gyro-free inertial navigation system are obtained, and the GP-IMU navigation state's error equations are derived. The latter afford the prediction of the navigation accuracy of a GF-INS using covariance analysis, and also the development of a Kalman filter for optimally fusing the GF-INS measurements with the measurements provided by additional sensors, for example, a ring laser gyro or navigation quality conventional INS. Copyright© 2013 Institute of Navigation.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 60, Number 2
Pages:	85 - 96
Cite this article:	Pachter, Meir, Welker, Troy C., Huffman, Richard E., Jr.,, "Gyro-Free INS Theory", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 60, No. 2, Summer 2013, pp. 85-96.
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