High Performance Aircraft Testing - Miniature Integrated GPS/INS Tactical System (MIGITS)

Michael K. Martin, William J. Negast, John R. Bader, Lloyd P. Stave and Thomas W. De Vries

Abstract:	Results are presented from inertial navigation system/global positioning system (INS/GPS) flight testing on a high performance aircraft. This demonstrates the benefits of a low cost INS/GPS that features tight inertial coupling and all-in-view GPS. METRIC Systems Corporation tested Rockwell’s Modular Miniature Integrated GPS/INS Tactical System (M-MIGITS) on a United States Air Force (USAF) F- 16. The M-MIGITS is a member of the tightly coupled MIGITS product family developed by Rockwell. The test configuration allowed the aircraft to exercise its dynamic capability, unencumbered by carriage of heavy weapons. This was an opportunity to evaluate the ability of a tightly coupled INS/GPS system to maintain accurate position, velocity, acceleration, attitude and attitude rate throughout high dynamic maneuvers. Of particual interest was system response to satelltie signal obscuration, during high vehicle dynamics. The M-MIGITS is a modular unit comprised of two seperable packages: the GPS Navigation Package (GNP) and the Digital Quartz Inertial Measurement Unit (DQI IMU). The combined unit fits inside a standard test range airborne instrumentation pod. The GNP contains a Rockwell-Collins 10 channel L1/L2 GPS receiver. The Rockwell-Autonetics DQI is a low cost inertial measurement unit based on quartz rate sensors and accelerometers. The GNP can accept a wide range of IMUs to provide an integrated INS/GPS solution, or operate as a standalone all-in-view GPS receiver. The DQI can operate as a standalone IMU, or accept a wide range of GPS recievers to provide an integrated INS/GPS solution.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1996) June 19 - 21, 1996 Royal Sonesta Hotel Cambridge, MA
Pages:	103 - 109
Cite this article:	Martin, Michael K., Negast, William J., Bader, John R., Stave, Lloyd P., De Vries, Thomas W., "High Performance Aircraft Testing - Miniature Integrated GPS/INS Tactical System (MIGITS)," Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1996), Cambridge, MA, June 1996, pp. 103-109.
Full Paper:	ION Members/Non-Members: 1 Download Credit Sign In