Tightly Coupled GPS/INS Using COTS Components

Mahendra Singh, Stuart McNamee, Allen Khosrowbadi

Abstract:	This paper presents the development of a tightly coupled GPS/INS using commercially available off-the-shelf components. Although targeted initially for collecting Time Space Position Information (TSPI) of test vehicles at the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), this miniature (5”x5”x8”) system is equally useful for other navigation related applications. The integrated GPS/INS systems currently in service are fairly expensive and very large, and are not very flexible in terms of quick and easy reconfiguration necessary to meet the application requirements. The instrument package under development at WADDAN SYSTEMS allows the insertion of state of the art commercial technology without any redesign or elaborate reconfiguration. The design employs modular (plug-and-play) hardware and software that are quick and easy to re-configure depending upon the application. The system is structured around the standard industrial Compact personal computer interface (CPCI) backplane bus with on-board recording and real time processing capabilities using latest processors. It incorporates a 12-channel GPS receiver and WADDAN’s low cost high-performance navigation quality inertial measurement unit (IMU) as two modules of the system. The GPS and the INS are integrated in real-time. The IMU used for the INS is essentially a triad of three bulk micromachined silicon sensors. The package also incorporates capabilities for data acquisition from various analog sensors, interfaces for fire-wire, USB, MIL-STD 1553, RS-232/422 and video data. The system can be employed in military manned and unmanned air-vehicles, missiles, smart munitions, ships and terrain vehicles. On the commercial side, it can find use on commercial aircraft, boats, automobiles, truck carriers, oil well drilling, machine tool etc.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1999) September 14 - 17, 1999 Nashville, TN
Pages:	2237 - 2242
Cite this article:	Singh, Mahendra, McNamee, Stuart, Khosrowbadi, Allen, "Tightly Coupled GPS/INS Using COTS Components," Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1999), Nashville, TN, September 1999, pp. 2237-2242.
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