Attitude Error Estimation with an Offset GPS Antenna: Concept Validation Testing

Neil R. Weinman, Narayan Acharya

Abstract:	This paper discusses the testing results of a method for estimating attitude and attitude rate errors of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) mounted in a spinning vehicle. The method uses GPS Delta Range (DR) measurements received by an offset antenna to estimate the attitude errors that result primarily from gyro scale factor errors. This method can be applied to exoatmospherii vehicles in free fall where the specific forces are zero and the ability to estimate attitude errors through correlation to velocity errors vanishes. The tests involved the use of a rotating antenna turntable to simulate the antenna motion of a rotating vehicle. The tests are intended to determine if the GPS receiver can track satellites in this dynamic environment. The Tests will also determine the ability to observe characteristic differences of a rotating GPS antenna and a non- rotating GPS antenna (e.g., antenna phase rotation). It will be shown through subsequent analysis that GPS data can be used to estimate INS attitude errors.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 5th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1992) September 16 - 18, 1992 Albuquerque, NM
Pages:	747 - 755
Cite this article:	Weinman, Neil R., Acharya, Narayan, "Attitude Error Estimation with an Offset GPS Antenna: Concept Validation Testing," Proceedings of the 5th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1992), Albuquerque, NM, September 1992, pp. 747-755.
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