Inertial Measurement and Navigation System And Method Having Low Drift MEMS Gyroscopes And Accelerometers Operable In GPS Denied Environments

摘要

An inertial measurement unit includes physically distinct sectors positioned in groups of orthogonally oriented angle rate sensors on a different sector of a base having orthogonally oriented accelerometers positioned thereon. A processor receiving signals from the sensors and accelerometers calculates a change in attitude, position, angular rate, velocity, acceleration of the unit over a plurality of finite time increments, or a combination thereof. The gyros and accelerometers have low-drift measurement accuracy for operation in a GPS-denied environment by preselecting pairs of gyros for physical assignment to achieve low-drift accuracy, determining weights for the gyros to be combined in tiered pairs, preselecting the accelerometers for physical assignment in low-drift pairs, determining weights for accelerometer optimal low-drift pair combining in tiers, or a combination thereof.