Inertsiaalnäivigatsioonisüsteemi

Inertsiaalnäivigatsioonisüsteemi, commonly known as an Inertial Navigation System (INS), is a self-contained navigation technique that relies on motion sensors to continuously calculate an object's position, orientation, and velocity without needing external references. The core components of an INS are accelerometers and gyroscopes. Accelerometers measure linear acceleration along one or more axes, while gyroscopes measure angular velocity.

By integrating the accelerometer data over time, the system can determine changes in velocity and, subsequently, position. Similarly, integrating the gyroscope data allows for the tracking of changes in orientation. These measurements are performed independently of any external signals, such as GPS or radio beacons, making INS a robust navigation solution in environments where external signals may be unavailable or unreliable, such as underwater, in tunnels, or during GPS jamming.

The accuracy of an INS is highly dependent on the quality of its sensors and the duration of operation. Errors in sensor measurements, often referred to as drift, accumulate over time, leading to increasing positional inaccuracies. To mitigate this, INS is often combined with other navigation systems, like GPS, in a process called sensor fusion. This hybridization leverages the strengths of each system: GPS provides absolute position updates, while INS provides continuous, high-frequency relative motion data, resulting in a more accurate and resilient navigation solution. INS technology is employed in a wide range of applications, including aircraft, missiles, spacecraft, submarines, and even some high-end automotive and robotic systems.