GPS World

Tag: MEMS IMU

  • Honeywell launches UAS navigation system

    Honeywell launches UAS navigation system

    Honeywell has launched Kestrel, a compact navigation solution designed to help uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) operate reliably in contested environments where GPS signals may be degraded, jammed or spoofed.

    Built to support the growing demand for smaller, more affordable and highly efficient platforms, Kestrel combines Honeywell Aerospace’s HG3900 MEMS inertial measurement unit with an M-code receiver and a multi-GNSS receiver. The platform is intended to meet the specific needs of Group 2 and 3 collaborative combat aircraft and loitering munitions platforms. It is also suitable for crewed aircraft where size, weight, power and cost are important considerations.

    “Kestrel reflects the evolving needs of today’s uncrewed operations, where operators are looking for resilient navigation technology that is smaller, lighter and more cost-effective,” said Matt Picchetti, vice president and general manager of Navigation & Sensors at Honeywell Aerospace. “This system helps operators maintain mission objectives in environments where legacy GPS systems are lagging behind.”

    Kestrel is an Embedded GNSS/INS (EGI) system for global defense and commercial operators in need of advanced inertial navigation technology with secure positioning capabilities in a smaller footprint. The system is 40 percent smaller and lighter than similar navigation products while delivering up to an 80 percent improvement in navigation accuracy for uncrewed platforms. It also reduces costs by as much as 50 percent, helping operators efficiently scale deployment across high-volume drone operations. Kestrel’s resiliency reduces UAS attrition by 60 percent, while more than doubling the capacity for mission distances.

    The ability to operate without assured GNSS access is a distinct advantage for any military aircraft operating in contested or GNSS-denied environments because it provides continuous, self-contained position, velocity and attitude estimates independent of external signals.

    Kestrel is designed to support a broad range of defense and commercial applications and will be available in configurations that support international and non-ITAR deployments.

    Honeywell pioneered EGI technology and has produced more than 60,000 units since the mid-1990s to meet customers’ most challenging navigation, pointing, stabilization and flight-control applications.

  • Inertial Labs acquires IMU company Memsense

    Inertial Labs acquires IMU company Memsense

    Inertial Labs has acquired Memsense, a developer of inertial measurement units (IMUs) and a long-time business partner. Inertial Labs is a developer and supplier of orientation, inertial navigation and optically enhanced sensor modules.

    The Inertial Labs and Memsense workforce will address the rapidly evolving needs of global customers. The combined company of more than 100 employees and 500 customers expects to introduce breakthrough technologies at an accelerated pace across high-value areas such as autonomous vehicles, GPS-denied navigation, industrial machines, and aerospace and defense.

    In addition, Inertial Labs and Memsense have a strong balance sheet to support critical business initiatives, deliver with short product lead times, and invest in promising integrations, the company stated in a press release.

    “Our strategic acquisition of Memsense brings together two high growth companies with proven performance in solving some of the world’s most difficult stabilization and navigation problems,” said Jamie Marraccini, president and CEO of Inertial Labs. “Our customers will benefit from our combined capabilities and resources.”

    “As we move forward, Inertial Labs and Memsense will define the future of MEMS IMUs,” said James Brunch, CEO of Memsense. “Our focus on innovation, our world-class team, and our strength in customer collaboration allow us to deliver the exact specs needed by our customers.”

    Inertial Labs cites the following benefits for current and future customers:

    • increased production capabilities of up to 50,000 units annually to meet the needs of larger aerospace and defense contracts for guidance and navigation applications
    • low-cost, consumer-grade IMUs, ruggedized industrial-grade models, affordable tactical-grade IMUs, and IMUs with near-FOG level of performance (0.1 deg/h bias instability)
    • a larger range of devices for unmanned ground vehicles (UGV); unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV); autonomous and automated ground vehicles (AGV).
    • expanded research and development efforts to accelerate delivery of IMUs for stabilization applications, such as electro-optical systems, pan-and-tilt platforms, and remote weapon stations (RWS)
    • new IMU models with improved performance will increase capabilities of the company’s GPS-aided inertial navigation systems (INS), wave sensors, motion reference units (MRU) and attitude heading reference systems (AHRS)
    • development of new high-performance systems including a MEMS-based gyro-compasses (3 MILS azimuth and 1 MIL elevation accuracy).
  • KVH offers TACNAV 3D with photonic integrated chip technology

    KVH offers TACNAV 3D with photonic integrated chip technology

    KVH’s widely fielded tactical navigation system now upgraded with its patented PIC technology

    Photo: KVH Industries
    Photo: KVH Industries

    KVH Industries’ TACNAV 3D tactical navigation system is now available with the P-1775 inertial measurement unit (IMU) featuring KVH’s new photonic integrated chip (PIC) technology.

    KVH has been developing and testing the PIC technology for more than three years and is continuing to roll the technology into existing product lines.

    KVH’s PIC technology features an integrated planar optical chip that replaces individual fiber optic components to simplify production while maintaining or improving accuracy and performance. KVH’s IMUs with PIC technology are designed to deliver improved bias stability and 20 times higher accuracy than other micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) IMUs.

    The fiber-optic gyro (FOG)-based TACNAV 3D tactical navigation system provides an assured positioning, navigation and timing (A-PNT) solution with an embedded GNSS and optional chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC). TACNAV 3D’s modular tactical design enables it to function as a standalone inertial navigation solution and as the core of an A-PNT-capable multi-functional battlefield management system.

    “We are pleased to incorporate our newest technology into the TACNAV 3D,” said Dan Conway, executive vice president of KVH’s inertial navigation group. “We are committed to ensuring that this battle-proven system provides the precise navigation that is vital to mission success and addresses the military demand for assured positioning, navigation, and timing (A-PNT) solutions.”

    KVH’s TACNAV solutions are being used in vehicles that operate in demanding environments, from battle tanks and M-ATVs, to armored vehicles, reconnaissance and combat support vehicles.

    Defense forces using TACNAV systems include the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, as well as many allied customers including Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and Turkey.

  • CHC Navigation introduces CGI-610 GNSS/INS sensor

    CHC Navigation introduces CGI-610 GNSS/INS sensor

    Photo: CHC Navigation
    Photo: CHC Navigation

    CHC Navigation has released the new CGI-610 GNSS/INS sensor, a high-precision dual-antenna receiver offering reliable and accurate navigation and positioning solutions for demanding land, marine and aerial applications.

    The tight fusion of the latest GNSS technology with an industrial-grade MEMS IMU is powered by CHCNAV’s algorithms to deliver accurate hybrid position, attitude and velocity data, even in complex and obstructed environments where GNSS outages can occur.

    The CGI-610 is a powerful GNSS/INS system supporting data output up to 100 Hz to meet the requirements of highly dynamic applications (including airplane, train and automobile). The optional external odometer sensor for ground vehicles can provide an additional independent measurement of displacement and speed, which is fused with the GNSS/INS navigation solution.

    “The CGI-610 GNSS/INS sensor is the perfect answer to the growing demand of robust positioning and navigation systems for the control of any unmanned vehicle and machine, as well as for highly dynamic applications,” said George Zhao, CEO of CHC Navigation. “Industrial system integrators in need of a reliable GNSS/INS sensor with an exceptional price/performance ratio would definitely consider our CGI-610.”

    With its 4G modem, CAN and serial ports, the CGI-610 GNSS/INS sensor offers unparalleled compatibility to enable a wide range of applications including machine control, port automation, advanced trajectography, robotics and unmanned vehicles. The CGI-610’s industrial design ensures reliable and consistent operation in the harshest environments.

  • Septentrio, Artisense demo localization tech for autonomous vehicles

    Septentrio, Artisense demo localization tech for autonomous vehicles

    High-precision GPS, INS and computer vision come together in a single package called VINS to be demonstrated at the Auto.ai show in Berlin on Sept. 25-27.

    Septentrio high-performance GPS/GNSS technology provides reliable absolute positioning inside this innovative computer vision localization system developed by Artisense, a company specializing in vehicle localization and 3D mapping solutions.

    Septentrio, a manufacturer of high-accuracy GPS/GNSS technology for demanding applications, is providing positioning technology to Artisense, a supplier of computer vision solutions for automated vehicles.

    Artisense incorporates Septentrio GPS/GNSS in their latest visual inertial navigation system (VINS), which will be demonstrated live at Auto.ai show in Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 25-27.

    VINS combines computer vision, inertial sensors and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) measurements to deliver highly accurate global 3D positioning and orientation information in any environment, even indoors.

    “We are very pleased to work with Artisense on this technology and demonstrate how vehicle localization systems benefit from fusing computer vision with high-precision GNSS,” said Jan Van Hees, business development director at Septentrio. “The result of our cooperation is precise localization in any environment offering positioning reliability and redundancy needed for safety-critical applications such as autonomous vehicles or robotics.”

    Multi-constellation, multi-frequency GNSS technology provides reliable centimeter-level global positioning to the VINS system with accuracy required for lane-level maneuvering and V2V warning systems.

    Cameras and inertial sensors continue accurate localization as the vehicle moves into tunnels or parking garages with no line-of-sight to GNSS satellites.

    Although the system uses a relatively simple MEMs IMU and off-the-shelf cameras, it delivers precision and reliability of a high-end INS system. “Positioning accuracy and reliability are very important to us. Earlier this year we have deployed a large-scale mapping operation in Berlin where we tested a lot of different GNSS receivers. We saw the best results coming from Septentrio consistently,” said Johannes Start, Technical Product Manager at Artisense. “We continue to use Septentrio receivers because they are precise, they acquire RTK (real-time kinematic) fix quickly and reliably and they are easy to integrate.”

    The live demo at Auto.ai will offer a ride around Berlin in a car featuring VINS technology. One screen inside the car will continuously display the car’s location. Unlike the GPS of an average infotainment system, VINS will continue accurate localization anywhere, even in tunnels or in parking garages. The second screen inside the car will feature a real-time 3D point-cloud reconstruction of the car’s surroundings.