strapdown inertial navigation system
Quick Summary
A strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) is an electronic system that tracks a vehicle's position, velocity, and acceleration without external communication. It uses gyroscopes to sense turning rates and accelerometers to measure acceleration. A computer processes this data, performing double numerical integration to determine the vehicle's velocity and position, enabling it to follow a programmed course. Unlike gimbaled systems, the accelerometers in a SINS are fixed to the vehicle's body. Modern SINS often employ ring laser or fiber-optic gyroscopes, but precise construction and frequent reinitialization with systems like GPS are crucial to minimize errors.1
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