INS-P GPS-aided inertial navigation system

The INS-P GPS-aided inertial navigation system is a single-antenna, MEMS IMU-based navigation unit from Inertial Labs. It combines a tactical-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) with a GNSS receiver and is the professional model of the single-antenna INS line.

An advanced, extendable embedded Kalman filter with sensor fusion algorithms blends the inertial and GNSS data into position and orientation. The INS-P carries all features of the INS-B and adds an embedded fluxgate gyro-compensated magnetic compass. With this compass the system measures and outputs high-precision heading without a GNSS signal, even in extreme environmental conditions such as temperature, vibration and interference from an external magnetic field. This suits platforms that must keep a reliable heading when satellite signals are degraded or unavailable.

Static heading accuracy is 0.3°. For a flight controller or payload pointing system, this figure sets the heading error budget while the vehicle is at rest, and the maker's catalog also lists dynamic heading accuracy and pitch and roll accuracy. Position accuracy is specified with RTK, PPP and SBAS corrections, so the result achieved depends on the correction service available to the vehicle. The unit has a mass of 280 g, which counts toward the payload budget of the airframe, and its compact single housing keeps the volume demand low. The mechanical drawing in the datasheet gives the mounting details.

The GNSS receiver tracks the BDS, GAL, GLO, GPS and QZSS constellations and supports DGPS, PPK, PPP, RTK and SBAS corrections through a single GNSS antenna. Inertial Labs describes its INS family as using GNSS receivers from suppliers such as NovAtel, u-blox and Septentrio, with multiple interfaces and COM ports. Interface, protocol and supply details are given in the INS-P datasheet, and an OEM version, the INS-P-OEM, is also listed. The Inertial Labs support team helps select, configure and set up units for GNSS-enabled and GNSS-denied environments.

Inertial Labs describes its INS line as including sealed (IP67 and IP68) and MIL-STD-810G qualified versions. The certification status and ingress protection of a specific INS-P configuration should be confirmed with the maker before the unit is specified for a program.

Typical applications for the INS-P are navigation of unmanned aircraft systems, extended GNSS-denied navigation, and north finding and keeping, where the embedded compass and the tactical-grade MEMS IMU keep heading available when GNSS is lost.