A unified approach to inertial navigation system error modeling

Abstract

Several inertial navigation system error models have been developed and used in the literature. Most of the models are ad hoc models which were needed to solve certain particular problems and were developed for that purpose only. Consequently, the relationship, correspondence, and equivalence between the various models is not evident. This paper presents a new methodology for developing inertial navigation systems error models which also puts all of the known models in the same framework and shows the equivalence between them. The new methodology is based on several choices the developer has to make which uniquely define the error model. This new approach enables the development of all existing models in a unified way, hence the equivalence and correspondence between them is obvious. Moreover, any new model which is of interest can be developed using the methodology presented in this work. In fact, any new model which will ever be developed for the class of systems considered here will fit into the framework described in this paper.