Simulation and Algorithm Verification for Polar Region Inertial Navigation Based on Low Latitude Test Sailing

Abstract

Simulation and algorithm verification is very important for the technique research of inertial navigation in polar region due to the high expenditure for field experiments in polar region. The limitation of the traditional pure mathematical simulation method lies in that the simulated trajectory is not so coincident with the real vehicle kinematics especially for a shipborne rotational INS (Inertial Navigation System). In this paper, a new 6-DOF simulation trajectory generating method for polar region is proposed. Navigational parameters from an actual single-axis rotational INS including attitude, velocity and position in a test sailing are converted from low latitude area to the polar region by frame rotation and transformation. Sampling data of gyroscopes and accelerometers from the IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) in the test sailing is adjusted to match the new generated trajectory in polar region. Simulation results show that the trajectory is accurate enough for simulation and algorithm verification of an INS designed for the use in polar region. The angular and linear motions of the INS in the trajectory are coincident with the kinematics of a practical shipborne rotational INS, in this way, performance and error characteristic evaluation can be achieved effectively through simulation.