INERTIAL NAVIGATION SYSTEMS

INS

WORD TO THE WISE

The inertial system uses deviations to generate corrective commands to drive the system from a position where it is, to a position where it isnt, arriving at the position where it wasnt, it now is. Consequently the position where it is, is now the position where it wasnt and it follows the position where it was is the position where it isnt. Copyright: ARINC 561 Manual, August 1976

INERTIAL NAVIGATION SYSTEMS

Completely self-contained navigation system capable of providing great circle tracks over random routes without reference to external information sources. - The most complex and expensive flightdeck navigation system currently in use. - Still the nav system of choice for many operations. - Developed for the military accurate, reliable, not susceptible to signal jamming or erroneous signal transmission. - Extremely simple in concept, extremely complicated in execution. - Sometimes described as a very accurate deadreckoning system.

INERTIAL NAVIGATION SYSTEMS

Starts from a known point, advances estimated position based on speed, direction and time. - Uses acceleration (changes in speed & direction) in place of speed itself. - Movement detected by accelerometers mounted on a stable platform (Stabilized gyroscopically). - Accelerometers are like pendulums but more sophisticated, using sliding shutters with frictionless bearings and now solid state technology. Can detect velocity changes to 1,000ths of a G force. - This is the basic principal of INS. - Most critical element is platform stability. - Gyros are of primary importance. - Accelerometer technology fairly static; advances now are mostly in gyro technology, especially Ring Laser Gyros.

LASER-light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation The basic operating principle of a laser is to use light or electrical impulses to excite atoms of a crystal, gas, liquid, or other substance. The atoms release light energy (photons) to return to their original state. Atoms of the same type will release light energy of the same frequency. Mirrors are used to contain the photons which further excite the atoms into releasing even more photons; some of these photons escape through a partially silvered mirror as coherent light. This light energy is emitted as a directional beam.

RING LASER GYROS

They utilize the principle of the Doppler effect. Two laser beams travel around a closed circuit (made with three or four mirrors) in opposite directions and are sensed by a detector.

When the gyroscope is not turning, the two beams are both at the same frequency and the detector senses a level attitude.
As the gyroscope turns, the two beams have to travel different distances around the circuit. As viewed from a reference point inside the gyro (the detector), there is a shift in the frequencies of the two laser beams

RING LASER GYROS

An electronic processor calculates the difference between the frequencies of the two laser beams. The rate of rotation of the gyro determines the phase difference of the frequencies. Each particular phase difference coincides with a unique rate of turn which the processor can thus calculate. Each ring laser gyroscope only rotates on one axis, therefore three of them are required to register changes in pitch, roll, and yaw.

ADVANTAGES
Few moving parts Small size and light weight Rigid construction High tolerance to shock, acceleration, and vibration High level of accuracy Low cost over the lifetime of the gyro

ADVANTAGES
Because there are no rotating gimbals as in a mechanical gyro, there is no friction, and therefore no errors caused by real precession Less power consumed than mechanical gyros because there are fewer moving parts.

DISADVANTAGES
Base cost of Laser ring gyros is more expensive than mechanical gyros.

Laser ring gyros are susceptible to an error known as LOCK-IN

LOCK-IN
When the rate of turn is very small, the frequency difference between the two beams is small. There is a tendency for the two frequencies to couple together and lock-in with each other. As a result of lock-in, a zero turning rate is indicated.

LOCK-IN
While lock-in errors are not substantial, they can be accounted for by using more complex ring laser gyro systems. By mechanically moving or twisting the system, the coupling of frequencies does not occur. This mechanical adjustment is called DITHERING.

STABLE PLATFORM
Stable platform has 2 functions: To keep accelerometers aligned with the surface of earth despite changes in aircraft attitude. This is accomplished by mounting the platform on gimbals. To keep the stable platform aligned with surface of earth to compensate for transport and earth rate precession. These apparent errors are corrected by torquing a feedback process that keeps the stable platform level with the local vertical through the application of real precession.

STRAPDOWN PLATFORM

- In a strapdown platform installation the platform is not gimbaled; instead ring laser gyro feedback allows a computer to electronically monitor orientation of the platform.

INERTIAL REFERENCE SYSTEM

-The ring laser gyros are much more accurate than mechanical gyros. It makes sense to use them for other onboard instruments as well. -An Inertial Reference System (IRS); mechanical gyros become backup units. -The IRS is used for AI, HI, radar antenna stabilization, and autopilot control. -If the navigation portion of the INS goes down it is still possible to utilize the IRS by selecting ATT instead of NAV. - Inertial Navigation Unit box containing accelerometers & gyro-stabilized platform

CONTROL DISPLAY UNIT (CDU)

2 Flavours:- Older 2-window display & more modern CRT display Older displays easier to read but CRT units provide much more information Multiple flight plans, >9 waypoints Used in conjunction with mode select panel
Standby Battery Absolutely critical to avoid complete loss of unit during power variations These form the system package

OPERATION
Initialization: Major process for computer Leveling; internal block Temp adjustment (to 15oC min); gyro compassing (to True or Mag); latitude testing; Total 10 to 45 minutes, depend on temp, gyro type & latitude (takes longer @ higher latitudes to sense rotation & find True North which is essential to the alignment process Easy for pilot Can use NAV or ALIGN mode ALIGN does a more thorough job but process can be negated if dont switch to NAV before moving acft Also want to be careful NOT to leave NAV mode in flight because cant initialize in flight Military can air initialize but civilian units must be stationary, on ground, in a known position

OPERATION
Enter initial co-ordinates (From A/D Diagram) - Only as accurate as the information input. - Acft can then be moved & INS will begin sensing & correlating all movements Limitations Some older systems unable to accommodate extreme longitudinal convergence at >80o N or S latitude Most systems do not align properly >70o N or S latitude but work OK there once aligned farther south. Problem is earths rotation too slow to be detected at those latitudes.

DATA PRODUCED
INS always knows where True North is and senses all movement, so it always knows what acft hdg is and it is easy to derive other information: Track and Position as a series of fixes Ground speed Drift angle Cross track error/Cross track distance (Degrees or Miles) Distance to go/ Time to go Errors & Recommended Actions Normally has a separate air data system to provide fully corrected TAS information used to determine W/V. Air data system can also provide INS with altitude information for systems with only 2 accelerometers.

INS DRIFT
Since each new position is a function of the last position, INS is a relative system. Any initial entry error remains as a constant but subsequent errors are cumulative & increase over time Total of errors is called Drift (acft drifts from true position) measured in NM/hour 2 NM/Hour is historical industry norm Ring laser gyros reduce to about 0.2 NM/hour Sounds like a lot for a super-accurate (&super-expensive) system but system can be updated with land-based navaids max is about 4.5 hours out of range SFO HNL, where req acft separation is 50NM/1,000 ft Ring Laser Gyro equipped INS probably more accurate than VOR fix suitable for RMNPS (Required Minimum Navigation Performance Airspace) Drift can be corrected by updating: reentering aircraft position over a known fix (navaid or visual checkpoint)

DUAL SYSTEMS
Provide redundancy in case of failure Can be used to check each other Esp when inputting information. Best to use 2 pilots for more cross-checking 1 pilot put info into each system, then check results; or 1 reads info, 1 enters, switch for 2nd system, then compare; or 1 enters for both systems (into 1st then electronically xfer), then other checks against flt plan in any case, must ALWAYS crosscheck to verify.

Disagreement between systems must be resolved by: Other (Land-based?) navaids GPS, VOR, DME, NDB, RADAR mapping Dead Reckoning adequate if error is very large Better to predict system most likely to err by keeping complete performance records on each system; more accurate system will become apparent over time. On military acft, the navigator usually keeps this gyro log Usually also have supporting evidence (other navaids or warning indications) so can avoid this decision Averaging the errors is NOT usually a good choice unless there is absolutely no way to identify the more accurate system Errors usually appear quickly ie rapid increase in drift rate Can switch out of NAV Mode if unit is acting up and still use attitude functions Cant switch back, though need to initalize

TRIPLE SYSTEMS
Ultimate & most expensive form Provides double redundancy + second check on route entry & initialization + supporting information when systems diverge Voting identifies weakest system by matching 2 closest together & rejecting the 3rd 3rd could be most accurate one but odds are in favour of the other 2 Eliminates Rogue system Triple Mixing is flip side of voting uses middle Lat & Long coordinates to produce a single, optimum position estimate Typical drift of 1.7 NM/Hour is about cut in half to 1.0 NM/Hour with modern gyros

MIXED SYSTEMS
-Another way to provide redundancy is by adding a complimentary system such as GPS. This system can be used to update the INS.

FUTURE
Can Expect INS to stick around for a while because it knows so much & can derive so much more Knows Lat + Long + True North & can be loaded with magnetic variation info Can tell Mag North Provides gyro info + slaving info to flight instruments Becomes an Inertial Reference System for all instruments position, hdg, attitude, autopilot references, etc Can select INS or Attitude/Heading Reference System (AHRS) Can measure acceleration changes on approach to detect wind shear

Advantages: -completely self contained system which operates independently of an outside navigation signal. -can be used as an inertial reference system for other systems ADI and HSI. Disadvantages: -INS systems are technically involved and expensive. -only as accurate as the information input; a data entry error eliminates all accuracy.