Modern Inertial Technology

While some automatic navigation systems can use external measurements to determine their position (as the driver of a car uses road signs, or more recent automated systems use satellite data), others (such as those used in submarines) cannot. They must rely instead on internal measurements of the acceleration to determine their speed and position. Such inertial guidance systems have been in use since Word War II, and modern navigation would be impossible without them. This book describes the inertial technology used for guidance, control, and navigation, discussing in detail the principles, operation, and design of sensors, gyroscopes, and accelerometers, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of particular systems. An engineer with long practical experience in the field, the author elucidates the most recent developments in inertial guidance. Among these are fiber-optic gyroscopes, solid-state accelerometers, and the Global Positioning System. The book should be of interest to researchers and practicing engineers involved in systems engineering, aeronautics, space research, and navigation on land and on sea. This second edition has been brought up to date throughout, and includes new material on micromachined gyroscopes.