Definition of Inertial Navigation System (INS)
Inertial navigation system (INS) is a computer-based navigation technique, which utilizes signals generated by onboard accelerometers for tracking the movement of an aircraft. The system requires the initial location of the aircraft to be entered into the computer, and subsequently senses all its movements, which are used to keep the position updated. Unlike other navigation systems, an INS does not rely on outside signals and is independent of any external inputs.
The INS determines the position, velocity, and attitude of the aircraft by measuring the accelerations along three orthogonal axes. These measurements are integrated to determine the velocity and position of the aircraft in three-dimensional space. The system maintains its accuracy by continuously updating the position based on sensed accelerations.
The advantages of INS are its high accuracy, reliability, and independence from external signals. It is used not only in aviation but also in marine and land-based navigation, where it is critical to determine the precise location of an object or vehicle. However, INS has some limitations, such as drift errors that occur due to integration of acceleration measurements over time, which require periodic recalibration.
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