One-dimensional reference-beam LDV for accurate altitude estimation in a land vehicle

Area of Science:

• Navigation Systems Engineering
• Optical Measurement Techniques
• Geomatics Engineering

Background:

• Accurate autonomous altitude determination is crucial for land navigation systems.
• Integrating laser Doppler velocimeters (LDVs) with strapdown inertial navigation systems (SINS) offers a potential solution for enhanced navigation accuracy.
• Existing systems may face limitations in cost, size, or performance across varied terrains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a lightweight, low-cost integrated navigation system combining a 1D LDV and SINS.
• To assess the system's performance in providing accurate altitude and horizontal positioning for land vehicles.
• To demonstrate the system's viability in diverse environments, including urban and mountainous areas.

Main Methods:

• A self-developed one-dimensional reference-beam laser Doppler velocimeter (1D LDV) was integrated with a strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS).
• Velocity data from the 1D LDV and altitude data from the SINS were fused using a dead reckoning algorithm.
• Dynamic vehicle tests were conducted in urban and mountainous terrains with significant altitude variations.

Main Results:

• The integrated SINS/1D LDV system demonstrated effective autonomous altitude determination.
• In urban areas (28 m altitude difference), horizontal positioning error was 10.8 m and altitude error was 0.5 m.
• In mountainous areas (1363 m altitude difference), horizontal positioning error was 45.9 m and altitude error was 3.6 m.

Conclusions:

• The developed SINS/1D LDV integrated navigation system is a viable solution for autonomous land navigation.
• The system provides highly accurate altitude and horizontal positioning parameters suitable for practical applications.
• The experimental results confirm the system's effectiveness across different geographical terrains.