Research on Algorithm of Airborne Dual-Antenna GNSS/MINS Integrated Navigation System

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Navigation Systems
• Control Systems

Background:

• Airborne navigation equipment in China heavily relies on imports.
• Existing domestic high-precision navigation systems are prohibitively expensive for aircraft manufacturing.
• There is a critical need for indigenous, high-performance navigation solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-precision and high-reliability integrated airborne navigation system.
• To overcome the limitations of imported and expensive domestic navigation equipment.
• To provide a cost-effective and reliable solution for Chinese navigable aircraft.

Main Methods:

• Developed a dual-antenna Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Micro-Inertial Navigation System (MINS) integrated navigation system.
• Established state and measurement equations using discrete Kalman filter principles.
• Implemented attitude initial alignment using magnetometers, accelerometers, and dual-antenna GNSS, leveraging MEMS IMU's insensitivity to Earth's rotation for self-alignment.
• Utilized flight status identification based on satellite data and inertial sensor parameters.

Main Results:

• Achieved root mean square (RMS) pitch and roll angle errors below 0.05° under indoor static conditions.
• Demonstrated heading angle error RMS below 0.15° in static tests.
• Validated system effectiveness through UAV flight tests covering various flight phases (take-off, climb, turn, cruise).

Conclusions:

• The developed dual-antenna GNSS/MINS integrated navigation system meets high-precision and reliability requirements for airborne applications.
• The system effectively addresses the challenges of import dependency and high costs in domestic aviation navigation.
• The algorithm's performance is validated across diverse flight conditions, confirming its practical applicability.