Russia develops strapdown INS for drones

1st June 2021 - 11:03 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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Future Russian UAVs such as the Korsar ISR platform (pictured) could operate with gimbal-less inertial navigation systems. (Photo: Rostec)

Strapdown inertial navigation systems are more compact and weigh less than traditional gimballed systems.

Russian-made UAVs will operate with strapdown inertial navigation systems (INS) developed by KRET.

The first samples of these gimbal-less devices will be available for use on Russian UAVs in 2021, parent company Rostec added on 28 May.

An INS provides general geographic orientation and location of the UAV relative to a given trajectory or target, including moving objects. It enables accurate position data and autonomous operation, according to Rostec.

Strapdown inertial systems are more compact and lighter in weight than full platform systems, it claimed, adding that they can ‘work with significant overloads’.

However, a strapdown INS requires a higher update rate of about 2,000Hz compared with 50-60Hz for gimballed systems, because of the need for the navigation system to integrate the angular rate into an attitude accurately.

Rostec navigation systems were tested on prototypes of Russian UAVs in 2020 'and proved to be highly effective', the state-owned defence conglomerate claimed.