The application of microprocessors to strapdown inertial navigation

The fundamental concepts of inertial navigation are briefly examined. In a strapdown inertial navigator the accelerometers and gyros are mounted directly on the vehicle frame. The development of strapdown systems, which have important advantages over gimbal systems, has been mainly retarded by the computational requirements involved. However, the current availability of suitable minicomputers combined with other technological advances has now opened the way for a more widespread use of strapdown inertial navigators.