Sistemas de navegación inercial

Safran diseña y fabrica sistemas de referencia inercial y unidades de navegación inercial (INU) de vanguardia. Nuestras soluciones se utilizan en diversas aplicaciones, entre las que se incluyen vehículos blindados, helicópteros militares, submarinos, satélites y vehículos autónomos. Ya sea para apoyar operaciones de combate, transporte, ejercicios de entrenamiento, patrullas marítimas u otras funciones críticas, los sistemas de guiado inercial de Safran ofrecen una precisión y fiabilidad extremadamente altas en entornos sin señal GNSS.

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What is an Inertial Navigation System & Who Is It For?

An inertial navigation system (INS) is a self-contained, autonomous navigation aid that calculates an object’s position, orientation, and velocity. It does this by tracking its movement all the way from a known starting point. An inertial navigation system builds on the raw data received from an inertial measurement unit which comprises part of the complete system. The inertial navigation system goes one step further by incorporating both the sensor data as well as complex algorithms to provide an accurate, real-time location and orientation solution. By integrating data from both accelerometers and gyroscopes sensors, an INS enables precise navigation without solely relying on external signals such as GPS or GNSS. In fact, even though Safran’s inertial navigation system products come with embedded GNSS / GPS receivers, the core function is to operate without it, ensuring navigation persists even under complete GNSS availability.

An INS is responsible for delivering continuous, highly accurate navigation and positioning data in environments where satellite signals may be degraded, jammed, or completely unavailable.

Safran Inertial Navigation Systems are being used in applications for:

Aviation

Aviation

  • Commercial & Military Aircraft Navigation
    For flight navigation, guidance, and control systems that require reliable positioning and attitude data in all operating environments.
Railway

Aerospace & Defense

  • Mission-Critical Guidance & GPS-Denied Operations
    For missiles, military vehicles, defense platforms, and aerospace systems operating in contested or signal-denied environments where resilient navigation is essential.
Autonomous

Autonomous Systems & Robotics

  • Autonomous Mobility & Precision Control
    For drones, autonomous ground vehicles, and robotic platforms that depend on accurate positioning, motion tracking, and stabilization for safe operation.
Maritime

Maritime

  • Marine & Subsea Navigation
    For ships, submarines, and underwater vehicles requiring continuous navigation performance when satellite-based positioning is unavailable underwater or in harsh maritime conditions.

Why Use an Inertial Navigation System?

INS provides continuous navigation without external signals

An inertial navigation system continuously calculates a vehicle’s position, velocity, and orientation using onboard inertial sensors and processing algorithms. Because it operates independently of external infrastructure, an INS can maintain navigation data even when GNSS or GPS signals become unavailable.

This makes INS technology especially valuable for aircraft, defense systems, marine vessels, and autonomous platforms operating in environments where satellite navigation may be disrupted, jammed, or completely denied.

INS delivers precise positioning and guidance

An INS combines accelerometers, gyroscopes, and advanced computation to provide highly accurate navigation and motion awareness in real time. By continuously tracking movement and orientation, it enables reliable guidance and control for mission-critical systems.

This level of precision is essential for applications such as aircraft flight control, autonomous vehicle navigation, targeting systems, and industrial positioning where even small navigation errors can have significant operational impact.

fighter jet with powerful takeoff showcasing intensity of modern inertial technology

INS performs reliably in challenging environments

Inertial navigation systems are designed to operate in demanding conditions where external navigation systems may struggle to perform consistently. Because an INS is fully self-contained, it can continue delivering stable navigation data through vibration, extreme weather, underwater operation, or contested environments.

This reliability makes INS solutions critical for aerospace, defense, maritime, and autonomous applications that require dependable navigation performance under all operating conditions.

Use Cases for Inertial Navigation Systems

GPS-Denied Environments

Gyroscopes detect and correct unwanted motion, keeping platforms stable and level in drones, cameras, and vehicles operating in dynamic environments.

Autonomous Vehicle Control

INS provides real-time positioning and motion tracking for autonomous systems, supporting accurate navigation, route control, and operational safety in dynamic conditions.

Aircraft Flight Navigation

INS delivers precise navigation and attitude data for commercial and military aircraft, supporting flight control, route guidance, and mission continuity during signal loss.

Marine & Subsea Routing

Dependable navigation for ships, submarines, and underwater vehicles operating where GNSS signals are weak, unavailable, or completely inaccessible.

Missile & Defense Guidance

With a robust INS, there is continuous positioning and orientation data for missiles and defense platforms, ensuring accurate targeting and trajectory control during high-speed operations.

Spacecraft Navigation & Guidance

INS provides precise positioning, orientation, and trajectory data for launch vehicles, satellites, and spacecraft, supporting reliable guidance and control throughout demanding space missions.

  1. NAVPULSE
    NAVPULSE
    • Capacidades modulares de PNT (Posicionamiento, Navegación y Cronometraje)
    • Gestión de sensores de navegación en tiempo real
    • Robustez y resiliencia del hardware para afrontar intervenciones de alta intensidad
  2. VersaPNT
    • Navegación inercial y sincronización asistidas por GNSS
    • Fuente de tiempo y frecuencia GNSS con servidor de tiempo NTP/PTP
    • Base de tiempo interna de alto rendimiento y sensor inercial para gestionar posibles pérdidas de señal GNSS
  3. Sistema de Navegación Inercial Geonyx™
    • Sistema Inercial y de Dirección de Tiro para Artillería
    • Precisión de puntería: < 0,5 milésimas en altas latitudes
    • Detección automática de interferencias, suplantación y señuelos de señal GNSS
  4. Geonyx™ M
    Geonyx™ M
    • Fiabilidad HRG Crystal™ de 1.000.000 h
    • Funciona en condiciones extremas
    • Versátil, compacto y modular
  5. NAVKITE
    • Solución de navegación totalmente integrada y autónoma
    • Tecnologías GEONYX y VersaSync
    • Sistema de distribución de datos de navegación
  6. Unidad de Navegación Inercial EPSILON™
    • Unidad de Navegación Inercial Terrestre<br>
    • Inmune a interferencias magnéticas
    • Proporciona posición y rumbo en entornos sin GNSS
  7. Sistema de Navegación Inercial SkyNaute™
    • Sistema de referencia inercial de última generación para aeronaves militares y comerciales
    • SWaP optimizado
    • Alta precisión e integridad
  8. Sistema de Navegación Inercial BlueNaute®
    • Brújula Giroscópica y Sistema de Referencia de Actitud y Rumbo
    • 200 000 h MTBF
    • Certificado por la Organización Marítima Internacional (IMO)
  9. Sistema de Navegación Inercial Black-Onyx™
    • Sistema de Navegación Inercial de Doble Núcleo
    • Inmune al estrés magnético
    • Funcionamiento totalmente silencioso
  10. Sistema de Navegación Inercial Argonyx™
    • Localización precisa y autónoma en entornos sin cobertura GNSS
    • Funcionamiento fiable en entornos hostiles
  11. Sigma 95 – Unidad de Navegación Inercial
    • Sistema de navegación inercial e híbrido
    • Capacidades de alineación optimizadas
    • Alta precisión y rendimiento
  12. BlackNaute™
    BlackNaute™
    • Sincronización de precisión mediante reloj atómico
    • Resistencia en entornos degradados GNSS
    • Vida útil ilimitada del HRG

Industry

Sistemas de referencia inercial INS basados en HRG

Safran’s HRG (Hemispherical Resonator Gyro) Crystal™ is a high-performance, solid-state navigation sensor used to measure rotation in aircraft, ships, and vehicles. Known for its extreme reliability, it has no moving parts and boasts over 15 million operating hours in military applications, offering an alternative to traditional navigation systems.

Un sistema de navegación inercial (INS) es un navegador de alta tecnología que utiliza sensores de movimiento y rotación junto con un ordenador. Ayuda a determinar la ubicación, el desplazamiento y la velocidad de un objeto. La navegación por estima, un método del INS para conocer el posicionamiento, calcula la posición y orientación de un objeto basándose en su ubicación inicial. Gracias a ello, las personas en aviones, submarinos o naves espaciales pueden guiarse y mantener el seguimiento de su ubicación sin necesidad de señales GPS. Los sistemas INS de Safran incorporan tecnología de altas prestaciones y gran precisión para garantizar que esté preparado ante cualquier situación, incluida la opción opcional NavWar para combatir la saturación, la suplantación y la interferencia por señales engañosas.

Have specific questions about an INS or need expert advice?

If you have a question about inertial measurement systems or would like a quote, contact us today.