VectorNav Unveils Updates to VN-300 GPS/INS at AUVSI Show

VectorNav Technologies has released a surface mount version of its VN-300 dual-antenna GPS-aided inertial navigation system (GPS/INS). It will be on display at booth 942 at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems show, held May 5-7 in Atlanta.

Surface Mount Device

The VN-300 surface mount device (SMD) is a miniature MEMS-based inertial navigation module that includes both inertial navigation and GPS-compassing capabilities, which together provide high-accuracy position and velocity in both stationary and moving conditions. With the release of the surface mount version, VectorNav is also announcing the addition of GNSS capability to the full VN-300 product line. The VN-300 SMD completes VectorNav’s line of industrial grade inertial sensors, joining the VN-100 IMU/AHRS and VN-200 GPS/INS surface mount and Rugged modules.

Incorporating the latest MEMS sensor technology, the VN-300 combines 3-axis accelerometers, 3-axis gyros, 3-axis magnetometers, a barometric pressure sensor, two GPS receivers, and a low-power microprocessor into a rugged aluminum enclosure about the size of a matchbox. When in motion, the VN-300 couples the position and velocity measurements from the onboard GPS receivers with measurements from the onboard inertial sensors to provide position, velocity, and attitude estimates of higher accuracies and with better dynamic performance than a standalone GPS receiver or Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS).

With the release of the surface mount version of the VN-300 the company says its own Rugged is surpassed as the smallest and lightest dual-antenna GPS/INS on the market. The surface mount VN-300 shares the same footprint and form factor with VectorNav’s surface mount VN-100 IMU/AHRS and VN-200 GPS/INS.

“The VN-300 surface mount chip is an achievement that combines the best of our expertise in inertial navigation algorithms and our innovative approach to miniaturizing embedded navigation sensors. There simply is no other product like it on the market,” said ohn Brashear, VectorNav’s president. “The VN-300 SMD completes our Industrial Series of inertial navigation sensors and paves the way for the expansion of our product lines into new markets and applications.”

The VN-300 is ideal for industrial and military applications that are size, weight, power and cost (SWAP-C) constrained, or that require an inertial navigation solution under both static and dynamic operating conditions, especially in environments with unreliable magnetic heading such as fixed-wing and multirotor UAVs, aerostats and other tethered UAVs, gimbaled camera systems onboard helicopters and multirotors, antenna systems onboard ground vehicles and marine vessels, weapons training and warfare simulation, and direct surveying.

New GNSS Capability

With the release of the surface mount version, VectorNav is also announcing the addition of GNSS capability to the full VN-300 product line.

The addition of GNSS capability now enables the VN-300 product line to include measurements from satellites in the GLONASS constellation in addition to GPS. These additional measurements provide greater tracking reliability and improved VN-300 performance in urban canyons and reduced visibility conditions.

Firmware Update

VectorNav is also announcing the release of a new firmware update for the VN-300 that improves the overall accuracy and time to acquisition of the GPS-compass feature. The new firmware also includes logic that enables the VN-300 to intelligently and seamlessly transition between magnetic heading (AHRS) mode, to INS operation in dynamic conditions and GPS-compass in static conditions, without requiring input from the user.