Development of INS/GNSS UAV-Borne Vector Gravimetry System

An airborne gravimetry system consisting of an inertial navigation system (INS) and a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) has been proven to perform well in gravity observation. The system is also more cost- or time-effective than satellite missions and terrestrial gravimeters. In this letter, an unmanned aerial vehicle has been developed as a platform to carry the INS/GNSS vector gravimetry system using an unmanned helicopter. In addition to the kinematic mode, the unmanned helicopter can perform the zero velocity update (ZUPT) mode, which is a novel method in the acquisition of gravity. Results show that the accuracies of the horizontal and vertical gravity disturbance from the kinematic mode at crossover points are approximately 6–11 and 4 mGal, respectively, with a 0.5-km resolution. The accuracy of the repeatability in ZUPT mode is evaluated with the accuracies of approximately 2–3 mGal.