An initial alignment method for strapdown gyrocompass based on gravitational apparent motion in inertial frame

Abstract Inspired by the alignment mechanism of Octans, an initial alignment method for strapdown gyrocompass is designed based on gravitational apparent motion in inertial frame. In this method, the gyro outputs are used to trace the body frame and the measurement from accelerometers are projected to the inertial frame to form the track of gravitational apparent motion. According to the calculations on the vectors involved in this track, the attitude matrix between the inertial frame and navigation frame can be obtained and further alignment can be finished. In order to identify the true gravitational apparent motion from the accelerometer measurement containing random noise as well as to avoid the collinear of vectors in vector operation, a reconstruction algorithm concerning parameter identification and reconstruction of apparent motion is devised and simulated. Simulation and turntable test show that the proposed alignment method can realize self-alignment in a swinging condition. The alignment accuracy is able to reach the theoretical one determined by sensor errors and no external information is needed.