Fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) has been a low-cost substitute for other technologies such as ring laser gyroscope (RLG). Now, the technology is facing new competition. Micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope began to grab the market share of traditional FOG applications. Specifically, antenna array stabilization, agricultural machinery control, and conventional vehicle navigation become the battleground between MEMS and FOG.
FOG and MEMS are very close, especially now that MEMS's performance is approaching the level of FOG tactical performance. FOG still has an advantage in performance, but its cost is 10 times higher than that of MEMS. If GNSS can be used and the purpose of the application is to operate in an open sky environment, MEMS can replace some low-end FOG. If the purpose of the application is to use in a bad GNSS environment, MEMS can also replace some FOG systems, but the performance should be 20% to 30% lower.
In terms of independent INS performance, FOG still has the advantage, but if the application can receive vehicle or platform speed updates, the MEMS system can reach the same level as the independent FOG system. With the continuous progress of MEMS technology and the assistance of other sensors (such as OBDII), MEMS will replace FOG technology in the near future.