The strapdown inertial navigation system is developed upon the platform inertial navigation system of a frame system, mainly composed of gyroscope, accelerometer and computer system. Compared with platform inertial navigation system, the strapdown inertial navigation system is no longer require a lot of mechanical and electronic platform, as long as a small chip is enough to "control" all the attitude data. It is all kinds of craft into empty "beacon" of the day. Therefore, considering the strapdown inertial navigation is so important on the military, only it is paid attention to by the military power in the world.
In the early 1950 s, the strapdown inertial navigation system has been in the United States access to technology patents, and in the subsequent "Apollo program". In the 1970 s, a large number of new technologies such as laser gyro device, the advent of the strapdown inertial navigation system to get fast development. Since the 1980 s, the space shuttle, spacecraft, satellite, and various types of missile, aircraft and warships are starting to upgrade the strapdown inertial navigation system, the current U.S. military model of strapdown inertial navigation system is close to 90%.
In recent years, with further upgrade of MEMS technology, the strapdown inertial navigation system is developing towards high precision, miniaturization and digitization. In March 2016, America's defence advanced research projects agency (darpa), micro system technology office began to research a new generation of inertial measurement unit. In addition, the United States still carry out a number of navigation technology research program, the goal is to make military facilities and operations personnel to get rid of the dependence on satellite navigation systems, using the integration on the microchip gyroscope, accelerometer and atomic clocks can get timing positioning navigation.
In the future, as the aerospace technology, new inertial navigation device and microcomputer technology unceasing development and breakthrough, the structure of the strapdown inertial navigation system is more simple, the reliability and accuracy will be higher.