Memsense Develops High-Performance IMUs for Unmanned Systems

Published: 28 May 2018

Memsense, a leading developer of MEMS-based IMUs (Inertial Measurement Units) for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and other robotic platforms, has partnered with Unmanned Systems Technology (“UST”) to demonstrate their expertise in this field. The ‘Gold’ profile highlights how their inertial devices and measurement systems can be used for navigation and control, and stabilization of antenna and weapons platforms on unmanned vehicles.

The MS-IMU3020 is Memsense’s leading price-to-performance ratio miniature low-drift IMU, with fully tested triaxial gyros, accelerometers and magnetometers that are calibrated over the full operational temperature range.

The system delivers gyro bias stability of 1 degree per hour and accelerometer bias stability of 15 μg, and weighs in at 20 grams in a 1.1×1.1×0.4 inch form factor. It is highly configurable, allowing users to fine-tune bandwidth, sample rate, gyro ranges and other parameters, and is ideal for unmanned aircraft applications, such as navigation, control, and stabilization of cameras and other payloads.

The MS-IMU3030 is an ultra-compact IMU that delivers unmatched low drift performance and robust operation. With a gyro bias stability of 0.55 degrees per hour and acceleration bias stability of 3μg, it can handle a variety of demanding and precise unmanned systems applications, such as inspection, navigation and stabilization.

In addition to other configurable parameters, the MS-IMU3030 features a 40g dynamic range option thanks to its highly flexible auxiliary accelerometer. With a light weight of 25 grams and a low power draw of 1.35 watts, it is also ideal for SWaP-conscious unmanned platforms.

The MS-IMU3050 is Memsense’s highest-performance MEMS Inertial Measurement Unit. Leveraging fully-tested and calibrated triaxial sensors, and advanced algorithms and sensor architectures, it delivers a gyro bias stability of 0.3 degrees per hour and an accelerometer bias stability of less than 3 μg. It is a more compact, lower power, and cost-effective alternative to Fiber Optic Gyro (FOG) based IMUs and other high performance MEMS units.

Featuring a wide range of configurable options, the MS-IMU3050 is designed to provide the highest level of inertial performance to unmanned vehicles and robotic platforms.

In addition to off-the-shelf IMUs, Memsense also offer custom-engineered solutions for specialized application requirements, such as unusual form factors, high angular rate and acceleration measurement, and operation in harsh environments including extremes of shock, vibration and temperature. Their in-house state-of-the-art engineering and test facilities allow creation and fine-tuning of custom inertial systems to exact specifications with a rapid turn-around time.

To find out more about Memsense and their inertial measurement solutions for unmanned systems, please visit their profile page:
http://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/company/memsense/

Posted by Mike Ball Mike is our resident technical editor here at Unmanned Systems Technology. Combining his passions for teaching, advanced engineering and all things unmanned, Mike keeps a watchful eye over everything related to the unmanned technical sector. With over 10 years’ experience in the unmanned field and a degree in engineering, Mike’s been heading up our technical team here for the last 8 years.