INS
Inertial Navigation System (INS) is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors (gyroscopes) and occasionally magnetic sensors (magnetometers) to continuously calculate by dead reckoning the position, the orientation, and the velocity (direction and speed of movement) of a moving object without the need for external references. It is used on vehicles such as ships, aircraft, submarines, guided missiles, and spacecraft. In aerospace engineering, INS is crucial for the guidance, navigation, and control of aircraft and spacecraft, providing accurate and reliable information even in the absence of GPS signals. The system is self-contained and provides real-time, three-dimensional positioning, velocity, and attitude (orientation) information. However, INS is subject to 'drift' errors, which accumulate over time, and thus the system often needs to be supplemented by other navigation aids.
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