Analysis and calibration of the gyro bias caused by geomagnetic field in a dual-axis rotational inertial navigation system

A rotational inertial navigation system (RINS) has been wildly used in long term marine navigation. In a dual-axis RINS, with all constant biases averaged out, the errors which can not be averaged out become the main error source. In this paper, the gyro geomagnetic biases of a dual-axis RINS are modelled, analysed and calibrated. The gyro geomagnetic biases are proved unable to be averaged out, but can be modulated to be a constant value in the navigation frame. A slope error term of longitude error is found to be caused by gyro geomagnetic biases in north and upward directions, which increases linearly with time and is remarkable in long term navigation. Thus, a calibration method based on least square regression is proposed to compensate the slope error term. Laboratory and sailing experimental results show that the divergence speed of longitude error can be effectively slowed down by the compensation of gyro geomagnetic biases. In long term independent navigation, the position accuracy of dual-axis RINS is improved about 50% by the calibration method proposed in this paper.