Strapdown inertial navigation algorithm design by using Lie group

This paper presents the strapdown inertial navigation algorithm design by using the matrix Lie group SE(3) and its Lie algebra se(3). The direction cosine matrix and translation of the vehicle are described by a group element as a 4×4 matrix. The navigation differential equations are given by three group rate equations of the same form. By taking the identity of the exponential map, the group equations are pulled back to the linear Lie algebra space. A new numerical integration is developed to solve the equations in Lie algebra, and then map them to update the group elements. The overall process is taking a geometric description, avoiding the complicate analysis of kinematics. A variety of simulations are conducted, the results show that the new algorithm improves the accuracy.