Pointing grade fiber optic gyroscope

Fiber optic gyroscopes (FOG) are solid-state rotation sensors that are appropriate for a wide variety of applications. In addition to becoming competitive with ring laser gyroscopes on new programs, FOGs are being manufactured to replace spinning wheel gyro technology in existing programs. The FOG brings with it the advantages of long life, high reliability, input axis stability, and low acceleration sensitivity. The AlliedSignal pointing grade fiber gyroscope was designed to replace a high-performance mechanical gyroscope currently made by AlliedSignal. Detailed passive thermal design, gyro assembly techniques, methods for rejecting light source intensity noise, and light source wavelength control are critical features that have been developed to produce a FOG with low noise, stable bias, and a stable and linear scale factor. Results of performance tests and error models indicate that these gyros have a capability for random walk of 0.0002 degrees/√hour and bias stability of 0.001 degrees/hour