Sensor fusion and transfer alignment concept for pointing stabilization

Sensors for pointing stabilization (i.e. for radars, cameras, binoculars, etc) need high accuracy azimuth and attitude references in order to accurately designate the target in operation. Generally speaking high accuracy means bulky and heavy systems, implemented as solid state gyrocompass and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), that could not be use in so-called man-portable applications or in sensors and actuators that requires small and lightweight reference systems. The proposed device is a small and lightweight AHRS (Attitude Heading Reference Systems) based on compact MEMS (Micro Electrical Mechanical System) sensors coupled with a high performance Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG) gyrocompass. Sensors key parameters are fused together in order to have a transfer alignment from the high performance and bulky system (Master) to the lightweight and small device (Slave). Performance of the transfer alignment process is presented in applications like pointing for man-portable applications. The same concept can be extended to other sensors stabilization applications like Phased Array Radar beam forming stabilization.