Geometrical Compensation
Inertial navigation sensors calculate angular rates through sets of accelerometers mounted in a configuration where non-orthogonal sensitive axes create inherent measurement errors. The coning correction algorithm removes specific periodic velocity fluctuations that occur during high-frequency vibration or rapid platform rotation. Without this mathematical adjustment, the system experiences a steady drift in computed attitude because it mistakes cyclic oscillations for true directional change.
The process integrates high-rate angular data to solve the circular motion equations that define the physical displacement.
Computational Requirement
Modern navigation hardware executes these recursive calculations at several hundred hertz to maintain navigation fidelity. Digital signal processors compute the cross product of the angular velocity vectors over each sampling interval. High-speed sampling avoids the aliasing of input vibrations into the navigation solution.
Algorithmic Accuracy
Sensor performance depends on the synchronization of input channels during the sampling phase. Precise timing between the accelerometer outputs prevents the introduction of artificial velocity offsets within the rotation loop. Deviations in the sampling rate create phase delays that undermine the rejection of these systematic artifacts.
Systemic Limitation
Mechanical resonance frequencies of the sensor mount limit the effectiveness of numerical mitigation techniques. The correction relies on the assumption that the rotation axes intersect at a single point in the sensor frame. Variations in sensor mounting locations introduce errors that the algorithm cannot remove solely through mathematical compensation.
