I’m exploring the possibility of implementing non-GPS navigation on a multirotor drone using only the IMU sensors, without relying on any external sensors (such as GPS, optical flow, or rangefinders).
Is it feasible to achieve accurate navigation and positioning solely with the onboard INS sensors? If so, what are the key steps and methodologies involved in setting this up?
I’d appreciate any insights, experiences, or guidance on how to accomplish this, including potential challenges and limitations to be aware of.
Buy a 10k$ IMU, and use it with a 100k$ autopilot and it will work, at least for some time.
Generally speaking, IMU gives you accelerations on all axes, if you want speed or position you need to math integration. that means you are building up errors. So without another sensor that give you a true data, your IMU need to have very low error. And only expensives one’s will have this.
Don’t sell Ardupilot short. EKF3 is good piece of code, I would put more money into IMU as navigation grade IMUs are dual use or controlled items and even without that extra paperwork aerospace equipment is expensive.
You can though I wouldn’t count on doing any landings or terrain following.
In industrial settings without GNSS settings I would recommend using companion computer that uses markers to update position