In inertial navigation, a destination refers to the final target location that a vehicle, aircraft, or vessel is navigating toward. Since an Inertial Navigation System (INS) determines position based on dead reckoning (acceleration and angular velocity integration) rather than external references like GPS, the system must continuously update its estimated position relative to the destination.
How Destination is Used in Inertial Navigation
Predefined Target – The destination is set in mission planning software or manually entered.
INS Position Updates – The INS continuously estimates the current position relative to the destination.
Error Correction – If GPS or other external aids are available, the system corrects drift and adjusts the path toward the destination.
Challenges of INS in Reaching a Destination
Position Drift – Over long distances, INS accumulates errors, causing deviation from the intended destination.
No External Corrections – Without GNSS, terrain matching, or other sensors, INS may lose accuracy over time.
How to Improve INS Navigation to a Destination
GNSS-Assisted Navigation – Using periodic GPS updates corrects INS drift and ensures accurate arrival at the destination.
Multi-Sensor Fusion – Combining INS with odometry, barometers, cameras, or LiDAR improves final position accuracy.
Kalman Filtering – Advanced sensor fusion algorithms minimize drift and improve trajectory estimation.
