In inertial navigation, elevation refers to the height or vertical angle of an object relative to a reference point, such as sea level, the Earth’s surface, or a local reference plane. Elevation is essential for accurate positioning and trajectory tracking, especially in aircraft, missiles, submarines, and autonomous vehicles.
Types of Elevation in INS/GNSS Systems
Geodetic Elevation – Measured relative to the Earth’s reference ellipsoid (used in GNSS-based navigation).
Orthometric Elevation (Altitude) – Measured relative to mean sea level (MSL), commonly used in aviation.
Relative Elevation – Measured relative to a local reference point, such as an aircraft carrier or battlefield.
How Elevation is Used in INS?
✔ Determining Aircraft or Vehicle Altitude – Used in flight control, guided weapons, and autonomous navigation.
✔ Assisting Terrain Navigation – Helps INS and GNSS fusion systems maintain altitude accuracy.
✔ Aiding Landing and Takeoff Operations – Used in aircraft autopilot and precision landing systems.
INS Elevation Challenges & Solutions
✔ Drift Over Time – INS alone accumulates altitude errors without GNSS or barometric altimeter corrections.
✔ Multi-Sensor Fusion – INS integrates GNSS, barometers, and LiDAR to maintain accurate elevation data.
✔ Kalman Filtering – Helps minimize elevation drift by optimizing sensor data fusion.
