5. Gyrometers

Inertial guidance and stabilization are two fundamental functions in the autonomous control of mobile systems. The trajectory and orientation in space of a mobile system can be calculated from rotational velocity and acceleration measurements, without any direct external reference (other than initial position and velocity). In inertial navigation, the speed of rotation of an object, relative to an observation frame of reference, is measured from a signal proportional to this speed of rotation, delivered by an inertial sensor called a gyrometer. The most widely used gyrometers today - spinning top gyrometers (the oldest) and optical gyrometers (laser gyrometers) - meet the essential requirements of navigation devices (aircraft, rockets, etc.). However, new techniques are being sought and have been the subject of numerous studies over the last few decades, with a view to improving reliability,...