IMU – Inertial Measurement Unit

SBG Systems offers a wide line of IMU / INS, whether your applications requirements are size or performance.

What is an Inertial Measurement Unit - IMU ?

An Inertial Measurement Unit, also known as IMU, is an electronic device that measures and reports acceleration, orientation, angular rates, and other gravitational forces. It is composed of 3 accelerometers, 3 gyroscopes, and depending on the heading requirement – 3 magnetometers. That is to say, one per axis for each of the three vehicle axes: roll, pitch, and yaw.

There are different types of IMU sensors: the one based on FOG (Fiber Optic Gyroscope), the RLG IMUs (Ring Laser Gyroscope), and lastly, IMU based on MEMS technology (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems). This technology allows lower costs and low power requirements while ensuring performance. MEMS-based systems therefore combine high performance and ultra-low power in a smaller unit.

Raw data are outputted at 1KHz for demanding real-time applications.

Ellipse Micro

Smallest & Economical IMU, AHRS, INS

Ellipse 2 Micro IMU is an ultra small-sized Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). It embeds 3 gyroscopes, 3 accelerometers, 3 magnetometers, and a temperature sensor. This IMU is extensively calibrated from -40 to 85°C.

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Roll/Pitch: 0.1°
Heading: Magnetic or GNSS
Position: With External GNSS

Ellipse Series

Most Advanced Miniature IMU, AHRS, INS/GNSS

Ellipse2-A is a cost-effective high performance Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS). Factory calibrated from -40 to 85°C, this robust inertial motion sensor provides Roll, Pitch, Heading, and Heave data.

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Roll/Pitch: 0.1°
Heading: Magnetic or GNSS
Position: Meter or Centimeter-level

Ekinox Series

Advanced & Compact Inertial Systems

Ekinox Series is a product range of high accuracy inertial systems designed to bring robust, maintenance free, and cost-effective MEMS to the tactical grade. The Ekinox-E also accepts aiding data from an external GNSS receiver and external aiding systems, including a DVL.

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Roll/Pitch: 0.02° (RTK)
Heading: GNSS based
Position: Centimeter-level

Apogee Series

The Highest Accuracy INS/GNSS & MRU

Apogee-D is an all-in-one INS/GNSS which embeds an RTK and PPP ready GNSS receiver for applications where space is critical but high performance required. This highly versatile MEMS-based Inertial Navigation System comes with one or two antennas.

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Roll/Pitch: 0.008° (RTK)
Heading: GNSS based
Position: Centimeter-level

Ellipse MicroSmallest & Economical IMU, AHRS, INS

Ellipse Micro

Smallest & Economical IMU, AHRS, INS

Roll/Pitch: 0.1°
Heading: Magnetic or GNSS
Position: With External GNSS

DISCOVER THE ELLIPSE MICRO SENSORS ››

Ellipse SeriesMost Advanced Miniature IMU, AHRS, INS/GNSS

Ellipse Series

Most Advanced Miniature IMU, AHRS, INS/GNSS

Roll/Pitch: 0.1°
Heading: Magnetic or GNSS
Position: Meter or Centimeter-level

DISCOVER ALL ELLIPSE SENSORS ››

Ekinox SeriesAdvanced & Compact Inertial Systems

Ekinox Series

Advanced & Compact Inertial Systems

Roll/Pitch: 0.02° (RTK)
Heading: GNSS based
Position: Centimeter-level

DISCOVER THE EKINOX SERIES ››

Apogee SeriesThe Highest Accuracy INS/GNSS & MRU

Apogee Series

The Highest Accuracy INS/GNSS & MRU

Roll/Pitch: 0.008° (RTK)
Heading: GNSS based
Position: Centimeter-level

DISCOVER THE APOGEE SOLUTION ››

What Difference between an IMU, an AHRS, and an Inertial Navigation System?

An IMU combines gyroscopes and accelerometers. An Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), also called a motion unit, adds a central processing unit (CPU) that embeds the Extended Kalman Filter to calculate attitude with heading relative to magnetic north.

Inertial Navigation Systems are composed of an IMU and additionally embed a GPS/GNSS receiver. An INS fuses inertial, navigation, and aiding data (odometer, DVL, etc.) thanks to the Extended Kalman Filter. This GNSS and IMU sensor fusion provides roll, pitch, heading, position, and velocity.

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Inertial Measurement Unit Market

Depending on the grade of the IMU sensor, main applications include control and stabilization, navigation and correction, or measurement and testing. However, typical measurement unit markets are unmanned systems control, mobile mapping applications whether they are land, air, or marine and all payload requiring stabilization or pointing.

Because of their good performance/size ratio, MEMS IMUs are ideal for all unmanned markets, whether they concern unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), or unmanned marine vehicles (UMV). Tactical and Navigation grade IMUs, on the other hand, is one of the main components of the INS/GNSS used in aircraft or ships, as well as missiles and even satellites.

UGV

UAV

AUV

Mobile Mapping

Antenna Pointing & SATCOM OTM

Gimbal Camera

Resources

User's stories
Documentation

Autonomous Robot Challenge

The amazing VIKINGS team’s robot autonomous navigation relies on several sensors: odometry prediction, fused with Ellipse-A inertial sensor information, then c

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Mapping under Bridges

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