We are proud to introduce the world’s first MEMS-based north seeking IMU, capable of operating without GNSS aiding—a breakthrough in MEMS technology. This leap forward paves the way for future products, including AHRS and INS solutions, to further expand the possibilities of MEMS-based navigation. This innovation marks a major milestone in inertial navigation by bringing the benefits of MEMS sensors to the world of high-performance navigation and orientation.
Unprecedented performance & innovation
Our MEMS-based IMU delivers unmatched precision with heading accuracy better than 1° in secant latitude without GNSS aiding. Integrated with our advanced algorithms, it achieves INS heading accuracy better than 0.1° when fused with GNSS using our state-of-the-art navigation and orientation algorithms.
This MEMS-based gyrocompass has no moving parts, eliminating carouseling and ensuring durability and reliability in all environments.
Key benefits of SBG Systems’ MEMS-based Gyrocompassing IMU include:
- Unmatched SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) Optimization: miniature form factor (52 x 52 x 36 mm, <150g) with low power consumption (2W), making it the most compact and efficient solution in its category.
- Volume ready: designed for high-volume production, enabling broad adoption across industries and competitive pricing.
- Robustness: no moving parts, ensuring long-term reliability even in the most demanding conditions.
- ITAR-free: for unrestricted global deployment.
Revolutionary gyrocompass alignment algorithms
SBG Systems has developed cutting-edge algorithms that leverage on the IMU performance:
- Pure North-finding algorithm: capable of rapid initialization in both static and dynamic conditions in down to one minute.
- Advanced INS algorithm: takes full advantage of gyroscope performance, to provide exceptional single-antenna heading accuracy even in non-dynamic scenarios.
This breakthrough sets the stage for a new generation of MEMS-based navigation solutions, with the first off-the-shelf products expected to hit the market in early 2026. This has been a long-term goal since the incorporation of SBG in 2007, this is now time to put it in the hands of our partners!
said Thibault Bonnevie, CEO of SBG Systems.
Target markets
Our solution caters to demanding industries that require precise navigation and positioning. From subsea exploration to geospatial and marine surveying.
- Subsea applications: ideal for Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) requiring precise navigation in extreme environments.
- Geospatial & marine surveying: enables high-performance single-antenna marine surveys with unparalleled accuracy, making it the perfect choice for hydrography, dredging, and offshore operations.
Be the first to be informed
By completing this short questionnaire about our new MEMS-based gyrocompass, you’ll be among the very first to be informed when the product is unveiled. Your feedback plays an important role in shaping the final product, and we greatly appreciate your insights. We can’t wait to show you what’s coming!
Do you have questions?
Welcome to our FAQ section, where we address your most pressing questions about our cutting-edge technology and its applications. Here, you’ll find comprehensive answers regarding product features, installation processes, and best practices to maximize your experience with our products.
Gyrocompassing
What is the definition of gyrocompassing?
Gyrocompassing is the process of determining true north by measuring the Earth’s rotation with high-performance gyroscopes, without relying on external references such as GNSS or magnetic compasses.
A gyrocompassing system (gyrocompass) estimates the orientation of an inertial navigation system (INS) by detecting the Earth’s rotation vector, which has an angular rate of approximately 15.041°/h (7.292115 × 10⁻⁵ rad/s). Because the Earth’s rotation projects differently depending on latitude, the system can compute the direction of geographic (true) north after compensating for gravity and sensor biases.
The accuracy of gyrocompassing depends primarily on:
- Gyroscope bias instability and angle random walk (ARW).
- Accelerometer performance for accurate gravity estimation.
- Latitude, since the horizontal component of Earth’s rotation decreases toward the equator.
- The duration of the alignment process, allowing sensor noise to average out.
- Environmental conditions such as vibration and platform motion.
Unlike a magnetic compass, gyrocompassing provides a heading referenced to true north, making it immune to magnetic disturbances. It is widely used in marine navigation, land surveying, defense systems, autonomous vehicles, and aerospace applications, where accurate heading initialization is required before navigation begins.
For high-performance fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) and MEMS-based INS, gyrocompassing can typically achieve heading accuracies ranging from a few tenths of a degree to a few hundredths of a degree under favorable static conditions, depending on sensor grade and alignment time.
What is the definition of swap-c ?
What is the definition of swap-c ?
SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power, and Cost) is a systems engineering concept that describes the key physical and economic constraints that influence the design and selection of electronic systems. It refers to minimizing a system’s size, weight, power consumption, and cost while maintaining the required level of performance, reliability, and functionality.
In the field of inertial navigation, SWaP-C is a critical design objective because many applications—including UAVs, autonomous vehicles, guided munitions, robotics, marine systems, and wearable platforms—have limited space, strict payload capacities, constrained power budgets, and cost targets. Reducing any one of these parameters often requires engineering trade-offs. For example, decreasing sensor size may increase noise, lowering power consumption may reduce processing capability, and reducing cost may affect sensor accuracy or environmental robustness.
Modern MEMS IMUs, AHRSs, and INSs are increasingly optimized for SWaP-C through advances in MEMS fabrication, electronics integration, embedded processing, and packaging. These innovations enable tactical- and navigation-grade performance in compact, lightweight devices with low power consumption, making high-performance inertial navigation accessible to a broader range of applications.
