Video-aided GPS/INS Positioning and Attitude Determination

NAVSYS have developed a GPS/inertial/video integrated system, the GI-Eye that is designed to provide precision 3-D mapping and modeling data. For both military and commercial applications, there is a need to have a robust method of continuing operation during periods of GPS drop-outs. When the GPS satellite signals are denied, either through intentional jamming or by natural conditions such as urban or terrain masking, the positioning and attitude performance will rapidly degrade due to error growth in the un-aided inertial solution. NAVSYS have developed a video-update technique for the integrated GPS/inertial/video sensor that allows precise positioning and attitude information to be maintained, even during periods of extended GPS dropouts. This relies on information extracted from the video images of reference points and features to continue to update the inertial navigation solution. In this paper, the principles of the video-update method aredescribed.