Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS)
Beginning in 2001, Inertial Labs began manufacturing its MEMS-based, IP-67 sealed, MIL-STD-810G qualified, multiple interfaces and COM ports Attitude and Heading Reference System in response to the need for an inclusive and price competitive Antenna Pointing, Aiming, and Stabilizing applications. Each INS contains an Inertial Labs-developed tactical or industrial-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) and an Inertial Labs-manufactured high-precision Fluxgate magnetometer.
The Inertial Labs team of skilled engineers provides expertise to help users select and configure from the models available: AHRS-10B, AHRS-10P, AHRS-II-P, and OptoAHRS-II. Our support team helps set up units for all application bases to satisfy GNSS-enabled and GNSS-denied environments.
AHRS Models
| MODEL |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| AHRS-10B | AHRS-10P | AHRS-II-P | miniAHRS | OptoAHRS-II | |
| Basic Attitude and Heading Reference System | Professional Attitude and Heading Reference System | High Performance Attitude and Heading Reference System | Miniature Attitude and Heading Reference System | Optical Attitude and Heading Reference System | |
| Heading Accuracy | 0.3° static / 0.6º dynamic | 0.3° static / 0.6º dynamic | 0.3° static / 0.6º dynamic | 0.3° static / 0.6º dynamic | <0.2° static |
| Pitch & Roll Accuracy | 0.05° static / 0.08º dynamic | 0.03° static / 0.05º dynamic | 0.05° static / 0.08º dynamic | 0.05° static / 0.08º dynamic | 0.08° static |
| Gyroscopes | 2º/hr Bias in-run stability | 1º/hr Bias in-run stability | 1º/hr Bias in-run stability | 2º/hr Bias in-run stability | - |
| Accelerometers | 0.005mg Bias in-run stability | 0.005mg Bias in-run stability | 0.005mg Bias in-run stability | 0.01mg Bias in-run stability | - |
| IMU | - | - | - | - | MEMS, Tactical-grade (1º/hr) |
| Camera Type | - | - | - | - | Single or Dual Day/Night (Infrared) |
| Magnetometer | Embedded Fluxgate Magnetic Compass | Embedded Fluxgate Magnetic Compass | Embedded Fluxgate Magnetic Compass | Embedded Fluxgate Magnetic Compass | Embedded Fluxgate Magnetic Compass |
| Size (mm) | 90 × 27 × 26 | 90 × 27 × 26 | 120 x 50 x 53 | 53 × 19 × 13 | 172.2 × 80.5 × 55 |
| Weight (gram) | 77 | 84 | 280 | 20 | 784 |
| Applications | Industrial Platform Stabilization; Industrial Pointing; Rapidly Rotating Platform | Tactical Pointing & Stabilization; Tactical-Grade Magnetic and True North Finding | Dynamic Motion Control; Navigation Aiding/Filtering Solution | Fire Control for Low Caliber Artillery; UAV | Antenna Pointing; Simulation & Training of Indirect Fire Control |
| Model | AHRS-10B | AHRS-10P | AHRS-II-P | miniAHRS | OptoAHRS-II |
| Datasheet, PDF |
| MODEL |
|
|
|
|
|
| AHRS-10B | AHRS-10P | AHRS-II-P | miniAHRS | Opto AHRS-II | |
| Basic Attitude and Heading Reference System | Professional Attitude and Heading Reference System | High Performance Attitude and Heading Reference System | Miniature Attitude and Heading Reference System | Optical Attitude and Heading Reference System | |
| Heading Accuracy | 0.3° static / 0.6º dynamic | 0.3° static / 0.6º dynamic | 0.3° static / 0.6º dynamic | 0.3° static / 0.6º dynamic | <0.2° static |
| Pitch & Roll Accuracy | 0.05° static / 0.08º dynamic | 0.03° static / 0.05º dynamic | 0.05° static / 0.08º dynamic | 0.05° static / 0.08º dynamic | 0.08° static |
| Gyroscopes | 2º/hr Bias in-run stability | 1º/hr Bias in-run stability | 1º/hr Bias in-run stability | 2º/hr Bias in-run stability | - |
| Accelerometers | 0.005mg Bias in-run stability | 0.005mg Bias in-run stability | 0.005mg Bias in-run stability | 0.01mg Bias in-run stability | - |
| IMU | - | - | - | - | MEMS, Tactical-grade (1º/hr) |
| Camera Type | - | - | - | - | Single or Dual Day/Night (Infrared) |
| Magnetometer | Embedded Fluxgate Magnetic Compass | Embedded Fluxgate Magnetic Compass | Embedded Fluxgate Magnetic Compass | Embedded Fluxgate Magnetic Compass | Embedded Fluxgate Magnetic Compass |
| Size (mm) | 90 × 27 × 26 | 90 × 27 × 26 | 120 x 50 x 53 | 53 × 19 × 13 | 172.2 × 80.5 × 55 |
| Weight (gram) | 77 | 84 | 280 | 20 | 784 |
| Applications | Industrial Platform Stabilization; Industrial Pointing; Rapidly Rotating Platform | Tactical Pointing & Stabilization; Tactical-Grade Magnetic and True North Finding | Dynamic Motion Control; Navigation Aiding/Filtering Solution | Fire Control for Low Caliber Artillery; UAV | Antenna Pointing; Simulation & Training of Indirect Fire Control |
| Model | AHRS-10B | AHRS-10P | AHRS-II-P | miniAHRS | Opto AHRS-II |
| Datasheet, PDF |
Use Cases for the AHRS
Indirect Fire Control
Commonly used in simulating fieldwork, Indirect Fire Control is a method of aiming and firing some projectile where the operator does not rely on a direct line of sight between the target and the turret. Indirect Fire Control systems have incorporated optical data to stabilize heading drift without needing GPS/GNSS receivers. The OptoAHRS-II by Inertial Labs was developed in response and had algorithms set especially for use with artillery in the training field.
Aiding Data Navigation Solution
In its simplest form, a navigation solution requires information from external sources to compute the necessary calculations and return attitude, position, velocity, and time with high precision. The AHRS-II-P is an Inertial Labs solution for end users who already have many sensor components on board but need a hardware component that can filter out noise, improve accuracy with its Robust Kalman Filter, and output a complete navigation solution.
Antenna Pointing
Used for both Line of Sight (LOS) and Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) applications, the AHRS is the ideal low-cost solution for ensuring that communication hardware is oriented and appropriately directed. Communication between land and shore and vehicle to ground station is vital for commercial and military applications, and Inertial Labs has the necessary sensor solution.
Platform Stabilization
Typically comprised of a support frame, a carrier platform, isolators, and sensor systems, platform stabilization is an everyday use case of the AHRS in marine and industrial applications. The AHRS is the perfect solution for high-rise workers at the construction site or engineers accounting for offsets on a developing pan and tilt system.
Antenna Reference Unit (ARU)
Similarly to how an Inertial Reference unit (IRU) determines an aircraft’s change in rotational attitude, an Antenna Reference Unit determines and calculates orientation (attitude) offsets for an antenna commonly used on static platforms and dynamic ground vehicles. Unlike gimbaled systems, the Inertial Labs strapdown system is lighter, smaller, and consumes much less power, making it the perfect solution for an ARU.
Uses for the 3D Orientation and Digital Tilt Sensors
Construction Site Equipment Tilt Sensing
Most construction site equipment is designed to be as rugged and durable as possible. Regarding safety, however, there seems to be a shortage of proper sensors to monitor when equipment such as Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs), bulldozers, and excavators are oriented or tilted to dangerous levels, shifting the center of gravity and resulting in equipment tipping or rolling. The low-cost DTS sensors are used to detect and alert workers when a platform such as a MEWP or excavator has exceeded a threshold of operational safety, putting the operator at risk.
Medical Training and Biomechanics
Especially in biomedical engineering, traditionally used accelerometers and gyroscopes are insufficient to identify movement patterns in humans or animals. Magnetometers have been proven essential in solving unknowns when subjects respond with low-acceleration behaviors. An example of this is seen in modeling thermal soaring in birds. The DTS has proven to be a robust, filtered solution that can easily be mounted in any orientation and calibrated for its environment. Due to its lightweight nature, engineers and conservationists prefer the DTS for its small and discreet orientation solutions.
AHRS Supported Software
Inertial Labs supplies drivers and tools for easy integration with commonly used platforms such as ROS, LabVIEW, and Waypoint products. Use the Software Development Kit to create custom solutions for your application.
SDK
A Software Development Kit (SDK) allows developers to customize the processing workflow to suit their customers or application.
Post-processing is ideal for highly accurate post-mission position, velocity, or attitude applications.
LabVIEW
ROS
ROS (Robot Operating System) is an open-source software development kit for robotics applications. ROS offers a standard software platform to developers across industries that will carry them from research and prototyping to deployment and production.
Performance Characteristics for the AHRS
Professional AHRS Heading, Pitch and Roll Accuracy
Development Kits and Unboxing
IP67 Development Kit
OEM Development Kit
Unboxing and Connect AHRS-10P
Trademark Legal Notice: All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners. All company, product, and service names used in this document are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement. ABS, BeiDou, Cobham Limited, EdgeTech, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS, Hesai, Hexagon, HYPACK, IMAGENEX, Kongsberg Seatex, LabVIEW, Livox, Norbit, NovAtel, NovAtel Inertial Explorer, Ouster, Qinsy, Quanergy, QZSS, R2Sonic, RIEGL, ROCK Robotic, ROS, Septentrio, Ship Motion Control SMC, Teledyne TSS, u-blox, Velodyne, WAASP, Waypoint.