Thales has launched its latest TopAxyz sensor for navigation, which for the first time uses 3-axis Ring Laser Gyro and Micro-ElectroMechanical Systems accelerometer technology to reduce its size, weight and power requirements.
The TopAxyz Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) is a more resilient navigation system while being 20% smaller, 10% lighter and less power-consuming compared to its predecessor, thanks to the use of MEMS accelerometers instead of mechanical ones said Thales. The new unit is designed for large-scale production with the same level of performance as Thales’s best-in-class TopAxyz IMU.
Suitable for use in civil and military aerospace applications, the first customer deliveries of the TopAxyz are expected next year.
Thales said the IMU required significant investment in R&D and in manufacturing facilities. The sensor is is being manufactured at Thales’s Valence and Châtellerault sites in France for both commercial and military markets.
“With the introduction of MEMS technology, Thales opens a new chapter of its fifty year history in advanced inertial solutions,” said Florent Chauvancy, vice president flight avionics activities, Thales. “This new generation IMU integrating MEMS is a technological and industrial breakthrough towards ever more resilient and competitive navigation solutions, with optimized Size, Weight and Power consumption and best-in-class performance.”
TopAxyz can be used in aeroplanes, helicopters, UAVs, land vehicles, weapons, launchers and naval vehicles. Combat proven, the new IMU maintains the same level of high performance, delivering precise localization, navigation, attitude and heading information, but also offers enhanced resilience in harsh environments such as strong acceleration, vibration, electromagnetic fields and hypervelocity. In commercial aviation.
TopAxyz has accumulated 35 million flight hours, demonstrating the best level of accuracy, safety and reliability even in the most critical conditions.
Recent incidents of GPS jamming and spoofing operations have been affecting the navigation of both civilian and military platforms across all environments – air, land, and sea. Real-time navigation systems that withstand these external threats are essential, said Thales.
The design uses a three-axis Ring Laser Gyrometer and three digital MEMS accelerometers with a very small mass and form factor, in a single unit.
The MEMS technology facilitates serial production, allowing for a rapid increase in production rates. This development will significantly contribute to the growth of production, and the tripling of capacity is currently underway at the Châtellerault site.
