Reliabale Navigation for Modern Maritime Operations
2026-01-04
Modern maritime operations demand high accuracy, reliability, and continuity—especially in rough seas, remote waters, and environments where GNSS signals may be limited, degraded, or unavailable.
In such conditions, relying solely on GNSS is often insufficient. Signal blockage, multipath effects near coastlines and offshore structures, and occasional interference can all affect navigation performance. To ensure safe and stable vessel operation, an autonomous navigation reference is essential.
A marine-grade Inertial Navigation System (INS) provides continuous navigation and attitude information without dependence on external signals. Even during GNSS degradation or outages, the INS maintains stable heading and motion outputs, supporting reliable navigation at sea.
Our marine-grade strapdown INS is built with RLG/FOG optical gyroscopes and high-precision quartz accelerometers, delivering accurate real-time measurements of heading, roll, pitch, yaw, and vessel motion. Designed for harsh marine environments, the system supports long-term, continuous operation under vibration, temperature variation, and high humidity.
The system supports pure inertial, GNSS-aided, and velocity-aided operation modes, allowing flexible integration with onboard sensors such as gyrocompasses, speed logs, and other marine navigation instruments. This multi-mode capability enhances navigation continuity and redundancy, particularly in coastal waters, narrow channels, and open-sea operations.
Marine-grade INS technology is widely used across a range of maritime platforms, including dynamic positioning (DP) vessels, offshore platforms, survey ships, and unmanned surface vessels (USVs).
In real-world applications, similar high-performance FOG and RLG-based INS systems have proven essential. For instance, in offshore DP operations, INS integrates with Doppler velocity logs to maintain precise station-keeping for supply vessels and drilling platforms, even in challenging North Sea conditions. On hydrographic survey ships, FOG INS combined with multibeam sonar ensures accurate seabed mapping during GNSS outages, as seen in deepwater surveys and remote oceanographic missions.
Additionally, advanced INS enables autonomous navigation for USVs in pipeline inspections and port surveys, reducing personnel exposure while delivering continuous data in GNSS-denied areas like near offshore structures.
By providing stable and reliable navigation and attitude data under all operating conditions, INS plays a key role in enabling safer, more efficient, and more dependable modern maritime operations.
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Orders Confirmed: Merak-M03, M05, and M1 Ready for Shipment
2025-12-16
We are excited to announce that our Merak-M03, Merak-M05, and Merak-M1 maritime-grade inertial navigation systems (INS) have been successfully ordered and are now ready for shipment.
Before delivery, our team conducted comprehensive pre-shipment inspections and photographed each unit to guarantee quality, traceability, and client confidence.
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Explore how INS and LiDAR work together to deliver precise 3D railway mapping, track geometry reconstruction, and digita
2025-12-08
H1: Combining INS and LiDAR for High-Precision 3D Railway Mapping
As railway networks move toward digital twin and intelligent maintenance systems, 3D track modeling is becoming the foundation for accurate structural analysis and predictive maintenance. The most reliable solution today integrates Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) with LiDAR.
H2: The Role of INS and LiDAR in Railway Mapping
H3: INS Provides High-Frequency Attitude Data
INS outputs:
roll
pitch
heading
angular rate
linear acceleration
This prevents point cloud distortion caused by motion or vibration.
H3: LiDAR Generates Dense 3D Point Cloud Data
LiDAR captures:
rail profile
sleepers & fasteners
ballast surfaces
tunnels and platform geometry
INS provides the “stability reference,” allowing the LiDAR point cloud to remain upright, aligned, and drift-free.
H2: Why Fusion Is Necessary
LiDAR alone cannot determine scanner orientation. Without INS:
point clouds tilt
curve sections distort
stitching becomes inaccurate
With INS fusion:
consistent long-range scanning
accurate curvature reconstruction
stable mapping at high operational speeds
fully usable, engineering-grade point clouds
H2: Application Scenarios
Railway inspection vehicles
High-speed rail comprehensive inspection trains
Track inspection robots
Under-carriage scanning systems
Digital twin modeling for metro & high-speed rail
H2: Conclusion
INS + LiDAR fusion has become the standard solution for precision 3D track reconstruction. By providing stable attitude references and dense point clouds, this combination supports intelligent maintenance and next-generation digital twin systems in the global railway industry.
Keywords:
INS LiDAR fusion, 3D railway mapping, track reconstruction, LiDAR track inspection, inertial navigation LiDAR integration, railway digital twin
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Track Damage Detection Using INS/IMU: GNSS-Free Railway Inspection and Structural Health Monitoring
2025-12-05
Modern railway maintenance is shifting toward lightweight, portable, and GNSS-independent inspection technologies. In environments such as tunnels, underground metro lines, or bridges, GNSS signals are unavailable—yet accurate structural health monitoring is still essential. This is where IMU/INS systems deliver exceptional value.
How IMU/INS Detects Track Defects Without GNSS
Even without external positioning data, an IMU can diagnose abnormalities in the track through motion dynamics, angular measurements, and temperature behavior.
1. Vibration Analysis (Acceleration Curves)
Abnormal acceleration signatures allow detection of:
Loose fasteners
Ballast settlement
Voids beneath concrete slabs
Sleeper cracking or damage
High-frequency vibration data is especially valuable for early-stage defect discovery, where visual inspection alone may fail.
2. Angular Rate Variations (Gyroscope Output)
Gyroscope signals help identify structural or geometric issues, including:
Gauge widening
Rail wear
Track misalignment or deformation
Angular rate anomalies often appear before defects become visible, enabling predictive maintenance.
3. Temperature Drift as a Secondary Indicator
Structural defects can alter stress distribution and heat conduction. This leads to small but measurable temperature drift in IMU sensors. Temperature data provides additional clues for:
Slab voids
Layer delamination
Foundation instability
Abnormal structural stress zones
When combined with vibration and angular data, temperature behavior strengthens defect classification.
Application Scenarios
IMU/INS-based, GNSS-free monitoring is suitable for:
Portable inspection trolleys
Backpack-style or hand-pushed inspection tools
Metro tunnel structural monitoring
Autonomous rail inspection robots
Soft-soil or weak foundation settlement detection
These solutions enable low-cost, continuous, and intelligent monitoring even in challenging environments.
Conclusion
Even when used purely as an IMU, an INS provides a powerful dataset for diagnosing railway track defects. By combining vibration, angular rate, and temperature characteristics, IMU/INS-based systems deliver precise, GNSS-independent structural health monitoring. This makes them ideal for modern, digital, and intelligent railway maintenance and inspection systems.
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Inertial Navigation for Railway Curve Inspection: High-Precision Attitude Measurement for High-Speed Rail Safety
2025-12-04
Meta Description:
Discover how IMU/INS technology enhances railway curve inspection by providing accurate roll, pitch, and heading data for high-speed rail safety and track geometry evaluation.
Keywords:
INS for railway, IMU track geometry, high-speed rail inspection, railway curve measurement, track attitude monitoring, inertial navigation system railway
H1: Inertial Navigation in Railway Curve Inspection
High-speed rail systems rely heavily on the geometric accuracy of track curves. As trains pass through curved sections at high speeds, even small deviations in track alignment can increase wheel–rail forces, reduce ride comfort, and compromise safety. Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) have become indispensable for evaluating these parameters with high precision.
H2: Why INS Is Critical in Curve Geometry Analysis
INS delivers continuous, high-frequency measurements of:
Roll (left–right inclination, linked to superelevation)
Pitch (vertical gradient and alignment changes)
Heading (curve direction, radius, and transitions)
Angular rate & linear acceleration (curve entrance and exit dynamics)
These parameters allow inspectors to verify whether a curve meets design specifications—including superelevation, transition length, and curvature consistency.
Even in tunnels, viaducts, or dense urban areas where GNSS signals fail, INS continues providing reliable attitude data, ensuring uninterrupted measurement.
H2: Application Scenarios
H3: High-Speed Rail Track Geometry Inspection
INS ensures precise curvature and super-elevation measurement under high vibration environments.
H3: Turnout and Transition Section Monitoring
Curve transition zones often accumulate stress; INS helps detect early geometric drift.
H3: Portable Inspection Trolleys & Robots
Compact INS modules enable lightweight, field-deployable inspection tools.
H2: Conclusion
INS serves as the “attitude reference” for all curve inspection platforms. With superior vibration resistance and GNSS-independent operation, INS ensures reliable, high-precision curve geometry evaluation for modern railway maintenance.
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