VN-200 GNSS/INS

Overview

The VN-200 is a compact, high-performance GNSS-Aided Inertial Navigation System (GNSS/INS) that integrates 3-axis gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers, a high-sensitivity GNSS receiver, and advanced Kalman filtering. This combination delivers precise estimates of position, velocity, and attitude, making the VN-200 ideal for demanding navigation applications.

Models

• VN-200 SMD: The world’s first GNSS/INS in a single surface mount package. At just 24 x 22 x 3 mm and 4 grams, it requires only a single 3.2–5.5V power supply and can be directly embedded into user electronics, offering significant size, weight, and power (SWAP) advantages.
• VN-200 Rugged: A “plug and play” version housed in a precision anodized aluminum enclosure, providing enhanced protection for internal sensors and electronics.

Key Features

• True Inertial Navigation: No restrictions on mounting orientation or configuration modes. Automatic filter initialization and dynamic alignment ensure seamless operation.
• User Configurable Messaging: Supports both ASCII and VectorNav Binary messages for flexible integration.
• Software Compatibility: Shares a common communication protocol with the entire VectorNav product line, simplifying system integration.
• Industry-Leading Performance: Utilizes VectorNav’s proprietary Extended Kalman Filter INS algorithm, proven to excel in challenging dynamic conditions.
• 72-Channel GNSS Receiver: Supports GPS, Galileo, and SBAS corrections, delivering compact, high-performance industrial-grade navigation.
• Rapid Availability: ITAR-free, made in the USA, and ships within 1–2 days.

Performance Highlights

• Dynamic Heading Accuracy (INS): 0.2°
• Dynamic Pitch/Roll Accuracy (INS): 0.03°
• Gyro In-Run Bias Stability: 5°/hr
• Accel In-Run Bias Stability: < 0.04 mg
• Position, Velocity, and Attitude Data Output: Up to 400 Hz
• IMU Data Output: Up to 800 Hz
• Horizontal/Vertical Position Accuracy: 1.0 m / 1.5 m

Advanced Capabilities

• Coupled position, velocity, and continuous attitude solution over a full 360° range.
• Real-time gyro and accelerometer bias tracking and compensation.
• VectorNav Processing Engine (VPE) for disturbance rejection, adaptive filtering, and dynamic filter tuning.
• Hard/soft iron compensation (real-time and manual, 2D & 3D).
• Individually calibrated for bias, scale factor, misalignment, and temperature across the full operating range (-40°C to +85°C).
• Raw pseudorange, Doppler, and carrier phase outputs.
• Real-time and delayed heave estimation.
• Coning and sculling integrals (ΔV’s, Δθ’s).
• Data output formats: ASCII (VectorNav), NMEA-0183, and Binary (VectorNav).
• Free VectorNav Control Center GUI for easy sensor setup, configuration, and data logging.

Technical Specifications

VN-200 SMD

• Size: 24 x 22 x 3 mm
• Weight: 4 g
• Input Voltage: 3.2 to 5.5 V
• Power Consumption: 445 mW

VN-200 Rugged

• Size: 36 x 33 x 9.5 mm
• Weight: 16 g
• Input Voltage: 3.3 to 17 V
• Power Consumption: 500 mW

Environmental

• Operating Temperature: -40°C to +85°C
• Storage Temperature: -40°C to +85°C
• MTBF: > 240,000 hours (SMD), > 150,000 hours (Rugged)

Sensor Performance

• Accelerometer Range: ±16 g, In-Run Bias Stability: < 0.04 mg, Noise Density: 0.14 mg/√Hz, Bandwidth: 230 Hz
• Gyroscope Range: ±2,000°/s, In-Run Bias Stability: < 10°/hr (5°/hr typical), Noise Density: 0.0035°/s/√Hz, Bandwidth: 265 Hz
• Magnetometer Range: ±2.5 Gauss, Noise Density: 140 µGauss/√Hz, Bandwidth: 200 Hz
• Barometer Range: 10 to 1200 mbar, Bandwidth: 200 Hz

Navigation Performance

• Heading (INS): 0.2° (1σ)
• Pitch/Roll (INS): 0.03° (1σ)
• Horizontal Position Accuracy: 1.0 m RMS
• Vertical Position Accuracy: 1.5 m RMS
• Velocity Accuracy: < 0.05 m/s
• Heave Accuracy: 5% or 5 cm (real-time), 2% or 2 cm (delayed)
• GNSS Receiver: 72 channels, supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, SBAS
• Time-To-First-Fix: 29 s (cold), 1 s (hot)
• Altitude Limit: 50,000 m
• Velocity Limit: 500 m/s

Interfaces

• VN-200 Rugged: RS-232, Serial TTL
• VN-200 SMD: Serial TTL, SPI
• GNSS PPS: 30 ns RMS, 60 ns (99%)
• Sync-in and Sync-out supported

Quality and Reliability

Each VN-200 sensor is individually calibrated and tested at VectorNav’s AS9100-certified facility. Performance specifications are based on extensive field testing and real-world applications, ensuring consistent reliability.