NaveGo: a simulation framework for low-cost integrated navigation systems

Abstract

In this work, a simulation framework for low-cost integrated navigation systems called NaveGo is presented. NaveGo simulates measurements from inertial sensors and a GPS receiver. It also executes a loosely-coupled navigation algorithm. Complete mathematical models are shown. As example, simulation results for a particular scenario are exhibited. NaveGo is developed in MATLAB and freely distributed under an open source license. It is the authors' believe that this article is the most complete work about a simulation environment for low-cost integrated navigation systems. NaveGo is validated by using a practical approach, which main goal is to evaluate how close in performance is a simulated navigation system to a real one. Thus, simulated sensors are generated based upon a real trajectory, during which real sensors were logged. Then, simulated sensors are corrupted with noises according to real sensors error profiles. Both simulated and real navigation systems are processed. It is found that absolute differences between real and simulated systems are under 0.6 degrees for attitude, under 23 centimetres for 2D position, and under 10 centimetres for vertical position. As a result, it is verified that NaveGo is a suitable simulation tool for the design and analysis of low-cost integrated navigation systems.