What is IMU and how does it relate to surveying and construction?
In the survey and construction context, combining IMU with GNSS enables new features for smart antennas, including calibration-free measurement with a tilted pole and insensitivity to electromagnetic fields.
How does IMU work in a smart antenna?
Measure with a tilted pole
The position of the pole tip of a tilted GNSS antenna can be calculated by compensating for the error caused by the inclination. To do this, we need to know the length of the pole, the tilt angle, and the orientation of the tilt relative to north. An IMU consisting of accelerometers and gyroscopes is built into the GNSS smart antenna. This measures the angle, and the person using the antenna pre-defines the length of the pole in the software, making it possible to accurately measure with a tilted pole.
Access hard to reach points
With the IMU-integrated smart antenna, measurements with a tilted pole are possible with a high tilt inclination of up to 60°. The result allows points that were previously inaccessible when the pole needed to be level.
Work without electromagnetic interference
The measurement is insensitive to interference from electromagnetic fields, eliminating the need for on-site calibrations.
What are the on-site advantages of IMU?
The GeoMax Zenith60 GNSS smart antenna includes IMU technology and features a customised inertial navigation system to determine tilt and tilt orientation.
Using the Zenith60 with our integrated IMU increases productivity: with no on-site calibrations and no need to hold the pole vertically, reduced time is spent measuring, more points are safely accessed, and results are accurate which in turn eliminates rework.
Combined with the user-friendly X-PAD Ultimate field software and GeoMax field controllers, the Zenith60 solution will improve your productivity.