Fiber optic gyroscopes (FOG) are solid-state rotation sensors that are appropriate for a wide variety of applications. In addition to becoming competitive with ring laser gyroscopes on new programs, FOGs are being manufactured to replace spinning wheel gyro technology in existing programs. The FOG brings with it the advantages of long life, high reliability, input axis stability, and low acceleration sensitivity. The AlliedSignal pointing grade fiber gyroscope was designed to replace a high-performance mechanical gyroscope currently made by AlliedSignal. Detailed passive thermal design, gyro assembly techniques, methods for rejecting light source intensity noise, and light source wavelength control are critical features that have been developed to produce a FOG with low noise, stable bias, and a stable and linear scale factor. Prototypes of this FOG have demonstrated angle random walk of 0.00021 deg/(root)hr and bias stability of 0.0006 deg/hr. Results of other performance tests and error models indicate that these gyros have a capability for random walk of 0.00012 deg/(root)hr and bias stability of 0.0004 deg/hr.

Date Published: 1 November 1994
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 2292, Fiber Optic and Laser Sensors XII, (1 November 1994); doi: 10.1117/12.191838

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2292:
Fiber Optic and Laser Sensors XII
Ramon P. DePaula, Editor(s)