A low-cost heading sensor for airborne applications

Abstract

Determination of heading, the direction an aircraft's nose is pointing, is typically computed using global positioning system or inertial measurement unit data. These technologies, though quite accurate, can be cost prohibitive for recreational pilots or low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles. Here we investigate the implementation of a low-cost heading sensor by integrating data from a magnetometer and tilt sensor. We show that using the tilt sensor we are able to achieve a significant improvement over measurement using the magnetometer alone, providing a low-cost solution for determination of heading in turbulent aerial applications.