Compact Standalone North-finding Device based on MEMS Gyroscope and Maytagging

Abstract

North-finders based on gyroscopes are commonly used because of their robustness against local Earth magnetic field distortion and independence of electromagnetic transmission. In this paper, we present an easy to use, compact, transportable, standalone, north-finder based on one MEMS gyroscope. The Maytagging algorithm allows the use of an inexpensive stepper motor. The integrated in-house developed tuning fork MEMS gyroscopes offer low enough noise and drift to determine north heading down to 1 degree of deviation in less than 10 minutes at a latitude of 50.8 degrees without additional signal conversion electronics.