What Is GNSS/INS? Positioning and Orientation for Mapping
An engineering overview of how GNSS and inertial navigation are integrated for position, timing, orientation, and mobile sensing.
Two complementary sources of navigation information
GNSS provides satellite-based position and timing observations. An inertial navigation system uses inertial measurements to estimate motion and orientation between updates. A GNSS/INS solution combines these complementary sources; the result is still shaped by signal availability, sensor quality, processing, and the operating environment.
Why orientation and time matter in mapping
A mapping sensor observes the world from a moving platform. Position alone is not enough: each image, laser pulse, or other observation also needs a time relationship and platform orientation so it can be related to the mapping frame.
The integration workflow
A credible workflow defines coordinate frames, sensor synchronization, mounting relationships, estimation and calibration, trajectory processing, and independent checks. GNSS/INS can support direct georeferencing, but it does not remove the need to assess system calibration and the suitability of the resulting data for the intended use.
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