An open source flight dynamics model and IMU signal simulator

The offline development, validation and verification of the software for an airborne strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) requires that the simulation of the inertial measurement unit (IMU) be based on representative flight dynamics data. This paper presents our efforts to combine an existing, popular and open-source flight dynamics model (FDM) with an IMU simulator we developed for the purpose of such work. We will show how it is possible to use the FDM and IMU simulator to develop, evaluate and improve SINS software. This development also allows for validation and verification of the end software product.