Inertial-Aided Cycle-Slip Detection/Correction for Precise, Long-Baseline Kinematic GPS

Recent techniques for long-range kinematic differential GPS positioning using the carrier phase make it possible to maintain sub-decimeter precision over many hours of trajectory determination, at a thousand kilometers from all reference receivers. An Inertial Navigation System (INS), combined with GPS, extends the usefulness of the long-range technique to find position at higher rates than with GPS alone, and helps fill in gaps in the GPS solution. Also, as shown in this paper, even a moderately accurate (and low-price) small, lightweight, and portable INS can substantially enhance the ability to detect and correct GPS phase measurement cycle slips. In the near future, inertial units are expected to become more precise and also less expensive than the one used for this test.