Scientists in Tomsk, in Siberia, earlier this year developed what was touted as Russia’s first sensors for autonomous drone navigation.

In their effort, Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) researchers offered an intelligent inertial module that incorporated the functions of three advanced microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensors, namely gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetometer. The gyroscope gauges an object’s angular velocity; the accelerometer measures acceleration; and the magnetometer helps determine the cardinal directions.

The inertial module with all the three functions brought together offers a full-fledged self-contained navigation system, versatile enough to be mounted on a range of object types. It has been tested in a broad temperature range between -40°C and +105°C and found operational.