Top Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the most common applications for VectorNav products?

  The VN-100, VN-200 and VN-300 can be used in a wide variety of commercial, industrial, aerospace and military applications and are well suited for size, weight, power and cost (SWAP-C) constrained applications such as UAVs and other unmanned vehicle systems, camera/antenna and platform stabilization, smart weapons, heavy machinery monitoring, robotics, primary or secondary flight navigation, flight simulation, and augmented/virtual reality platforms, among others.

  The VN-100 and VN-200 surface mount modules are highly attractive for customers looking to deeply embed a navigation solution into their electronics design/PCB. This option allows for the user to customize and design their products around a sensor with a very small footprint. Alternatively, the VN-100, VN-200 and VN-300 Rugged offer an off-the-shelf solution for faster integration and environmental robustness.

• Does VectorNav provide customers with custom sensors software/hardware?

  We regularly provides customers with custom hardware and software solutions that include:

  • Application-specific models that run onboard the VN-100
  • Algorithm development  
  • Integration with external gyros, accelerometers, GPS, positioning systems, or other sensors
  • Controls & closed-loop navigation solutions
  • Custom form-factors & packaging
  • Displays, GUIs, & other supporting software packages
  • Tailored calibrations & modified production
  • Custom communication protocols

• What is the difference between standard and thermal calibration options?

  The standard calibration is performed at a single temperature point (25°C), and typically holds performance specifications over the range of 15°C to 35°C. 

  The thermal calibration option extends the calibration process over a wide range of temperatures such that sensors will perform to overall specifications across the full operating temperature range from -40°C to +85°C.

  Detailed information about the calibration process can be found here: www.vectornav.com/support/library

• What kind of inertial sensors are in the VN-100?

  The VN-100 incorporates a set of three-axis accelerometers, magnetometers, and gyroscopes with an optional barometric pressure sensor (this combination of sensors is commonly referred to as a 10-axis part).

• Which Communication Protocols are supported by the VN-100?

  The VN-100 support two communication interfaces: serial and SPI.  On the serial interface, the sensors communicate over a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) at TTL levels and use ASCII text for command and output data in a format very similar to the NMEA protocol commonly used by GPS modules.  On the SPI interface, the sensors communicate as a slave device on a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) data bus and use a binary command and data format.  Both communication interfaces support the complete command set implemented by both the VN-100.

• What kind of inertial sensors are in the VN-200?

  The VN-200 is a GPS Aided Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) that couples outputs from the GPS module with IMU measurements to provide position, velocity, and attitude (PVA) estimates of higher accuracies and with better dynamic performance than a standalone GPS or AHRS sensor (6-DOF sensor). 

• Which Communication Protocols are supported by the VN-200?

  The VN-200 support two communication interfaces: serial and SPI.  On the serial interface, the sensors communicate over a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) at TTL levels and use ASCII text for command and output data in a format very similar to the NMEA protocol commonly used by GPS modules.  On the SPI interface, the sensors communicate as a slave device on a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) data bus and use a binary command and data format.  Both communication interfaces support the complete command set implemented by both the VN-200.