Simulation of Heading and Attitude Angle Calculation in Inertial Navigation Systems

In inertial navigation systems (INS), calculating heading and attitude angles represents one of the core computational tasks. Using MATLAB for simulation enables algorithm verification and system performance optimization through controlled testing environments.

### Simulation Objectives Heading angle indicates the horizontal orientation of the vehicle relative to true north. Attitude angles include roll and pitch, which describe the rotational state of the vehicle around three axes. Simulation programs typically employ mathematical modeling to compute these critical parameters based on measurements from gyroscopes and accelerometers.

### Core Implementation Logic Sensor Data Simulation: Generate virtual gyroscope (angular velocity) and accelerometer (specific force) data to simulate vehicle motion dynamics. Initial Alignment: Determine initial attitude matrix through static or dynamic methods, such as using accelerometer measurements to estimate initial pitch and roll angles from gravity direction detection. Attitude Update: Implement quaternion or direction cosine matrix (DCM) propagation algorithms to update vehicle rotation state through gyroscope integration. Heading Calculation: Integrate magnetometer data or fusion algorithms to correct gyroscope drift errors and output stabilized heading solutions.

### Extended Implementation Approaches Implement Kalman filtering (e.g., Extended Kalman Filter) to handle sensor noise and improve long-term navigation accuracy. Compare computational efficiency and numerical stability between different attitude representation methods (Euler angles vs. quaternions). Simulate various motion scenarios (including aggressive maneuvers) to validate algorithm robustness under extreme conditions.