Our ultra-low bias IMUs and gyroscopes can help move your mission forward.
Aircraft fly through contested spectrum where GNSS jamming and spoofing follow them for the whole sortie, and the longer the mission, the more time small gyro errors have to grow. OSCP builds photonic and MEMS IMUs that put tactical-grade stability inside airborne SWaP budgets, single-digit watts, ITAR-free, made in Canada.
The challenge
At altitude, every gram displaces fuel or payload and every watt loads a power and thermal budget with no slack. That arithmetic long ruled out fibre-optic gyros on endurance aircraft: the right stability in the wrong package, kilograms and tens of watts.
Mission length compounds the problem. Inertial error accumulates over time, so a gyro bias invisible over ten minutes dominates the error budget on a multi-hour sortie with GNSS denied. Add certification reviews that expect documented environmental ratings, plus export controls that can stall an international program for months, and the shortlist gets short.
How OSCP helps
Photonic stability at airborne SWaP. The MK2E2 is built on a photonic core and delivers 0.5 °/hr minimum in-run bias stability, typically under 1.0 °/hr, from a 78 x 63 x 36 mm unit at 230 g drawing 2 W.
Built for the airframe environment. Optical gyros sense rotation through the Sagnac effect with no moving parts in the sensing path, highly resistant to flight vibration and EMI, where MEMS gyros are g-sensitive.
Documented ratings, not assumptions. Built to withstand harsh environments. Vibration passed at 2, 4 and 8 g and shock at 20 g and 40 g, both to DO-160 style test profiles. Class A emissions and ESD passed.
ITAR-free, made in Canada. Allied exports run under Canadian controls with no US approval in the loop, keeping international airframe programs out of someone else’s licensing queue.
Recommended configuration
| Product | Grade | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| MK2E2 | Tactical Grade Photonic IMU, 0.5 °/hr min in-run bias, typically under 1.0 °/hr | SWaP-constrained endurance. HALE and long-endurance platforms where every watt is flight time. 230 g, 2 W. |
| MK2M2 | Tactical Grade MEMS IMU, 0.5 °/hr min in-run bias, typically under 1.0 °/hr | Aided platforms with regular GNSS or other aiding in the loop. 75 g, 1.2 W. |
| MK2Z | Navigation Grade Photonic IMU, < 0.01 °/hr in-run bias on its optical Z axis | Navigation-grade drift is the requirement and long unaided legs are in the profile. Prototype hardware, quoted for evaluation programs, not a production part. 475 g, 4.5 W typical and 7.5 W max. |
All three share < 15 µg accelerometer bias stability and RS-422 plus CAN-FD interfaces. The MK2M2, MK2E2 and MK2Z are all built to withstand harsh environments.
Proof
In our published case study, a 21 minute drive through Montreal with GNSS positioning denied, heading came from the gyro alone with a 1 Hz speed input and no EKF. The photonic MK2E2 finished 5.7 m from ground truth against 20.5 m for the MEMS MK2M2. A ground vehicle is not an airframe, but the error mechanics transfer: bias accumulates over time.
FAQ
How long can the aircraft hold a useful estimate with GNSS denied?
It depends on the outage length, the aiding available and the accuracy you need at the end. Inertial error accumulates over time and is never bounded without aiding. Tell us your sortie profile and the error you can tolerate and we will work it through with you.
Are the units qualified to DO-160?
No. They have been tested to DO-160 style profiles, which is not the same as certification. Vibration passed at 2, 4 and 8 g and shock at 20 g and 40 g. We will share the test reports.