Guidance Systems
Definition: What are Guidance Systems?
A virtual or physical device, or a group of devices, to implement a guidance process used for controlling the movement of an object is known as the guidance system.
The system calculates changes in position, velocity, attitude, and/or rotation rates of a moving object required to follow a certain trajectory and/or attitude profile based on information about the object’s state of motion.
Such systems are usually a part of what is known as guidance, navigation and control systems. Navigation uses sensor data to calculate the current position and orientation of whatever equipment the system controls. Navigation solution forms basic part of information fed into the guidance system itself. Other information includes environmental conditions (such as: wind, water, temperature, etc.) and the equipment’s characteristics (such as: mass, control system availability, etc.).
The guidance system computes the instructions for the control system, which consists of the object’s actuators (such as engines, etc.), capable of directing the path and orientation of the object without direct or continuous human control.
Three major sub-sections form the backbone of any guidance system: inputs, processing, and outputs. The input section includes sensors, course data, as well as any other information sources. The data is integrated by the processing section to determine what actions, if any, are necessary. This information is then fed to the outputs that directly affect the system’s movement.