inertial navigation
noun
variants
or less commonly inertial guidance
: guidance (as of an aircraft or spacecraft) by means of self-contained automatically controlling devices that respond to inertial forces
Inertial navigation is a self-contained navigation technique in which measurements provided by accelerometers and gyroscopes are used to track the position and orientation of an object relative to a known starting point, orientation and velocity.—Oliver J. Woodman
The facility was used after World War II by Charles Stark Draper of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who developed the theory and technology of inertial navigation, laying the groundwork for modern airplane flight.—Connie Paige
—often used before another nounIt also has an inertial navigation system, which navigates to a target by estimating its position through the use of accelerometers and other devices.—Sam Skove
Cite this Entry
“Inertial navigation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inertial%20navigation. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.
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