Method of Estimating the Error of Navigation Devices Using Laboratory Benches under Conditions Close to Operation on Board a Ship

The article proposes new approaches to estimating the error of navigation devices in the dynamic mode, which is a stationary process. These approaches are based on generating pseudo-random oscillations in a given frequency spectrum in accordance with the operating conditions on board a ship. The approaches are adapted for use on available testing equipment and simplify the error experimental estimation when monitoring the performance of stock-produced items. Testing was carried out in laboratory conditions with estimating the errors of an electronic inclinometer and a magnetic compass in the dynamic mode. The results of these experiments are consistent with those obtained earlier during field research. The error of the electronic inclinometer was also estimated in the dynamic mode using a deterministic approach—generating harmonic oscillations with the known frequency and amplitude. It is shown that the error obtained with the deterministic approach does not fully display the real error of the devices under their operating conditions. The proposed methods reduce the time for estimating the error of sensors and systems from several hours to 15–20 min, because they do not require separate measurements at each frequency. These methods also allow obtaining additional information on the components of the device error. It is concluded that when estimating the error of devices in the dynamic mode on a test bench, it is advisable to generate the input signal corresponding to specific operating conditions.