Low-Cost Validation for Complementary Filter-Based AHRS

This paper discusses a procedure to validate a complementary filter-based attitude and heading reference system for an off-the-shelf sensor-head using a prototype, low-cost validation apparatus and comparing course over ground measurements from GPS. A variation of an existing complementary filter design is implemented for validation. The apparatus costs less than $100 to build and shows promising validation potential for small, lightweight vehicles with budget restrictions. A small surface vehicle is used to log sensor-head and GPS data to show performance of the validated complementary filter. Comparing the attitude estimate from the complementary filter to an encoder attached to the validation apparatus, the attitude estimate matches the truth measurement to mean of less than 0.3°and standard deviation of less than 1.3°. The match between GPS course over ground to estimated yaw is more error prone, but still shows good agreement with sub-3° means and a standard deviation of less than 12°. The GPS comparison to yaw has some large errors due to lags in the measurement, but even so shows very good performance.