Research that shifts boundaries

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Research project HERMES

In the HERMES research project, LITEF, Fraunhofer ENAS, and the Center for Micro- and Nano-Technologies at Chemnitz University of Technology are working together on a high-precision, purely inertial navigation system for unmanned aerial vehicles. The project, which runs from March 2026 to May 2029 and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) as part of the seventh aviation research program LuFo VII-1 Klima, aims to reliably provide position and speed information even without a GNSS signal – crucial for autonomous takeoff and landing maneuvers and safe flight operations.

The heart of HERMES are MEMS gyroscopes with self-calibrating algorithms designed to achieve extremely high accuracy: the aim is to achieve bias stability of less than 0.015°/h, while significantly reducing the volume (approx. 1 liter) and weight (approx. 1 kg) of the MEMS-based navigation system compared to fiber optic systems. The development of symmetrical gyroscopes and intelligent self-calibration routines is intended to eliminate asymmetrical errors, increase long-term stability, and extend service intervals.

The project builds on existing LITEF systems, but goes well beyond the state of the art. These include, among others:

  • Symmetrical gyroscope design with innovative quadrature compensation.
  • Optimized MEMS technology with high aspect ratio and very high quality factors.
  • Stable chip packaging for mounting MEMS gyroscopes, which reduces asymmetrical errors.

Laboratory tests are to verify the system's performance up to technology readiness level TRL 4.

With HERMES, the partners are setting an important milestone for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM): Lightweight, compact, and high-precision navigation systems improve the operational readiness of unmanned aircraft, reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs, and thus contribute to the sustainable development of aviation in the future.