NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Gyro Error.
From: Geoffrey Kolbe
Date: 2013 May 20, 19:53 +0100
From: Geoffrey Kolbe
Date: 2013 May 20, 19:53 +0100
Frank wrote:
In modern ships, my impression is that the gyro compass does still matter, but these days it will be linked to and corrected by the GPS. And, I would think that laser gyros are quickly replacing the old mechanical gyros. Laser gyros are not subject to the same errors (if any) as there are no moving parts, so literally a 'black box'.
As Frank says, ships today are rapidly becoming giant remote controlled devices that can be run from your smartphone. The traditional 'bridge' is a thing of the past. There is active interest in the prospect of crew-less cargo ships which are run via satellite from 'headquarters'. Only the legal consequences are causing delay in implementing this. The navies of the world are already running small crew-less patrol boats with guns on the front in areas (such as off the coast of Somalia) where long term patrols can tie up a very expensive conventional warship and crew for months on end.
Geoffrey Kolbe
The gyros still matter, yes, but to what extent?
In modern ships, my impression is that the gyro compass does still matter, but these days it will be linked to and corrected by the GPS. And, I would think that laser gyros are quickly replacing the old mechanical gyros. Laser gyros are not subject to the same errors (if any) as there are no moving parts, so literally a 'black box'.
As Frank says, ships today are rapidly becoming giant remote controlled devices that can be run from your smartphone. The traditional 'bridge' is a thing of the past. There is active interest in the prospect of crew-less cargo ships which are run via satellite from 'headquarters'. Only the legal consequences are causing delay in implementing this. The navies of the world are already running small crew-less patrol boats with guns on the front in areas (such as off the coast of Somalia) where long term patrols can tie up a very expensive conventional warship and crew for months on end.
Geoffrey Kolbe
