Diploma in Advanced INS Navigation
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in advanced INS navigation. 8 modules covering advanced inertial mechanisation, high-end navigation sensors, error models, alignment and gyrocompassing, filtering and estimation, laboratory calibration and system integration and testing, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Advanced INS Navigation — studying from Ireland
Ireland maintains a small defence force, the Defence Forces, which operates its own engineering corps and equipment maintenance capabilities. Defence procurement and development are handled through the Department of Defence, while much of the wider defence-related industrial activity involves dual-use technologies, electronics and communications systems supplied by domestic and international firms. Engineers in this area typically work on land vehicle maintenance, military communications, protective equipment and systems integration. Policy and procurement are governed by national and European frameworks, including EU defence initiatives.
Fees for Ireland: €1,490 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Which Irish bodies oversee defence engineering and does a private qualification count?
Defence in Ireland is overseen by the Department of Defence, and the Defence Forces run their own training and technical structures. Engineers Ireland sets general professional engineering standards. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not state-awarded, and they are not accredited by any national body, so recognition for any defence-related role is decided by the relevant authority or employer.
Do Irish defence and land-systems employers hire people with private online qualifications?
Irish defence-related hiring is limited and often subject to security vetting and specific qualification requirements, so employers set their own criteria. A private online qualification may be taken into account alongside experience, but we cannot say how any employer will view it or guarantee any result. Check requirements for particular roles directly.
Can I study this from Ireland while working, and what is the workload?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Plan your weekly hours realistically around your job.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Master inertial mechanisation in different reference frames.
Analyse error propagation in high-precision inertial systems.
Apply advanced alignment and gyrocompassing techniques.
Design Kalman filters and smoothers for navigation.
Calibrate inertial units using laboratory methods.
Integrate external aids into navigation architectures.
Assess performance in line with IEEE standards and environmental testing.
Who it's for
- Inertial systems engineers.
- Navigation algorithm specialists.
- Calibration engineers.
- Avionics integration engineers.
- Inertial sensor researchers.
- Navigation test engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- IEEE 952 (fibre optic gyroscopes)
- IEEE 647 (ring laser gyroscopes)
- IEEE 1293 (linear accelerometers)
- IEEE 1554 (inertial sensor test practices)
- IEEE 528 (inertial sensor terminology)
- MIL-STD-810H (environmental testing)
- MIL-STD-461G (electromagnetic compatibility)
- MATLAB/Simulink
- NovAtel Inertial Explorer
- Python (FilterPy)
- LabVIEW
8 modules
1.1ECI, ECEF, NED and body frames1.2Geodetic and gravity models1.3Mechanisation in the navigation frame1.4Mechanisation in the Earth frame1.5Coning and sculling algorithms1.6Attitude integration with quaternions1.7Computation rates and discretisation1.8Numerical integration errors1.9Navigation at polar latitudes1.10Practical exercise: high-rate inertial mechaniser
2.1Ring laser gyroscopes2.2High-precision fibre optic gyroscopes2.3Hemispherical resonator gyroscopes2.4Pendulous servo accelerometers2.5Atomic sensors and interferometry2.6Readout electronics and compensation2.7Tactical, navigation and strategic grades2.8Sensor reliability and service life2.9Export of high-end sensors2.10Case study: IMU selection against requirements
3.1Psi- and phi-angle error equations3.2Bias and scale factor errors3.3Misalignment and non-orthogonality errors3.4g-sensitivity and vibration3.5Angle random walk noise3.6Gauss-Markov processes3.7Covariance analysis3.8Error budgets3.9Validation by simulation3.10Lab: simulation of error propagation
4.1Coarse and fine levelling4.2Static gyrocompassing4.3In-motion alignment4.4Transfer alignment4.5Heading observability4.6Effects of vibration on alignment4.7Alignment time versus accuracy4.8Alignment on naval platforms4.9Alignment with external aids4.10Practical exercise: gyrocompassing with laboratory data
5.1Error-state Kalman filter5.2Extended and unscented Kalman filters5.3RTS smoothers5.4Tuning of noise matrices5.5Fault detection and isolation5.6Adaptive filters5.7In-flight bias estimation5.8Filter consistency5.9Real-time implementation5.10Lab: smoothing of an inertial trajectory
6.1Single- and three-axis rate tables6.2Multi-position calibration6.3Rate calibration6.4Thermal compensation6.5Misalignment calibration6.6Testing according to IEEE 15546.7Metrological traceability6.8Calibration uncertainty6.9In-system calibration6.10Practical exercise: multi-position calibration of an IMU
7.1Loose, tight and deep GNSS/INS integration7.2Velocity aids: odometer and Doppler7.3Attitude aids: star tracker and magnetometer7.4Vibration and shock testing7.5Thermal and altitude testing7.6Electromagnetic compatibility7.7In-vehicle testing7.8Analysis of results7.9Qualification documentation7.10Case study: qualification campaign for an INS
8.1System specification8.2Sensor selection8.3Error modelling8.4Design of the navigation filter8.5Calibration plan8.6Performance simulation8.7Test plan8.8Technical conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online learning on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, NovAtel Inertial Explorer, Python (FilterPy) and LabVIEW, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: multi-position calibration on a three-axis table, analysis of gyrocompass alignment and post-processing of a trajectory with smoothing. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final project.
Standards covered: IEEE 952, IEEE 647, IEEE 1293, IEEE 1554, IEEE 528, MIL-STD-810H, MIL-STD-461G.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with MATLAB/Simulink, NovAtel Inertial Explorer, Python (FilterPy) and LabVIEW, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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