Diploma in INS/Visual Navigation in GPS-Denied Environments
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in INS/visual navigation in GPS-denied environments. 8 modules covering inertial navigation, inertial sensor characterisation, visual odometry, INS/visual fusion, multi-sensor calibration, complementary aids and testing, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in INS/Visual Navigation in GPS-Denied Environments — studying from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom maintains a substantial defence industry, with prime contractors such as BAE Systems and Babcock, and a wide supply chain across the Midlands, the North West, Bristol and Scotland. Land systems, armoured vehicles, munitions and military engineering programmes provide long-term employment for engineers in design, integration, test and sustainment. The Ministry of Defence, Defence Equipment and Support and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory oversee procurement and research. Security clearance requirements shape recruitment, and professional standards are maintained through UK defence engineering frameworks.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £1,490 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK bodies and regulators are relevant to defence and military land systems engineering?
In the UK, the Ministry of Defence sets its own engineering standards and the Engineering Council regulates professional registration. Professional bodies such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Royal Engineers' professional structures are relevant. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by these bodies, so recognition for security-cleared or MOD roles is decided by the employer and the relevant authority.
Will a private qualification help with UK defence industry careers?
UK defence employers, including primes and suppliers, often prioritise security clearance eligibility, relevant experience and formal qualifications recognised by the MOD or industry bodies. A private qualification may support your profile but is unlikely to replace these requirements. Ask prospective employers how they would assess it before enrolling.
Is it practical to study this online while working in the UK, and what about language and funding?
Online study means you can continue working in the UK, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Teaching is in English, so good technical English is essential. Fees can be paid in instalments, and some employers offer training sponsorship, though policies vary. Each programme has a fixed number of hours and an assigned technical tutor. Confirm the workload and costs before enrolling.
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
Understand the principles of inertial navigation and its errors.
Model inertial sensors and characterise their noise.
Apply visual odometry techniques to limit drift.
Design tightly coupled INS/visual fusion filters.
Calibrate multi-sensor systems accurately.
Assess navigation solutions in GNSS-denied environments.
Validate performance in line with test standards.
Who it's for
- Navigation engineers.
- Sensor fusion specialists.
- Inertial systems engineers.
- Computer vision researchers.
- Autonomous vehicle engineers.
- Navigation test engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- IEEE 952 (fibre optic gyroscopes)
- IEEE 1293 (linear accelerometers)
- IEEE 1554 (inertial sensor test practices)
- IEEE 528 (inertial sensor terminology)
- MIL-STD-810H (environmental testing)
- RTCA DO-160G (environmental conditions for airborne equipment)
- MATLAB Navigation Toolbox
- Kalibr
- OpenVINS
- VINS-Fusion
- GTSAM
8 modules
1.1Reference frames and transformations1.2Strapdown navigation equations1.3Initial alignment1.4Propagation of inertial errors1.5Schuler oscillation1.6Stabilised platforms versus strapdown1.7IMU quality grades1.8Drift in GNSS-denied environments1.9High-end inertial navigation1.10Practical exercise: strapdown mechanisation in MATLAB
2.1MEMS, FOG and RLG gyroscopes2.2MEMS and servo accelerometers2.3Error models: bias, scale factor and misalignment2.4Allan variance2.5Calibration on a rate table2.6Temperature effects2.7Testing according to IEEE 15542.8Vibration and shock2.9Quantisation and random noise2.10Lab: Allan variance of an IMU
3.1Camera models and calibration3.2Feature detection and tracking3.3Epipolar motion estimation3.4Stereo visual odometry3.5Direct methods3.6Scale in monocular systems3.7Event cameras3.8Robustness to lighting3.9Optical flow and its use in navigation3.10Practical exercise: stereo visual odometry outdoors
4.1Error-state Kalman filter4.2Loose and tight coupling4.3MSCKF and OpenVINS4.4Sliding-window optimisation4.5Inertial preintegration4.6System observability4.7Visual-inertial initialisation4.8Outlier management4.9Lidar-inertial navigation4.10Lab: visual-inertial fusion with OpenVINS
5.1Intrinsic camera calibration5.2Extrinsic camera-IMU calibration5.3Time synchronisation5.4Calibration with Kalibr5.5Online calibration5.6Calibration stability5.7Lidar and other auxiliary sensors5.8Mounting errors5.9Magnetometer calibration5.10Practical exercise: full calibration of a system
6.1Odometers and vehicle constraints6.2Magnetometers and their compensation6.3Barometers and altimetry6.4Terrain-referenced navigation6.5Signals of opportunity6.6Prior maps and relocalisation6.7Zero-velocity updates6.8Integration in a modular architecture6.9Cooperative navigation between platforms6.10Case study: pedestrian navigation with ZUPT
7.1Reference trajectories7.2Position and attitude error metrics7.3Tests in tunnels and car parks7.4MIL-STD-810H environmental testing7.5Integrity and covariance estimation7.6Fault monitoring7.7Documentation of results7.8Legal aspects of navigation use7.9Electromagnetic compatibility testing7.10Workshop: GNSS-denied test campaign
8.1Definition of navigation requirements8.2Sensor selection8.3System calibration8.4Implementation of the fusion filter8.5Acquisition of test data8.6Drift assessment8.7Sensitivity analysis8.8Conclusions and future work8.9Report 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 Navigation Toolbox, Kalibr, OpenVINS, VINS-Fusion and GTSAM, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: camera-IMU calibration with Kalibr, drift assessment on a GNSS-denied route and Allan variance analysis of an IMU. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final project.
Standards covered: IEEE 952, IEEE 1293, IEEE 1554, IEEE 528, MIL-STD-810H, RTCA DO-160G.
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 Navigation Toolbox, Kalibr, OpenVINS, VINS-Fusion and GTSAM, 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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