Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd’s announced this week that their latest inertial measurement technology has been used in AD Navigation AS’s new pilot’s aid, the ADX XR, to successfully guide the world’s largest construction vessel ‘Pioneering Spirit’ into Maasvlakte in the port of Rotterdam.

With large vessels such as the Pioneering Spirit, which measures 372 x 124 meters (1,227 x 407 feet), final entrance and docking maneuvers in the close confines of a port are typically controlled by a pilot. The pilot uses the ADX XR as their ship-independent navigation aid.

“Our MEMS gyros are relied on in many maritime roles, including positioning, stabilisation, and navigation, but our team is particularly proud of this successful trial with AD Navigation on the Pioneering Spirit vessel. Our devices are based on our patented vibrating ring design which means they offer a unique combination of precision performance and robustness – a combination that is particularly appropriate in the tough and ever-changing maritime environment,” said Steve Capers, General Manager at Silicon Sensing Systems.

In the trials, precise movement data from Silicon Sensing’s CRH02 all-silicon gyros allowed the ADX XR to deliver a highly accurate and detailed 3 to 5-minute ship course prediction to the pilot. The CRH02 model is a compact, low noise, single axis gyroscope, similar to a fiber optic gyro, but more rugged, and with a lower size and weight.

Following this successful performance, AD Navigation has placed a production order for CRH02 gyros with Silicon Sensing.

Lorentz Ryan, Managing Director of AD Navigation commented: “The compact form factor along with the extremely precise performance of the new CRH02 gyro makes it a perfect component in our ADX XR ultra-precise and portable navigation system. We appreciate our long-standing relationship with Silicon Sensing and the excellent support from all their staff.”