A low-cost heading sensor for airborne applications

Determination of heading, the direction an aircraft´s nose is pointing, is typically computed using global positioning system or inertial measurement unit data. These technologies, though quite accurate, can be cost prohibitive for recreational pilots or low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles. Here we investigate the implementation of a low-cost heading sensor by integrating data from a magnetometer and tilt sensor. We show that using the tilt sensor we are able to achieve a significant improvement over measurement using the magnetometer alone, providing a low-cost solution for determination of heading in turbulent aerial applications.