Inertial Navigation System Market Size, Share, Opportunities, COVID-19 Impact, And Trends By Application (Aircraft, Missiles, Space Launch Vehicles, Marine, Military Armored Vehicles), By Component (Accelerometers, Gyroscopes, Algorithms And Processors, Wireless Systems), By Grade (Marine Grade, Navigation Grade, Tactical Grade, Space Grade, Commercial Grade), By Technology (Mechanical Gyros, Ring Laser Gyros, Fiber Optics Gyros, MEMS, Others), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2022 To 2027

The inertial navigation system market was recorded at US$9.982 billion in 2024 and will grow to US$14.037 billion in 2029 at a CAGR of 7.06%.

An inertial navigation system (INS) involves using components such as gyroscopes, accelerometers, global navigation system satellite receivers, and sensors to calculate an object’s position, velocity, and orientation, which assists in forming critical navigation information. The INS finds a wide range of applications in the manufacture of guided military weapons and commercially made games, computers, cameras, and medical devices.

The need for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) is increasing in major applications such as scientific investigation, oil & gas exploration, and military armament with high precision requirements, propelling the industry forward. Moreover, they are employed to deactivate underwater mines, counterattack, port security, and hull inspection in the defense industry.

Additionally, as global oil consumption rises, UUVs are rapidly being employed for oil rig building, pipeline examinations, and regular maintenance, driving the market's growth. The bolstering growth in the aerospace sector further expands the inertial navigation system industry globally. Major economies, namely the United States, China, India, Russia, and Japan, are investing in bolstering their space programs. For instance, according to the United States Internal Trade Commission, from 2018 to 2022, the average number of global space launches experienced an annual growth of 14.6%, thereby representing a significant increase over the growth rate of the last fifteen years.

The “2023 Space Annul Report’ issued by the Space Foundation specifically stated that in 2023, there were 212 successful space launches, which represented an 18% year-over-year growth. Until Q1 of 2023, the global space economy experienced a 41% growth over the five years, and by 2027, the valuation of the global space economy will reach up to US$772 billion.

Inertial Navigation System Market Drivers:

• Growing applicability in the defense & military sector is anticipated to support the market expansion.

The ability of inertial navigation systems to provide precise positioning information makes them an integral part of modern missiles, military aircraft, military Armored vehicles, and other long-range weapons. Employing such systems increases the overall damage rate. With current ongoing cross-border tensions and terrorist attacks, the demand for INS is expected to witness positive growth for military applications.

Hence, major companies, namely Honeywell International Inc., Analog Devices, The Raytheon Company, Thales Group, and Safron Electronics & Defense, are emphasizing providing INS offerings that are military grade. For instance, Honeywell’s “Compact Inertial Navigation System” features tactical-grade inertial sensors and is designed to operate on ground, sea, or air, thereby making them ideal for military applications such as military surface vehicles and military-grade unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

• Unmanned underwater vehicle development has provided a new growth prospect to the market.

Unmanned underwater vehicles are widely utilized in oil and gas exploration, scientific research, and military armament with high precision requirements. They are employed for deactivating underwater mines, counterattacking, port security, and hull inspection in the defense industry. Witnessing the UUV’s high industrial applicability, new product launches and developments are being made in this regard which is expected to drive the demand and usage of major components inclusive of inertial navigation system.

For instance, in March 2024, HII launched its UUV model “REMUS 130”, which features effortless payload integration, a two-person portable compact design, and an extended battery of ten hours. The third-generation unmanned underwater vehicle is ideal for offshore oil & gas exploration and mince countermeasures operations. Additionally, with the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation, the demand for unmanned marine vehicles is anticipated to increase.

Inertial Navigation System Market Geographical Outlook

• North America is poised for significant growth, thereby accounting for a considerable market share.

North America is poised to show significant growth during the forecast period, fuelled by the growing opportunities of inertial navigation systems in commercial and military applications in major regional nations, namely the United States and Canada. Likewise, the investments in unmanned aerial vehicles, radar stabilization, and growing commercial & military grade aircraft manufacturing have further stimulated the regional market growth. According to Boeing’s annual report, in 2022, the company’s commercial aircraft sales in the USA witnessed 28.45% growth, with revenue reaching up to US$12,167 million. Likewise, according to the Statistics Canada quarterly data, in Q3 of 2023, the country’s 24 largest air carriers experienced a 21.2% increase in their revenue. They transported more than 25 million passengers on scheduled & charter services.

Besides commercial aviation, the military sector is also witnessing a significant increase in such nations which is predicted to positively impact the demand & usage of inertial navigation technology in missiles, drones, and armored & unmanned vehicles. For instance, in March 2024, the Biden administration submitted an FY (Fiscal Year) 2025 Budget request of US$849.8 billion for the Department of Defense, which included a request of US$28.4 billion for improving US-missiles defense.

Inertial Navigation System Market Key Developments

• In March 2024, Exail launched “Phins 9 Compact,” a high-performance inertial navigation system (INS) designed for UUV. It is equipped with a high-performance fiber-optics gyroscope-based IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) with advanced accelerometers, making it the most compact INS for such applications.
• In October 2023, Point One Navigation partnered with STMicroelectronics to deliver reliable positioning & navigational systems for STM customers in Western Europe and the US. The targeted applications are construction, autonomous vehicles, and agriculture.
• In September 2023, Honeywell and Civitanavi Systems jointly launched “HG2800,” which features tactical-grade inertial measurement units designed for stabilization, pointing, and short-term duration navigation of military and commercial aircraft.
• In June 2023, Northrop Grumman Corporation conducted a successful flight test of its advanced airborne navigation system, “EGI-M”. It features a modernized Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) & Inertial Navigation System.  

The Inertial Navigation System market is segmented and analyzed as follows:

• BY APPLICATION
  • Aircraft
  • Missiles
  • Space Launch Vehicles
  • Marine
  • Military Armored Vehicles
• BY COMPONENT
  • Accelerometers
  • Gyroscopes
  • Algorithms and Processors
  • Wireless Systems
  • Others
• BY GRADE
  • Marine Grade
  • Navigation Grade
  • Tactical Grade
  • Space Grade
  • Commercial Grade
• BY TECHNOLOGY
  • Mechanical Gyros
  • Ring Laser Gyros
  • Fiber Optics Gyros
  • MEMS
  • Others
• BY GEOGRAPHY
  • North America
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • UK
    • Germany
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Israel
    • Saudi Arabia
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • India
    • Australia
    • South Korea
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • Indonesia
    • Others