Bias instability is the smallest wander of a gyroscope's or accelerometer's zero offset over time, read from the flat bottom of its Allan variance curve. It is quoted in degrees per hour for gyroscopes and in micro-g for accelerometers. The lower it is, the longer an INS can navigate without outside aiding before errors grow.
Where it is used
- Comparing IMU and INS grades
- Predicting GNSS-denied performance