Overview

Navigation is responsible primarily for providing heading information to central command and control. In addition to heading, the navigation board is also able to provide data regarding the pitch and roll angles of the submarine, as well as the ambient temperature.

Navigation integrates best with SONAR and propulsion, by establishing a heading angle that these subsystems can reference in order to advance in a specified direction. Pitch and roll angles can be used to detect unintended movements caused by external factors such as, for example, currents in the water. The temperature sensor is useful especially during the debugging phase, for it can detect increases in temperature inside the component box. This serves as an indicator for boards that may possibly overheat. While the navigation board does not weigh heavily in terms of risk analysis, it is able to provide a complete package to the other subsystems, offering pieces of information that can increase the odds of accomplishing tasks successfully.