DSEI 2025 – UmiX Series, the Exail high-performance mini-inertial unit makes its mark on the defence market
At the DSEI 2025, Exail showcased the UmiX Series, a high-performance miniature inertial unit designed to meet the navigation and stabilisation challenges of the most demanding platforms in the defence and aeronautics sectors
In a field where the reliability of navigation data determines mission success, Exail – a recognised player in the field navigation and positioning technologies – announced the new generation of inertial measurement units (IMUs), the UmiX Series, which combine ultra-compactness and superior performance.
Designed to meet the needs of land, naval, air and space platforms, the UmiX Series sets the bar high in a field where every gram, every milliwatt and every microsecond of precision counts.
The new Exail IMUs are based on three fibre optic gyroscopes (FOG) and three iXal-S vibrating beam accelerometers. The FOG dynamic range is ±490°/s for the UmiX 40-5DU, the model aimed at the civilian market, and ±2000°/s for the UmiX 40-5MG, the version developed for the military market. Apart from the dynamic range, the other characteristics are the same for the two members of the UmiX family, with an angular random walk of 8 m°/√h, a bias instability of 10 m°/h (1σ), a thermal bias residue of 50 m°/h (1σ), a thermal residual scale factor of 40 ppm (1σ), and an in-run bias of 0.02°/h (1σ). The same applies to accelerometer performances, with that of the UmiX 40-5 DU featuring a ±30 g dynamic range, which become ±100 g in the UmiX 40-5MG. For both iXal-S accelerometers bias instability is 2 µg (1σ), residual thermal bias 250 µg (1σ), and residual thermal scale factor 40 ppm (1σ).
The form factor of the two IMUs is the same, with a 88.9 mm diameter and a 75 mm height, mass being under 770 grams. At ambient temperature power consumption is under 4.5 W, maximum consumption in the entire -32°C to +71°C temperature range being less than 7 W, input power supply tension being 5 V DC. Fitted in a hermetic enclosure ensuring full waterproof, the two new Exail IMUs can withstand 5 grms vibrations in the 20-1000 Hz band, 40 g shocks for 11 ms, their MTBF being 80,000 hours. Both UmiX feature an RS422 communication interface using a Micro D 21 pins connectors, with a data rate between 100 and 10,000 Hz.
The challenge faced by Exail engineers was clear, reducing size without sacrificing data quality. With the UmiX Series, Exail offers a miniaturised architecture incorporating the latest generation of FOGs and accelerometers, delivering a level of measurement accuracy usually reserved for larger, more power hungry systems, opening up new possibilities for integration into smaller platforms. Among those, in defence we can mention missile guidance, optical stabilisation, and C-UAS systems for land and naval applications, in aerospace long-endurance ISR drones and nanosatellites, in the naval domain surface and underwater navigation, while in the civil industry they can find applications in autonomous vehicles, geosciences, industrial robotics.
According to Exail, the UmiX Series guarantees navigation stability even in GNSS-denied environments, making it a decisive asset for military and civil operations requiring complete positioning autonomy.
Securing European sovereignty has become a key issue under different aspects. The UmiX platforms are fully ITAR-free, Exail-controlled manufacturing and components being 100% non-US. This marks a key milestone in Europe’s drive to secure supply chains for strategic components. Exail, capitalising on its technological expertise and industrial partnerships, is helping to strengthen strategic autonomy in sensitive areas such as navigation and mission control.
Exail’s goal with the UmiX Series Compact is clear: to make high-precision navigation capabilities accessible in lighter, more discreet and more robust systems – a decisive advantage for both the armed forces and civilian industries seeking cutting-edge solutions.
Graphic courtesy Exail, photo by J. Roukoz
