Northrop Grumman Corporation, in partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology, is to develop a new type of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope technology for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) microscale rate integrating gyroscope programme. The MEMS technology will form the basis for a micro resonator gyro capable of achieving navigation grade performance. “The new micro-fabrication process that Northrop Grumman and Georgia Tech are developing for this programme is truly groundbreaking,” said Charles Volk, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Northrop Grumman’s Navigation Systems Division. “It will enable us to move navigation technology forward by creating miniature gyros which can be utilised on a variety of applications, from unmanned vehicles to hand-held devices.”