Process / pipelineComplementary Filtering
Mahony Filter
The Mahony Filter is a complementary observer-based attitude filter that fuses gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetometer measurements to estimate quaternion orientation. Developed by Robert Mahony and colleagues in 2008, the filter combines gyroscope rate integration with corrective feedback from vector measurements (accelerometer, compass) using proportional-integral control principles. The Mahony Filter provides similar performance to Kalman Filters but with simpler implementation and lower computational cost, making it ideal for resource-constrained systems and real-time control.
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Sources
- Mahony, R., Hamel, T., & Pflimlin, J. M. (2008). Multirotor aerial vehicles: Modeling, estimation, and control of quadrotors. IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, 19(3), 20–32. DOI: 10.1109/MRA.2012.2206474 ↗
- Mahony, R., Hamel, T., & Pflimlin, J. M. (2012). Multirotor aerial vehicles: Modeling, estimation, and control of quadrotors. IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine, 19(3), 20–32. DOI: 10.1109/MRA.2012.2206474 ↗
- Valenti, R. G., Dryanovski, I., & Xiao, J. (2016). Keeping a good attitude: A quaternion-based orientation filter for IMUs and MARGs. Sensors, 15(8), 19302–19330. DOI: 10.3390/s150819302 ↗