1. Overview
The Department of Precision Instrumentation, Navigation & Control, part of the School of Instrumentation & Optoelectronic Engineering, was originally established to address the urgent needs of the aerospace industry and the national strategy of "Two Bombs, One Satellite." It traces its roots to the Inertial Technology Research Lab founded at Beihang University by Dr. Lin Shieh, a pioneer in China's inertial technology. Officially established in 2003, the department has developed a key national undergraduate major, "Detection, Navigation & Control Technology," and a secondary discipline, "Precision Instrumentation & Machinery," within the Ministry of Education’s Double First-Class A+ discipline, "Instrument Science & Technology." Over more than seventy years of development, the department has grown to include 26 faculty members, featuring one academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and four nationally recognized young talents. Aligned with national strategic goals and focused on international academic frontiers, the department conducts in-depth research in advanced navigation technology, target detection and identification, and intelligent control and systems. It has undertaken key national projects, including contributions to the National Civil Aerospace Scientific Research Project and the National Key Research & Development Program of China, yielding significant results and nurturing innovative talents with a strong sense of historical mission, broad international vision, solid professional quality, and the potential to lead, thereby contributing to the construction of Socialism with Chinese characteristics.
2. The History
The history of the Department of Precision Instrumentation, Navigation & Control dates back to the establishment of the Department of Aircraft Equipment Teaching & Research in 1952 at the founding of Beihang University. In response to the pressing needs for inertial navigation related to "Two Bombs, One Satellite" in 1958, Dr. Lin Shieh, a pioneer in China’s inertial technology, proposed by Dr. Qian Xuesen, established the Aircraft Gyroscope & Inertial Navigation Lab, leading to the development of the major "Aircraft Gyroscope & Inertial Navigation." In 1981, it gained approval as one of the country's first doctoral programs (Aircraft Gyroscope & Inertial Navigation), and in 1988, it was recognized as one of the country's first key disciplines (Inertial Technology & Navigation Equipment). Renamed "Precision Instrumentation & Machinery" in 1997, the department underwent further development in 2003 with the establishment of the School of Instrumentation & Optoelectronic Engineering. In 2021, adapting to evolving research areas, it was renamed The Department of Precision Instrumentation, Navigation & Control.
3. Discipline Construction
The Department of Precision Instrumentation, Navigation & Control specializes in precision instruments and machinery within the fields of Instrument Science & Technology and Instrumentation Engineering, authorized to confer Doctoral and Master's degrees. Designated as the first national key disciplines in 2007, it consistently ranked first in the Ministry of Education's primary discipline evaluations in 2017 and 2021. Additionally, it was selected as a Ministry of Education First-Class A+ discipline. The undergraduate major "Detection, Navigation & Control Technology" earned recognition as a distinctive major of higher education in Beijing in 2009, received distinction from the Ministry of Education in 2010, was rated as a key major by the Ministry of Industry & Information Technology in 2013, and achieved National First-Class Undergraduate Major in 2021.
4. Faculty Team
Comprising 26 faculty members, including nine professors and thirteen associate professors, all holding doctorates, the Department of Precision Instrumentation, Navigation & Control boasts a team with profound professional foundations and engineering research backgrounds in inertial navigation, combined navigation, intelligent detection, and control systems. The team includes one academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, four national-level young talents, and one "Young Talent Support Project" member of the China Association for Science & Technology. This structure forms a teaching and research team guided by the academician, led by professors, and strengthened by young teachers, presenting a notably robust faculty.
5. Teaching Work
Building upon Beihang University's strong foundation in precision instruments and information technology disciplines, the Department of Precision Instrumentation, Navigation & Control specializes in advanced inertial navigation, combined navigation, and aerospace guidance and control technology. It adheres to the philosophy of "cultivating sentiment, strengthening basics, emphasizing practice, and integrating science and education." Offering multiple courses, including Engineering Optics, Modern Engineering Drawing, Analog & Digital Electronics, Principles of Automatic Control, Data Structures and Programming, and Theoretical Mechanics, the department ensures that students possess foundational skills in optics, mechanics, electronics, computing, control, and physics. The core competency training mainline is supported by six specialized courses (Optoelectronic Detection & Target Recognition, Digital Image Processing, Automatic Control Devices, Error Theory & Data Processing, Principles of Inertial Devices, Basics of Navigation & Control) to ensure the development of foundational capabilities in the specialty direction. In the senior year, two additional specialized courses are offered, complemented by comprehensive experimental courses, further strengthening support in the professional direction.
6. Research Work
The Department of Precision Instrumentation, Navigation & Control revolves around major national needs, actively exploring new principles, methods, and cutting-edge technologies in the fields of advanced inertial navigation, combined navigation, and aerospace guidance and control. It has undertaken numerous key national projects, refining distinctive research directions such as advanced navigation technology, target detection and identification, and intelligent control and systems.
7. Experimental Conditions
Leveraging the national key laboratory of "Inertial Technology" and the provincial and ministerial key discipline laboratory of "New Inertial Instruments and Navigation System Technology," the department has ten student practice bases, providing robust support for high-level teaching and research.
8. Main Achievements
(1) "New Technology and Application of Autonomous Astronomical Combined Navigation System for Spacecraft" won the first prize in Scientific and Technological Invention in 2020 (provincial and ministerial level);
(2) "Typical Ground Target Identification Technology" won the second prize in Scientific and Technological Progress in 2018 (provincial and ministerial level);
(3) "Research on the Application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in County-Level Real Estate Survey" won the third prize in Hunan Province Science and Technology Progress in 2020;
(4) "Global Rigid-Flexible Coupling Dynamics Theory and Control Methods for Space Robots" won the second prize in Beijing Natural Science in 2021;
(5) "Refined Measurement and Control Technology for Complex Targets in Space" won the second prize in Technology Invention of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation in 2017;
(6) "Innovating the International Talent Cultivation Model for Satellite Navigation and Promoting China's Beidou Education and Training to the World" won the second prize in Beijing Higher Education Teaching Achievement in 2017.
