Flight path estimation using frequency measurements from a wideaperture acoustic array

A narrowband technique based on the acoustical Doppler effect is proposed for estimating the trajectory of a turbo-prop aircraft in level flight with constant velocity as it transits over a ground-based passive acoustic sensor array. The basic principle is to measure the temporal variation of the instantaneous frequency (IF) of the acoustic signal received by each sensor and then to minimize the sum of the squared deviations of the IF estimates from their predicted values over a sufficiently long period of time for all sensors. The technique provides estimates of the propeller blade rate and the five source motion parameters that describe the aircraft trajectory. The six dimensional minimization problem is reduced to a five dimensional maximization problem, which is solved numerically using the quasi-Newton method. A simple method is described that provides the initial parameter estimates required for the numerical maximization. The effectiveness of the motion parameter estimation technique is verified using real acoustic data recorded from a wide aperture microphone array during various transits of a turbo-prop aircraft     

Periodic acoustic source tracking using propagation delayed measurements

There exist a large class of acoustic sources which have an underlying periodic phenomenon. Unlike the well-studied Bearings-Only Tracking(BOT) of an aperiodic acoustic source,this paper considers the problem of tracking a periodic acoustic source. For periodic acoustic tracking, the signal emission time is known. However, the true measurement reception time is unknown because it is corrupted by noise due to propagation delay. We augment the sensor’s signal reception time onto bearing measuremen...     

Ground-multi path mitigation via polarization steering of GPS signal

Multipath (MP) is the dominant error source in Global Positioning System (GPS) code-based position solutions requiring high accuracy. A technique is introduced here to mitigate error due to ground-reflected MP signals. The technique uses two orthogonal dipoles to capture the direct GPS signal and the ground-reflected GPS signal. Adjusting the amplitude and phase of the received voltage between the two dipoles can reduce the impact of MP error. Theoretical derivations of this technique are performed for a GPS signal upon reflection from dry soil, seawater, and fresh water. The theoretical results are verified with a real world experiment on the aforementioned surfaces. GPS pseudo-range (PR) and carrier-to-noise ratio (C/No) measurements for specific satellites are used to verify the predicted theoretical results.     

Wideband channel model for aeronautical telemetry

A multipath channel model for wideband aeronautical telemetry links is presented. Channel sounding data were collected at Edwards AFB, CA, at both L-band and lower S-band. Frequency domain analysis techniques were used to evaluate candidate channel models. The channel model is composed of three propagation paths: a line-of-sight direct path and two specular reflections. The first specular reflection is characterized by a relative amplitude of 70% to 96% of the line-of-sight amplitude and a delay of 10-80 ns. This path is the result of "ground bounces" off the dry lake bed at Edwards and is a typical terrain feature at DoD test ranges located in the western United States. The amplitude and delay of this path are defined completely by the flight path geometry. The second path has much lower amplitude and a longer delay. The gain of this path is well modeled as a zero-mean complex Gaussian random variable. The relative amplitude is approximately 2% to 8% of the line-of-sight amplitude. The mean excess delay is 155 ns with an rms delay spread of 74 ns.     

空速的GPS试飞校准方法

通过“往返试飞”消除风速影响从而由 GPS测得的地速求得真空速,运用近似理想气体理论,建立Ma数真值与真空速、大气总温的关系,解算出 Ma数真值,得到“GPS速度法”;或者考虑真实大气与标准大气的差异,在水平航线上引入气压高度常值偏差及航路气压修正系数,建立 GPS几何高度与气压高度的关系,结合“速度法”求得的任一 Ma数点的校准量,解算出气压高度真值,得到“GPS高度法”。通过对某型飞机的飞行试验,验证了这些方法的可靠性与实用性。     

Microwave Radiometric Sensing for Air Navigation

This paper discusses the results of an analytic study of the feasibility of using microwave radiometry as a technique for navigation data sensing in Army aircraft. The study included a review of Army aircraft characteristics and navigation requirements. Various means of sensing passively aircraft velocity, altitude, and velocity-altitude ratio were considered. While there appears to be no practical method for direct measurement of either velocity or altitude separately, it does appear possible to measure velocity-altitude ratio by comparing radiometric signals received from the terrain along the aircraft ground track. When combined with a radar altimeter, such a sensor could yield navigation data compatible with Army aircraft requirements. Microwave radiometry may also be the basis for direction sensing (to known landmarks) in high-flying aircraft or satellites.     

Improvement of Automatic Landing Through the Use of a Space Diversity ILS Receiving System

A space diversity method of receiving and processing ILS localizer information has been developed and flight tested. Multiple lateral ly separated antennas are used which sense the ILS signal on and around the approach path. Combining these signals suppresses ILS beam distortion produced by multipath signal interference and provides much improved guidance information to the landing aircraft control system.     

基于增广Burgers方程的音爆远场计算及应用

音爆的精确模拟对于超声速客机的低音爆研究与设计意义重大。由于计算能力的限制,客机巡航高度的音爆全场直接模拟目前还难以实现。现有的音爆预测方法一般分为两步,先通过超声速线化理论或计算流体力学的方法得到音爆近场的过压值（Over-pressure）分布,再通过声学理论将近场声压信号推进至远场,以获得飞行器的地面音爆信号。在远场计算中,传统的波形参数法没有考虑音爆传播过程中的经典吸收和分子驰豫效应所造成的声能损失,得到的激波没有厚度,导致计算得到的远场声压级不准确。基于算子分裂法,开展了非线性声学中的增广Burgers方程的数值解法研究。通过计算第二届音爆预测研讨会（SBPW-2）发布的两个标准算例,验证了该方法可以实现地面音爆波形的精确预测。发现在近场声压信号前加入一段无幅值的缓冲信号可以有效提升"N"波上升时间的模拟精度。网格收敛性研究表明适当加密计算网格是有必要的。在此基础上研究了大气声吸收对地面波形的影响,发现分子驰豫效应的影响要强于经典吸收。最后,研究了不同湿度、温度对地面音爆波形的影响,发现干燥、低温的环境对音爆信号的过压值有抑制作用。     

一种改进的雷达低空目标仰角估计算法

由于地(海)面反射的多径镜像信号的存在,使雷达低空目标的仰角估计成了难题。而三子孔径算法是针对该难题而提出的一种有效算法。此算法基于极大似然算法将等距线阵均分为三个子孔径,从而简化了估计函数,也使计算量大大减少。本文在三子孔径算法的基础上,利用目标信号与镜像信号在入射角度上的正弦约束条件,给出了一种改进算法。计算机仿真结果显示改进算法在性能上要优于三子孔径算法。     

Assessment and improvement of the capabilities of a window correlator to model GPS multipath phase errors

The potential of output from a window correlator to mitigate GPS phase multipath is reviewed and assessed based on the analysis of data collected in controlled multipath environments under both static and kinematic conditions. Previous findings that the method is suboptimal for reflectors leading to additional path lengths of less than about 7m are confirmed, and methods for combining this output with two other multipath indicators: time series of signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and estimates of code multipath from dual frequency code and phase combinations, are investigated. A new method to combine all three indicators has been found and its application is shown to improve the quality of GPS static phase data by between 10% and 20% depending on the length of the additional path travelled by the reflected signal. The method can be applied completely automatically as it uses just the three multipath indicators; no knowledge of the surrounding environment is required. The paper concludes with some suggested practical applications.     

基于成本指数的民机四维航迹预测优化算法

近年来,四维轨迹预测与优化功能成为了飞行管理系统(Flight Management System,简称FMS)技术的研究热点。航迹预测结果的准确性直接关系着飞机的参数指标,同时也关系着飞机运行的经济性,甚至决定飞机的安全性。从飞机运行的成本角度出发,根据运行成本建立飞机运行的代价函数模型,分别对巡航阶段的速度和高度建模,将代价函数作为优化对象对四维航迹预测结果进行优化,总结出一套最经济巡航速度以及最经济巡航高度的计算方法,为民用飞机四维航迹预测的优化提供了切实可行的理论参考。     

Beamspace ML bearing estimation incorporating low-angle geometry

A problem in low-angle radar tracking, namely, bearing estimation in the presence of a strong specular multipath component that arrives within the beamwidth of the direct path signal, is studied. Three-dimensional beamspace domain maximum likelihood (3D-BDML) is a computationally simple ML bearing estimation algorithm applicable in this scenario which operates in a 3-D beamspace. A variation of 3D-BDML incorporating the multipath geometry as a priori information is presented. In symmetric 3D-BDML the pointing angle of the center beam is equal to the bisector angle between the direct path ray and the image ray, which may be estimated a priori given only the radar height and the target range. The effect of the inclusion of a priori information on the performance of 3D-BDML is analyzed in terms of the dependence on the relative phase difference between the direct and specular path signals, the sensitivity to error in the bisector angle estimate, and the results of operation when no specular multipath component is present in the data. In addition, computationally simple schemes for coherently incorporating multifrequency data into 3D-BDML are investigated     

飞机噪声的工程预测

 本文将飞机在飞行过程中发出声辐射的动态问题,按准稳态方法分解为航迹,观察点与声源的几何关系,声源特性、大气衰减与地面效应等单元过程。并以涡扇飞机和螺旋桨飞机等计算实例,阐明飞机噪声的组成,时间历程、频谱,指向性及地面等值线等同公共噪声和声疲劳有密切关系的问题。     

连接翼布局纵向控制特性

连接翼布局是高空长航时探测无人机的适宜布局之一。以某大展弦比连接翼布局为例,研究其前/后翼飞行控制特性,包括在纵向姿态和轨迹控制中单独使用前、后翼升降舵的特性和直接升力控制中的协调使用特性。结果表明,虽然定性而言前翼控制对于轨迹响应时间延迟降低有利,但由于内在的慢响应特性,单独前、后翼升降舵控制效果相当;前/后翼协调使用有利于消除俯仰姿态和轨迹的耦合影响,能够有效调整闭环系统零极点,从而调节时间明显缩短;另外,基于输出反馈的特征结构配置方法适宜于直接升力控制律设计,过程直接,得到的结果易实现。这些结果为连接翼飞机飞行控制律设计建立了基础。     

NOx emissions of turbofan powered unmanned aerial vehicle for complete flight cycle

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been getting more and more popular in both civil and military arena. Similar to manned aircraft, their propulsion systems or engines emit harmful gases such as nitrogen oxides. Since UAVs have different mission profiles and operational parameters than manned aircraft, it is worthy to investigate their NO_x emissions. Therefore, in this study, NO_x emissions of a turbofan powered UAV for complete flight cycle was calculated and optimized within a range of altitude and speed parameters. NO_x emissions were calculated based on ICAO ground test data and corrected to any speed and altitude during flight legs using both Boeing Fuel Flow Method 2 and DLR Fuel Flow Method. Total NO_x emissions were calculated for complete flight cycles for different altitude and speed parameters. Numerical results were presented graphically and additionally optimization studies were conducted. Optimization studies include determination and comparison of speed and altitude for minimum NO_x emissions by the two fuel flow methods and maximum loiter time achievable by UAV.     

Loss-of-Consciousness&Spatial Disorientation Auto-Recovery System

A G-induced loss-of-consciousness (GLOC) and spatial disorientation auto-recovery system has been developed and tested on the Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI)/F-16 aircraft. The pilot controls the operation of this system by entering an MSL altitude and manually arming the system. Engagement conditions of the auto-recovery maneuver are controlled by aircraft speed, altitude, attitude, and the set recovery altitude and do not depend upon any determination of pilot physiological condition. Initiation of the recovery maneuver is preceded by visual and aural warnings which continue until the pilot resumes control. The pilot always has the capability to override or disengage the autorecovery maneuver. This system, as developed on the AFTI/F-16, is directly and quickly applicable to other analog or digital flight control systems such as found in the F-16 or F-18. This system provides the pilot protection from ground collision in most air-to-air training environments.     

Analysis of an adaptive algorithm for unbiased multipath time delay estimation

The multipath equalization time delay estimator (METDE) provides an adaptive approach for estimating the difference in arrival times of a signal received at spatially separated sensors as well as the multipath channel characteristics. However, the parameter estimates of the METDE are biased in the presence of noise. The METDE algorithm is improved for unbiased parameter estimation via minimizing a modified cost function. Convergence behaviors and variances of the system variables of the amended method are derived. Computer simulations are included to corroborate the theoretical analysis and to evaluate the adaptive multipath delay estimation performance of the proposed algorithm.     

续航型无人机动力学设计特点分析

针对续航型无人机的任务需求和总体特点，从稳定性、指令跟踪精度、大气紊流及其它扰动抑制能力等方面，仔细分析了纵向和横侧动力学设计容易出现的问题，其中包括沉浮模态频率较大而阻尼比可能不足、高度控制器设计模型的近似要求、在反操纵区因为轨迹稳定丧失和非最小相位零点的存在导致基于俯仰角调节系统方案的不合适性、螺旋镇定和偏航姿态控制系统振荡及其非最小相位特性等；并提供了相应的解决方案，其中特别强调面向任务和动力学机理分析，以尽量获得简单而实用的方案。     

Robust altitude estimation for over-the-horizon radar using a state-space multipath fading model

In previous work, a matched-field estimate of aircraft altitude from multiple over-the-horizon (OTH) radar dwells was presented. This approach exploits the altitude dependence of direct and surface reflected returns off the aircraft and the relative phase changes of these micro-multipath arrivals across radar dwells. Since this previous approach assumed high dwell-to-dwell predictability, it has been found to be sensitive to mismatch between modeled versus observed micro-multipath phase and amplitude changes from dwell-to-dwell. A generalized matched-field altitude estimate is presented here based on a state-space model that accounts for random ionospheric and target-motion effects that degrade the dwell-to-dwell predictability of target returns. The new formulation results in an efficient, robust recursive maximum likelihood (ML) estimation of aircraft altitude. Simulations suggest that the proposed technique can achieve accuracy within 5,000 ft of the true aircraft altitude, even with relatively high levels of uncertainty in modeling of dwell-to-dwell changes in the target return. A real data result is also presented to illustrate the technique.     

Methods for determining unimpeded aircraft taxiing time and evaluating airport taxiing performance

The objective of this study is to improve the methods of determining unimpeded (nom-inal) taxiing time, which is the reference time used for estimating taxiing delay, a widely accepted performance indicator of airport surface movement. After reviewing existing methods used widely by different air navigation service providers (ANSP), new methods relying on computer software and statistical tools, and econometrics regression models are proposed. Regression models are highly recommended because they require less detailed data and can serve the needs of general per-formance analysis of airport surface operations. The proposed econometrics model outperforms existing ones by introducing more explanatory variables, especially taking aircraft passing and over-passing into the considering of queue length calculation and including runway configuration, ground delay program, and weather factors. The length of the aircraft queue in the taxiway system and the interaction between queues are major contributors to long taxi-out times. The proposed method provides a consistent and more accurate method of calculating taxiing delay and it can be used for ATM-related performance analysis and international comparison.