Differential GPS/inertial navigation approach/landing flight testresults

In November 1990, a differential GPS/inertial flight test was conducted to acquire a system performance database and demonstrate automatic landing using an integrated differential GPS/INS with barometric and radar altimeters. Flight test results obtained from postflight data analysis are presented. These results include characteristics of DGPS/inertial error, using a laser tracker as a reference. In addition, data are provided on the magnitude of the differential correlations and vertical channel performance with and without radar altimeter augmentation. Flight test results show one sigma DGPS/inertial horizontal errors of 9 ft and one sigma DGPS inertial vertical errors of 15 ft. Without selective availability effects, the differential corrections are less than 10 ft and are dominated by receiver unique errors over the time period of an approach. Therefore, the one sigma performance of the autonomous GPS (8-ft horizontal and 20-ft vertical) is very similar to the DGPS/inertial performance. Postprocessed results also demonstrate significant improvements in vertical channel performance when GPS/inertial is aided with radar altimeter along with a low-resolution terrain map     

基于压力控制器的气压高度表自动检定系统

通过对航空气压高度表的工作原理和检定方法进行分析,提出了一种新的气压高度表检定方法。该方案采用广泛应用的PPC2气体压力控制器模拟产生精密气压高度信号,直接对航空气压高度表、航空大气数据计算机的静压和气压高度等项目进行检定,对具有RS232数据输出功能的电子式气压高度表可以实现自动检定,对这种方法的测量不确定度进行了分析。该方法具有操作便捷、可靠性高的特点。     

气压高度表辅助下GPS接收机自备完善性监测可用性研究

 对我国范围内飞机非精密进场及终端航行时全球定位导航系统（ＧＰＳ）接收机自备完善性监测（ＲＡＩＭ）的可用性进行了研究，分析了气压高度表辅助和故障偏置大小对ＧＰＳＲＡＩＭ可用性的影响。结果表明：气压高度表与ＧＰＳ组合是提高ＲＡＩＭ可用性的有效措施；过大或过小的偏置误差将产生较小的漏警概率，而中等大小的故障偏置则产生较大的漏警概率     

惯性加速度计与气压高度计之随机误差模型的辨识与估计

 本文根据为某科学实验飞机设计最优气压/无线电/惯性混合高度系统的需要,利用机载数据采集系统,对惯性平台上的垂直加速度计以及在典型进场飞行条件下之气压高度计的随机误差模型进行了辨识与估计。应用时间序列分析方法,最优地估计了有关随机误差源的ARIMA模型。     

A Functionally Redundant Altimeter

A scheme to provide redundant sensor data in an automatic control system using the principle of functional redundancy is described. Normally there are three redundant radar altimeters used in the terminal phase of automatic landing of jet transport airplanes. This scheme replaces one of these altimeters with a data processing scheme based on a Kalman filter. The filter is driven by altitude rate and acceleration signals from the air data computer and vertical accelerometer. A special initialization technique employs the two altimeter signals. The feasibility of this scheme is indicated by tests in which data obtained from these several sensors during flight tests are used to drive the functionally redundant altimeter.     

无人飞行器集群仅测距初始相对位姿确定方法研究CSCD

针对全球导航卫星系统(GNSS)拒止环境下无人飞行器集群成员间的相对定位问题,研究了一种基于机载惯性测量单元(IMU)、气压高度计与数据链测距组合的初始相对位姿求解算法。首先,在高度计稳定输出较为精确的高度信息的前提下,将飞行器的三维运动解耦成二维水平运动,给出了三维加速度和角速度、测距信息的水平坐标系投影等效模型。在此基础上,以待求量相对位置和航向角的非线性形式构造了新的待求状态量,并将相对位置和航向角的非线性求解问题转化成了新状态量的线性模型最小二乘求解问题。然后,通过引入递推最小二乘算法(RLS),建立了该相对位姿求解算法的实时输出递推形式,有效降低了机载在线计算的负载。接着,对所提算法进行了可观测性分析,并给出了使系统状态量不可观测的几种相对运动形式。最后,对所提算法进行了数值仿真实验,仿真结果表明,该算法能够有效、快速求解初始相对位姿,位置误差在初始相对距离的10%以内,航向角误差在初始相对角度的1%以内。     

Vertical Path Guidance Computer

A low-cost airborne computer which provides a multiangular glide path for the landing problem is independent of ILS or GCA methods. A barometric altitude signal is divided by slant-range information from a DME interrogator. The resulting ground-based angle is subtracted from the selected approach angle to provide the displayed departure from the glide path. Angular and lineal outputs are available. DME station position may be electrically offset to serve all airdrome runways. Theoretical and experimental results are presented     

Geolocation of a known altitude object from TDOA and FDOA measurements

Most satellite systems for locating an object on Earth use only time difference of arrival (TDOA) measurements. When there are relative motions between an emitter and receivers, frequency difference of arrival (FDOA) measurements can be used as well. Often, the altitude of an object is known (it is zero, for example) or can be measured with an altimeter. Two sets of geolocation solutions are proposed which exploit the altitude constraint to improve the localization accuracy. One is for TDOAs alone and the other for the combination of TDOA and FDOA measurements. The additional complexity by imposing the constraint is a one-dimensional Newton's search and the rooting of a polynomial. The covariance matrices of the new estimators are derived under a small measurement noise assumption and shown to attain the constrained Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB). When there is a bias error in the assumed altitude, using the altitude constraint will introduce a bias to the solution. Since applying the constraint decreases the variance, there is a tradeoff between variance and bias in the mean square error (MSE). The maximum allowable altitude error such that the constraint solution will remain superior to the unconstraint is given. Simulation results are included to corroborate the theoretical development.     

Design of a high precision differential altitude sensor (Statoskop)

In some areas of flight measurement technology extremely accurate altitude information is necessary (e.g. airborne gravimetry). Not only the absolute accuracy is of significance but a high resolution is demanded. In principal, an increase in the resolution can be reached by reducing the sensor measuring range. The Institute of Flight Guidance and Control has dsigned an instrument based on this method. It works with a barometric principle and is called Statoskop. The basic element is a differential pressure transducer measuring the pressure difference between the static pressure of the atmosphere and a (more or less) fixed pressure inside a reference volume. A high resolution altitude difference can be obtained from this pressure difference. The most significant error is a temperature change inside the reference volume which is corrected. Other errors are also taken into account, such as the influence of the atmosphere.     

影响民航客机着陆性能的因素分析

结合典型飞行事故案例,讨论分析了在实际飞行中导致民航客机着陆性能恶化的主要因素,即高高度大速度进场,不正确的接地技术以及刹车使用不当等。并以７３７－３００型飞机为例具体分析了高高度、大速度进场的特点及对着陆距离的影响,讨论了带平飘轻接地,不正确的接地技术导致着陆距离增长的原因,这些对帮助飞行员改进着陆操纵技术具有重要的指导作用。     

Performance Analysis of the Modulation Cancellation Altimeter

The performance of the modulation cancellation altimeter is investigated. Several sources of error are considered, specifically: 1) terrain averaging error; 2) output noise fluctuations; 3) errors due to phase shifts; and 4) acquisition ambiguities. The predominant parameters affecting these errors are investigated with a view towards optimizing the performance of the altimeter.     

Experimental Evaluation of Passive Microwave Velocity/Altitude Sensing

Experiments were conducted to determine the feasibility of using a passive microwave sensor of velocity/altitude ratio (V/H) as the basis for an aircraft navigation system. This sensor, combined with a radar altimeter, yields the velocity information needed for navigation. Airborne measurements were made with a two-beam X-band radiometer in a C-47 test aircraft. Radiometer signals and auxiliary information were recorded on magnetic tape. Ground-based data processing provided a comparison of radiometer-derived V/H measurements with those derived from independent sensors. Good results (fluctuating errors comparable to experimental uncertainties) were obtained over green farmland, urban areas, rice paddies, and certain desert areas; marginal results were obtained over other deserts and winter farmland. It was concluded that a microwave V/H sensor is feasible as the basis for a navigation system at low altitude over favorable terrains.     

导弹高度通道过程测试方法研究

分析了现行无线电高度表测试原理、方法的不足,提出了过程测试方法,研制了用于过程测试的可编程差拍信号发生器模件,在自动化测试设备上实现了导弹高度通道过程测试, 并在导弹全弹道仿真中得到了应用。     

停车迫降中风速对四转弯改出高度的影响

以微分形式,推导出了在停车迫降中,逆风会使下滑距离缩短、飞机四转弯改出位置后移两种情况下四转转改出高度的增量公式及计算方法,通过实例进行了定量分析,给出了逆风使下滑距离缩短和航线四转弯改出位置后移而使四转弯改出所需高度增加的一般规律,为成功实施迫降,保证飞行安全,提供了准确的理论依据。     

Analysis of airborne GPS multipath effects using high-fidelity EM models

Airborne GPS systems are being upgraded to provide sufficient positioning accuracy to support automatic landing operations in low visibility conditions. This is made possible by differential GPS (DGPS), in which the errors common to the airborne receiver and ground station are removed by knowledge of the latter's precise location. However, errors specific to the airborne system remain, of which the dominant components are receiver noise and multipath. To support the assessment of the integrity of the signal in space, these residual errors are incorporated in a statistically based error model, designated as the "standard model." The standard model is defined as the standard deviation of a Gaussian distribution that overbounds the residual pseudo-range (PR) error. It relates the standard deviation of the overbounding distribution to the elevation angle of the satellite relative to the local level coordinate system. The international community is currently developing improved standards to enable DGPS systems to support landings in the worst visibility conditions (i.e., CAT III). As a part of this development, the standard model for multipath is being re-evaluated and an improved model is sought. In order to better characterize the residual multipath errors, tools for accurate calculation of the airframe scattering effects are needed. Development of such tools is the subject of this paper. A new method for accurately computing pseudo-range error, based on the use of high-fidelity EM models, is described. This approach provides new insight into the mechanisms causing multipath error.     

Altitude Damping of Space-Stable Inertial Navigation Systems

In order to stabilize the altitude calculation in an inertial navigation system, an altimeter is commonly used. In a conventional local-level mechanization, this is generally accomplished by correcting the vertical channel integrators with the difference between the inertial system and altimeter indication of vertical position. However, in a space-stable system the procedure is not as clear since a vertical channel is not physically present. Three altitude damping mechanizations for a space-stable inertial navigation system are proposed. The equivalent local-level mechanizations are then found by comparing error propagation equations in a common coordinate frame.     

Optimal Aircraft Go?Around and Flare Maneuvers

This paper analyzes in detail two of the critical aircraft maneuvers associated with approach and landing: the go-around maneuver and the flare maneuver. Optimal solutions that include state and control variable constraints are obtained for both problems. Two algorithms are given for computation of the minimum and maximum altitude loss associated with the pilot-controlled go-around maneuver. A matrix operator is obtained that can be used for in-flight computation of the altitude loss on a small general-purpose digital computer. The flare optimization presented is for a cost functional that includes both the longitudinal touchdown dispersion and the normal acceleration. A closed-loop mechanization is given that approximates the optimal trajectory. A second matrix operator which can be used for prediction of the longitudinal touchdown point is obtained. Uncertainties are also obtained for the purpose of establishing a prediction confidence level. It is proposed that these prediction techniques should be incorporated into a decision making performance monitor. This monitor could provide the pilot with a continuous assessment of the approach and could generate a preflare decision on whether or not to commit the aircraft to the flare maneuver.     

Accuracy of Noise-Modulated Radio Altimeter

The principle of operation of a noise-modulated radio altimeter is based on the dependence of the cross-correlation function of the random modulation (Gaussian noise) of the finite correlatorbandwidth, the smoothing time, the influence of extraneous noise disturbance, and the change of the altitude of the aircraft during measurement. An optimum value of integration time is found that minimizes the errors that enable the meter to measure short and very short distances.     

Flight safety performance of the microwave landing system

The microwave landing system (MLS), which is scheduled to be implemented progressively over the next 10 years, is intended to supply the instrument landing system (ILS) as the international standard landing aid. MLS has been demonstrated to be superior to ILS from both performance and reliability standpoints, yet considerable debate persists on its relative merits. Although tolerance criteria for flight safety are embedded in these comparisons, flight safety has not been a major component of these discussions. The reasons why flight safety has not been an issue are addressed, and observations on the flight safety of MLS are related from a systems point of view. The effect of MLS on airport capacity is identified as a central issue. Observations are derived from a review of available documentation and operational results to date as well as discussions with the participants     

Estimation of ballistic coefficients of space debris using the ratios between different objects

This paper proposes a new method to estimate the ballistic coefficient (BC) of low earth orbit space debris.The data sources are the historical two-line elements (TLEs).Since the secular variation of semi-major axes is mainly caused by the drag perturbation for space objects with perigee altitude below 600 km,the ballistic coefficients are estimated based on variation of the mean semi-major axes derived from the TLEs.However,the approximate parameters used in the calcu lation have error,especially when the upper atmosphere densities are difficult to obtain and always estimated by empirical model.The proportional errors of the approximate parameters are cancelled out in the form of ratios,greatly mitigating the effects of model error.This method has been also been validated for space objects with perigee altitude higher than 600 km.The relative errors of esti mated BC values from the new method are significantly smaller than those from the direct estimation methods used in numerical experiments.The estimated BC values are used for the prediction of the semi-major axes,and good performance is obtained.This process is also a feasible method for prediction over a long period of time without an orbital propagator model.