Collaborative Image Navigation Simulation and Analysis for UAVs in GPS Challenged Conditions

Dr. Bernard A. Schnaufer, Dr. Patrick Hwang, Mr. Jeremy Nadke, Dr. Gary A. McGraw, Mr. Donald Venable

Abstract:	Accurate and robust position, navigation, and time (PNT) data is a key-enabler for multi-platform collaborative sensing for a diverse array of military operations. The AFRL Collaborative Robust Integrated Sensor Positioning (CRISP) program has investigated techniques that leverage shared sensor data to enhance the availability of reliable PNT information for all platforms in a network, particularly those that experience GPS outages, utilizing electro-optical (EO) payload data in conjunction with GPS and inertial data. Rockwell Collins has developed an architecture for enabling continuous navigation capabilities for airborne platforms having disparate sensing capabilities in GPS challenged and denied conditions. In this study program the Rockwell Collins architecture was evaluated via a high-fidelity simulation environment. Navigation performance results for our solution were produced and presented by exercising our simulation with an AFRL-provided dataset. The performance results have shown that our collaborative image navigation architecture and implementation supports extended, GPS-level navigation accuracy in GPS Denied conditions.
Published in:	Proceedings of IEEE/ION PLANS 2012 April 24 - 26, 2012 Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Pages:	719 - 729
Cite this article:	Schnaufer, Dr. Bernard A., Hwang, Dr. Patrick, Nadke, Mr. Jeremy, McGraw, Dr. Gary A., Venable, Mr. Donald, "Collaborative Image Navigation Simulation and Analysis for UAVs in GPS Challenged Conditions," Proceedings of IEEE/ION PLANS 2012, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina , April 2012, pp. 719-729. https://doi.org/10.1109/PLANS.2012.6236949
Full Paper:	ION Members/Non-Members: 1 Download Credit Sign In