Alternative Position and Navigation Based on DME Accumulated Delta Range

Tunc Ertan and Mark L. Psiaki

Abstract:	A method is analyzed that estimates absolute aircraft position and velocity based on time-series of accumulated delta range measurements from Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) ground transponders. This method provides an Alternative Position and Navigation – but not quite Timing – (APNT) system for use in airplanes as a back-up to the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). It performs absolute navigation based on relative-change-in-range measurements. These measurements are provided by nearly continuous radio-navigation carrier phase observables. A Square Root Information Extended Kalman Filter (SRIF) is developed for this method, and a corresponding medium-fidelity truth-model simulation is used to evaluate the filter performance in absolute position observability, filter convergence times, and steady state accuracies for representative scenarios. The results show that a steady state accuracy level below 0.025 nautical miles is achievable, and they reveal the potential usefulness of the proposed method as part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s APNT program.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 27th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2014) September 8 - 12, 2014 Tampa Convention Center Tampa, Florida
Pages:	3055 - 3064
Cite this article:	Updated citation: Published in NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation
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