UAS-Based Radio Frequency Interference Localization Using Power Measurements

Casey Smith, Haoming Yan, Osama Abdul Hafez, Jeremy Hopwood, Mathieu Joerger

Abstract: This paper describes the development, implementation, and testing of a GNSS jammer localizer using power measurement profiles collected during un-crewed aerial system (UAS) fly-bys. A linearized measurement equation based on the Friis power transmission formula is derived in which RF channel propagation parameters are grouped into a single parameter for estimation. Synchronized power and UAS position measurements are processed in a batch-type sequential non-linear least squares algorithm for simultaneous estimation of static jammer position and received power model parameters. We develop a low size, weight, power, and cost (SWAP-C) quad-rotor UAS test bed that can collect and time-stamp power measurements with UAS position. Since GNSS jamming is illegal, a LoRa 868 MHz transmitter is used as a surrogate GNSS jammer during field testing – providing Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) measurements to the LoRa receiver onboard the UAS. Testing is conducted at the Virginia Tech Kentland Experimental Aerial Systems Lab, where emitter localization is evaluated for three different trajectories. Experimental performance analysis suggests that meter-level localization accuracy is achievable with prior knowledge on source location and by accounting for antenna gain pattern variations over time in the estimation process with a first order Gauss Markov Process.
Published in: Proceedings of the 2024 International Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation
January 23 - 25, 2024
Hyatt Regency Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Pages: 1169 - 1183
Cite this article: Smith, Casey, Yan, Haoming, Hafez, Osama Abdul, Hopwood, Jeremy, Joerger, Mathieu, "UAS-Based Radio Frequency Interference Localization Using Power Measurements," Proceedings of the 2024 International Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation, Long Beach, California, January 2024, pp. 1169-1183. https://doi.org/10.33012/2024.19570
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