Application of INS/GPS Systems Integration to Increase Performance of Automatic Landing Systems

Jochen Meyer-Hilberg and Harald Harder

Abstract:	Ever since Global Positioning System (GPS) became operational, it has been used in numerous applications. A field of very interesting application is the use of GPS in the area of air traffic control. Enroute navigation, automatic take-off and landing, taxi guidance and collision avoidance are some tasks that can be aided by using GPS. The highest challenge is the use of GPS for automatic landing systems because of the stringent requirements. Accuracy requirements can be met using GPS in differential mode (DGPS). However, it is hard to meet the requirements for availability, continuity of function and integrity with DGPS alone. This problem can be solved by integrating GPS with an Inertial Navigation System (INS). In this paper, the Integrated Navigation & Landing System (INLS) d eveloped by Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa/Ulm, Germany) is discussed: the emphasis is to show how an INS can help to increase availability, continuity of function and integrity. After explanation of INLS system concept, flight test results are presented. The behaviour of the INLS, especially during phases of flight with satellite maskings and satellite outages, is illustrated using real flight test data. After discussion of some exemplary flight tests, final results of flight test series with a total number of approaches in the order of 150 are presented. These flight tests were performed in 1993 and 1994, feeding INLS output data directly to an autopilot and using a laser tracker as an absolute reference of aircraft position. Our results show that system integration of INS and GPS leads to an operational landing system that satisfies accuracy, availability, continuity of function and (in principle) integrity requirements. Compared with conventional Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), INS/GPS landing systems are less expensive and need less ground equipment.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 8th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1995) September 12 - 15, 1995 Palm Springs, CA
Pages:	755 - 762
Cite this article:	Meyer-Hilberg, Jochen, Harder, Harald, "Application of INS/GPS Systems Integration to Increase Performance of Automatic Landing Systems," Proceedings of the 8th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1995), Palm Springs, CA, September 1995, pp. 755-762.
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