Test Results of GPS Dropwindsonde and Application of GPS in Precision Airdrop Capability Using the TIDGET GPS Sensor

Dennis E. Caffery and Amir Matini

Abstract:	Delivery of supplies and equipment by aerial transport is a critical component of the United States military global mobility strategy. In many cases precision airdrops of cargo and supplies is desirable over landing of the transport aircraft. It is extremely important to insure the parachuted cargo lands at the desired site on the ground and not be intercepted by hostile forces or be lost. A key factor in calculating the correct dispensing point for the airdrop is accurate information on wind direction and speed verses altitude. It is also highly desirable to be able to track the cargo decent to the ground from the release aircraft or from the ground. This would provide confirmation of a successful drop and allow the receiving ground personnel to locate the item more rapidly, especially in poor visibility conditions. The NAVSYS GPS TIDGET tracking system is ideally suited for providing wind measurements information and providing tracking/ location information on the airdropped cargo. This paper describes the test data taken at Yuma Proving Grounds for NAVSYS Dropwindsondes released from a Cl41 aircraft. In cooperation with WPAFB Improved Precision Airdrop Capability (ImPACt) program, measurements were made from the aircraft and the ground using the TIDGET tracking system. The TIDGET tracking system is a low cost GPS based system utilizing real-time processing and differential GPS correction for improved accurcy. The TIDGET GPS Sensor is an “instant on” device that does not require initialization or time to acquire GPS satellites. It has many performance advantages over standard GPS receivers which will be summerized in the paper. Data will be presented showing the wind velocity and direction verses altitude. The position of the Dropwindsonde verses altitude will also presented with application for using the same system in cargo tracking. Included in the paper will be an overview of the TIDGET technology and system operation.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 9th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1996) September 17 - 20, 1996 Kansas City, MO
Pages:	1901 - 1904
Cite this article:	Caffery, Dennis E., Matini, Amir, "Test Results of GPS Dropwindsonde and Application of GPS in Precision Airdrop Capability Using the TIDGET GPS Sensor," Proceedings of the 9th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1996), Kansas City, MO, September 1996, pp. 1901-1904.
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