Helicopter Recovery to a Moving Platform using a GPS Relative Positioning System

David Belton, Simon Butcher,Geraint Ffoulkes-Jones, Joseph Blanda

Abstract:	Existing TACAN (TACtical Air Navigation system) instrumentation systems installed on helicopters are used as a navigation aid to allow the pilot to return back to a moving platform such as a ship. These instruments give an accuracy of approximately half a mile and cannot be used within the last 400 yards of approach. Consequently, with poor visibility it is very difficult for the pilot to establish the exact whereabouts of the vessel. By using a method of differential GPS where both the reference and host receivers are moving, the relative position between the two moving platforms can be established to better than 20cm. This provides the pilot with a navigation aid for precision approach and landing onto a recovery ship even in poor visibility. This paper will discuss the practical implementation of a relative positioning system for use as a precision approach navigation aid and its potential as a replacement for existing instrumentation. Initial trails with vehicles on the ground were used as a proof of concept. This was followed by extensive field trials in an operational helicopter and a recovery ship. The tests highlighted improvements that can be made to the system to aid in its usability, but overall the trials were a success and proved that the GPS relative positioning system is both a more accurate and a cost effective method for the recovery of helicopters to a moving platform and improves landing safety.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1999) September 14 - 17, 1999 Nashville, TN
Pages:	1769 - 1776
Cite this article:	Belton, David, Butcher, Simon, Ffoulkes-Jones, Geraint, Blanda, Joseph, "Helicopter Recovery to a Moving Platform using a GPS Relative Positioning System," Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1999), Nashville, TN, September 1999, pp. 1769-1776.
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