Inflight Detection of Errors for Enhanced Aircraft Flight Safety Using DTED with GPS and Radar Altimeter

Robert Gray, Frank van Graas

Abstract:	This paper discusses the integrated architecture of using digital terrain elevation data (DTED) with a kinematic Global Positioning System (KGPS) and a radar altimeter. Flight testing was performed to assess the feasibility of 1809 enhanced flight safety. Reasons for enhanced flight safety are twofold: 1) the ad-hoc integration of terrain elevation data into the cockpit conceivably may create scenarios which lead to accidents because the cockpit display is quite realistic, and 2) reduction of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). The radar altimeter is the principle sensor used to compare navigation outputs with publicly available DTED. Results show that it is feasible to define an operationally useful probability of agreement, Pa, among KGPS, DTED and the radar altimeter, by using a mean-square-difference test statistic. This probability of agreement can be used to warn the pilot if the terrain depiction does not agree with the navigation solution provided by KGPS, thus enhancing flight 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:	1809 - 1818
Cite this article:	Gray, Robert, van Graas, Frank, "Inflight Detection of Errors for Enhanced Aircraft Flight Safety Using DTED with GPS and Radar Altimeter," Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1999), Nashville, TN, September 1999, pp. 1809-1818.
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