High Precision Integrated Navigation Systems - From Research to Commercial Products

Detlef Kayser

Abstract:	In 1989, after several years of research, the Institute of Flight Guidance and Control demonstrated the first fully automatic landing based on satellite navigation in the public. The aircraft, a twin engined Dornier 28, landed several times on concrete and grass strips with the pilot bands off. Since then this demonstration has been repeated on a routine basis. The technology behind these automatic landings is an integrated navigation system, which, based on inertial sensors, uses GPS as one additional sensor component. The real time navigation calculation is done on an VME-Bus transputer network. After the feasibility of CAT III accuracy had been proven, the Institute started to use the system as a tool for flight measurement campaigns and for basic research on GLONASS, long range differential techniques, low cost inertial sensors, taxi guidance etc The know how in the system design was very early transferred to the aviation industry. Together with the AERODATA company, Brauoschweig, the research system was modified into a commercial product. This so called “AERONAV” is a modular system, that can be configured to the costumers need. A lot of commercial applications have already been covered, cg.: l Flight Inspection Systems: the integrated system is used to measure the performance of instrument landing systems (ILS) and therefore has to be more accurate than the ILS. l Air data measurements: the integrated system is used to measure very precisely the tracks along which air data are collected. If combined with very precise aerodynamic sensors (5 hole probes etc.) the difference of the track speed and the air speed is the wind in the atmosphere. This technique is for example used in a tethered measurement system underneath a helicopter. 0 Van Carrier Location System: the precise positioning system is used in container terminals to track single containers. This helps to minimise the loss of containers, a problem in big harbours like Hamburg. The paper will show the development of the research system into the commercial system.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 50th Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1994) June 6 - 8, 1994 Antlers Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs, CO
Pages:	511 - 519
Cite this article:	Kayser, Detlef, "High Precision Integrated Navigation Systems - From Research to Commercial Products," Proceedings of the 50th Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1994), Colorado Springs, CO, June 1994, pp. 511-519.
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