Proactive Radio Navigation and Target Tracking

C. Yang, M. Miller, E. Blasch, T. Nguyen

Abstract:	Radio navigation and target tracking can be viewed as two sequential operations in the beacon-to-sensor and sensor-to-target location estimation process. Radio navigation determines a sensor’s ownship location from radio beacons at known locations whereas target tracking determines a target’s location relative to the sensor at a known location. Given the same quality of sensor measurements, the relative geometry between sensors and radio sources or targets critically affects positioning accuracy as characterized by the geometric dilution of precision (GDOP). The proactive approach set forth in this paper aims at improving the accuracy of radio navigation and target tracking via optimal sensor placement and/or movement. For a particular pursuerevader game, the optimal strategy for minimum state estimation error is contrasted to conventional minimum time and minimum distance criteria and a balanced objective function is demonstrated. The information filter and the covariance filter (i.e., the Kalman filter) are used with ranging and/or bearing-only sensors to achieve the average and worst-case information gain. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the functionality and performance of proactive radio navigation and target tracking through local angular changes, which increase travel distance and time but reduce global navigation and targeting errors. As part of an integrated navigation, guidance and control (GNC) system, it can be applied to autonomous vehicles and smart weapons.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 22nd International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2009) September 22 - 25, 2009 Savannah International Convention Center Savannah, GA
Pages:	1064 - 1071
Cite this article:	Yang, C., Miller, M., Blasch, E., Nguyen, T., "Proactive Radio Navigation and Target Tracking," Proceedings of the 22nd International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2009), Savannah, GA, September 2009, pp. 1064-1071.
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