EEE381B Aerospace Systems & Avionics

Navigation Systems
Ref: Moir & Seabridge, Chapter 8 Dr Ron Smith

Outline
1.
2. 3.

4.
5. 6. 7.

Introduction Radio navigation Inertial navigation Satellite navigation Integrated navigation Instrument landing system In-class exercises
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1. Introduction

Objectives of navigation:

Know your position Efficient use of fuel Maintain a flight schedule Avoid other air traffic Avoid ground-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery (known sites) Minimize exposure to enemy radar
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1.1 Main methods of navigation

Classic dead-reckoning using air data (speed, altitude) and magnetic (bearing) coupled with LORAN-C. Radio navigation Inertial navigation Satellite navigation Combinations of the above (integrated)

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1.2 Principles of navigation

Basic navigation parameters:

Altitude

(barometric or radar) Speed in the X, Y and Z axes

Indicated air speed (IAS), Mach number (M), and true air speed (TAS)
Heading

and track Position in latitude and longitude Way-points

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2. Radio navigation

Use of the classic dead-reckoning method of navigation, based upon the parameters presented in the previous diagram, is subject to heading errors and en route wind affects that lead to along-track and across-track errors. Since the 1930s, radio beacons and navigation aids have greatly improved navigation by providing a fixed set of references points.

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2.1 Radio navigation

Radio navigation aids include:

VHF

omnirange (VOR) Distance-measuring equipment (DME) Non-distance beacons (NDB) Tactical air navigation (TACAN) VORTAC (combined TACAN and VOR) Long range navigation (LORAN-C)

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2.2 VHF omnirange (VOR)

Do not be confused by its name, VOR stations provide bearing information relative to the aircraft position. VOR stations operate in the 108-117.95 MHz band with a channel spacing of 50 kHz or 100kHz. Each station transmits its identification via a Morse code modulated tone. A reference 30 Hz signal is FM modulated onto the carrier. A secondary signal is sent by a directed (cardioid) antenna that spins at 30 rev/sec.

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2.2.1 VOR bearing

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2.2.2 Aeronautical chart VOR

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2.3 Distance measurement equipment (DME)

Provides the distance from the station by measuring the time difference between the interrogation pulses and the response. Often installed near VOR stations so as to provide combined bearing and distance.

~80 VOR/DME stations in Canada. 0.5 nm

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2.4 Non-distance beacons (NDB)

The signal only includes bearing information. On board automatic direction finding equipment is required to get the bearing.
This

same equipment can be used to find distress locator beacons.

More than 500 in service in Canada alone.

The most widely spread beacons in use today.

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2.5 Tactical air navigation (TACAN)

A navigation system used by military aircraft. Operates on UHF channels between 960-1215 MHz. More precise than VOR/DME.
1%

azimuth; 0.1nm

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2.6 Combined VOR / TACAN (VORTAC)

Provides interoperability between civil and military aircraft. Especially useful for large military aircraft that frequently fly civil aviation routes.

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2.7 Radio navigation use

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2.8 Radio navigation limitations

For oceanic crossings, or other routes where VOR is not available, Doppler radar is used. This can provide dead-reckoning position by measuring the aircraft speed with respect to the ground.

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2.8.1 LORAN- C

A more precise system for oceanic crossings uses an HF band hyperbolic navigation system none as long range navigation (LORAN-C). In the graph on the next page, the hyperbolic lines represent points that will have the same time difference between the arrival of signals from the two stations.
Can

you deduce how position is determined?

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2.8.2 Hyperbolic LORAN- C

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3. Inertial navigation (IN)

An inertial navigation system includes at least a computer and a platform or module containing accelerometers and gyroscopes, or other motionsensing devices. The INS is initially provided with its position and velocity from another source (a human operator, a GPS satellite receiver, etc.), and thereafter computes its own updated position and velocity by integrating information received from the motion sensors. The advantage of an INS is that it requires no external references in order to determine its position, orientation, or velocity once it has been initialized. [Wikipedia3]
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3.1 Inertial navigation advantage

Unlike radio navigation, inertial navigation allows for arbitrary way point navigation.

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3.2 IN principle of operation

Accelerometers Calculate the components of acceleration Gyroscopes

Acceleration in x, y and z Initial values

x dt x dt

y dt y dt

z dt z dt
Coordinates in x, y and z

Speed in x, y and z Initial values

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3.3 Two IN platform implementations:

1.

Gyrostabilised platform

The accelerometers and gyroscopes are placed on a platform that itself is stabilized so as to maintain a fixed position in space. Requires fine servo motors and mechanisms to maintain stabilization Very costly Not very reliable

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3.3.1 Two IN platform implementations:

2.

Strapdown platform

The sensors are fixed to the body of the device, and thus the aircraft. The necessary calculations to convert the from the vehicle axis to the space axis are computed sing a digital computer. Less costly, less maintenance. More reliable.

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3.3.2 Two IN platform implementations:

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3.4 IN System of axis

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3.5 Stand-alone INS

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4. Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)

Three systems:
GLONASS Galileo GPS

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4.1 GLONASS
A system of the former Soviet Union First satellite launched in 1982, system of 24 satellites completed in 1995.

Currently

the system is only about 25% operational.

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4.2 Galileo

A European system of scheduled to enter service around 2013.

30

satellites planned so as to provide better coverage for higher (polar) latitudes. Independent of GPS (in times of war)

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4.3 GPS
American system Operational since 1993.

24

satellites, arranged so that a minimum of 5 are always visible anywhere on earth.

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4.3.1 GPS - Principles of operation

Control segment
ground-based

control stations monitoring stations antennas (dishes)

Space segment
the

24 satellites

User segment
ships,

automobiles, airplanes, portable devices, phones

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4.3.2 GPS - Principles of operation

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4.3.3 GPS - Principles of operation

Basic ranging and triangulation is used to compute a receivers position.

Each

satellite transmits a unique identifier code and a precise time stamp. The ground based control / monitoring stations keep the precise time and positional information of each satellite up-to-date. The receiver can accurately pin-point its position by knowing the signal time travel from at least 4 satellites.

Accuracy: 100 m (all users), 16 m (selective availability)

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4.3.4 GPS is not perfect

Atmospheric affects
The

speed of the signal is affected by ionospheric and tropospheric conditions. Sun spots

Propagation via multiple paths (multi path) can cause time discrepancies. The internal satellite positional data (ephemeris) can accumulate error. It is possible to jam (locally) GPS signals.
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4.3.5 Differential GPS (DGPS)

Selective availability causes problems for users requiring reliably accurate information, such as civil aviation. For improved accuracy, differential GPS has been introduced wherein position corrections are provided by ground stations.
DGPS corrections provided by a network of ground stations. Local area DGPS corrections provided by a single ground station.
Wide-area

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4.3.5.1 Wide-area augmentation system (WAAS)

This system improves the accuracy of the system to within 7 m.

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4.3.5.2 Local-area augmentation system (LAAS)

Compliments WAAS at a local level

The corrected data is transmitted in the VHF band (line of sight). Improves the accuracy to 1 m.

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5. Integrated Navigation

By integrating various means of navigation, better performance can be achieved.

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5.1 Which system do you use?

The equipment used in an integrated navigation system depends upon the phase of flight.
Oceanic en route redundant INS + GPS, possibly LORAN-C

Domestic en route NDB, VOR, DME, TACAN

Terminal NDB, VOR, DME, TACAN + GPS

Approach Instrument or microwave landing system (ILS) / (MLS)

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5.2 The flight management system

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5.2.1 and its interface

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5.2.2 and its data

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6. Instrument landing system (ILS)

An approach and landing system that includes:

A

localizer antenna centered on the runway to provide lateral guidance. A glideslope antenna positioned on one side of the runway to provide vertical guidance. A set of marker beacons positioned in front of the runway to indicate the stage of the landing.

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6.1 Localizer and glideslope

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6.2 ILS approach markers

The frequency increases as you approach the runway

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7. In-class exercises

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7.1 Quick response exercise # 1

Recall the principle of operation of a VOR; assume the beacon secondary transmitter is initialized at 0 (North) and the direction of rotation is clockwise. If your aircraft is receiving the 30 Hz sweep signal at 5/6 radians out of phase with the reference 30 Hz signal,

what

is your bearing?
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7.2 Quick response exercise #2

You get a 135 bearing to a VOR beacon and you adjust your aircraft heading to that bearing. Five minutes later you recheck your VOR and discover that your bearing to the VOR is now 145.
How

is this possible? What impact does this have on the design of a (simple) auto-pilot system?

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7.3 Quick response exercise #3

A navigator-in-training takes a hand-held GPS onto a cross-country flight on a CC130. He is getting position information from within the cargo bay, but frequently gets a lost signal error. He decides to move next to one of the windows to get better satellite coverage. He radios the cockpit to ask for their position reading, and discovers that it is not quite the same as his GPS.

Which is likely more accurate? What are the sources of error with the hand-held?

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References
1)
2) 3) 4)

Moir & Seabridge, Military Avionics Systems, American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics, 2006. [Sections 2.6 & 2.7] Collinson, Introduction to Avionics Systems, Second Edition, Springer, 2006. Wikipedia, VHF omnidirectional range, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHF_omnidirectional_range Mark A. Hicks, "Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com"

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