600 research outputs found

    Investigation of advanced navigation and guidance system concepts for all-weather rotorcraft operations

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    Results are presented of a survey conducted of active helicopter operators to determine the extent to which they wish to operate in IMC conditions, the visibility limits under which they would operate, the revenue benefits to be gained, and the percent of aircraft cost they would pay for such increased capability. Candidate systems were examined for capability to meet the requirements of a mission model constructed to represent the modes of flight normally encountered in low visibility conditions. Recommendations are made for development of high resolution radar, simulation of the control display system for steep approaches, and for development of an obstacle sensing system for detecting wires. A cost feasibility analysis is included

    Reliable Location-Based Services from Radio Navigation Systems

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    Loran is a radio-based navigation system originally designed for naval applications. We show that Loran-C’s high-power and high repeatable accuracy are fantastic for security applications. First, we show how to derive a precise location tag—with a sensitivity of about 20 meters—that is difficult to project to an exact location. A device can use our location tag to block or allow certain actions, without knowing its precise location. To ensure that our tag is reproducible we make use of fuzzy extractors, a mechanism originally designed for biometric authentication. We build a fuzzy extractor specifically designed for radio-type errors and give experimental evidence to show its effectiveness. Second, we show that our location tag is difficult to predict from a distance. For example, an observer cannot predict the location tag inside a guarded data center from a few hundreds of meters away. As an application, consider a location-aware disk drive that will only work inside the data center. An attacker who steals the device and is capable of spoofing Loran-C signals, still cannot make the device work since he does not know what location tag to spoof. We provide experimental data supporting our unpredictability claim

    The development of integrated navigation systems and their impact on navigational safety

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    There are limitations in accuracy in using operational navigational aids separately. The aim of this study is to construct an integration model of high accuracy that can be used on board merchant ships in order to Improve navigational safety. The study examines the theoretical concepts and benefits of an integrated navigation position fixing scheme. In particular, the study concentrats on the aspect of Integration between two radio navigational positioning fixing systems; GPS which is used as the prime source, and Loran-C which is used as the back-up system. The integration between these two systems will be developed in a manner which produces a hybrid receiver. The study also examines the types of errors and classes of accuracy measures. In addition to the integration between GPS and Loran-C the study deals with the design of a navigational system which Includes most essential marine navigation sensors and systems within the hybrid Loran-C/GPS system in order to provide a high level of performance over the widest possible area on board merchant ships. Special attention is paid in chapter Five to the problems encountered in congested waters, especially in the Gulf of Suez (GOS). This chapter discusses with the problems and difficulties of safe of navigation in the GOS, in addition to traffic separation schemes (TSS) and vessel traffic services CVTS). The chapter examines how the proposed system can ensure the safe movement of vessels passing the GOS. In chapter six, a brief look is taken of present methods of Maritime Education and Training (MET), and the effect of simulators in all fields of MET. Finally, a number of recommendations are made concerning the need for a hybrid Loran-C/GPS system, the need to establish a Loran-C system in Egypt, and the need to upgrade all kinds of marine services in the GOS

    Aeronautical engineering: A continuing bibliography, supplement 122

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    This bibliography lists 303 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in April 1980

    Safety‐oriented discrete event model for airport A‐SMGCS reliability assessment

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    A detailed analysis of State of the Art Technologies and Procedures into Airport Advanced-Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems has been provided in this thesis, together with the review ofStatistical Monte Carlo Analysis, Reliability Assessment and Petri Nets theories. This practical and theoretical background has lead the author to the conclusion that there is a lack of linkage in between these fields. At the same of time the rapid increasing of Air Traffic all over the world, has brought in evidence the urgent need of practical instruments able to identify and quantify the risks connected with Aircraft operations on the ground, since the Airport has shown to be the actual ‘bottle neck’ of the entire Air Transport System. Therefore, the only winning approach to such a critical matter has to be multi-disciplinary, sewing together apparently different subjects, coming from the most disparate areas of interest and trying to fulfil the gap. The result of this thesis work has come to a start towards the end, when a Timed Coloured Petri Net (TCPN) model of a ‘sample’ Airport A-SMGCS has been developed, that is capable of taking into account different orders of questions arisen during these recent years and tries to give them some good answers. The A-SMGCS Airport model is, in the end, a parametric tool relying on Discrete Event System theory, able to perform a Reliability Analysis of the system itself, that: • uses a Monte Carlo Analysis applied to a Timed Coloured Petri Net, whose purpose is to evaluate the Safety Level of Surface Movements along an Airport • lets the user to analyse the impact of Procedures and Reliability Indexes of Systems such as Surface Movement Radars, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, Airport Lighting Systems, Microwave Sensors, and so on… onto the Safety Level of Airport Aircraft Transport System • not only is a valid instrument in the Design Phase, but it is useful also into the Certifying Activities an in monitoring the Safety Level of the above mentioned System with respect to changes to Technologies and different Procedures.This TCPN model has been verified against qualitative engineering expectations by using simulation experiments and occupancy time schedules generated a priori. Simulation times are good, and since the model has been written into Simulink/Stateflow programming language, it can be compiled to run real-time in C language (Real-time workshop and Stateflow Coder), thus relying on portable code, able to run virtually on any platform, giving even better performances in terms of execution time. One of the most interesting applications of this work is the estimate, for an Airport, of the kind of A-SMGCS level of implementation needed (Technical/Economical convenience evaluation). As a matter of fact, starting from the Traffic Volume and choosing the kind of Ground Equipment to be installed, one can make predictions about the Safety Level of the System: if the value is compliant with the TLS required by ICAO, the A-SMGCS level of Implementation is sufficiently adequate. Nevertheless, even if the Level of Safety has been satisfied, some delays due to reduced or simplified performances (even if Safety is compliant) of some of the equipment (e.g. with reference to False Alarm Rates) can lead to previously unexpected economical consequences, thus requiring more accurate systems to be installed, in order to meet also Airport economical constraints. Work in progress includes the analysis of the effect of weather conditions and re-sequencing of a given schedule. The effect of re-sequencing a given schedule is not yet enough realistic since the model does not apply inter arrival and departure separations. However, the model might show some effect on different sequences based on runway occupancy times. A further developed model containing wake turbulence separation conditions would be more sensitive for this case. Hence, further work will be directed towards: • The development of On-Line Re-Scheduling based on the available actual runway/taxiway configuration and weather conditions. • The Engineering Safety Assessment of some small Italian Airport A-SMGCSs (Model validation with real data). • The application of Stochastic Differential Equations systems in order to evaluate the collision risk on the ground inside the Place alone on the Petri Net, in the event of a Short Term Conflict Alert (STCA), by adopting Reich Collision Risk Model. • Optimal Air Traffic Control Algorithms Synthesis (Adaptive look-ahead Optimization), by Dynamically Timed Coloured Petri Nets, together with the implementation of Error-Recovery Strategies and Diagnosis Functions

    A NAVIGATION AND AUTOMATIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM FOR MARINE VEHICLES

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    Collisions and groundings at sea still occur, and can result in financial loss, loss of life, and damage to the environment. Due to the size and capacity of moden vessels, damage can be extensive. Statistics indicate that the primary cause of accidents at sea is human error, which is often attributed to misinterpretation of the information presented to the mariner. Until recently, data collected from sensors about the vessel were displayed on the bridge individually, leaving the mariner to assimilate the material, make decisions and alter the vessels controls as appropriate. With the advent of the microprocessor a small amount of integration has taken place, but not to the extent that it has in other industries, for example the aerospace industry. This thesis presents a practical method of integrating all the navigation sensors. Through the use of Kalman filtering, an estimate of the state of the vessel is obtained using all the data available. Previous research in this field has not been implemented due to the complexity of the ship modelling process required, this is overcome by incorporating a system identification proceedure into the filter. The system further reduces the demands on the mariner by applying optimal control theory to guide the vessel on a predetermined track. Hazards such as other vessels are not incorporated into this work but they are specified in further research. Further development work is also required to reduce computation time.J&S Marine Ltd

    Prediction of Ground Wave Propagation Delay for MF R-Mode

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    Time delays caused by ground wave propagation are the primary source of systematic error limiting the performance of the medium-frequency R-Mode radionavigation system. To achieve the desired ranging accuracy and compensate these delays, we have conceived a comprehensive correction scheme based on the prediction and application of the Atmospheric and Ground wave Delay Factor (AGDF). The AGDF was computed and mapped in 2D for a number of MF R-Mode transmitters in the Baltic Sea that were embedded into the receiver and evaluated during a large-scale measurement campaign. Our results show that the proposed AGDF approach is valid for the MF R-Mode system and provides accurate corrections of ground wave propagation delays within the performance requirements

    Proceedings of the Second International Mobile Satellite Conference (IMSC 1990)

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    Presented here are the proceedings of the Second International Mobile Satellite Conference (IMSC), held June 17-20, 1990 in Ottawa, Canada. Topics covered include future mobile satellite communications concepts, aeronautical applications, modulation and coding, propagation and experimental systems, mobile terminal equipment, network architecture and control, regulatory and policy considerations, vehicle antennas, and speech compression
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