GPS multi-receiver direct position estimation for aerial applications

Modern aviation safety increasingly depends on reliable GPS services, while signal degrading effects such as multipath and masking often occur during critical flight phases, such as take-off and landing. In this regard, we propose Multi-Receiver Direct Position Estimation (MR-DPE), which operates a network of DPE receivers to enhance GPS measurement certainty in degraded signal environments. A DPE receiver directly estimates navigation solutions in the PVT domain with a maximum-likelihood approach, bypassing the intermediate range measurements. Whereas prior works have shown the enhanced measurement certainty of DPE under weak signals, MR-DPE provides further improvement by leveraging the information redundancy and the geometric diversity provided by the network of receivers and antennas. We implemented MR-DPE using software-defined radio and conducted comprehensive, full-scale flight experiments, a first for DPE-related works. A wide range of flight profiles were explored, especially those prone to signal multipath and masking, and preliminary analyses were performed on the data collected to ensure the conceptual validity of MR-DPE.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical & Computer Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2018

Author dc:creator

• Chu, Arthur Hsi-Ping

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gao, Grace X

• Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
• Global Positioning System (GPS)
• Direct Positioning
• Maximum Likelihood Estimation
• GNSS receiver, Multi-Receiver

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2018 Arthur Hsi-Ping Chu

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/101449

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/101449