NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Detection of Digital Elevation Model Errors Using X-band Weather RadarFlight in Instrument Meteorological Conditions requires pilots to manipulate flight controls while referring to a Primary Flight Display. The Primary Flight Display indicates aircraft attitude along with, in some cases, many other state variables such as altitude, speed, and guidance cues. Synthetic Vision Systems have been proposed that overlay the traditional information provided on Primary Flight Displays onto a scene depicting the location of terrain and other geo-spatial features.Terrain models used by these displays must have sufficient quality to avoid providing misleading information. This paper describes how X-band radar measurements can be used as part of a monitor, and/or maintenance system, to quantify the integrity of terrain models that are used by systems such as Synthetic Vision. Terrain shadowing effects, as seen by the radar, are compared in a statistical manner against estimated shadow feature elements extracted from the stored terrain model from the perspective of the airborne observer. A test statistic is defined that enables detection of errors as small as the range resolution of the radar. Experimental results obtained from two aircraft platforms hosting certified commercial-off-the-shelf X-band radars test the premise and illustrate its potential.
Document ID
20070031755
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Young, Steven D.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
deHaag, Maatren Uijt
(Ohio Univ. Athens, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2007
Subject Category
Avionics And Aircraft Instrumentation
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCC1-351
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available