AIR TRAFFIC SURVEILLANCE METHOD USING AN EXISTING NETWORK
OF DME NAVIGATION SYSTEM
Petr Bojda, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
Abstract Current Surveillance Methods
The goal of the paper is to present a new method The methods currently being used by ATM
developed to provide a surveillance of the air space. service and onboard of the aircrafts are based on the
It detects and finally determines location of air radar (primary or secondary) or on the ADS systems
vehicles which are currently using RNAV DME- of different varieties.
DME method to measure their own positions.
The primary radar can detect and locate air
By processing signals between an air vehicle and traffic even if it does not transmit any radio wave. It
ground based DME beacon the observer is able to also does not require the aircraft-target to be
determine current distance between an aircraft and equipped with any special device. The costs and
the beacon. This effectively changes the role of the complexity of the primary radar stations are the
DME from a navigation aid (an aircraft determining reason for having significant gaps in the AS.
its own position) to a surveillance aid (an observer
determining the position of a DME-equipped The secondary radar system relies on primary
aircraft). radars when aircraft needs to be located. It can
acquire additional data from the aircraft using special
There is no need for other systems or signals, coded interrogations. Aircraft which is equipped with
and the detection and localization of the target can be an appropriate transponder then responds with
done from a single point (the observer). requested data – identification code unique for the
aircraft, altitude, etc.
Background
ADS is a system which either on demand
The ATM (Air Traffic Management) and ATC (variety ADS-A) or periodically without being
(Air Traffic Control) systems provides services in the requested (variety ADS-B) broadcasts its own
AS (Air Space, called NAS – National Airspace position (accompanied with other data –
System - in the U. S.) in order to support safety, identification, speed, heading and others).
accuracy, throughput and other important features for Broadcasted position was previously determined by
the air traffic passing through the AS. The technical aircraft’s navigation system. This is solid and highly
support of the ATM/ATC is a CNS (Communication, accurate information (compared to radar accuracy)
Navigation and Surveillance) system. The two groups which can be used by surveillance too.
of those systems, namely “Navigation” and
“Surveillance” need to determine and process the Onboard aircraft avionics also contains anti-
position of the aircrafts. collision systems (TCAS – Traffic Collision
Avoidance System). Two aircrafts both equipped
Navigation systems measure position of the with TCAS stations are able to resolve potentially
aircraft to satisfy its own needs and to guide aircraft hazardous situation and to avoid a collision. TCAS
from starting point to the end point of the flight path stations when communicating to each other using
along the desired trajectory. secondary-radar transponders detects incoming
Surveillance systems are designed to detect the collision and “negotiate” solution.
air traffic in the AS and to locate it. The determined All of those systems with exception of primary
location of the air traffic – the target – is then used to radars need the targets to be “willing” to participate
establish safe separations between interfering and to be appropriately equipped. The only currently
aircrafts. operated systems which are capable of detecting and
locating non-cooperative targets are primary radars.
978-1-4799-8952-2/15/$31.00 ©2015 IEEE
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Original Role of the DME A processing delay is defined for the beacon –
The DME is a radio – based navigation system transponder, [1]. The time delay τBdel between
which measures the slant range distance between interrogations is being received and reply is
aircraft and the ground reference beacon. The slant transmitted is 50 µs or 58 µs according to the current
range is continuously provided either for a pilot on mode of operation [2].
board of the aircraft or for an avionic system of the
aircraft. Area Navigation Method with DME
Area Navigation (RNAV) is recent and
System basically consists of two elements (see
perspective method of navigation currently being
Figure 1): the airborne interrogator - AIRCRAFT and
implemented all around the world. RNAV permits
the ground positioned transponder - beacon - B-
aircraft operation on any desired flight trajectory
DME. Interrogator transmits coded signal (two radio
(path) within the coverage of ground or space-based
pulses with specified time between them, Figure 2).
navigation aids. It allows aircraft to determine its
Interrogation propagates towards transponder. After
position not only in specific areas like “fly-path
transponder receives and decodes interrogation it
corridors” but anywhere in the airspace covered by
transmits the reply signal (two radio pulses as well).
navigation signal. [3]
Assuming the known propagation speed of the signal,
the slant range distance is computed from the time
Area Navigation Method with DME
between the moment when interrogation has been
transmitted and reply is received back in the airborne Area Navigation (RNAV) is recent and
DME station. perspective method of navigation currently being
implemented widely. RNAV permits aircraft
operation on any desired flight trajectory (path)
within the coverage of ground or space-based
navigation aids. It allows aircraft to determine its
position not only in specific areas like “fly-path
corridors” but anywhere in the airspace covered by
navigation signal. [3]
One of the possible method specified in RNAV
is the DME-DME method [4]. Aircraft measures
slant ranges from two DME beacons with known
Figure 1. Aircraft - DME Beacon Geometry locations. Then aircraft position is determined as the
intersection point of two circles whose radii are equal
to measured distances and centers are locations of the
DME beacons.
This method assumes the aircraft is able to
interrogate two or more DME beacons
simultaneously. Aircraft needs to be within the
coverage of at least two beacons at the same time.
New Surveillance Method
The newly developed method utilizes DME
system not for navigation purpose (when aircraft
determines its own position) but for surveillance
purpose. Presence and location of the aircraft is
determined by an observer. The observer is a station
which surveys surrounding air traffic. It can be either
Figure 2. Aircraft - DME Interrogation a static ground based ATM surveillance station or
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moving station - another aircraft flying in the air
space.
Method allows an observer to detect the target
(confirm its existence) and to locate the target
(measure its position). Target is the aircraft which is
interrogating DME beacon and receiving its replies
(as in Figure 2) and utilizes DME system to
determine its own position.
Description
The target at the position [XT, YT] starts to
interrogate beacon B-DME at [XB, YB] exactly at the Figure 3. Single DME Measurement
time t0. Since the distance from target to B-DME is
DTB it takes time τTB until the interrogating signal The time which can be sensed (measured) by the
impact the antenna of the B-DME beacon. observer is a time difference between t2 and t3. (See
Considering the speed of light c is the speed of which the Figure 4).
signal propagates: 𝜏𝑀𝐸𝐴𝑆 = 𝑡3 − 𝑡2 = (𝜏 𝑇𝐵 + 𝜏𝐵𝑑𝑒𝑙 + 𝜏𝑀𝐵 ) − 𝜏𝑀𝑇
𝐷𝑇𝐵 The distance DMB as well as the time τMB can be
𝜏 𝑇𝐵 =
𝑐 determined either by observer’s own interrogation of
the B-DME beacon or computed as a distance from
The beacon B-DME generates reply at the time
known observer’s position and B-DME location.
t1
Then after separating times which can be either
𝑡1 = 𝑡0 + 𝜏 𝑇𝐵 + 𝜏𝐵𝑑𝑒𝑙 determined or measured:
where τBdel is standardized processing delay defined 𝜏𝑀𝐸𝐴𝑆 − 𝜏𝐵𝑑𝑒𝑙 − 𝜏𝑀𝐵 = 𝜏 𝑇𝐵 − 𝜏𝑀𝑇
for the beacon.
or
Both interrogator on board of the target and the
beacon B-DME transmit their signal via 𝑐(𝜏𝑀𝐸𝐴𝑆 − 𝜏𝐵𝑑𝑒𝑙 − 𝜏𝑀𝐵 ) = 𝐷𝑇𝐵 − 𝐷𝑀𝑇
omnidirectional antennae. Therefore interrogation
and reply can be received by the observer as well.
Assuming that DTB and DMT can be
The observer receives interrogation signal at the time
approximated by Euclidian distances between the
t2 and reply at the time t3:
points [XB, YB] and [XT, YT] or between [XM, YM]
𝑡2 = 𝑡0 + 𝜏𝑀𝑇 and [XT, YT] respectively and substituting:
𝑡3 = 𝑡1 + 𝜏𝑀𝐵 𝜏 𝑇𝐷𝑂𝐴 = 𝜏𝑀𝐸𝐴𝑆 − 𝜏𝐵𝑑𝑒𝑙 − 𝜏𝑀𝐵
𝐷𝑀𝑇 𝐷𝑀𝐵
where 𝜏𝑀𝑇 = 𝑐
, 𝜏𝑀𝐵 = 𝑐
respectively. See the
Figure 3. Finally:
𝑐 ∙ 𝜏 𝑇𝐷𝑂𝐴 = �(𝑋𝐵 − 𝑋𝑇 )2 + (𝑌𝐵 − 𝑌𝑇 )2
− �(𝑋𝑀 − 𝑋𝑇 )2 + (𝑌𝑀 − 𝑌𝑇 )2
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Figure 4. Plots of Signals Transmitted and Received
The equation above is the well-known formula
describing TDOA (Time Difference of Arrival)
systems. Solution which satisfies the equation for
unknown target position [XT, YT] is a set of points
which forms a hyperbola.
Required target location [XT, YT] can be
achieved from several (at least two) measurements
utilizing several (at least two) B-DME beacons. The
desired [XT, YT] is found as the intersection point of
acquired hyperbolas (Figure 5 and Figure 6).
𝑐 ∙ 𝜏 𝑇𝐷𝑂𝐴_𝑖 = �(𝑋𝐵𝑖 − 𝑋𝑇 )2 + (𝑌𝐵𝑖 − 𝑌𝑇 )2
− �(𝑋𝑀 − 𝑋𝑇 )2 + (𝑌𝑀 − 𝑌𝑇 )2 Figure 5. Double DME Beacons Measurement
where i is an appropriate number of the measurement.
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Figure 6. Localization of the Target (Two Hyperbolas Intersection for Two Measurements)
Measurement of τMEAS values of TMEAS. The set represents detected targets
The measurement of the time τMEAS is not a interacting with the beacon. The pseudorandom pulse
trivial task. Similarly like an airborne interrogator has timing used by aircraft interrogators permits multiple
to filter replies which responds to its own aircraft to be distinguished within the data.
interrogations from those which responds others, the
observer aligns appropriate pairs of reply – Potential and Usability of the Method
interrogator to measure time τMEAS between them. Recent trend is to use an independent primary
This algorithm is completely new and is an radar to detect non-cooperative targets and ADS
integral part of the method. Similar DME-aided system in different varieties to detect and locate
multilateration method has been published in properly equipped air traffic. There exists other
an European patent [5]. systems either under development or already
implemented able to detect aircrafts in a specific area.
Since the stochastic nature of the DME system Those are for instance PCL (Passive Coherence
the interrogations do not appear in a regular pattern. Location) or multilateration TDOA passive radars.
There is defined the frequency of occurrence (also
defined as a transmission rate [1]) in which the Presented method works without need for other
interrogator – the target – transmits its interrogation system or signal and detection and localization of the
code. Only those replies dedicated to the appropriate aircraft can be done from a single point (observer).
target will align at the same distance several times in The RNAV DME-DME navigation method is a
row. That is the fundamental idea how can airborne perspective method for the future aviation. It is one
interrogator filter out all squitters and replies of the main backup or complimentary radio
dedicated to different aircraft in the area of coverage. navigation aid to the satellite-based navigation
Signals transmitted by the interrogator and systems (GNSS). Unlike the NDB or VOR
replies transmitted by the beacon – both are navigation aid the DME-DME method satisfies
digitalized, decoded and stored in a reasonable data requirements for more efficient routes with higher
format. Stored data are then processed by the accuracy demands as defined in PBN (Performance
algorithm based on either cross correlation or finding Based Navigation) concept.
the overlapping pulses. The correlator output is a set Therefore the method of surveillance based on
of aligned couples “interrogator-reply” for a different the perspective navigation system can add a useful
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and reliable means to detect and locate surrounding The method is designed to address one of the
air traffic. It will bring the surveillance capability to present challenges in aviation – to find a new way of
the areas which are not covered by primary radars, it sensing surrounding air vehicles and avoiding
can possibly backup ADS systems when their data- collisions (e.g., sense and avoid). This problem is
links (recently mode-S) experience the outage. particularly applicable to regions with high traffic
density, and must be solved to enable safe
The new method is not an independent system. It
autonomous flight within the national airspace
depends on the DME system. But even aircrafts
system (NAS). Using proposed method the observer
which are not “willing” or able to participate in
is able to detect and locate surrounding traffic using
surveillance and to reveal their position they have to
the interrogation and reply signals of distance
satisfy their own needs to navigate. Once the aircraft
measuring equipment (DME).
starts to determine its own position using DME-DME
method it can be detected and localized by others. Obvious limitation of the method is the necessity
to receive both uplink and downlink signals from at
Constraints of the Method least two independent pairs target-beacon (two DME
The observer needs to be able to receive and cells). It significantly favors the variant when
process both interrogation and reply between target observer is airborne. The higher the observer’s
and DME beacon (Figure 3), each of which is altitude is the larger coverage can be achieved and
transmitted at a different frequency. It means two the probability to process communication of the
receivers need to be present at the observer set-up. target with two DME beacons simultaneously
increases.
In order to determine the position of the target it
is assumed that target performs RNAV DME-DME
References
method to measure its own position and is currently
interrogating two DME beacons. The observer has to [1] ICAO, Annex 10, 2006.
receive all signals (interrogations and replies) from at [2] ICAO, Manual on Testing of RadioNavigation
least two DME cells target – B1-DME and target – Aids, 2000.
B2-DME (Figure 5). It assumes the observer is in the
coverage of the same set of beacons as target. Having [3] ICAO, Performance-Based Navigation (PBN)
said that, it is not really necessary for observer to Manual, 2008.
interrogate each of the DME beacons. Once the [4] FAA, U.S. Terminal and En Route Area
position of the observer is determined using any Navigation (RNAV) Operations, 2007.
available system or method, required parameter τMB
can be easily computed. Then observer’s coverage is [5] R. H. Wu and K. Lefebvre. International,
limited by line-of-sight coverage. It significantly European, USA Patent WO2011011360 A1,
favors the variant when observer is airborne. The G01S3/02, US8063744, US20110156878, , 2011.
higher the observer’s altitude is the larger coverage
can be achieved. Email Address
bojdap@[Link]
Conclusion and Future Work
The paper presents a newly developed method
2015 Integrated Communications Navigation
which effectively changes the role of the DME from
a navigation aid to a surveillance aid. and Surveillance (ICNS) Conference
April 21-23, 2015
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