A Computer Algorithm For Tracking An Aircraft in Three-Dimensions

International Journal of Computer Application
Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijca/ijca_index.htm
Issue 3, Volume 1 (February 2013)

ISSN: 2250-1797
A Computer Algorithm for Tracking an Aircraft in ThreeDimensions

B.R.Mohan
Research Scholar
School Of Computer Science & IT

Singhania University
Pacheri Bari, Jhunjunu, Rajasthan
9880701894,
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Abstract In this paper, a three-dimensional tracking filter is developed for estimating the position,
velocity, acceleration and jerk of an aircraft or similar vehicle. The vehicle is assumed to be
moving with a constant jerk motion perturbed by a plant noise of zero-mean and constant
variance. The vehicle range r, bearing and elevation are assumed to be measured by a threedimensional track-while-scan radar sensor at uniform sampling intervals of time T seconds, and
all measurements are assumed to be corrupted with range noise and angular noise.
Words for Indexing; Kalman Filter, Aircraft Tracking, Track-while-scan Radar sensor
_____________________________________________________________________________________
1. Introduction
In this model, the coupling between the quantities measured by the radar (r, , ) and the
three-dimensional Cartesian (x, y, z) coordinate system selected for tracking operation is
explicitly considered. The steady state characteristics of the filter are analytically determined
under the assumption of a white noise maneuver model in three dimensions and are expressed in
terms of the properties of the one-dimensional model described in [3].
2. Dynamic Model
In three dimensions, the vehicle dynamics may be represented by the vector matrix equation of
the form
X n1 FX n BWn
T
where X n S n
S n
S n x n
Sn xn
Sn
(1)
S
n
y n z n
yn zn
(2)
(3)
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0
0
0
T I
I
0
0

ISSN: 2250-1797
T 2 2I T 3 6I
T I T 2 2I
,
I
0
T I
I
(4)
0
wx n
0
(5)
B and Wn w y n
0
wz n

I

where I is a 3x3 identity matrix and 0 is a 3x3 null matrix. F is a 12x12 matrix and B is a 12x3
matrix. wx n , w y n and wz n are the random jerks perturbing the jerk motion along the x, y
and z axes and are assumed to be of equal variance Q J2 and also independent along the x , y
and z-axes. This maneuver model also assumes that the jerk along the x or y or z-axis is a
random constant between successive scans with zero-mean and constant variance J2 . Jerk values
at different scans are assumed to be uncorrelated (white noise maneuver model).
3. Measurement Model
The measurement equation may be written as
Z n HX n Vn
(6)
x m n
v x n
where Z n y m n , , Vn v y n
z m n
v z n
H
1
0
0
(7)
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
xm n = measured x coordinate at scan n, y m n = measured y coordinate at scan n,

z m n = measured z coordinate at scan n, v x n = random noise on x measurement at scan n,
v y n = random noise on y measurement at scan n,
v z n = random noise on z measurement at scan n
From the tracking geometry illustrated in Figure.1,

xn r ncos ncos n ,
y n r nsin ncos n ,
z n r nsin n
(8)
As the measurements are in polar coordinates and tracking is done in Cartesian coordinates, the
measurements are coupled. The covariance matrix of the measurement noise Vn may be written
as
Page 2

Rn
x2 n
2
xy n
2
xz n
2
y n
2
yz n
2
xy n

ISSN: 2250-1797

...(9)

xz n
2
yz n
2
z n
Fig. 1. Threedimensional tracking geometry

and is given by
Rn A3 R0 A3T
(10)
where
A3
cos cos
sin cos
sin
r2
R0 0
0
sin
cos cos
cos
sin sin
cos
0
r 2 2
(11)
0
r 2 2
0
Where r2 is the variance of the range measurement noise, 2 is the variance of the bearing
measurement noise, 2 is the variance of the elevation measurement noise and r is the vehicle
range.
4. Filtering Equations
The optimal estimate of the state vector is given by
Page 3

~
~
X n X n K n Z n HX n
with X n1 FX n

ISSN: 2250-1797
(12)
~
~
K n Pn H T HPn H T Rn
~
Pn1 FPn F T BQB T
~
Pn I K n H Pn
(13)
~
X n X n is the optimum estimate of the state vector after (before) the measurement is
~
processed, K is the Kalman gain matrix, P P is the covariance matrix of estimation
errors after (before) the measurements are processed.

In the steady state, (13) may be written as
1
~
~
K PH T HPH T R
~
P FP F T BQBT
~
P I KH P
(14)
5. Steady State Results

For 0 (along the x-axis), the tracker described above decouples into three independent
one-dimensional trackers whose steady state gains and covariances are known.
~
Hence, K , P and P matrices for the target at any bearing and elevation can be expressed in
terms of those applicable for 0 .
we have
K A34 K 0 A3T ,
T
P A34 P0 A34
,
~
~ T
P A34 P0 A34
(15)
where A34 is given by
A34
A3
0

0
0
A3
0
A3
0
0
0
A3
0
6. Steady State Gain Matrix K 0

K 0 may be partitioned in terms of four 3x3 diagonal matrices as
K 0T U V
(16)
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ISSN: 2250-1797
Let u kk , v kk , wkk and y kk (k=1,2,3) be the unnormalized diagonal elements of U, V, W and Y

partitioned matrices. Then, they are given by (4.21) as
r 1
u kk 1 k
,
rk 1
1 44 3 k
v kk
T 3rk 1
8 k
rk 1
1 16
y kk 3
T rk 1
wkk
where
1
T2
(17)
rk 1 1 k k k k
rk 1 1 k k k k (18)
k=1, 2, 3. k , k , k and k are real, positive and satisfy the inequalities given by
k k k k
k k k k2 k2 k
(19)
and are determined as follows

Let
12s k
jT 3
(20)
where s k (k=1, 2,3) is given by
s1 r , s 2 r , s3 r (21)
k is given by
1
1 16 k
3
(22)
k is obtained by solving the biquadratic equation given by (4.26) as

4
k 2 a k 8a k a 0
2
1
0
a R4 6 k , a R6 k R2 (23)
2
1

2
a 2 k R4 4 R2 R6
0
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ISSN: 2250-1797
8
22
8
, R4
, R6 (24)
3
9
9
k is known to be real and positive. Then k and k are determined as
with R2
k R2 2 k
k R6 2 k k
(25)
Thus K 0 matrix can be determined as given by (7.37) and hence, from (7.34), K matrix can be
determined. The details of derivation are similar to that given in Appendix2B.
~
7. Steady State P0 and P0 Matrices
P can be written as a partitioned matrix given by
0
P0
A
B

C
D
F H
G M
~
P0
A~
B
~
C
~
D
~ ~
B C
~ ~
E F
~ ~
F H
~ ~
G M
B
E
C
F
D
G
and
~
D
~
G
~
M
~
(26)
where the submatrices are all 3x3 diagonal matrices. Let a kk , bkk m kk and n kk be the
corresponding unnormalized diagonal elements of the submatrices. Then these elements are
given by [3] as
s2
akk u kk s k2 , bkk v kk k
T
2
sk
s k2
ckk wkk 2 , d kk y kk 3
T
T
1
s2
8
1 k k2
e kk
m
2 1 r 1
4 k
T
k
m 9 k m 2m
1
2
3
m 16 k 33 k 6 k 20
3
m
4 k 3 k 2 k
fkk
1
2
2 k
s k2
4 3 k 10 6 k 3 k
Page 6

g kk
h kk
4 k 1 3 k k sk4
2
6
3 k k 1 2 k k
2
k
m kk

ISSN: 2250-1797
2
sk
T
sk
4
,
k
k
2
5
12
72 k s k2
n kk 2 6
k T
(27)
Thus P0 matrix can be determined as given by (27) and hence, from (15), P matrix can be
determined.
~
8. Steady State P0 Matrix
~
~ and n~ be the corresponding unnormalized diagonal elements of the
Let a~kk , bkk m
kk
kk
submatrices. Then these elements are given by [3] as
r 1
a~kk k
1 s k2
rk 1
44 3 k s k2
~
bkk
3rk 1 T
8 k s k2
c~kk
2
rk 1 T
16 s k2
~
d kk
3
rk 1 T
1
2
8
1 k s k2
e~kk 2 n1
rk 1
4k
T
n1 9 k n2 2n3
n2 4 k k 2 k
n3 16 k 15 k 6 k 12
1
s k2
2 4 3 k 10 6 k 3 k 3
2 k
T
s k2
6
~
g kk 2 4 k 1 3 k k 4
k
T
~
f kk
Page 7

6
~
h kk

ISSN: 2250-1797
3 k k 2 k 1 2 k k 8
2
sk
T
~ 12 3 4 s k
m
kk
k
k
2k
T5
72 k 2 s k2
(28)
n~kk
6
2k
T
~
~
Thus P0 can be determined as given by (28) and hence, from [15], P matrix may be determined.
9. Numerical Results:
~
The steady state K , P and P matrices are evaluated from (14) for the following values of
the parameters and the computer results are presented below:
Parameters
r 0.16 Meters, 0.0040143 Radians, 0.017450 Radian, 0,30 Degrees

J 0.003 Meters/second 3 , T 4 Seconds, r 100 Meters, 0,30 Degrees
Computer Results
From (7.43) to (7.46), we get
1 5.4540
13.540 19.028 13.337

1
1
2 6.6489 , 20.771 2 37.291 2 33.454

2
3 9.3259
42.153 3 110.73 3 145.42
These values satisfy the inequalities given by (19). From (16) and (17), the elements of the
diagonal matrices may be determined as
0.9351
0
0
0
0.8862
0
0.2841
0
0
0.2229
0.0521
0
0
0.0335
0
0
0
0
0.7790
0
0
0.1409
0
0
0.0151
0
0
Page 8

0.0048
0
0
0
0.0025
0

ISSN: 2250-1797
0.0008
0
0
Hence, K 0 may be determined from (16). K may now be determined from (15) as
0.8935
0.0042
0.0894
0.2419
0.0110
0.0537
K
0.0405
0.0040
0.0139
0.0035
0.0005
0.0015
0.0042
0.0589
0.8886
0.0537
0.0310
0.1770
0.0139
0.0080
0.0244
0.0015
0.0009
.0018
0.0340
0.0110
0.2293
0.0310
0.0040
0.0359
0.0080
0.0005
0.0028
0.0004
0.0340
0.8173
From [3], the elements of the partitioned matrices of P may be obtained .Hence, from [3], P0
matrix can be determined. As P matrix is of dimension 12x12 and is too large, let it be
expressed, for simplicity, in terms of 4x4 matrices as
P
P 1
P2
P2T
P3
then they may be obtained as
0.4934
0.2024
-0.8794
P
1
0.0935
0.0333
-0.1582
0.2024
0.8794
0.0935
0.0333
0.2597
-0.5077
0.0333
0.0551
0.5077 1.7827 0.1582

0.0333 0.1581 0.0354
-9.9913
0.0089
0.0551
0.0913
0.0089
0.0250
-0.0913
0.3236
-0.0523
-0.0302
0.3236
0.0523
0.0302
0.1102
0.1582
0.0913
Page 9

P
2
0.0107
0.0031
-0.0168

0.0059
0.0009
0.0073

ISSN: 2250-1797
0.0019
0.0005
0.0003
0.0011
0.0031
0.0168
0.0006
0.0001
0.0009
0.0072
-0.0097
0.0001
0.0005
0.0005
0.0097 0.0348 0.0009 0.0005

0.0009 0.0073 0.0005
0.0000
0.0048
0.0042
0.0000
0.0005
-0.0042
0.0162
-0.0005
-0.0003
Page 10

P3
0.0013
0.0001
-0.0012

0.0001
0.0000
-0.0000

ISSN: 2250-1797
0.0001
0.001
0.0001
0.0000
0.0012
-0.0007
0.0000
0.0001
0.0002
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0001
0.0001
0.0007 0.0029 0.0000 -0.0001

0.0000 0.0001 0.0000 - 0.0000
0.0001
0.0001 0.0000
-0.0000
0.0003
-0.0000
0.0000
-0.0000
Similarly from [3], the elements of the partitioned matrices of P may be obtained. Hence, from
~
[3], P0 matrix can be determined. As P matrix is of dimension 12x12 and is too large, let it be
expressed, for simplicity, in terms of 4x4 matrices as
P
P 1
P2
P2T
P3
then they may be obtained as
P
1
P2
P3
2.5221
0.7316
3.8630

0.5044
0.1090
0.6827
0.0623
0.0086
0.7000

0.0173
0.0014
0.0160
1.4775
0.1423
0.0822
0.3217
0.7316
3.8630
0.5044
0.1090
0.6827
1.6773
2.2303
0.1090
0.3786
0.3941
8.0953 0.6827
0.6827
0.1214
0.3941
0.0183
2.2303
0.1090
0.3786
0.3941
0.0183
0.0100
0.3941
1.4755
0.1423
0.8217
0.0700
0.0404
0.0040
0.0003
0.0003
0.0037
0.0404
0.1606
0.0035
0.0020
0.0014
0.0160
0.0013
0.0000
0.0157
0.0093
0.0000
0.0013
0.0093
0.0395
0.0008
0.0005
0.0086
0.0524
0.0029
0.0000
0.0020

0.0003
0.0000
-0.0001
0.0001
0.0028
0.0020
0.0011
0.0003
-0.0000
0.0000
0.0003
0.0001
0.0001
0.0011
0.0055
0.0000
0.0001
0.2581
0.0000
0.0001
0.0088
0.0008
0.0005
0.0024
0.0035
0.0020
0.0000 - 0.0000
-0.0000
0.0000
0.0004 0.0000
0.0000
0.0004
0.0000
0.0000
0.0001
0.0001
0.0001
Conclusion
When these matrices are evaluated by executing the Kalman filter matrix equations (14)
~
to steady state, we get the same result. Comparing the values of P and P matrices, it may be
noted that the covariance goes down as a result of making an observation, even though the filter
is in steady state.
Page 11


ISSN: 2250-1797
References
[1] R.J.Fitzgerald, Comments on Position, velocity and acceleration estimates from noisy radar
measurements, IEE Proceedings on Communication, Radar and Signal Processing, Part F,
Vol.132, pp 65-67, February 1985.
[2] K.V.Ramachandra, Kalman filtering techniques for radar tracking ,Marcel-Dekker, Inc.,
New York, 2000
[3] K.V.Ramachandra and C.Ramesh, Analytical steady state results for a four state constant
jerk filter, In Proceedings of International Radar Symposium, India (IRSI 2001) held in
Bangalore during 11-14, December 2001, pp 306-325.
[4] K.V.Ramachandra and V.S. Srinivasan, Steady state results for the X, Y, Z Kalman tracking
filter, IEEE Transactions on Aerospace & Electronic System,AES-13, pp 419-423, July 1977
[5] K.V.Ramachandra, Steady state covariance matrix determination for a three dimensional
Kalman tracking filter, IEEE Transactions on Aerospace & Electronic System, AES-17, pp 887889, July 1979.
[6] K.V.Ramachandra, A Kalman tracking filter for estimating position, velocity and
acceleration from noisy measurements of a 3-D radar, Electro Technology (India), Vol.33, pp
68-76, Sept/Dec 1989.
[7] K.V.Ramachandra, State estimation of maneuvering targets from noisy radar
measurements, IEE Proceedings on Communication and Radar Signal Processing, Part F,
Vol.135, no.1,
pp 82-84, February 1988.
[8] B.R.Mohan, Computer Algorithm for Tracking an Aircraft in Two-Dimensions, In
Proceedings of International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering (ICETE 2011)
during May 4th - 5th 2011Pp13-18
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A Computer Algorithm For Tracking An Aircraft in Three-Dimensions

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International Journal of Computer Application

Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijca/ijca_index.htm

Issue 3, Volume 1 (February 2013)