Estimation of Aircraft Attitude/Heading Based on the Polarization of Electromagnetic Waves

Abstract

This paper illustrates the full use of an orthogonal decoupling signal model to describe the 3-D construction of polarized electromagnetic waves. The maximum likelihood method and MUSIC algorithm were introduced into the parameter estimation of partially polarized waves. Attitude reference information for an aircraft that was calibrated by an information base station was delivered by polarized electromagnetic waves. Through receiving and processing the information of the aircraft, a single electromagnetic vector sensor can acquire the aircraft attitude in a geographic coordinate system. Differing from the triangle calculation method which relies on a multi-point measurement, the proposed method only needs a base station signal and a single receiver on the motion platform to realize the posture perception of aircraft. It can therefore serve as a substitute for aircraft attitude navigation and aircraft heading navigation. The introduction of the motion platform attitude estimation algorithm provides a technology support for engineering applications.