Utilization PPP method in aircraft positioning in post-processing mode

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the implementation of GNSS technique in aviation for recovery of aircraft’s position using Precise Point Positioning (PPP) method.

Design/methodology/approach

The aircraft’s coordinates in ellipsoidal frame were obtained based on GPS code and phase observations for PPP method. The numerical computations were executed in post-processing mode in the CSRS-PPP and magicPPP online services. The mathematical scheme of PPP method was development using indifference equations of Ionosphere-Free linear combination. In the experiment, airborne test using Cessna 172 aircraft on June 01, 2010 in the military airport in Deblin was realized. The aircraft’s position was determined using data from GNSS receiver (Topcon HiperPro with interval of 1 s).

Findings

In this paper, the accuracy of aircraft’s position is better than 0.07 m for CSRS-PPP service and better than 0.27 m for magicPPP service. In case of the Mean Radial Spherical Error parameter, the average value for CSRS-PPP service equals to 0.01 m, whereas for magicPPP, it is about 0.38 m. The values of vertical coordinate of Cessna 172 aircraft were also checked with results of Real Time Kinematic–On The Fly technique.

Research limitations/implications

In this paper, the analysis of aircraft positioning is focused on the application of the PPP method in post-processing mode. In near real time, the PPP method still has limitations, especially in the area of ambiguity resolution and also instrumental biases (e.g. Narrow Lane Hardware Delays).

Practical implications

The PPP method can be applied in aviation in post-processing mode for verification of true aircraft coordinates and elimination of blunder errors from adjustment processing of GNSS observations. The Zenith Wet Delay term as a product of troposphere delay and receiver clock bias as a product of precise time transfer can be obtained in the PPP method.

Originality/value

The paper presents that the PPP method is an alternative solution for the recovery of aircraft’s position in aviation, and this method can be also applied in the positioning of aircraft based on GLONASS or GPS/GLONASS data.

Citation

Krasuski, K., Wierzbicki, D. and Jafernik, H. (2018), "Utilization PPP method in aircraft positioning in post-processing mode", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 90 No. 1, pp. 202-209. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-05-2016-0078