Avionics Navigation Systems, 2nd Edition

PREFACE

The purpose of this book is to present a unified treatment of the principles and practices of modem navigation sensors and systems. This second edition is a total rewrite of the first edition.

During the 28 years since the first edition was published, there have been tremendous changes in the science and practice of navigation: the introduction of navigation satellites that provide, for the first time in history, global, continuous precise navigation; an enormous increase in the speed and memory of digital computers, accompanied by a sharp decrease in their size and cost; the invention of clever algorithms, based primarily on Kalman filters, that mix the outputs of several sensors to produce a best estimate of position, velocity and, sometimes, of time; and the proliferation of avionics on aircraft, interconnected by digital data buses, so that navigation is only one of several avionic subsystems.

This book was written for the navigation system engineer, whether user or designer, who is concerned with the practical application of newly developed technology, and for the technical specialist who wishes to learn about adjacent specialties. It is an engineer-oriented text that will serve a wide spectrum of readers, from the systems analyst who writes mathematical models to operations personnel who want to learn about the avionics equipment in their aircraft. This book applies to civil and military aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles. It covers the speed range ...