Tracking Algorithms for Air Traffic Control Applications

This article presents an analysis of algorithms for central tracking in air traffic control systems. Three algorithms were examined: an adaptive alpha/beta filter representative of systems now in use; an adaptive single model Kalman filter; and an interacting multiple model Kalman filter. The interacting multiple model filter included the turn rate as an additional filter state and estimated it as part of an extended Kalman filter. Average performance for the three filters was evaluated over a collection of scenarios simulating civilian and military targets with single-and two-sensor coverage and a number of ranges and target aspects. Existing radar systems and future Mode-S sensors were modeled. With the exception of straight-line targets, there was a dramatic performance difference between the Kalman filters and the alpha/beta algorithm. In tests that simulated tracking of high speed maneuvering targets with fused Mode-S data from two radar systems, the Kalman filters reduced the root mean square positi...