Aircraft localization using a passive acoustic method. Experimental test

Abstract

A passive acoustic method for aircraft localization is experimentally tested in this paper. The method relies on the Doppler effect influencing the signals received by a mesh of microphones distributed over the acoustic area of interest. The relative Doppler stretch factors between the microphone signals are estimated using a one-dimensional version of the Ambiguity function. Then, a Genetic Algorithm is used to solve the non-linear system of equations that relates the aircraft's position and velocity to this relative stretch factors. This method is used in this study to locate a radio controlled airplane equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS). Seven microphones are distributed in the airfield area. Although the localization errors are influenced by the uncertainty in the microphones position, the acoustic system succeeds at locating the airplane.