Filter Comparison for Tracking Aircraft in Straight and Level Flight
LARRY J. BONIN · Journal of Aircraft · 1972
A conservative radar model is used to determine the relative accuracy of the SAGE/Buic and Kalman filters for tracking aircraft. The Kalman filter is shown to improve the accuracy of aircraft ground position and speed by factors of 5 and 10, respectively. It also provides an altitude estimate with an accuracy of 1000 ft using only conventional azimuth-scanning radar. Methods of improving the altitude accuracy with elevation-scanning radar and providing collision avoidance information from three-way range data are also presented.