AFCEA

2010 CNS/ATM Conference

San Antonio, Texas

Non-Radar Surveillance
Multilateration

Peter J. Radzikowski
Lead Engineer
853rd ELSG/International Affairs
15 April 2010
This material has been cleared for public release by 66 ABW/PA (6 April / case # 66 ABW-2010-0411.

Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

 Contents
Cooperative Surveillance
What Is Multilateration (MLAT)
Typical Multilateration Configuration
Principles of Operations
TDOA Hyperbolas Illustration
Other Multilateration Information
Multilateration Evolution
MLAT System Deployments
FAA Colorado Surveillance Problems
FAA WAM Implementations
FAA WAM Performance Requirements
Multilateration Documents
Other Applicable Documents
WAM Cost Analysis
MLAT Benefits
Summary
Slide 2
 Cooperative Surveillance

Civil and military applications utilize both ATCRB

(Mode 1,2,3/A, and C) and 1090 Extended Squitter
(1090 ES) for Mode-S emitters
The unknown height in civilian air traffic control
multilateration systems can directly derived from the
Mode C SSR transponder return. In this case, only
three sites are required for a 3D solution.
Note: TDOA is only a measurement of the emitter
waveform to determine the aircrafts location.
MLAT application: Augmentation of ASDE-3 and
ASDE-X, ILS, Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) and
primary radars for difficult terrain coverage.

Slide 3
 What is Multilateration (MLAT)

Multilateration, also known as hyperbolic positioning,

is the process of locating an object by accurately
computing the time difference of arrival (TDOA) of a
signal emitted from that object to three or more
receivers.
Multilateration is a ground-based independent
cooperative surveillance system that utilizes a
minimum of three receivers by calculating the time
difference of arrival (TDOA) of the 1090 MHz
transponder signal (waveform).
Multilateration is commonly used in civil and military
surveillance applications to accurately locate an
aircraft, vehicle or stationary emitter.
Slide 4
 Typical Multilateration
Configuration

ATCRBS and Mode-S

Transponders
Receiver
Receiver

Interrogator/
Receiver

Receiver
Other Receiver
Surveillance Fusion Tracker
Sources
(e.g. ATC Multilateration
Surveillance Tracks Target Data Processor
Radar)
ATC System

Ground stations triangulates aircraft position from

transponder replies
Slide 5
 Principle of Operation

An emitted pulse will arrive at slightly different times

at two spatially separated receiver sites.
An emitter can be located onto a hyperboloid with
two receivers at known locations.
A third receiver provides a second TDOA
measurement locating the emitter on a second
hyperboloid.
The fourth RX provides a 3rd TDOA measurement,
and the resultant 3rd hyperboloid in concert with the
curve already found from the other three receivers
defines a unique point in space.
The emitter's location is therefore fully determined in
3D using 4 receivers.
Slide 6
 TDOA Hyperbolas Illustration
A Hyperbolic Line of Position

Worst Accuracy Line

Best Accuracy Line

Slide 7
 Other Multilateration Information

It will take 3 multilateration stations in view to resolve

all ambiguities for a 2D position (N-1= posiiton).
6 stations distributed properly in view will be required
to achieve the best possible position with
multilateration in terms of Geometric Dilution of
Precision (GDOP) or GPS accuracy.
Synchronization of multilateration receiving stations
over a wide area will most likely require a timing
source like GPS or LORAN.
The distance between any two receiver stations that
are expected to contribute to a given WAM solution
lies somewhere between 10 and 100 NM.

Slide 8
 Multilateration Evolution

Jun 24, 1998 - Support airport growth at London Heathrow Airport;

Europe's busiest airport expanding ... Dependent Surveillance (MDS)
at London Heathrow Airport. The expanded multilateration system ...
scheduled to open in 2006.
Jan 14, 2000 - Multistatic Dependent Surveillance (MDS), at London
Gatwick Airport was approved for use and is now operational.
Jun 1, 2001 - ASDE-X's multilateration system. The subsequent
military development of multilateration systems.
Dec 2, 2002 - Sensis Delivers World's First Multilateration System
For Operational Air Traffic Control at London Heathrow Airport.
Feb 18, 2003 - Sensis Corporation today announced that it will
partner with Park Air Systems to deploy Sensis' Multistatic
Dependent Surveillance (MDS) system at Brussels Airport,

Slide 9
 Multilateration Evolution

Sep 20, 2004 - At Vienna International Airport, MDS, a

multilateration-based surveillance system, augments existing
primary, secondary and surface movement radar....
Nov 1, 2005 - United States Marine Corps to deploy Sensis
Multilateration System for wide area surveillance at 29 Palms Air
Ground Combat Center.
Feb 14, 2006 - Sensis A-SMGCS utilizes multiple surveillance
sources including a multilateration system with a flexible architecture
that allows for coverage in the most complex airport environment, an
ADS-B vehicle tracking system and a robust multi-sensor fusion
processor for airport surveilleance.
Jan 22, 2007 - Sensis Corporation today announced that
Luftfartsverket Air Navigation Services (LFV) has selected Sensis
Multistatic Dependent Surveillance (MDS) at Stockholm-Arlanda
Airport. .

Slide 10

 Multilateration Evolution

Jan 15, 2009 - Airport officials at Oslo selected Eras MSS ADS-B and
multilateration surveillance solution and Eras Squid vehicle tracking
devices.

Slide 11
 MLAT Systems Deployment*
China
Parallel runway monitor and A-SMGCS
United States
Airport surface surveillance/ASDE-X
WAM MLAT for Colorado and Juneau
Austria
WAM MLAT at Innsbruck Airport
Australia
WAM MLAT for terminal airspace surveillance
Canada
WAM MLAT inner Harbor seaplane base near Vancouver International
New Zealand
WAM MLAT around mountains to Queenstown airport
Czech Republic
Airport, terminal and WAM MLAT Surveillance

*Source: Janes Air Traffic Control 2008-2009

Slide 12
 FAA Colorado Surveillance
Problems
Increases in air traffic volume have resulted in an
increased number of delays and denied service
especially during bad weather
Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC)
reduces acceptance rates for mountain airports
from 12-17 flights per hour to 4 per hour
From November to April each year, the Colorado
DOT estimates 75 aircraft per airport, per day are
delayed or diverted, creating daily revenue loss
for the state
The lack of surveillance was identified as a
primary cause controllers are forced to utilize
procedural separation standards for IFR
arriving/departing aircraft

Slide 13
 FAA WAM Implementations
Coverage is defined by a series of airspace
fixes
5NM coverage radius defined around each fix
Minimum and maximum altitude also defined
within the radius
Total of 42 fixes defined for Colorado WAM
29 Fixes for Hayden Coverage
13 Fixes within Rifle Coverage
Total of 13 fixes defined for Juneau, Alaska

Slide 14
 FAA WAM Performance Requirements
Sensor Coverage Volume:
Altitude: 0 to 20,000 feet above MSL
Range: 0 to 60 nmi
Azimuth: 0 to 360 degrees

Update Rate: 12 second +/- 0.01 degree

Probability of Detection (Pd): 98%
Probability of False Target detection: 1 in 1000 (<0.1%)
Accuracy:
210 feet for 68th percentile
420 feet for 95th percentile

Resolution: Separated by 1.7 nmi or greater 98 %

System Sensitivity: -88dBm
Target Capacity: 200 ATCRBS and Mode S aircraft
Slide 15
 FAA WAM Performance Requirements

WAM Performance Requirements source Documents:

FAA-E-3010, Specifications for Wide Area
Multilateration (WAM), 02 February 2007
ICAO Annex 10, International Standards and
Recommended Practices (SARPS), Aeronautical
Telecommunications, Volume IV Surveillance and
Collision Avoidance Systems, dated July 2007.
The system performance requirements were used by
the FAA for the Colorado and Juneau WAM
implementation.
FAA defined 32 ground stations as one MLAT system.

Slide 16
 Multilateration Documents

Eurocontrol: WAM Generic Guidance Process -

Volume 1, Process Description, Edition 02.00, 01
August 2009.
Eurocontrol: WAM Generic Approval Process
Volume 2, Guidance Notes, Edition 02.00, 01 August
2009.
EUROCAE: Minimum Operational Performance
Specification for Mode S Multilateration Systems for
Use in Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and
Control Systems (A-SMGCS), ED-117, November
2003.
EUROCAE: Wide Area Multilateration Systems, ED-
142, (under development)
Slide 17
 Other Applicable Documents
US Department of Transportation FAA-E-3010
Specification for Wide Area Multilateration (WAM),
02 February 2009.
ICAO Asia and Pacific Office, Multilateration (MLAT)
Concept of Use, Edition 1, September 2007.
ICAO White Paper ADS-B SITF/6-WP/S, Concepts of
Use of Multilateration, April 2007.
ASTERIX Cat 019, Multilateration System Messages
(Part 18).
ASTERIX CAT 020, MLT Messages (Part 14).
ICAO SARPS Annex 10, Volume IV, Surveillance and
Collision Avoidance Systems, Fourth Edition, July
2007
Slide 18
 WAM Costs Analysis
SSR: $2.5 million
Primary Radar and MSSR (Mode-S upgrade): $16
million
Multilateration: @ $250,000 per ground station
Costs can vary widely depending upon
installation, but without any problems it should be
about half that of an SSR
ERAs MLAT systems should be about
US$1,870,000 with US$75,000 recurring costs
Colorado paid $4.7 million for 20 MLAT sensors to
cover 4 airports, not including communications
infrastructure and maintenance costs (estimated
total costs @$10 million in Colorado and @$3.5
million in Juneau)
Slide 19
 Multilateration Benefits

Substantial Lower costs for installation and

maintenance
Small structural footprint for installation
Similar coverage capabilities as several
radars
Same performance requirements as ATCRB
and Mode S (FAA/ICAO)
Can be collocated with ADS-B
Same communications infrastructure
requirements as ADS-B and SSRs
Slide 20
 Summary

Multilateration should be used to augment

conventional radars and ADS-B.
Provides radar coverage for unsatisfactory
terrain conditions.
Requires the same communications
infrastructure as ADS-B.
Utilizes ATCRB and 1090 ES transponders and
needs no additional avionics on-board.
ASTERIX interface standard approved.
Several OEMs are available for
implementation.
Slide 21