Visual Analysis of Vehicle Simulations, INS/GPS Solutions and Real-World Data

Bob AddissSenior Software EngineerCAST Navigation, LLCRAddiss@castnav.com

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Presentation overview

CAST Navigation has created high-fidelity navigation system test equipment for more than 25 years

A new customer wanted CAST to integrate high-quality visualization tools on very aggressive schedule

This presentation will show how CAST successfully delivered by leveraging AGI software

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CAST Navigation, LLC overview

Leading provider, state-of-the-art test equipment for GPS and inertial navigation systems

Complete product line for commercial and military navigation systems– Research - Development - Integration– Testing - Maintenance

Key relationships allow the most comprehensive hardware-in-the-loop solutions– Northrop-Grumman (formerly Litton) - Honeywell– Rockwell Collins

Low-cost, low-risk, repeatable dynamic navigation system stimulation– Simulate any trajectory, anywhere near Earth from the lab

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Legacy CAST user interface capabilities

Graphical interfaces available since 2006– Aircraft gauge controls mimic cockpit– Optional MATLAB based trajectory view– Trajectory 2-D image (aero chart / photo) or 3-D view of elevation data– Industry-standard GeoTIFF imagery and DTED terrain– Real-world (non-orthogonal) geometry

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Customer and requirements overview

Boeing B-1B program had very flexible requirements– Even resource file formats were unspecified

Must show high-quality visualizations– Real-world terrain– High-resolution imagery– Accurate GPS satellite positions– Terrain obscuration and body-masking of GPS satellites– 3-D aircraft model with wing-sweep changes

Application should bring flight data to life– Visually analyze flight data and GPS access– Show why GPS signal may be lost – terrain obscuration / body masking– Help user to “see” what’s happening during the flight and why

Application should look like an aviation “music video”

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Customer and requirements overview

Customer provided CAST with a “concept video”

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The challenge – how do we get there from here?

Huge leap needed due to schedule and tool issues– Legacy application could not meet requirements– GIS tools generally do not display motion or altitude well– Satellite propagation and aircraft trajectory difficult to portray– No in-house 3-D graphics expertise– Developing from scratch would take “man-years,” but delivery

needed in 3 months

CAST chose STK Engine, Terrain/Imagery and Connect– “Out-of-the-box” support for all required data types– Impressive 3-D views– Freedom to define custom data flows– Made schedule feasible

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Key needs addressed by AGI software

Industry-standard terrain and imagery files Industry-standard GPS YUMA almanac files Smooth 2-D and 3-D visualizations 3-D models for obvious orientation information Embed into existing GUI framework CAST could focus on core competencies instead of re-

inventing

Using AGI’s STK Engine

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Key needs addressed by AGI software

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Project outcome

STK drastically decreased development time... – Delivered product in man-months, not years

Significantly lowered development and testing costs Successfully delivered within aggressive schedule Exceeded customer's expectations

– quality of the eye-catching visualizations– smoothness of interactive visualization

B-1B customer extremely satisfied and is considering order for additional units

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How AGI software was applied

2-D and 3-D controls added to basic GUI Added controls to trigger events / enable display elements Used AGI Software to process industry-standard files

(DTED Elevations / GeoTIFF images) into AGI formats Added custom software to convert trajectory data into

ephemeris / attitude representations Added custom software to accept real-time trajectory data

over Connect interface

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Analysis and demonstration

Analyze vehicle situation– Notice position with respect to imagery

clues / terrain features– Articulation with respect to airspeed– Vehicle should show level attitude on

the ground

Apply knowledge of flight principles– Pitch can change with climb / descent or

with airspeed– Roll should change during turns– Yaw can change during turns, or

because of winds aloft

Using new CAST application for key visual analysis issues

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Analysis and demonstration

Demonstration– Video of delivered application…

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By using AGI software, CAST Navigation:

Vastly improved graphical visualization offerings– Enhanced ability to collaborate using VDF files

Saved development cost Reduced development time

– Met aggressive 3-month schedule Eliminated risk of being unable to deliver product Allowed CAST to expand products and capture

new business

Delivered application which met schedule and exceeded customer expectations

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Wrap-up

Questions?

New application being used by customer NOW

For more information on this application or other GPS/INS Test Equipment and Simulation products, go to

www.castnav.com