Course Catalogue

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This course introduces the engineering principles and current technology behind navigation systems.  The course is broadly split into two sections, the first covering navigation equations and inertial methods, and the second covering satellite-based navigation and integrated navigation methods.

2 lectures per week

Mandatory Entry Requirements

None

Recommended Entry Requirements

Course on basic flight mechanics

ENG5062 Navigation Systems

SIT4042 Navigation Systems 4S

None

100% Examination

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to introduce the technology of modern navigation systems, particularly inertial and satellite-based systems.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ define position in terms of latitude, longitude and height, and be capable of deriving the great circle distance between two points using a transformation approach;

■ explain the different methods of inertial navigation and the sensors used in realising practical inertial navigation systems;

■ derive the navigation equations in appropriate sets of axes;

■ describe the basic principle of operation of a global navigation satellite system;

■ assess the error sources in computing a pseudo-range estimate;

■ solve the equations for calculating a position estimate from a given satellite constellation.

■ understand the principles behind integrated navigation systems and the importance of the Kalman Filter.

Students must attend the degree examination and submit at least 75% by weight of the other components of the course's summative assessment.

Students must attend the timetabled laboratory classes.

Students should attend at least 75% of the timetabled classes of the course.

Note that these are minimum requirements: good students will achieve far higher participation/submission rates.  Any student who misses an assessment or a significant number of classes because of illness or other good cause should report this by completing a MyCampus absence report.