Multi-sensor data processing for enhanced air and surface surveillance

As aircraft travel through the enroute, terminal and surface phases of flight, different types of surveillance resources are used for tracking. Historically, radar is used as the means to provide surveillance and situational awareness to the air traffic controller. In recent years, new surveillance technologies - multilateration and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) - have been introduced into the National Airspace System (NAS). These new surveillance sources are now being integrated with radar systems using multisensor data processing or fusion techniques. Multisensor data processing combines data from all sensors into a single position estimate for each aircraft. A multi-sensor data processing architecture provides highly accurate air and surface situational awareness for controllers, while enabling new air and surface safety, capacity and efficiency applications for airports, airlines and pilots.