Angle-only tracking of manoeuvring targets using adaptive-IMM multiple range models

The paper gives a solution to the problem of range estimation of moving targets by angle-only measurements from a single, manoeuvrable platform. The new feature is that the solution combines the properties of accurate range estimates of non-manoeuvring targets with the ability to track manoeuvring targets in an all-recursive setting. Some solutions for manoeuvring targets have been a combination of recursive and batch type algorithms. This paper solves the problem by a combination of multiple range models (MRM), an earlier solution to the non-manoeuvring problem, with an extension of the well known IMM technique. The extension consists of adaptive transition probabilities controlled by a manoeuvre detector. In the paper the general problem of angle-only tracking is discussed and the basics of the proposed algorithms are given. The result is shown by an example of aircraft tracking from an airborne platform.