MAE 4150

GPS: Theory and Design

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2024-2025.

Analysis of GPS operating principles and engineering practice with a culminating design exercise. GPS satellite orbital dynamics, navigation data modeling, position/navigation/timing solution algorithm, receiver and antenna characteristics, analysis of error and accuracy, differential GPS.

When Offered Spring.

Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: 3000-level engineering course with advanced math content (e.g., ECE 3030 or MAE 3260).

• Students will be able to develop an understanding of orbital mechanics with non-Keplerian perturbations and reference frames adequate to calculate GPS satellite positions in absolute and local coordinates.
• Students will be able to use to use the GPS observables, their physical models, and the multi-variable version of Newton's nonlinear equation-solving method to calculate a navigation solution and a velocity solution.
• Students will be able to gain an understanding of the sources of ranging errors and how they map to navigation errors.
• Students will be able to collect raw GPS data in a laboratory environment, to analyze its properties, including its noise properties, and to use it to derive useful position, navigation, timing, and velocity information.
• Students will be able to implement an advanced analysis or design solution to a GPS problem, test it experimentally, and effectively communicate the results in a final report.

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